{"id":65783,"date":"2025-07-27T11:08:58","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T18:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=65783"},"modified":"2025-07-28T08:18:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T15:18:14","slug":"discovering-fire-tailored-solutions-enable-mps-dealers-to-serve-clients-and-maintain-profits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/state-of-the-industry\/2025\/07\/discovering-fire-tailored-solutions-enable-mps-dealers-to-serve-clients-and-maintain-profits\/","title":{"rendered":"Discovering Fire: Tailored Solutions Enable MPS Dealers to Serve Clients and Maintain Profits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For the last 40,000 years, dating back to the Neanderthal period when Grok sold his stone \u201cwheels\u201d to the masses for the very low price of two saber-toothed tiger pelts, mankind has attempted to attach a value to goods and services that was roundly regarded as equitable. Then Zood came along and discovered he could bargain Grok down to one pelt and one club in exchange for the wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most historians say this was the birth of the race to the bottom\u2014the fixation on finding a merchant who\u2019s willing to sell for less than the cave across the dirt path. As competition grew, Grok needed to conduct business profitably and soon discovered that he could offer more value (and increase profitability) via smoother wheels, personalized delivery and a service plan. In fact, if he did all these things well, he could even charge more than the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast forward to 2025, when managed print services (MPS) continues to find itself in a struggle to demonstrate profitable differentiation. As the MPS tools embraced by dealers increasingly become more homogenous, those dealers must devise a value proposition that prompts prospects to ignore a higher price tag. In this month\u2019s State of the Industry report on MPS, we\u2019ve collected a sampling of dealers that have developed platforms that serve the needs of clients while also ensuring profitability continues to scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defying Adversity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continuous improvement is an operational staple embraced across all industries. Mistakes come with the territory, but they must be learning moments. Otherwise, they\u2019ll be repeated. For Chris Gallagher\u2014a co-owner alongside brother Todd at Green Office Partner (GOP) in Chicago\u2014that means embracing the \u201cfailing forward\u201d term coined by John C. Maxwell in his 2007 book \u201cFailing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success.\u201d In it, Maxwell illustrates how the highest performing individuals are defined by their \u201cperception of and response to failure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Todd Gallagher,
Green Office Partner<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to GOP\u2019s MPS program, Todd Gallagher studies both his wins and losses in prospect engagements. But what really helped GOP gain clarity was appreciating that the dealership\u2019s best opportunities were regional, national and even international accounts. The overly contested up-and-down-the-street business was always the proverbial \u201cprice race to zero,\u201d and frankly, those clients had zero interest in the nuances of value propositions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t win in the scenarios where there are five other dealers in line with you,\u201d he noted. \u201cThere\u2019s not enough complexity to truly provide our value proposition; therefore, we\u2019ve wasted a ton of time. It\u2019s easier for us to win a 32-location auto dealership than it is a church that needs a copier.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In dealing with more sophisticated enterprise clients, GOP focuses on business issues as opposed to speeds and feeds. For example, one cruise ship line GOP ultimately landed issued an RFP for all its mainland U.S. locations that focused on primarily MFPs. But the Gallaghers dug deep, studied the prospect\u2019s annual reports and used AI to \u201cresearch the hell out of their business\u201d to devise a proposal that was unlike those of their competitors. The Gallaghers sent the proposal to its graphic design department to make it look ultra-professional, adding style to a substance that addressed the prospect\u2019s top five business challenges and illustrated ways in which they could address pain points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can\u2019t win in the scenarios where there are five other dealers in line with you. There\u2019s not enough complexity to truly provide our value proposition; therefore, we\u2019ve wasted a ton of time. It\u2019s easier for us to win a 32-location auto dealership than it is a church that needs a copier.<\/p>\u2013 Todd Gallagher, Green Office Partner<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

So while GOP didn\u2019t set out to be a provider that has reach into 49 states and Canada, identifying clients with whom they could be most impactful had the effect of a business GPS with the shortest path to success. \u201cWhen you can provide solutions that impact their P&L in a positive way, it eliminates the race to the bottom cost that no one ultimately wins,\u201d Gallagher said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we\u2019re seeing people returning [to offices], but even as the client shifts to more efficient, smaller footprint boxes, we\u2019re also seeing the strongest growth in color printing. Post-COVID, our color volumes have continued to explode.<\/p>\u2013 Chris Gallagher, Green Office Partner<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The post-COVID period of distributive workforces has opened the door for an MPS program that\u2019s more flexible and scalable. Features that facilitate seamless integration with digital workflows and enhance collaboration, such as mobile printing and secure document sharing, are in greater demand. Clients are more cognizant of the cost effectiveness offered by A4 units. As a Xerox dealer, the recent acquisition of A4 specialist Lexmark was music to their ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Chris Gallagher,
Green Office Partner<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe A4 environment allows for more redundancy, allows for more hot swaps,\u201d Todd Gallagher observed. \u201cIt simply makes supporting these large enterprise accounts way more efficient. Our print volumes continue to grow year by year. So we\u2019re seeing people returning [to offices], but even as the client shifts to more efficient, smaller footprint boxes, we\u2019re also seeing the strongest growth in color printing. Post-COVID, our color volumes have continued to explode.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris Gallagher feels serving client needs while continuing to boost profitability lies in developing tailored solutions based on a deep understanding of their business goals and challenges. \u201cOur strategy has always been to identify and quantify business pains on the front line and then aggregate the financial impact across the enterprise,\u201d he said. \u201cFor example, a school district agreed to our assessment report, which identified over $16,000 monthly in \u2018related costs.\u2019 Solving this problem is a win-win for the client and GOP because the newfound efficiencies improve their bottom line while justifying our slightly higher profit margin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disciplined Approach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Kia Robinson,
Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s
Office<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office, the pride of the Big Apple, boasts an MPS program featuring a robust device management platform that\u2019s the heart for managing customer environments. According to Kia Robinson, an industry veteran and vice president of sales, managed services for Atlantic, the platform furnishes real-time visibility into device performance, usage and supply levels, providing the dealer\u2019s internal teams and customers the tools they need to make proactive, informed decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the more recent feature enhancements provide for enhanced transparency, self-service capabilities and simplified reporting. Customers can access their account dashboards, track service requests, monitor print volumes and receive alerts from a single interface. From an Atlantic-facing viewpoint, the platform bolsters its service and support teams by streamlining workflows, enabling faster response times and improving overall account management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese enhancements not only improve operational efficiency but also strengthen communication and alignment between our teams and the customer, ensuring a seamless, value-driven partnership,\u201d Robinson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the pandemic was the unofficial (though not the first) trigger in the remote\/hybrid revolution, Robinson notes that data and device security are priorities for clients. Gone is the time when print devices were viewed as endpoints requiring basic attention; they\u2019re now seen as potential data vulnerabilities if not properly managed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a growing focus on the ability to track, audit and control what\u2019s being printed, by whom and from where,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cThe need for clearly defined internal processes and procedures around print-related data handling is more critical than ever as organizations seek to close security gaps and ensure compliance with evolving data protection standards.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The need for clearly defined internal processes and procedures around print-related data handling is more critical than ever as organizations seek to close security gaps and ensure compliance with evolving data protection standards.<\/p>\u2013 Kia Robinson, Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

A mixture of open communication and strategic collaboration are key to both serving the dealer\u2019s need for profitability and meeting client expectations. Helping customers reduce their costs sans a deleterious impact on productivity or compromised service delivery is an overarching priority for Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs an organization, we embrace a QBR cadence that provides our customers with clear, data-driven insights to empower them to make informed decisions,\u201d Robinson noted. \u201cIt\u2019s about enabling smarter printing through education and alignment, benefiting both the customer and the provider.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early Adopter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Dawn Abbuhl,
Repeat Business
Systems<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Being an early adopter can be a hit-or-miss proposition, but Dawn Abbuhl\u2014never one to shy away from the next big thing\u2014gleaned much of the info she needed to pull the trigger from the Copier Dealers Association (CDA). The president of Albany, New York-based Repeat Business Systems actually called it MTS to denote management of all technology, so she was clearly on the proper track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initial flavor of the dealer\u2019s MPS cast a wide net\u2014reducing costs and paper usage, reclaiming space, moving images to the most cost-effective and convenient location, addressing critical areas for redundancy, reducing color usage, adding duplex when appropriate, and improving the user experience. Abbuhl also led the way in being among the first practitioners to identify where each printer was located within the client environment. While it seems obvious now, larger clients often had no idea about where they sat. Meanwhile, staff were purchasing printers online. It was out of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe added our DCA and made sure everything was reporting so we could accurately identify trends and volumes,\u201d Abbuhl noted. \u201cWe offered a trend analysis and status on usage for all devices during quarterly meetings and made recommendations for a continual improvement process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe also had to address the users\u2019 perception that they were getting their own printers ripped away with the education and knowledge that they would be able to accomplish tasks more effectively, and any cost savings would enhance their organization. It could also potentially funnel down to their work environment and benefit them in many ways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we truly focus on a real partnership and work with the customers\u2019 best interests as the driving factor, there are usually ways to have a mutually beneficial situation such as relocating a machine, shortening a rental term, maintaining a machine as a backup and the like.<\/p>\u2013 Dawn Abbuhl, Repeat Business Systems<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In the post-COVID era, the MPS standard now includes the ability to print securely to any device and release it when needed. While black-and-white print volumes continue to wane, production and color printing have been picking up some of the slack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To maintain profitability for her dealership while continuing to serve the evolving needs of clients, Abbuhl feels it\u2019s important to address the end-of-life issue in the initial contract with a clear, mutually agreed upon refreshment plan. That walks hand in hand with maintaining open lines of communication during quarterly reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we truly focus on a real partnership and work with the customers\u2019 best interests as the driving factor, there are usually ways to have a mutually beneficial situation such as relocating a machine, shortening a rental term, maintaining a machine as a backup and the like,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ll always find a way to meet the clients\u2019 needs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pivoting Power<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Taylor Wells,
Pearson-Kelly
Technology<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

With an eye toward flexibility and client centricity, Pearson-Kelly Technology of Springfield, Missouri, devised an MPS program that was tailored toward a client\u2019s specific workflow as opposed to just their printer fleet. Taylor Wells, director of service and operations, notes it required moving beyond service delivery to emphasize transparency, proactive management and a true partnership model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ongoing optimization has helped the dealer evade stagnation. The company regularly reviews usage data, reassesses needs and suggests tech and workflow options that often reduce cost and improve efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe differentiate in our market by being highly agile,\u201d she said. \u201cLarger providers often have rigid programs, but ours adapts fast. Want us to take over service on your current printer? Perfect, we can have it done the same day you sign. We also lead with a consultative mindset: our team doesn\u2019t sell boxes; we solve business problems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The decentralized workforce post-COVID required a reimagining of device strategy, print policies and support systems, according to Wells. Cloud printing and remote management became must-haves instead of value-adds. Clients demand secure print access anywhere, remote usage analytics and seamless device provisioning\u2014all addressed via cloud print management platforms and mobile print integrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat used to be a hardware-centric conversation is now a workflow and data-centric one,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also educate clients on the total cost of ownership and help them move from print-heavy to digital workflows when it makes sense. This not only helps their bottom line but also preserves our margin through value-added services.<\/p>\u2013 Taylor Wells, Pearson-Kelly Technology<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Serving the clients while preserving profitability calls for a serving of technology that\u2019s free of empty calories. Cookie-cutter packages are eschewed in favor of precisely managed programs, which helps to avoid \u201cbloat.\u201d Standardizing where appropriate\u2014automating supply fulfillment, remote support and fleet monitoring\u2014enables Pearson-Kelly Technology to scale profitably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe also educate clients on the total cost of ownership and help them move from print-heavy to digital workflows when it makes sense. This not only helps their bottom line but also preserves our margin through value-added services,\u201d Wells noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Core Objectives<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
DeAnna Phillips,
Fraser Advanced
Information Systems<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Like fashion, MPS elements tend to evolve and change over the years, driven by market trends. At Fraser Advanced Information Systems of West Reading, Pennsylvania, the common denominator remains helping clients create smarter, more strategic print environments that align with their business objectives. Where the differentiation fully flowers is the focus on deriving a strategy specific to the account, with the payoff being savings in time, cost and resources, notes DeAnna Phillips, manager of strategic accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe continuously refine the program, adding tools such as proactive maintenance analytics to prevent issues before they impact operations,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat truly sets us apart is this strategic approach. We go beyond managing printers to help businesses make data-driven decisions that support their broader goals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2020s and COVID-19 ushered in the cloud-based MPS solutions era\u2014no small consideration, according to Phillips. The accompanying remote and hybrid work arrangements brought into focus the need for anywhere access to print and document workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSolutions such as remote device management help IT teams optimize performance and minimize downtime,\u201d she added. \u201cThe key is blending security and flexibility, enabling access without compromising protection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solutions such as remote device management help IT teams optimize performance and minimize downtime. The key is blending security and flexibility, enabling access without compromising protection.<\/p>\u2013 DeAnna Phillips, Fraser Advanced Information Systems<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Walking the fine line between dealer profitability and customer satisfaction, Phillips stresses, comes down to being a good listener. \u201cWhen we truly understand a client\u2019s challenges, we can tailor solutions that meet their needs while driving value,\u201d she said. \u201cWe use automation, proactive maintenance and right-sizing strategies to control costs on both sides. Our focus on measurable ROI means clients see the savings, and we sustain profitability without sacrificing quality or service.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For the last 40,000 years, dating back to the Neanderthal period when Grok sold his stone \u201cwheels\u201d to the masses for the very low price of two saber-toothed tiger pelts, mankind has attempted to attach a value to goods and services that was roundly regarded as equitable. Then Zood came along and discovered he could bargain Grok down to one pelt and one club in exchange for the wheel. Most historians say this was the birth of the race to the bottom\u2014the fixation on finding a merchant who\u2019s willing to sell for less than the cave across the dirt path. As competition grew, Grok needed to conduct business profitably and soon discovered that he could offer more value (and increase profitability) via smoother wheels, personalized delivery and a service plan. In fact, if he did all these things well, he could even charge more than the competition. Fast forward to 2025, when managed print services (MPS) continues to find itself in a struggle to demonstrate profitable differentiation. As the MPS tools embraced by dealers increasingly become more homogenous, those dealers must devise a value proposition that prompts prospects to ignore a higher price tag. In this month\u2019s State of the Industry report on MPS, we\u2019ve collected a sampling of dealers that have developed platforms that serve the needs of clients while also ensuring profitability continues to scale. Defying Adversity Continuous improvement is an operational staple embraced across all industries. Mistakes come with the territory, but they must be learning moments. Otherwise, they\u2019ll be repeated. For Chris Gallagher\u2014a co-owner alongside brother Todd at Green Office Partner (GOP) in Chicago\u2014that means embracing the \u201cfailing forward\u201d term coined by John C. Maxwell in his 2007 book \u201cFailing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success.\u201d In it, Maxwell illustrates how the highest performing individuals are defined by their \u201cperception of and response to failure.\u201d When it comes to GOP\u2019s MPS program, Todd Gallagher studies both his wins and losses in prospect engagements. But what really helped GOP gain clarity was appreciating that the dealership\u2019s best opportunities were regional, national and even international accounts. The overly contested up-and-down-the-street business was always the proverbial \u201cprice race to zero,\u201d and frankly, those clients had zero interest in the nuances of value propositions. \u201cYou can\u2019t win in the scenarios where there are five other dealers in line with you,\u201d he noted. \u201cThere\u2019s not enough complexity to truly provide our value proposition; therefore, we\u2019ve wasted a ton of time. It\u2019s easier for us to win a 32-location auto dealership than it is a church that needs a copier.\u201d In dealing with more sophisticated enterprise clients, GOP focuses on business issues as opposed to speeds and feeds. For example, one cruise ship line GOP ultimately landed issued an RFP for all its mainland U.S. locations that focused on primarily MFPs. But the Gallaghers dug deep, studied the prospect\u2019s annual reports and used AI to \u201cresearch the hell out of their business\u201d to devise a proposal that was unlike those of their competitors. The Gallaghers sent the proposal to its graphic design department to make it look ultra-professional, adding style to a substance that addressed the prospect\u2019s top five business challenges and illustrated ways in which they could address pain points. You can\u2019t win in the scenarios where there are five other dealers in line with you. There\u2019s not enough complexity to truly provide our value proposition; therefore, we\u2019ve wasted a ton of time. It\u2019s easier for us to win a 32-location auto dealership than it is a church that needs a copier. \u2013 Todd Gallagher, Green Office Partner So while GOP didn\u2019t set out to be a provider that has reach into 49 states and Canada, identifying clients with whom they could be most impactful had the effect of a business GPS with the shortest path to success. \u201cWhen you can provide solutions that impact their P&L in a positive way, it eliminates the race to the bottom cost that no one ultimately wins,\u201d Gallagher said. So we\u2019re seeing people returning [to offices], but even as the client shifts to more efficient, smaller footprint boxes, we\u2019re also seeing the strongest growth in color printing. Post-COVID, our color volumes have continued to explode. \u2013 Chris Gallagher, Green Office Partner The post-COVID period of distributive workforces has opened the door for an MPS program that\u2019s more flexible and scalable. Features that facilitate seamless integration with digital workflows and enhance collaboration, such as mobile printing and secure document sharing, are in greater demand. Clients are more cognizant of the cost effectiveness offered by A4 units. As a Xerox dealer, the recent acquisition of A4 specialist Lexmark was music to their ears. \u201cThe A4 environment allows for more redundancy, allows for more hot swaps,\u201d Todd Gallagher observed. \u201cIt simply makes supporting these large enterprise accounts way more efficient. Our print volumes continue to grow year by year. So we\u2019re seeing people returning [to offices], but even as the client shifts to more efficient, smaller footprint boxes, we\u2019re also seeing the strongest growth in color printing. Post-COVID, our color volumes have continued to explode.\u201d Chris Gallagher feels serving client needs while continuing to boost profitability lies in developing tailored solutions based on a deep understanding of their business goals and challenges. \u201cOur strategy has always been to identify and quantify business pains on the front line and then aggregate the financial impact across the enterprise,\u201d he said. \u201cFor example, a school district agreed to our assessment report, which identified over $16,000 monthly in \u2018related costs.\u2019 Solving this problem is a win-win for the client and GOP because the newfound efficiencies improve their bottom line while justifying our slightly higher profit margin.\u201d Disciplined Approach Atlantic Tomorrow\u2019s Office, the pride of the Big Apple, boasts an MPS program featuring a robust device management platform that\u2019s the heart for managing customer environments. According to Kia Robinson, an industry veteran and vice president of sales, managed services for Atlantic, the platform furnishes real-time visibility into device performance, usage […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1641],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65783"}],"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=65783"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65783\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65922,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65783\/revisions\/65922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}