{"id":56563,"date":"2023-08-17T12:49:03","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T19:49:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=56563"},"modified":"2023-08-17T12:49:06","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T19:49:06","slug":"tabs-difference-maker-robert-covington-is-a-general-who-helps-take-the-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/the-week-in-imaging-twii\/editors-blog\/2023\/08\/tabs-difference-maker-robert-covington-is-a-general-who-helps-take-the-lead\/","title":{"rendered":"TABS Difference Maker Robert Covington is a General Who Helps Take the LEAD"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Robert Covington<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Robert Covington has taken a pragmatic approach to business in the post-COVID era. The senior product marketing manager for Toshiba America Business Solutions (TABS) is mindful of the impact the pandemic had on business communications, but that doesn\u2019t mean he has to like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, TABS has elevated its video conferencing skills to unprecedented heights, but there\u2019s simply no substitute for face-to-face interaction. That\u2019s why he\u2019s so excited to be a part of next month\u2019s Toshiba LEAD Beyond conference in Las Vegas, because there\u2019s an exciting story to tell about TABS\u2019 technology exploits. Taking the stage fits right into Covington\u2019s wheelhouse, and one gets the impression that, in another life, he would\u2019ve been a theatrical performer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just call him \u201cThe General.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early in his career, Covington was tasked with introducing a new product line during a conference. The keynote speaker happened to be Retired General Tommy Franks, and it was around the time of the Desert Storm operation. When it came Covington\u2019s turn to bat, he took the stage in full costume as General George S. Patton. In a nod to the opening scene in the movie \u201cPatton,\u201d Covington had the U.S. flag as his backdrop and delivered a speech reminiscent of Old Blood and Guts that would\u2019ve undoubtedly made George C. Scott proud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love to demonstrate products and present them to customers, whether it\u2019s a personal one-on-one interactive demonstration or standing on a stage in front of all our dealers and their customers,\u201d noted Covington, a 2023 ENX Magazine<\/em> Difference Maker. \u201cIt\u2019s fun, as long as you know what you\u2019re talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A graduate of Cal State Fullerton, Covington has helped guide many of TABS\u2019 most innovative offerings since the mid-1990s, and he also played a vital role as the company transitioned from analog to digital products. Toshiba, he said, wanted to \u201ccatch the digital wave\u201d (Covington has the t-shirt to prove it) and he helped launch the first connected copier (DP2460) with an SC-1 external controller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Showing the Way<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Covington loves to immerse himself in the new technology and features of TABS\u2019 products and relate them to dealers and sales reps in a way that\u2019s easy to understand. A mere brochure or PowerPoint presentation won\u2019t always do the trick, so he expresses how the release can effectively solve end-user challenges. Serving a critical role in the sales process is an effective motivating factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the products Covington manages represent a \u201clion\u2019s share\u201d of company revenue, it\u2019s a responsibility he doesn\u2019t take lightly. \u201cI want to do what I can to make sure our dealers understand the product we\u2019re offering and how it can help their customers meet their business objectives more efficiently,\u201d he said. \u201cI like to be part of the solution and sales reps appreciate having someone with answers they can turn to. Sales reps are good at selling, but they often need concrete answers to technical questions. Their interface with the customer these days is increasingly IT, where facts matter. They often want answers in writing \u2013 documented proof. The sales reps are relying on me to satisfy their customer\u2019s demands. I can\u2019t always give them what they want, but I sincerely enjoy the challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When TABS raises the curtain on a new offering, it\u2019s not Covington\u2019s first exposure to the product. He collaborates with engineers in Japan during the development phase, providing a unique perspective and a firm grounding when it\u2019s time to address the sales force\u2019s questions in a fast and accurate manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s even better when I can get the answers in front of them before they get the question. Someday perhaps,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Covington credits TABS\u2019 managers for showing faith in his ability to carry out tasks reliably and thoroughly, which he repays in full by exceeding their expectations. He appreciates the trust and confidence they\u2019ve shown in him, which inspires Covington to tackle every challenge that comes his way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of challenges, the post-COVID environment and its deleterious impact on the supply chain, and managing the transition from current to successor product offering was particularly daunting. \u201cSchedules and timelines were fluid, yet we had to be ready to respond as soon as the products were ready,\u201d he noted. \u201cThe challenges of COVID brought with it a work-from-home workforce that changed the dynamic, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Center Stage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s what makes LEAD Beyond a critical showcase for TABS. It\u2019s the first time in five years that the event has been held, and Covington is excited to share with attendees the many changes within the company as they apply to clients and end-users. After all, \u201cThe General\u201d is at his best when addressing the troops in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to seeing people in person for a change rather than through a video conferencing UI,\u201d he admitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An avid traveler, Covington enjoys exploring internationally, especially Europe. Work has enabled him to visit Japan numerous times. Closer to home, he can be found riding motorcycles and dirt bikes; the former has taken him throughout much of the Western U.S., which he\u2019s investigated in great detail. Music is another passion\u2014from classic rock to country and other genres, Covington enjoys the intimate experience of small venues.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Robert Covington has taken a pragmatic approach to business in the post-COVID era. The senior product marketing manager for Toshiba America Business Solutions (TABS) is mindful of the impact the pandemic had on business communications, but that doesn\u2019t mean he has to like it. Sure, TABS has elevated its video conferencing skills to unprecedented heights, but there\u2019s simply no substitute for face-to-face interaction. That\u2019s why he\u2019s so excited to be a part of next month\u2019s Toshiba LEAD Beyond conference in Las Vegas, because there\u2019s an exciting story to tell about TABS\u2019 technology exploits. Taking the stage fits right into Covington\u2019s wheelhouse, and one gets the impression that, in another life, he would\u2019ve been a theatrical performer. Just call him \u201cThe General.\u201d Early in his career, Covington was tasked with introducing a new product line during a conference. The keynote speaker happened to be Retired General Tommy Franks, and it was around the time of the Desert Storm operation. When it came Covington\u2019s turn to bat, he took the stage in full costume as General George S. Patton. In a nod to the opening scene in the movie \u201cPatton,\u201d Covington had the U.S. flag as his backdrop and delivered a speech reminiscent of Old Blood and Guts that would\u2019ve undoubtedly made George C. Scott proud. \u201cI love to demonstrate products and present them to customers, whether it\u2019s a personal one-on-one interactive demonstration or standing on a stage in front of all our dealers and their customers,\u201d noted Covington, a 2023 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. \u201cIt\u2019s fun, as long as you know what you\u2019re talking about.\u201d A graduate of Cal State Fullerton, Covington has helped guide many of TABS\u2019 most innovative offerings since the mid-1990s, and he also played a vital role as the company transitioned from analog to digital products. Toshiba, he said, wanted to \u201ccatch the digital wave\u201d (Covington has the t-shirt to prove it) and he helped launch the first connected copier (DP2460) with an SC-1 external controller. Showing the Way Covington loves to immerse himself in the new technology and features of TABS\u2019 products and relate them to dealers and sales reps in a way that\u2019s easy to understand. A mere brochure or PowerPoint presentation won\u2019t always do the trick, so he expresses how the release can effectively solve end-user challenges. Serving a critical role in the sales process is an effective motivating factor. As the products Covington manages represent a \u201clion\u2019s share\u201d of company revenue, it\u2019s a responsibility he doesn\u2019t take lightly. \u201cI want to do what I can to make sure our dealers understand the product we\u2019re offering and how it can help their customers meet their business objectives more efficiently,\u201d he said. \u201cI like to be part of the solution and sales reps appreciate having someone with answers they can turn to. Sales reps are good at selling, but they often need concrete answers to technical questions. Their interface with the customer these days is increasingly IT, where facts matter. They often want answers in writing \u2013 documented proof. The sales reps are relying on me to satisfy their customer\u2019s demands. I can\u2019t always give them what they want, but I sincerely enjoy the challenge.\u201d When TABS raises the curtain on a new offering, it\u2019s not Covington\u2019s first exposure to the product. He collaborates with engineers in Japan during the development phase, providing a unique perspective and a firm grounding when it\u2019s time to address the sales force\u2019s questions in a fast and accurate manner. \u201cIt\u2019s even better when I can get the answers in front of them before they get the question. Someday perhaps,\u201d he remarked. Covington credits TABS\u2019 managers for showing faith in his ability to carry out tasks reliably and thoroughly, which he repays in full by exceeding their expectations. He appreciates the trust and confidence they\u2019ve shown in him, which inspires Covington to tackle every challenge that comes his way. Speaking of challenges, the post-COVID environment and its deleterious impact on the supply chain, and managing the transition from current to successor product offering was particularly daunting. \u201cSchedules and timelines were fluid, yet we had to be ready to respond as soon as the products were ready,\u201d he noted. \u201cThe challenges of COVID brought with it a work-from-home workforce that changed the dynamic, too.\u201d Center Stage That\u2019s what makes LEAD Beyond a critical showcase for TABS. It\u2019s the first time in five years that the event has been held, and Covington is excited to share with attendees the many changes within the company as they apply to clients and end-users. After all, \u201cThe General\u201d is at his best when addressing the troops in person. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to seeing people in person for a change rather than through a video conferencing UI,\u201d he admitted. An avid traveler, Covington enjoys exploring internationally, especially Europe. Work has enabled him to visit Japan numerous times. Closer to home, he can be found riding motorcycles and dirt bikes; the former has taken him throughout much of the Western U.S., which he\u2019s investigated in great detail. Music is another passion\u2014from classic rock to country and other genres, Covington enjoys the intimate experience of small venues.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":54816,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3626,80,1650,82,84,1638],"tags":[633],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56563"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56563"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56565,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56563\/revisions\/56565"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}