President and CEO Larry Weiss bought the company when it was in bankruptcy in 1982. At that time, it consisted of seven employees and had $600,000 in revenue. In 1983, Weiss introduced a re-vamped and re-energized \u201cAtlantic Business Products\u201d to the industry, complete with the marketing and sales of mailing systems. The company has never looked back, experiencing continual and exponential growth throughout the years.<\/p>\n
![\"Larry](\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Jason-Adam-and-Larry-Weiss-from-left.png\")
Larry Weiss with his sons : Jason, Adam and Larry Weiss<\/p><\/div>\n
As printers were increasingly becoming connected to business systems, it was once again time for the company to adapt, improve and expand to support such progress. In 2003, with a forward-thinking mindset, Weiss innovated once again and Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office was born.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe copier used to be the heart of the office,\u201d said Weiss. \u201cIf the copier didn\u2019t work, the office stopped\u2014similar to today\u2019s environment when the network goes down. We were very good at servicing the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office kept a singular focus on solving their customers\u2019 problems, the term \u201csolutions\u201d was a bit too over-used for Weiss. He wanted to create some \u201cseparation\u201d between Atlantic and the rest of the industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn\u2019t just call it \u2018Atlantic Solutions\u2019,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery copier company seemed to be changing its name to \u2018something solutions,\u2019 and it had no cachet. We think we made a good choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though the company\u2019s present name clearly connotes its dedication to adapting to change and supporting new technologies, it would ring hollow without the commitment of Atlantic\u2019s employees and senior staff who recognized that it was imperative to include network support along with office \u201chardware.\u201d To that end, IT services became an added priority, and continue to be a strong component in Atlantic\u2019s business pursuits.<\/p>\n
Today, Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office maintains an industry-wide reputation as a service oriented company. From its modest beginnings, it has developed into a major player in the field, with 370 employees and a 2016 revenue stream of $116 million, signifying a 12% overall growth from last year. Copier sales (including MPS) continue to comprise the lion\u2019s share of that revenue at $106 million, while the recently completed fiscal year\u2019s $10 million in IT services represents a 22-25% increase over last year (a rate of growth which Weiss anticipates in 2017 as well).<\/p>\n
How does Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office maintain strong sales and growth in both hardware and IT services? Weiss attributes that growth to a laser focus approach servicing the client. ENX spoke at length with Larry Weiss to better understand how the company has stayed successful as the industry has changed over the years.<\/p>\n
ENX: How is business this year?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: We had 22 percent growth from $8 million to $10 million on the managed services side, and the copier business grew 8 percent from $94 million to $106 million. That\u2019s all organic, no acquisitions. So we feel very good about that and feel confident that next year will be as good, if not better, based on pipeline business we have cultivated.<\/p>\nENX: What was one of your biggest wins this year?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: Combining hardware, services and supplies, one of the biggest wins, approximately $1.7 million, was in the educational field. We had more deals of that size this year than we\u2019ve had in the past. We closed approximately 10 to 12 of the larger deals, respective vertical market from education, healthcare and Fortune 500 companies.<\/p>\nENX: Can you name one major milestone that helped your company get to where it is today?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: We\u2019ve had a lot of significant milestones that collectively amounted to something major. Most recently though, in September of 2013 we hired outside consultants to assist with forming an executive management team. The EMT focuses work on strategic plans. In other words, to strategically look at where we are and where we want to be in five years. Look for new markets, and what programs we need to design and implement so we can sell deeper and wider into the [existing] accounts. This executive management team consists of an accomplished group of industry professionals, including: VP of Service Joseph Coler; CFO Russ Klein; VP of Sales Robert Habeeb; VP of Business Development Joel Sherman; CTO Bill McLaughlin; In-House Counsel Jason Weiss and GM Adam Weiss. I meet with them quarterly. The EMT has made a big difference in our growth.<\/p>\nENX: What would you say was the biggest contribution of your executive counsel team so far?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: They have developed an extensive total account penetration plan. The majority of our accounts are copier accounts, so they came up with a way to identify what copier accounts fit the stack. You can sell a copier to almost any business, but you can\u2019t sell IT to everybody. So they\u2019ve developed a program that looks at which clients fit the IT stack, and through the review process, they\u2019ve developed a program that works with our CRM system. The subject matter experts then call into these accounts with or without the copier sales rep to make the introduction to sell wider and deeper. This has been very successful.<\/p>\nENX: Tell us about your managed services practices.<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: We have a team of \u201cJeopardy\u201d champions who are able to identify our clients\u2019 business risks and opportunities. We use no third-party support; everything we do is supported by our people. We have unique workflows that we provide based on specific client needs, including desktops, advanced IT solutions, backup disaster recovery, security protection, regulatory compliance support, and risk mitigation.<\/p>\nENX: How do you differentiate your company from your competitors?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: We have a seal of satisfaction that really lays out what the clients get\u2014guaranteed response time, a loaner or replacement program\u2014and there\u2019s a payback if we don\u2019t hit some of those metrics. We\u2019ve gone through our metrics to know exactly how many service calls we get on a monthly basis and we\u2019ve shared with them that 94 percent of the calls are met within four hours. We also show them that we\u2019re very committed, and investing a lot of money toward call avoidance. Twenty percent of all our copier service calls are now eliminated at our help desk. So response time can drop from four hours to 15 minutes.<\/p>\nWe provide very specific competitive advantages that show, statistically, that we achieve these metrics (they aren\u2019t just numbers). Clients don\u2019t buy from the best, they buy from the less risky, so we try continually to show potential new clients that our seal of satisfaction makes us a less risky decision.<\/p>\n
ENX: What are some of the biggest challenges these days?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: We have a unique issue\u2014we have lots of people in their late 50s, early 60s. We have to have a \u201cbench\u201d to eventually replace our first-teamers. We really don\u2019t have any plan or program in place yet. They are some significant contributors to the business whether they\u2019re in sales, technical support, or administration. We have lots of employees with over 20 years of tenure, and their contributions have been integral to our success.<\/p>\nENX: There is a lot of talk about millennials in the workplace. What do you look for in your employees? How do you recruit and retain good ones?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: When it comes to recruiting on the sales side, we have a set hiring process including a DISC profile and a sales test. It doesn\u2019t matter who you are, millennial or whomever, we know who we want to hire because we know what works. We can\u2019t deviate from that. They say millennials need all this freedom. I say, if that\u2019s what they want, they can go work for somebody else.<\/p>\nENX: What is your view on the changes in the industry?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: I\u2019m going to answer that differently than most. There are always a lot of changes in the industry. It\u2019s becoming more software and security centric, and there are different types of products, but even a company like mine, where we\u2019re going to do $116 million at the end of our fiscal year and $10 million of that is on the IT side. That means the rest, the $106 million, is copiers. So, yes, there are changes, but I do not put quotas for my copier reps to sell other solutions. Instead, we supply them with subject matter experts who can assist them selling software, advanced scanning security, PaperCut, and document management. The old saying works\u2014as much as everyone thinks things are different, things always remain the same. You want to see the future, look at the past. We keep a very focused approach, understand the current market and sell whatever the client wants!<\/p>\nENX: What does Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office pride itself on?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: We\u2019re just obsessed with customer excellence. That\u2019s it. Very simple. We do not like to say \u201cno\u201d to our customers.<\/p>\nENX: Does Atlantic have any exciting news to share?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: We have a product expo every other year. Why every OTHER year? Because if we did it every year, everybody here would quit. It\u2019s a very hectic, non-stop day and a lot of work. The day runs from 9 am to 7 pm, and we have about 1,000 attendees with approximately 500-550 companies and two keynote speakers. At our last event we had NY Giants QB Eli Manning and former Navy SEAL Leif Babin. It\u2019s extremely well received by clients, manufacturers and partners. The next one is in May of 2017. It\u2019s as big as any manufacturer\u2019s dealer show. I will send you an invite to that, so please join us and see for yourself.<\/p>\nENX: What keeps you motivated and excited about the work that you do?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: At this stage in my life, I love having a positive impact on the Atlantic employees. We do our best to keep a family atmosphere, where collaboration is paramount, but hard work is, too. Everyone pulls his\/her own weight, but help is always a call or cubicle away. We\u2019ve had substantial growth as a company, and because of this growth, many employees have been promoted. It is a very satisfying feeling to see someone work hard, advance within the company and provide their own family with special things and a sense of security for the future. We feel that, just as they have contributed to Atlantic\u2019s success, we have contributed to theirs. It\u2019s rewarding.<\/p>\nENX: What is your least favorite thing about your job?<\/em><\/p>\nWeiss<\/strong>: I hate, hate, sitting down and listening to business forecast reviews from sales reps and sales managers. That\u2019s why the VP of sales does it, and I don\u2019t. Not the personal reviews, mind you, but their forecast reviews, because 90 percent of their sales forecast is bullshit. You can quote me. I hate it. I don\u2019t have the time to go through it. [laughs]<\/p>\nENX: Outside of work, what do you do for fun?<\/em><\/p>\n\n
Weiss<\/strong>: I love sports. I\u2019m a huge Yankees fan, and for 30 years, from the time I was 30 to 60, I was heavily involved in youth sports. I coached well beyond my sons\u2019 playing days, and I preferred coaching other people\u2019s kids much better than my own because I never had to worry about my wife getting mad at me. I only had to worry about other parents getting mad at me because everyone thought their kid was the next Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle. Even today I watch the Little League World Series on TV. The pros can learn something from the work ethic of those kids. In my mellow time, I definitely enjoy my Lifetime Movie Network. Don\u2019t judge.<\/div>\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n
\n
![\"atlantic_logo\"](\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Atlantic_Logo.png\")
<\/p>\n
Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office
\n134 West 26 street, 3FL New York NY 10001
\nTel: 212-741-6400
\ntomorrowsoffice.com<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
With roots dating back to the early 1960\u2019s, Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office has seen it all. As \u201cAtlantic Photocopier\u201d it was one of the first copier dealerships in the United States. While the company has steadfastly maintained its commitment to a \u201ccustomer first\u201d business model, it has also undergone a virtual evolution, staying one step ahead of technology and the ever-changing demands of the marketplace. That \u201cevolution\u201d has included several name changes over the past few decades. President and CEO Larry Weiss bought the company when it was in bankruptcy in 1982. At that time, it consisted of seven employees and had $600,000 in revenue. In 1983, Weiss introduced a re-vamped and re-energized \u201cAtlantic Business Products\u201d to the industry, complete with the marketing and sales of mailing systems. The company has never looked back, experiencing continual and exponential growth throughout the years. As printers were increasingly becoming connected to business systems, it was once again time for the company to adapt, improve and expand to support such progress. In 2003, with a forward-thinking mindset, Weiss innovated once again and Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office was born. \u201cThe copier used to be the heart of the office,\u201d said Weiss. \u201cIf the copier didn\u2019t work, the office stopped\u2014similar to today\u2019s environment when the network goes down. We were very good at servicing the heart.\u201d While Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office kept a singular focus on solving their customers\u2019 problems, the term \u201csolutions\u201d was a bit too over-used for Weiss. He wanted to create some \u201cseparation\u201d between Atlantic and the rest of the industry. \u201cI couldn\u2019t just call it \u2018Atlantic Solutions\u2019,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery copier company seemed to be changing its name to \u2018something solutions,\u2019 and it had no cachet. We think we made a good choice.\u201d Though the company\u2019s present name clearly connotes its dedication to adapting to change and supporting new technologies, it would ring hollow without the commitment of Atlantic\u2019s employees and senior staff who recognized that it was imperative to include network support along with office \u201chardware.\u201d To that end, IT services became an added priority, and continue to be a strong component in Atlantic\u2019s business pursuits. Today, Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office maintains an industry-wide reputation as a service oriented company. From its modest beginnings, it has developed into a major player in the field, with 370 employees and a 2016 revenue stream of $116 million, signifying a 12% overall growth from last year. Copier sales (including MPS) continue to comprise the lion\u2019s share of that revenue at $106 million, while the recently completed fiscal year\u2019s $10 million in IT services represents a 22-25% increase over last year (a rate of growth which Weiss anticipates in 2017 as well). How does Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office maintain strong sales and growth in both hardware and IT services? Weiss attributes that growth to a laser focus approach servicing the client. ENX spoke at length with Larry Weiss to better understand how the company has stayed successful as the industry has changed over the years. ENX: How is business this year? Weiss: We had 22 percent growth from $8 million to $10 million on the managed services side, and the copier business grew 8 percent from $94 million to $106 million. That\u2019s all organic, no acquisitions. So we feel very good about that and feel confident that next year will be as good, if not better, based on pipeline business we have cultivated. ENX: What was one of your biggest wins this year? Weiss: Combining hardware, services and supplies, one of the biggest wins, approximately $1.7 million, was in the educational field. We had more deals of that size this year than we\u2019ve had in the past. We closed approximately 10 to 12 of the larger deals, respective vertical market from education, healthcare and Fortune 500 companies. ENX: Can you name one major milestone that helped your company get to where it is today? Weiss: We\u2019ve had a lot of significant milestones that collectively amounted to something major. Most recently though, in September of 2013 we hired outside consultants to assist with forming an executive management team. The EMT focuses work on strategic plans. In other words, to strategically look at where we are and where we want to be in five years. Look for new markets, and what programs we need to design and implement so we can sell deeper and wider into the [existing] accounts. This executive management team consists of an accomplished group of industry professionals, including: VP of Service Joseph Coler; CFO Russ Klein; VP of Sales Robert Habeeb; VP of Business Development Joel Sherman; CTO Bill McLaughlin; In-House Counsel Jason Weiss and GM Adam Weiss. I meet with them quarterly. The EMT has made a big difference in our growth. ENX: What would you say was the biggest contribution of your executive counsel team so far? Weiss: They have developed an extensive total account penetration plan. The majority of our accounts are copier accounts, so they came up with a way to identify what copier accounts fit the stack. You can sell a copier to almost any business, but you can\u2019t sell IT to everybody. So they\u2019ve developed a program that looks at which clients fit the IT stack, and through the review process, they\u2019ve developed a program that works with our CRM system. The subject matter experts then call into these accounts with or without the copier sales rep to make the introduction to sell wider and deeper. This has been very successful. ENX: Tell us about your managed services practices. Weiss: We have a team of \u201cJeopardy\u201d champions who are able to identify our clients\u2019 business risks and opportunities. We use no third-party support; everything we do is supported by our people. We have unique workflows that we provide based on specific client needs, including desktops, advanced IT solutions, backup disaster recovery, security protection, regulatory compliance support, and risk mitigation. ENX: How do you differentiate your company from your competitors? Weiss: We have a seal of satisfaction that really lays out what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":20374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1643,1649],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20371"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20371"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20371\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20380,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20371\/revisions\/20380"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}