Robots have a way of getting attention. Put one on a trade show floor and people stop. They watch it navigate around obstacles, carry something across the room, clean a floor or perform a task without anyone standing behind it.
For an office technology dealer, though, the more interesting part comes after the crowd moves on. Could you sell it? Who would buy it? What problem would it solve? How well does it actually perform? Can your organization support it? And would you be comfortable putting your company’s reputation behind it?
Those questions are becoming more relevant as robotics moves into commercial and industrial environments. For dealers, distributors, OEMs, VARs and service providers that already bring technology into the workplace, it’s a category worth watching.
Before making any bets, though, it is worth asking some tough questions.
A Familiar Kind of Opportunity
Office technology dealers are used to change. Many dealerships today sell far more than traditional print hardware. Software, document workflow, managed services, security and other technologies have expanded both the portfolio and the conversations dealers can have with customers. Robotics could open another one. Autonomous robots are being developed for industrial and logistics environments, while cobots and robotic arms are beginning to handle tasks such as loading and material movement in production print.
Nobody needs to run back from the next trade show and add a robotics division. But it makes sense to understand what’s happening. And a good place to start is with a simple question: Where could this technology solve a problem my customers actually have? Labor is one area. Businesses are trying to get more done with limited staff, and repetitive or physically demanding work can take people away from jobs where their time may be better spent.
If a robot can help in a practical and cost-effective way, there may be an opportunity worth exploring.
What Happens After the Demonstration?
Technology demonstrations are usually impressive for a reason. Everything is set up to show the product working the way it should. But a customer’s workplace can be very different.
People walk through the space. Layouts change. Loads vary. Workflows aren’t always predictable. A task that looks simple during a demonstration may be more demanding when the robot performs it repeatedly during a normal workday, which can lead to questions:
- How quickly can it complete the task?
- How precise is it?
- What payload can it handle?
- Does it perform consistently?
- What are you getting for the price?
Dealers already know this process. When considering a new print device, software platform or other major addition to your portfolio, you want to know what it does well, where it falls short, how it compares with competing products and which customers it makes sense for. Robotics deserves the same level of homework.
Your Reputation Goes with the Product
When you bring new technology to a longtime customer, you bring the relationship with you. A customer may consider something unfamiliar because the recommendation came from a trusted dealer. That can make it easier to introduce a new solution. It also means the dealer has something to lose if the technology doesn’t perform as expected.
If you recommend a robot, your credibility is attached to that recommendation. That’s one reason dealers need a clear picture of what a product can do, how it compares with alternatives and where it’s likely to fit.
OEMs and distributors face a similar challenge. Channel partners need to understand what they’re selling and have enough information to explain its value without overselling the technology.
Think Beyond the Robot
The robot itself will get most of the attention. The business around it matters just as much. Ask yourself:
- How does it fit into the customer’s operation?
- What does deployment look like?
- What happens if the unit stops working?
- Who supports it?
- Who owns the customer relationship after the sale?
Dealers have been tackling versions of those questions for years. They assess customer needs, configure solutions, install technology, train users, provide service and maintain relationships long after the original sale.
That experience could prove valuable with robotics. It can also help dealers recognize a poor fit. An impressive product doesn’t automatically make a good business. You still need the right customers, support model, partnerships and people who can sell and service it with confidence. Those are things to figure out before making a major commitment.
Preparing the Sales Team
Then there’s the person who has to walk into the customer meeting. A salesperson who’s spent years talking about print, document workflows or managed services may suddenly be discussing an entirely different technology. The buyer may be someone new. Even the vocabulary may take some getting used to.
That salesperson needs more than a brochure and a product demonstration. They need to understand the customer’s problem, how the robot addresses it, what technology can realistically do and what evidence supports the claims being made.
They also need to recognize when the solution isn’t right for the customer. Before moving into an unfamiliar category, learn about the market. Understand which problems are creating demand. Know how the products differ. Give salespeople the information and training they need to have a credible conversation. That can make the difference between chasing an interesting product and building a real business around it.
Look Before You Leap—Putting Robotics to the Test
New technologies will always compete for the channel’s attention. Some become meaningful growth opportunities, while others find a narrower place in the market. The challenge is figuring out which is which.
For manufacturers, that can mean performance information they can take to market. For dealers and other channel partners, it can help answer a practical question: Is this something I would feel comfortable putting in front of my customers?
So, enjoy the demonstration. Watch the robot move around the room. Ask it to do something interesting. Then start asking the questions that matter:
- How well does it perform?
- What problem does it solve?
- Where does it fit?
- Can we support it?
- Can we make money with it?
- Would I recommend it to a customer who trusts me?
Those answers will tell you a lot more about the opportunity than the demo ever could.
For questions regarding product testing, please contact David Sweetnam at David.Sweetnam@KeypointIntelligence.com.
