{"id":57481,"date":"2023-10-30T04:10:52","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T11:10:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=57481"},"modified":"2023-10-30T14:57:37","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T21:57:37","slug":"hardware-highlights-opportunities-abound-for-non-mfp-equipment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/state-of-the-industry\/2023\/10\/hardware-highlights-opportunities-abound-for-non-mfp-equipment\/","title":{"rendered":"Hardware Highlights: Opportunities Abound for Non-MFP Equipment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
It\u2019s November already. Between late-year vacations, wrapping up month-end and year-end orders, finishing the year on a high note and mapping out 2024, there\u2019s no lack of tasks to occupy dealers\u2019 time. Here at the offices of ENX, we\u2019re planning our 2024 calendar and putting the finishing touches on our annual Elite Dealers December issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From an editorial standpoint, we want to give MFPs a break this month. They\u2019ve done a yeoman\u2019s job of being the centerpiece of many major takedowns. As much as we gripe about declining volumes, A3s and A4s are still the lifeblood of our industry. They\u2019ve positioned many of our dealer friends in the upper echelon of the Elite Dealer catalog, and while managed services and product diversification are the trendy topics, the humble MFP is (as one dealer aptly put it) what pays the electric bill. And we haven\u2019t forgotten that. Hats off to the boxes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, as the MFP kicks back and relaxes this month, we\u2019re going to take a look at some of the other hardware elements our trusty dealer panel has relied on to garner a larger share of the customer wallet. These hardware options may ride the coattails of the MFP, but many can provide stand-alone opportunities and open the door for future MFP penetrations for those accounts still under lease with another provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heat Seeker<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
When\u2019s the best time to speak with a client? Is it when their lease is on the verge of coming up? If that\u2019s the case, Lauren Hanna believes you\u2019re missing out on a golden opportunity to have a wider discussion about a client\u2019s or prospect\u2019s overall business needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lauren Hanna, Blue Technologies<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Hanna, the vice president of sales for Cleveland-based Blue Technologies, certainly wants a crack at the MFP opportunity. But in the meantime, when there are other hardware options that can be a potential fit in a given vertical, the time to jump on a call is now. Blue Technologies has been offering MOBOTIX camera systems (courtesy of Konica Minolta) for about 18 months, and it\u2019s opened a world of potential independent of the MFP. From manufacturing concerns to automotive dealerships and educational institutions\u2014not to mention churches\u2014the MOBOTIX cameras and workflow solutions can provide that initial foray into an account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MOBOTIX is ideal, she said, because it meets the Department of Defense standards, as its chips aren\u2019t manufactured in China. The beauty of the system is that it provides a proactive, not reactive, approach to scanning and monitoring. The system has thermal scanning, which furnishes real-time information such as intruders on premises, and it can also alert users to factory equipment overheating in a manufacturing environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blue Technologies has had several installations of the system, including one at an automotive dealership. The client can rely on the system to indicate if customers or intruders are still on premises at closing time, as few auto dealers have the resources to check every vehicle for people hiding. The client\u2019s previous solution only recorded activity at the site, which was later reviewed after a break-in or robbery. MOBOTIX captures and reports suspicious activity as it\u2019s happening, feeding the information to the primary surveillance display in the general manager\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s more than the cameras, there\u2019s a whole workflow wrapped around it. We can take the data it\u2019s capturing and create rules that would trigger next steps in the workflow.<\/p>\u2013 Lauren Hanna, Blue Technologies<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe system can trigger a workflow that sends an email or calls the GM to let them know of the suspicious activity,\u201d Hanna said. \u201cIt\u2019s more than the cameras, there\u2019s a whole workflow wrapped around it. We can take the data it\u2019s capturing and create rules that would trigger next steps in the workflow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this case, Blue Technologies\u2019 rep started by calling on the client for MFP needs, but after discovering its lease wasn\u2019t coming up, pivoted to learn more about their overall needs via a full analysis. With MOBOTIX in place and the customer happy with its early results, the account\u2019s MFP needs will be upgraded earlier by Blue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith their old camera system, they had to log in to three different cameras to do checks, but it\u2019s all centralized now,\u201d she added. \u201cThey\u2019re having a lot of success because they\u2019re able to tweak their workflows, switch camera angles and control things a little differently. It\u2019s a simple product that has a quick turnaround on the scoping process. It\u2019s easy to manage and service. It\u2019s been a very positive experience and a smooth transition for the client, and working with us left a good taste in their mouth. That leads to more business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Door Opener<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Security protocols continue to be a prime avenue for dealers in providing not just surveillance solutions, but also quality access systems in a number of environments. DocuGraphics of Charleston, South Carolina, found an ideal fit for its client base with the Verkada security platform. One customer in particular, a substance abuse rehabilitation and counseling center, recently took delivery of the system as it dovetailed with the organization\u2019s needs for heightened measures for unauthorized people exiting the detox area or encroaching on medication storage facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thomas Fimian, DocuGraphics<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The strength of the Verkada system is its use of facial recognition technology. It matches an access device with assigned users, provides alert notifications when a door remains open for a specified period and tracks the areas entered by specific visitors. It also provides notifications when suspicious individuals return on-site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Addiction and rehabilitation centers, by virtue of their need to monitor patient activity within a facility, are an optimal fit for the Verkada system, according to DocuGraphics CEO Thomas Fimian. The nature of the sale and its cycle dictate that DocuGraphics take a narrower view as to the customer types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSince this is a very time-consuming and complex sales process, we\u2019re focusing on organizations that are seeing the value of a premium access control system and the heightened security it provides compared to the run-of-the-mill security cameras out there,\u201d Fimian said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Verkada line, as well as unified communications, came to DocuGraphics courtesy of its acquisition of Custom Cloud Solutions in March. The rehab facility opportunity arose out of a client review, where it was learned they were in the market for a more robust solution than the mature cameras they were employing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since this is a very time-consuming and complex sales process, we\u2019re focusing on organizations that are seeing the value of a premium access control system and the heightened security it provides compared to the run-of-the-mill security cameras out there.<\/p>\u2013 Thomas Fimian, DocuGraphics<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
In addition to the facial recognition, the Verkada system includes sensors that can pick up vaping discharges, which also makes it ideal for school placements. K-12 environments have banned vaping, and since they\u2019re not allowed to have cameras in restrooms, it\u2019s usually the ideal place for students to sneak a flavored puff. The Verkada sensors can thwart the illicit attempts and connect the alert with cameras positioned just outside of the bathrooms, thus nabbing the offending person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe cameras are storing all this data and it\u2019s in the cloud, making it very user-friendly and accessible,\u201d Fimian noted. \u201cIt\u2019s a hot-ticket item for a school. It can also alert school personnel when a fight appears to be breaking out so they can get there sooner and maybe prevent it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nAn electrical contractor tends to the wiring for a Docugraphics security system installation at a rehabilitation center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
DocuGraphics partners with a third-party firm that handles the structured wiring process, but the dealer tends to the balance of the installation. Fimian said his company is pondering the addition of its own crew to tackle the wiring, which could entail acquiring another company or hiring electricians individually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Double Barrel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
An expansive hardware portfolio can certainly increase the odds of success for dealers, and that\u2019s the case with EDGE Business Systems in suburban Atlanta. Among the dealer\u2019s offerings are the Clear Touch interactive display panels and mailing gear from FP Mailing Solutions. It\u2019s an eclectic combination with rich and varied customer segments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Josh Salkin, EDGE Business Systems<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
According to Josh Salkin, a partner with EDGE, these offerings had vastly different journeys into the dealer\u2019s catalog, and both have been offered for about five years. Clear Touch has been nothing short of a \u201cgame changer,\u201d while EDGE\u2019s mailing proposition was given a significant boost with the acquisition of Mailing Systems of Georgia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The interactive display boards are a nice conversation starter. \u201cOftentimes, this is a great way to begin a relationship with a new client when copier leases aren\u2019t expired,\u201d Salkin explained. \u201cSo many businesses today are looking to collaborate more efficiently, and this is a great way to address that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By bringing on Mailing Systems of Georgia, EDGE was also able to fortify its depth of mailing expertise. Salkin pointed out that the acquired team members have extensive experience and have been critical in educating not only the dealer\u2019s sales reps, but also clients when it comes to providing insights into the latest advances in mailing systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oftentimes, this is a great way to begin a relationship with a new client when copier leases aren\u2019t expired. So many businesses today are looking to collaborate more efficiently, and this is a great way to address that.<\/p>\u2013 Josh Salkin, EDGE Business Systems<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBoth of these products have countless success stories,\u201d Salkin said. \u201cFrom winning new clients by replacing Quadient and Pitney Bowes with an FP solution to numerous hardware clients who added a fleet of interactive display boards, EDGE\u2019s philosophy of measure\/simplify\/manage\/secure is optimized by these enhanced product offerings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nDisplay panel solutions from Clear Touch enable EDGE Business Systems to engage in conversations unrelated to contract renewals<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
One of the most effective sales enablement vehicles is the technology showcase studio in each of the dealer\u2019s offices. EDGE made significant investments in its showrooms to invite clients for VIP demos. According to Salkin, it\u2019s the best route to ensuring a sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe want to be a competitive resource for all organizations when these types of decisions are being made,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have a high closing rate when we can get clients to come in the office and showcase these solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stamp of Approval<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The beauty of acquisitions is their ability to furnish a brand-new list of clients a dealer can sell into with technologies beyond the scope of the original owners. Conversely, there\u2019s an opportunity for the acquiring company to either onboard a technology that it doesn\u2019t carry or furnish a new line from another manufacturer. That was the case with UTEC of Ann Arbor, Michigan, when it obtained Innovative Mailing Solutions in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Certainly, this wasn\u2019t UTEC\u2019s first mailing equipment rodeo. The dealer had been offering Formax Finishing Solutions for several years prior to the deal. In addition to the 500 Innovative clients that UTEC could now penetrate with copiers and printers\u2014according to Director of Digital Marketing Christine Liphardt, there was just a 1% crossover of existing MFP clients\u2014Innovative was also an FP Mailing Solutions authorized dealer. That opened the door to possibilities for UTEC to address the needs of high-volume mailers to their current MFP clients with folder inserter models such as the FPi 2700, 4800 and 7500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The folder inserters are ideal for environments including financial institutions, insurance companies, law firms, collection agencies and even school districts. In one case, UTEC sold an FPi 5700 to a local oil company that sends out thousands of invoices per month. The software in the unit allows it to accurately fold and insert the proper invoice pages and orders them by location, making it easier for the USPS to deliver the mail, which provides the client with a postal discount.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA folder inserter model from FP Mailing Solutions, offered by UTEC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPreviously, the client needed to have people physically fold and insert the invoices,\u201d Liphardt noted. \u201cThe folder inserter knows how many pages are to be inserted and collates them correctly. It saves the customer time and money; they don\u2019t need to dedicate mailroom personnel to a laborious process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The folder inserter knows how many pages are to be inserted and collates them correctly. It saves the customer time and money; they don\u2019t need to dedicate mailroom personnel to a laborious process.<\/p>\u2013 Christine Liphardt, UTEC<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The software initially proved to be a challenge for the client in mapping out the invoices so they could be read by the machine. Since the initial hiccups, the customer has enjoyed much success with the FPi 5700.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhile we haven\u2019t had a lot of placements, we\u2019ve done a few pretty significant deals,\u201d Liphardt added. \u201cThe machine works fantastically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Legal Ease<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
When a hardware offering meshes with a client\u2019s need for MFPs, it becomes a slam-dunk choice as a catalog offering. That certainly rang true for Stone\u2019s Office Equipment in Richmond, Virginia, and its foray into display boards, courtesy of Sharp. Not only is it a multi-billion dollar industry, observes Sam Stone, company president, it would be difficult to find a client that didn\u2019t have the need for interactive displays. What might not be known, he added, is that Stone\u2019s Office Equipment carries them, but the firm\u2019s sales team is working diligently toward customer enlightenment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sam Stone, Stone\u2019s Office Equipment<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Stone\u2019s carries a trio of Sharp\u2019s ubiquitous AQUOS BOARD displays\u2014the 55\u201d 4W-B55FT5U, the 64.5\u201d 4W-B65FT5U and the 75\u201d 4W-B75FT5U. In terms of commercial displays, the dealer can outfit a client with the 70\u201d 4T-B70CJ1U and the 86\u201d 4P-B86EJ2U models, both of which are 4K.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Customer walkthroughs are generally a prime opportunity for Stone\u2019s reps to identify needs that can be addressed with its full catalog complement. Such was the case with a law firm account the dealer recently procured. During a tour of its offices, Stone\u2019s rep noted it had a television in its conference room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How will this help them? What are you bringing to the game? Start with your customers, then create a game plan to go after the industries they compete with.<\/p>\u2013 Sam Stone, Stone\u2019s Office Equipment<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe asked some questions, which led to placing three 75\u201d display boards in their conference rooms and a 55\u201d display in their lunch room,\u201d Stone said. \u201cIf you don\u2019t ask, you don\u2019t know. The client loves their new space and the content management software that allows them to share across all screens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nStone’s Office Equipment supplies clients with various models of Sharp’s AQUOS BOARD 4K display<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
While education and legal are two of the more obvious vertical placements, Stone believes it requires a bit of imagination when conferring with clients to ferret out potential needs. \u201cHow will this help them?\u201d he posed. \u201cWhat are you bringing to the game? Start with your customers, then create a game plan to go after the industries they compete with.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s November already. Between late-year vacations, wrapping up month-end and year-end orders, finishing the year on a high note and mapping out 2024, there\u2019s no lack of tasks to occupy dealers\u2019 time. Here at the offices of ENX, we\u2019re planning our 2024 calendar and putting the finishing touches on our annual Elite Dealers December issue. From an editorial standpoint, we want to give MFPs a break this month. They\u2019ve done a yeoman\u2019s job of being the centerpiece of many major takedowns. As much as we gripe about declining volumes, A3s and A4s are still the lifeblood of our industry. They\u2019ve positioned many of our dealer friends in the upper echelon of the Elite Dealer catalog, and while managed services and product diversification are the trendy topics, the humble MFP is (as one dealer aptly put it) what pays the electric bill. And we haven\u2019t forgotten that. Hats off to the boxes! So, as the MFP kicks back and relaxes this month, we\u2019re going to take a look at some of the other hardware elements our trusty dealer panel has relied on to garner a larger share of the customer wallet. These hardware options may ride the coattails of the MFP, but many can provide stand-alone opportunities and open the door for future MFP penetrations for those accounts still under lease with another provider. Heat Seeker When\u2019s the best time to speak with a client? Is it when their lease is on the verge of coming up? If that\u2019s the case, Lauren Hanna believes you\u2019re missing out on a golden opportunity to have a wider discussion about a client\u2019s or prospect\u2019s overall business needs. Hanna, the vice president of sales for Cleveland-based Blue Technologies, certainly wants a crack at the MFP opportunity. But in the meantime, when there are other hardware options that can be a potential fit in a given vertical, the time to jump on a call is now. Blue Technologies has been offering MOBOTIX camera systems (courtesy of Konica Minolta) for about 18 months, and it\u2019s opened a world of potential independent of the MFP. From manufacturing concerns to automotive dealerships and educational institutions\u2014not to mention churches\u2014the MOBOTIX cameras and workflow solutions can provide that initial foray into an account. MOBOTIX is ideal, she said, because it meets the Department of Defense standards, as its chips aren\u2019t manufactured in China. The beauty of the system is that it provides a proactive, not reactive, approach to scanning and monitoring. The system has thermal scanning, which furnishes real-time information such as intruders on premises, and it can also alert users to factory equipment overheating in a manufacturing environment. Blue Technologies has had several installations of the system, including one at an automotive dealership. The client can rely on the system to indicate if customers or intruders are still on premises at closing time, as few auto dealers have the resources to check every vehicle for people hiding. The client\u2019s previous solution only recorded activity at the site, which was later reviewed after a break-in or robbery. MOBOTIX captures and reports suspicious activity as it\u2019s happening, feeding the information to the primary surveillance display in the general manager\u2019s office. It\u2019s more than the cameras, there\u2019s a whole workflow wrapped around it. We can take the data it\u2019s capturing and create rules that would trigger next steps in the workflow. \u2013 Lauren Hanna, Blue Technologies \u201cThe system can trigger a workflow that sends an email or calls the GM to let them know of the suspicious activity,\u201d Hanna said. \u201cIt\u2019s more than the cameras, there\u2019s a whole workflow wrapped around it. We can take the data it\u2019s capturing and create rules that would trigger next steps in the workflow.\u201d In this case, Blue Technologies\u2019 rep started by calling on the client for MFP needs, but after discovering its lease wasn\u2019t coming up, pivoted to learn more about their overall needs via a full analysis. With MOBOTIX in place and the customer happy with its early results, the account\u2019s MFP needs will be upgraded earlier by Blue. \u201cWith their old camera system, they had to log in to three different cameras to do checks, but it\u2019s all centralized now,\u201d she added. \u201cThey\u2019re having a lot of success because they\u2019re able to tweak their workflows, switch camera angles and control things a little differently. It\u2019s a simple product that has a quick turnaround on the scoping process. It\u2019s easy to manage and service. It\u2019s been a very positive experience and a smooth transition for the client, and working with us left a good taste in their mouth. That leads to more business.\u201d Door Opener Security protocols continue to be a prime avenue for dealers in providing not just surveillance solutions, but also quality access systems in a number of environments. DocuGraphics of Charleston, South Carolina, found an ideal fit for its client base with the Verkada security platform. One customer in particular, a substance abuse rehabilitation and counseling center, recently took delivery of the system as it dovetailed with the organization\u2019s needs for heightened measures for unauthorized people exiting the detox area or encroaching on medication storage facilities. The strength of the Verkada system is its use of facial recognition technology. It matches an access device with assigned users, provides alert notifications when a door remains open for a specified period and tracks the areas entered by specific visitors. It also provides notifications when suspicious individuals return on-site. Addiction and rehabilitation centers, by virtue of their need to monitor patient activity within a facility, are an optimal fit for the Verkada system, according to DocuGraphics CEO Thomas Fimian. The nature of the sale and its cycle dictate that DocuGraphics take a narrower view as to the customer types. \u201cSince this is a very time-consuming and complex sales process, we\u2019re focusing on organizations that are seeing the value of a premium access control system and the heightened security it provides compared to the run-of-the-mill security cameras out there,\u201d Fimian said. The Verkada line, as well […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1641],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57481"}],"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\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57481"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57674,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57481\/revisions\/57674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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