Following are highlights from the big and small news stories for March:<\/p>\n
NPRN and NPSA Enter into Reciprocal Service Agreement <\/strong><\/p>\n March 27 –<\/em> The National Print Repair Network (NPRN), currently providing printer service delivery across the United States, and the National Print Services Alliance (NPSA), currently delivering printer service across Canada have joined forces to create a North American printer service delivery network. Members of these networks will enjoy seamless integration between these countries using the National Dispatch Portal provided by BEI Services.<\/p>\n \u201cThis strategic partnership will provide participating members of these two organizations a big advantage when bidding MPS contracts for companies that have operations in both countries,\u201d says Frank Topinka, president of NPRN. \u201cHaving a partner and knowing what your service costs will be when proposing an MPS package that crosses boarders is a real advantage to win some of these larger MPS deals. This is just another step towards the goals we have for the set for the NPRN organization, and there are a number of other partnerships in the horizon that will be announced later this year\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are excited to be able to offer a single point of contact to our clients for all their printing needs across Canada and the United States,\u201d adds Kevin Hiebert, president of NPSA. \u201cAs the MPS marketplace continues to evolve, customer expectations are going up, and we want to continuously be one step ahead of their needs. This joint partnership fills a lot gaps for both parties and our members\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBEI Services is thrilled to be part of these exciting times.\u201d notes Bud Karakey, VP of operations for BEI Services, Inc. \u201cAdding our NPSA neighbors up north to NPRN service network is another step toward our vision of a full coverage centralized North American MPS call routing system. We enjoy working with Frank and the NPRN organization as they continue their growth.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Bay Copy\u2019s Ray Belanger Takes on New Role at South Shore Chamber of Commerce<\/strong><\/p>\n March 27 –<\/em> Ray Belanger, CEO of Bay Copy has been elected Treasurer of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He will fulfill this role while concurrently serving on the Chamber\u2019s Executive Committee, where he serves as Second Vice Chair.<\/p>\n The Pembroke, MA resident is an active member of the South Shore Chamber and has served the Chamber in a number of capacities during his time as a member. Belanger, who has been President of Bay Copy since 1992, is also a founding member and Past President of Select Dealer Group, a national trade association of office products dealerships. He is a past President of the Konica National Advisory Board, a current member of the Lexmark Advisory Board and has been a featured speaker\/panelist at industry events.<\/p>\n \u201cThe South Shore Chamber is a vibrant leader in the business community,\u201d says Belanger, adding, \u201cBay Copy will celebrate a milestone this year, its 40th<\/sup> anniversary, and the South Shore Chamber has been a big part of our company\u2019s growth and story. We are pleased to have such a strong affiliation with this great organization.\u201d<\/p>\n FlexPrint Releases New Employee Incentive<\/strong><\/p>\n March 27 –<\/em> <\/strong>FlexPrint, Inc. (FPI), a provider of managed print services and document management has released a company-wide incentive program that further promotes exceptional customer Service and strengthens the company culture that FlexPrint has nurtured since its beginnings in 2005.<\/p>\n Twenty FPI employees will be recognized and rewarded for their drive and focus on creating and maintaining a unique customer experience. \u201cCompanies always talk about the importance of customer service, but this isn\u2019t just the same old \u2018focus on the customer\u2019 message,\u201d states Corey Rivard, VP of sales operations. \u201cFlexPrint continually invests in its employees who deliver and promote a great customer experience.\u201d The winner of the \u201cFAB20\u201d will be announced at FlexPrint\u2019s January 2013 Kick-Off Meeting.<\/p>\n To become one of FlexPrint\u2019s \u201cFAB20\u201d, every employee will have the opportunity to openly recognize and nominate another team member\u2019s outstanding performance. The top 20 nominated employees at the end of the year will be rewarded with \u201cno car payments for one year.\u201d<\/p>\n FlexPrint Announces Strategic Partnership with Sharp<\/strong><\/p>\n March 23 –<\/em> <\/strong>FlexPrint, Inc. (FPI) has announced a strategic partnership with Sharp Electronics. This partnership expands FPI\u2019s overall product line-up and strengthens FPI\u2019s technology agnostic approach to managed print services. FPI\u2019s primary focus with the alliance is to enhance their unique managed print services model. The additional partnership with Sharp further ensures that customers receive the most comprehensive suite of customizable solutions and intelligent devices, including products from Ricoh\/Lanier, Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, Kyocera, and Sharp.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no other company in the nation with this level of focus on creating custom managed print solutions,\u201d says Frank Gaspari, CEO of FlexPrint, Inc. \u201cThe print strategies we create and manage are tailored to our customers\u2019 specific business requirements, and allow people, process, and best-in-breed technologies to work seamlessly together.\u201d<\/p>\n Samsung and GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation Announce New Equipment Finance Program <\/strong><\/p>\n March 20 \u2013<\/em> GreatAmerica Leasing Corp. and Samsung Electronics America, Inc. have joined forces to assist Samsung office equipment dealers with an equipment finance program. The new zero percent, thirty six month lease program was developed to help qualified Samsung dealers expand their market share and provide additional incentives to their customers. In addition, Samsung has also added GreatAmerica as a Samsung MPS Select Partner.<\/p>\n \u201cUnder our Program we want to help make Samsung dealers successful with equipment financing and help grow their current Managed Print Services offering,\u201d says Ron Nevo, senior manager, product marketing, Samsung Electronics America, Enterprise Business Division. \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019ve invested in this innovative zero percent program and selected GreatAmerica as the finance company behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreatAmerica is honored to be chosen as a Samsung MPS Select Partner. Samsung is showing their dedication to the channel by investing in this zero percent program. We look forward to making their finance experience successful and providing them with the GreatAmerica Experience,\u201d adds Greg VanDeWalker, senior vice president, strategic relationships at GreatAmerica. \u201cIn addition, our near decade of MPS expertise will help dealers grow their MPS solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n The Samsung MPS program provides dealers with a complete suite of tools to optimize and manage their customers\u2019 printer, MFP and copier fleets, while lowering their operating costs and providing opportunities for enhanced revenue and profits.<\/p>\n All Covered Acquires Managed IT Services Practice of Boston-based Covisia Solutions\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n March 20 –<\/em> All Covered<\/a>, a division of Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A Inc. has announced that Covisia Solutions, a Managed IT Services company based in Waltham, Massachusetts, has joined All Covered. Covisia Solutions<\/a> has over 20 years of experience analyzing, designing, implementing, managing and scaling information technology environments for clients across New England. They provide customers with a streamlined application delivery process, by following their 4C methodology of centralization, consolidation, collaboration and continuity. They are one of the largest technology support services firms in New England and in the top one percent of Citrix partners across the US. The company has been a Citrix Platinum Solutions Provider Partner since 1999, having worked on more than 1,000 Citrix installations.<\/p>\n Formax Rolls Out Three New Inserters<\/strong><\/p>\n March 20 –<\/em> Formax is introducing three new products, including the 6604 Series Inserters, replacing the 6602 Series with a system that offers even greater flexibility and productivity, according to Formax. New features include an enhanced 10.4-inch full-color touchscreen control panel, a sealing fluid level indicator on the control panel, multiple output options, and the ability to process top, middle and bottom address documents.<\/p>\n Users can choose from a variety of input options: a high-capacity document feeder for up to 725 sheets, 1 or 2 high-capacity production feeders, short feed trays, standard feeders and special feeders for glossy or thick stock. The 6604 Series has the flexibility to process forms of various lengths and thicknesses, up to 4,300 per hour and up to 80,000 pieces per month. Standard and special feeders accommodate up to 325 sheets each, while the top-loading envelope hopper holds up to 500 envelopes. The AutoSet function automatically measures paper lengths, envelope sizes and fold lengths. Recurring and frequent jobs run in AutoSetTM can also be stored as one of 25 programmable job settings.<\/p>\n The high-capacity vertical stacker holds up to 500 filled envelopes, with reverse stacking output to maintain the original order of documents. In addition, the 6604 Series offers energy savings with its auto standby mode, which goes into effect after one hour of idle time. \u00a0Optional Barcode Recognition (BCR) and Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) feature new CIS scanning technology which scans the entire width of the document, providing greater flexibility in document design and reducing setup time between applications with codes in different positions.<\/p>\n Additional options include a Thin Booklet Feeder, 1 or 2 Production Feeders for up to 1,200 sheets or 375 BREs each or short feed trays to meet specific inserting requirements. In addition, a High-Capacity Envelope Hopper and a High-Capacity Output Conveyor, each with a capacity of 1,000 envelopes, and side exit trays are available to further enhance productivity.<\/p>\n Also new are the 6404 Series Inserters, replace the 6402 Series with a system that reportedly offers greater flexibility and productivity. New features include a full-color touchscreen control panel which flips for use on both sides, a sealing fluid level indicator on the control panel, a large reverse-output power stacker, and the ability to process top, middle and bottom address documents. Envelope sealing is made simpler with the ability to set the seal\/non-seal feature as part of its 25 programmable jobs.<\/p>\n Users can choose from a variety of input options: a high-capacity document feeder for up to 725 sheets, 1 or 2 high-capacity production feeders, short feed trays, standard feeders and special feeders for glossy or thick stock. The 6404 Series has the flexibility to process forms of various lengths and thicknesses, up to 4,000 per hour and up to 60,000 pieces per month. Standard and special feeders accommodate up to 325 sheets each, while the top-loading envelope hopper holds up to 325 envelopes. The AutoSet function automatically measures paper lengths, envelope sizes and fold lengths. Recurring and frequent jobs run in AutoSet can also be stored as one of 25 programmable job settings.<\/p>\n The new high-capacity power stacker holds up to 500 filled envelopes, with reverse stacking output to maintain the original order of documents. In addition, the 6404 Series offers energy savings with its auto standby mode, which goes into effect after one hour of idle time.<\/p>\n Options include Optical Mark Recognition (OMR), Barcode Recognition (BCR), side exit trays, short feed trays, and cabinets.<\/p>\n Also announced is the newly designed FD 6102 Desktop Inserter, a low-volume solution. Innovations include all-new internal engineering, new feeding systems, a color touchscreen interface with job wizard, and a 10 percent lower MSRP. The FD 6102 also boasts 15 programmable jobs, an increased monthly volume of up to 5,000 pieces, and the ability to process half folds while using 6 x 9.5-inch envelopes.<\/p>\n The new feeding systems are based on technology from the 6202 Series, including green foam fold rollers to reduce toner build-up and improve folding consistency. In addition, document \u201ccatch points\u201d have been removed and the internal mechanics are easier to access.<\/p>\n The FD 6102 processes documents up to 14 inches in length, and can fold and insert up to 5 sheets, stapled or unstapled, at a time. Two fully-automatic sheet feeders and one automatic insert\/BRE feeder provide a range of folding and inserting capabilities. Fold types now include Letter, Double Parallel, Half and no fold, plus, intuitive icons have been added to help users better understand how to load paper and envelopes. The new color touchscreen makes setup quick and easy with a step-by-step wizard feature.<\/p>\n These new attributes, and an MSRP $500 lower than the FD 6150, combine to make the new FD 6102 a powerful and affordable low-volume solution, according to Formax.<\/p>\n Konica Minolta Helps Wildlife Conservation Society Implement Green Printing Strategy<\/strong><\/p>\n March 21 –<\/em> <\/strong>Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. has announced that the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS<\/a>) has implemented a cost effective, green printing strategy with the help of Konica Minolta Optimized Print Services (OPS). WCS\u2019 new optimized print strategy eliminates wasteful printing and saves energy while controlling and reducing its printing expenditures.<\/p>\n The WCS is the world\u2019s most comprehensive conservation organization and educates millions of visitors at its five living institutions in New York City – the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and Queens Zoo. To meet its goal of developing sustainable operating practices for its green Global Conservation building, WCS engaged Konica Minolta\u2019s Optimized Print Services (OPS)<\/a>to implement a cost and energy efficient printing strategy.<\/p>\n Konica Minolta conducted a detailed OPS assessment and tailored a print solution based on WCS needs by right-sizing its document output fleet to meet actual business needs with minimal cost of ownership and environmental impact. In total, Konica Minolta replaced 20 laser printers with 20 Konica Minolta magicolor 1690MF<\/a> multifunction printers (MFPs) and Konica Minolta bizhub C35<\/a> color printers. Most importantly, the OPS assessment process reduced cost for black and white and color printing between 30 percent and 40 percent.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the help of Konica Minolta and OPS, we have instituted green printing practices, purchased cost effective and energy efficient MFPs and participate in the free Konica Minolta Clean Planet recycling program,\u201d said Jim Morley, Purchasing Director, Wildlife Conservation Society. \u201cIn addition, many departments have seen a 30 percent savings in reduced service calls and consumables expenses.\u201d<\/p>\n Konica Minolta\u2019s OPS program now manages all of WCS\u2019s MFPs and laser printers including those from HP for its New York institutions. Konica Minolta OPS program provides pro-active remote and on-site service as well as automatic delivery of consumables and replacement parts. The organization now has one contact and invoice for its printer fleet.<\/p>\n Print Audit Adds Lightning to Facilities Manager with the Release of v2.20<\/strong> March 19 –<\/em> <\/strong>Continuing to listen to the needs of its customers, Print Audit recently released an update for the Facilities Manager Web portal, which reportedly makes the program easier to use and faster to navigate. The performance enhancements will be most apparent to users that log into Facilities Manager with an account that has access to multiple dealers.<\/p>\n Facilities Manager is a tool designed to remotely collect meter reads, automate supplies fulfillment, and report service information for managing fleets of printers, copiers, fax machines and multifunction devices. The product is currently used by more than 700 dealers worldwide and boasts a 40 percent market share in the United States.<\/p>\n Facilities Manager 2.20 contains several other new features, including enhanced reporting options that make it faster and easier for users to generate reports, as well as numerous fixes for issues in previous versions of the portal. For a complete list of changes made in version 2.20 of Facilities Manager, visit the “Latest Release Notes” in the application’s online help section.<\/p>\n View a recording of the Facilities Manager 2.20 Webinar for a more detailed look at what’s new in the latest release at www.youtube.com\/watch?v=SNxtL7b-LbU<\/a><\/p>\n BTA to Host ProFinance 2.0 May 9-10 <\/strong><\/p>\n March 13 –<\/em> On May 9-10 in Atlanta, Ga., BTA will host ProFinance 2.0, a one-and-a-half-day financial benchmarking educational course for office technology dealers. The course is led by instructors John Hey and John Hanson of Strategic Business Associates.<\/p>\n Over the last 10 years, the principles of ProFinance have dramatically improved the performance of hundreds of dealerships, according to BTA. But with the introduction of color, connectivity, software and managed print services the business has changed \u2014 and ProFinance has changed with it. ProFinance 2.0 incorporates these changes into the new industry model, including benchmarks for MPS. With more than 30 key benchmarks, this management tool will help you and your team achieve double-digit operating income.<\/p>\n Hanson and Hey will share their knowledge from 25-plus years of experience in building one of the largest dealerships in North America and on advising many of the most successful companies in the industry.<\/p>\n This hands-on training will provide practical ideas that can be put into action immediately. It will give attendees the competitive edge that is so vital in today’s marketplace. Learn proven sales and service plans, effective management bonus programs and critical organizational strategies.<\/p>\n The course will be offered at the Hilton Atlanta Airport. The hotel room discount deadline is April 17. BTA members can also use their $250 coupon received with membership when registering. Returning BTA-member ProFinance students seeking a refresher course and the opportunity to obtain the new model can attend for 50 percent off the member price (coupon does not apply). For more information or to register for ProFinance 2.0, visit www.bta.org\/ProFinance or call (800) 843-5059.<\/p>\n Strategy Development and BTA to Host MPS Sales Workshops in San Francisco <\/strong><\/p>\n March 12<\/em> <\/strong>– Strategy Development along with BTA is conducting their SD MPS Sales Fundamentals Workshop on May 8-9 and their SD MPS Advanced Sales Workshop on May 10, 2012 in San Francisco, CA. Attendees can enroll in either class separately or in both classes for a discounted rate.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s not too late for dealerships to position themselves for greater success in 2012.\u00a0 Improving your dealership’s execution in MPS is one critical initiative to achieve your goals,” says Tom Callinan, managing principal of Strategy Development. “In our daily consulting we find that many dealerships are simply scratching the surface of MPS and do not have a measurement for a successful MPS program. That measurement of success is quite simple: Your service and supply billing (aftermarket) in MPS should be five times your copier aftermarket.\u00a0 Our MPS educational workshops were carefully designed to teach dealers exactly how to execute on and grow a highly profitable MPS program.\u00a0 And if you already have a program in place, these classes will help you accelerate your MPS growth and achieve profit margins in excess of 55 percent.”<\/p>\n The two-day basic class, SD MPS Sales Fundamentals<\/a><\/em>, will cover the MPS sales process for both small, fewer than 25 devices, and mid-sized, 50 \u2013 250 devices, companies. \u00a0Your sales team will learn the proper contact level and value proposition based on company size; how to get an appointment at the correct level; how to identify the areas of pain associated with the print environment based on company size; how to conduct an effective and efficient assessment to support the business case for a change; how to price a transaction, both outsourced and equipment led; and finally, how to present a winning proposal. \u00a0<\/p>\n The one-day SD MPS Advanced Sales<\/a><\/em> class will focus solely on the quarterly business review (QBR), a process Strategy Development introduced to the MPS community. With proper execution of the QBR you will consistently gain share of wallet within your customers’ accounts.<\/p>\n The MPS Sales Fundamentals class will arm a dealer\u2019s sales professionals with the tools they need to be successful in MPS and be successful at taking customers from your competitors. \u00a0Once you start to grow your portfolio of mid-sized MPS customers, the MPS Advanced Sales class will demonstrate specifically how to continue to gain share of wallet within your customers’ accounts. \u00a0<\/p>\n Both classes will use a case study approach that makes it simple for your sales professionals to “connect the dots” when they return to the office and start selling. \u00a0Each class participant will have worked on real-world examples of assessing, pricing, and proposing MPS agreements.\u00a0<\/p>\n These classes can also be held at the dealer\u2019s location for larger groups.<\/p>\n For more information or to register, visit www.bta.org\/MPSSales<\/a> or contact Tom Callinan at callinan@strategydevelopment.com<\/a> or at (610) 527-3317.<\/p>\n Toshiba Partners with Adobe to Launch LeanPrint<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n March 5<\/em> – <\/strong>Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. has announced a partnership with Adobe to launch Adobe LeanPrint, a desktop print optimization software that reduces paper and toner consumption by optimizing page layout. Using LeanPrint, organizations can achieve average savings of 40 percent when printing typical office documents, according to a Toshiba news release.\u00a0<\/p>\n Toshiba is Adobe\u2019s first partner to go to market with LeanPrint and a key collaborator in its development. Starting March 5, a free 30-day trial version of LeanPrint is available for download at http:\/\/business.toshiba.com. LeanPrint is also available for purchase at $99 per PC user or through an innovative subscription program at $36 per user per year and available to Toshiba\u2019s customers via its channel partners.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cLike Adobe, Toshiba is focused on helping businesses print smarter. That\u2019s why we joined forces to bring LeanPrint to market and why Toshiba is proud to be Adobe\u2019s first technology partner for LeanPrint,\u201d says Bill Melo, vice president of marketing, services & solutions, Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. \u201cTogether, Toshiba and Adobe have pioneered a new science of printing less. Using LeanPrint, documents are more elegant, readable and shareable through intelligent technology that optimizes the content. In the end, LeanPrint promises to revolutionize the way we all print at home and in the office by saving time, money and ultimately the environment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Adobe LeanPrint is a technology that changes the way individuals and businesses print documents in home and business environments. LeanPrint is a new printing technology that uses several patent-pending Adobe technologies to automatically tune the formatting, colors and layout of a document before it is printed.<\/p>\n Adobe LeanPrint offers a set of plugins for Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Reader, and Internet Explorer and Firefox Web browsers. The plugins are installed inside the applications and enable an alternative print path using existing methods of printing. For every supported document file format, LeanPrint has an ideal print output. LeanPrint first displays a preview, so that users can see the final document prior to sending it to the printer.\u00a0<\/p>\n LeanPrint analyzes document structure to create a print-optimized layout and prints documents in two modes: Super Saver and Toner Saver. In Super Saver mode LeanPrint saves both paper and toner while Toner Saver reduces ink and toner consumption. The user is also able to see real-time savings information via the LeanPrint status bar that tracks paper, toner and costs savings.<\/p>\n Using LeanPrint, documents are optimized for space and readability, not shrunk or placed in draft mode. Color charts and graphs are converted to black-and-white patterns to ensure readability. Text is laid out in newspaper-style columns to make better use of space and reduce page counts. Excel charts are reformatted to keep most graphs intact, and Web pages are cleanly printed without distracting, ink-intensive display ads.\u00a0<\/p>\n For more information about Adobe LeanPrint and to see a video on how it works, please visit http:\/\/business.toshiba.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Prosperity Plus Marketing Analysis Program Helps Dealerships Debug Lackluster Sales\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n March 6 –<\/em> Prosperity Plus Management Consulting, Inc. has released a new program that helps dealers and resellers handle sluggish sales growth by analyzing their marketing and promotional activities. The new Marketing Analysis Program basically peers into the dealership’s recent and current marketing tactics, identifies both weak and strong points, and then offers an objective assessment on what could be done to improve things like company recognition and lead generation. Because the program can be done remotely, the cost and the time involved are actually quite low, according to Prosperity Plus. For just $495, Prosperity Plus’ marketing consultants will work one-on-one with the business owner to review all aspects of the dealership’s goals, its current sales and marketing situation, competitive considerations and more. Prosperity Plus will then come back with a thorough analysis of the dealership’s marketing and present recommendations that, if implemented, will lead to greater mind share, more market share and certainly more sales for the business.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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