December 2007 Office Technology

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Are You a Workaholic?Prevent chaining employees(& yourself) to workby Robert C. GoldbergBTA General CounselDecember is always a good time of

the year to reflect upon the accomplishments of the

past eleven months. Although the New Year’s resolu-

tions are long forgotten, we do know how we fared with

family, work, social and civic responsibilities as well as

overall satisfaction with life.

4 | w w w . o f f i c e t e c h n o l o g y m a g . c o m | D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7

CONTENTS

2008 Industry ForecastManufacturers lookto the road aheadCompiled by Brent HoskinsOffice Technology MagazineThe new year is right around

the corner. It is certain to be

a year that provides BTA

Channel dealers many oppor-

tunities. What are the great-

est among these opportunities? What should be the

dealer’s primary areas of focus in 2008? Office Technolo-

gy magazine asked representatives of 11 of the indus-

try’s manufacturers to share their expectations for

2008. Each was asked to address several questions.

Perhaps the insight shared in their responses will help

you better position your dealership for success down

the road in the year ahead.

D E P A R T M E N T S

Volume 14 � No. 6

30 ‘Day of Disruption’InfoTrends hosts thirdannual ODT Forumby Brent HoskinsOffice Technology MagazineFocused on addressing the oppor-

tunities resulting from the signifi-

cant recent changes in the office

technology industry, market re-

search firm InfoTrends hosted its third annual Office

Document Technology Forum Nov. 7-8 in Quincy,

Mass. The event, themed “Day of Disruption,” drew

approximately 110 attendees.

10

32

F E A T U R E A R T I C L E S

BTA Southeast’s ‘Fall Colors’District hosts education& networking conferenceby Brent HoskinsOffice Technology MagazineContinuing with its longstanding

tradition of bringing dealers to-

gether for learning and network-

ing opportunities, the BTA South-

east district’s annual “Fall Colors Conference” was held

Oct. 26-27 at the Waynesville Country Club Inn in

Waynesville, N.C. The event drew 75 attendees repre-

senting approximately 25 dealerships.

Managing Complex SalesA five-step plan forthe big-ticket dealsby Tom KramerStrategy Mapping SellingThe competitive battle for success

in major account selling is won by those who can

create a competitive advantage for their customers.

Closing major sales, however, is an art that requires

exceptional skills combined with a solid process or

plan for success.

34

C O U R T S & C A P I T O L S

P R I N C I P A L I S S U E S

33

6

8

38

Executive Director’s Page

BTA President’s Message

Advertiser Index

36 The Labor ShortageA smart manager’s guide to keeping good peopleby Joanne SmikleSmikle Training Services Inc.Even if you did not believe the

doomsayers of the past few years, if you have posi-

tions to fill, you know that there was truth in their

predictions. A 2004 study concluded that the labor

shortage in the United States could reach 18.1 mil-

lion workers in 2020.

S E L L I N G S O L U T I O N S

04OT1207 12/1/07 10:23 AM Page 4

Print Audit ad Dec 07 11/15/07 9:07 AM Page 1

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S PAGE

In thi s i ssu e, 11

m a n u f a c t u r e r s

take a look at the

road ahead in the 2008

Industry Forecast. The

intent of this annual

feature is to provide

readers with insight

and guidance direct from manufacturers

regarding the expected opportunities and

market trends in the coming year.

The forecasts provide plenty of inter-

esting comments to help us prepare for the

new year. It is my hope that they give you

some things to think about that can ulti-

mately help you grow your dealership.

I’ve read through these forecasts several

times. In my most recent review I high-

lighted certain items as if reading them from

the dealer’s perspective. Following are a few

of the things I noticed that I may want to

think about for “my dealership.”

Canon U.S.A. — I welcome the reminder

of billable professional services. Tod Pike

lists data capture and conversion, security

services, document production analysis and

document workflow analysis. I should be

charging for these and not giving them away.

Hewlett-Packard — It is interesting to

learn that 268 billion color office pages were

printed worldwide in 2005 and the number is

expected to grow to 489 billion in 2010. I need

to get my fair share of those 489 billion pages.

Konica Minolta — I like this idea of

working to transition some of the pages cur-

rently produced on commercial printing

presses to my MFPs. As Kevin Kern suggests,

any of these pages I claim will be new to my

dealership.

Lexmark — The total percentage of all

paper -handling in the United States

involving 11-by-17 inch paper is only about 4

percent? Now that I think about it that

sounds about right. The statistic makes a

good case for A4 MFPs.

Muratec — I often hear about the typical

customer pain points. Jim D’Emidio’s list

includes some of these, such as document

workflow and security. But he also lists some

others, such as the adoption of VoIP and e-

discovery. Perhaps I should better under-

stand these pain points.

OKI Data — This says, “Dealers can capi-

talize on the workflow and document man-

agement trend by incorporating DMS

systems, such as MicrosoftSharePoint, into

customers’ IT systems to better manage and

service their printers.” We need to give that

some more thought.

Ricoh — Ricoh’s forecast says it will be

introducing several vertically-focused solu-

tions in 2008 for various markets. Ron

Potesky says each vertical industry has its

own specific document management needs.

That makes sense.

Sharp — There is a strong emphasis here

on customization, with references to Sharp

OSA. I know some of the other manufac-

turers have development platforms as well.

This could positively change the nature of

the sales process.

Toshiba — Here’s another reference to A4

products and the customers’ increased

recognition that the bulk of their copying

and printing needs use letter and legal, not

ledger size. In 2008, I need to pay attention

to the trends in A4 and not get left behind.

Your list of “things to think about” will be

different than mine. In any case, I hope the

2008 Industry Forecast serves as a valuable

resource as you look to the road ahead.

— Brent Hoskins

2008 Forecast OffersInsight & Guidance

Executive Director/BTAEditor/Office Technology

Brent [email protected]

(816) 303-4040

Associate EditorElizabeth Marvel

[email protected](816) 303-4060

Contributing WritersRobert C. Goldberg, General Counsel

Business Technology Association

Tom Kramer, Strategy Mapping Sellingwww.strategymappingselling.com

www.smsap.com

Joanne Smikle, Smikle Training Services Inc.www.smiklespeaks.com

Business Technology Association12411 Wornall Road

Kansas City, MO 64145(816) 941-3100

www.bta.org

Member Services: (800) 505-2821BTA Legal Hotline: (800) 869-6688

Valerie BrisenoMembership Marketing Manager

[email protected]

Mary HopkinsAccounting [email protected]

©2007 by the Business Technology Association. All RightsReserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by anymeans without the written permission of the publisher. Everyeffort is made to ensure the accuracy of published material.However, the publisher assumes no liability for errors in articlesnor are opinions expressed necessarily those of the publisher.


®

06OT1207 12/1/07 10:38 AM Page 6

©2007 Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. Electronic Imaging Division. All rights reserved.

E I G H T W I N SI S N ’ T T H A T T H E K I N D O F T E A M Y O U ’ D L I K E T O B E O N ?

The people have spoken. And for the 8th time, Toshiba was voted #1 for Overall Performance by the BTA.

Maybe it’s because Toshiba offers more than just great copiers. We offer value-added solutions that make businesses more

productive and profitable. If you’d like to learn more about what’s made Toshiba America’s fastest growing copier

company or become part of our winning team, visit www.copiers.toshiba.com or call 949-462-6165.

Toshiba ad Dec 07 11/9/07 12:07 PM Page 1

BTA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Educating dealers

and th eir em-

ployees has al-

ways been the corner-

stone of the Business

Technology Associa-

tion (BTA). Through

the years, thousands of

dealers have attended the association’s edu-

cation courses. In each case, the goal was to

help the dealer boost the bottom line.

In 2007, the association launched two

new education programs — ProSolutions,

taught by Darrell Amy, president of Dealer

Marketing Systems Inc. (www.dealermar-

ketingsystems.com) and the BTA Print

Management Workshop, taught by Tom

Callinan, president of Strategy Develop-

ment (www.strategydevelopment.com).

They joined our existing educational offer-

ings: ProFinance and FIX: Cost Manage-

ment for Service. All four of these courses

have been well received by BTA members.

I’m pleased to announce that in early 2008,

BTA will be launching two new education

programs, focusing on sales and sales man-

agement. In January, BTA will begin offering

Plugged-In, a series of sales team webinars

presented by Strategy Mapping Selling

(www.strategymappingselling.com). Partici-

pants will have the opportunity to take part

in nine webinars. These will include such

topics as creating customer value, relation-

ship selling and selling to key accounts.

The Plugged-In instructors both have

many years of sales exp erience. Tim

McMahon, founder and CEO of Strategy

Mapping Selling, has held senior positions

in sales and management with IBM, Digital

Equipment and Dun & Bradstreet. Tom

Kramer is an affiliate partner with the con-

sultancy and has more than 30 years of sales

and sales management and marketing

experience with IBM, Eastman Kodak

Company and Canon U.S.A. Inc.

Then, in February, BTA will launch a new

two-day classroom course, the “BTA Sales

Management Workshop,” taught by Tom

Callinan. The new workshop will provide

dealer principals and sales managers at all

levels a framework and tools that will help

them further develop their sales employees

and drive new business. The workshop will

cover, in depth, such areas as: recruiting

and selection; individual development

plans; account planning; quality field time;

and how to build a proposal that sells.

Tom has been in the industry for more

than 20 years. In 1987, he founded Copifax

Inc., eventually selling the company to

IKON. Initially, he was president of IKON’s

New York City marketplace, where he

increased revenues from $47 million to $60

million over a three-year period. Ultimately,

he served as general manager for the east

region where he was responsible for 1,300

sales executives and more than 200 sales

managers with a $600 million equipment

sales budget.

You can register and find more informa-

tion on the Plugged-In webinars on the BTA

Web site, www.bta.org. Click on “Education

& Certification” on the left side of the home

page. As I write this, the date and location

for the inaugural BTA Sales Management

Workshop have not been finalized. Watch

for details on the BTA Web site. I encourage

you to take part in these and the other BTA

education programs in the new year. I hope

2008 proves to be a prosperous and reward-

ing year for your dealership.

— Shannon Oliver

BTA Launching SalesEducation Programs

®

2007-2008 Board of Directors

PresidentShannon Oliver

25 Wheaton CircleGreensboro, NC 27406

[email protected]

President-ElectRonelle Ingram

Steven Enterprises Inc.17952 Sky Park Circle

Ste. EIrvine, CA 92614

[email protected]

Vice PresidentBill James

WJS Enterprises Inc.3315 Ridgelake Drive

P.O. Box 6620Metairie, LA 70009

[email protected]

BTA EastThomas Chin

Accolade Technologies LLC31 Mamaroneck Ave.

Ste. 508White Plains, NY 10601

[email protected]

BTA Mid-AmericaMike Blake

Corporate Business Systems LLC2018 S. Stoughton Road

Madison, WI [email protected]

BTA SoutheastJerry Jackson

All South Copiers (ASC)1325 Cobb International Blvd.

Ste. AKennesaw, GA [email protected]

BTA WestRock Janecek

Burtronics Business Systems Inc.216 S. Arrowhead Ave.

P.O. Box 1170San Bernardino, CA [email protected]

Ex-Officio/General CounselRobert C. Goldberg

Schoenberg Finkle Newman & Rosenberg Ltd.222 S. Riverside Plaza

Ste. 2100Chicago, IL 60606

[email protected]


08OT1207 12/1/07 10:47 AM Page 8

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Compiled by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

2008 Industry ForecastManufacturers look to the road ahead

The new year is right around the corner. It is certain

to be a year that provides BTA Channel dealers

many opportunities. What are the greatest among

these opportunities? What should be the dealer’s primary

areas of focus in 2008?

Office Technology magazine asked representatives of 11

of the industry’s manufacturers to share their expectations

for 2008. Each was asked to address several questions.

Among them:

� What do you believe will be the greatest market and

product opportunities for dealers in the new year?

� What notable changes in demands/needs/expecta-

tions do you anticipate from end-users?

� Why is it important that dealerships transition to a

solutions focus?

�What do you see as the characteristics of the office tech-

nology dealership that is best positioned for success in 2008?

Perhaps the insight shared in the responses to these and

other questions will help you better position your dealer-

ship for success down the road in the year ahead.

Canon U.S.A. Inc.Tod Pike, Senior Vice President

& General Manager

Imaging Systems Group

We see great market opportuni-

ties for dealers in 2008. There are

several opportunities in the market

that we feel dealers can leverage in

the new year to grow and be more

profitable. These include: the continued conversion to and

adoption of color from the small/medium business up to the

enterprise and into the commercial print market; the transi-

tion to digital print as a cost-effective alternative to offset

print; and, finally, the need for integrated document solu-

tions and services surrounding those hardware offerings. As

a company, Canon is well-positioned to help dealers capi-

talize on all of these opportunities as well as others that will

most certainly emerge in the new year.

It is important that dealers continue the transition from

the straight “box” seller of the past to delivering solutions

that integrate well into the customer’s environment during

2008. The BTA dealers with their local experience and direct

access to the customer’s key decision makers are well-posi-

tioned to help customers assess their document needs and

deploy total digital workflow solutions. These dealers can

help incorporate either Canon or third-party branded solu-

tions as well as a customized MEAP application into the

customer’s digital workflow and have a positive effect on the

customer’s bottom line.

Also, surrounding these solution offerings is a host of pro-

fessional services that dealers can tap into to help cus-

tomers extract greater value from their office equipment

10OT1207 12/1/07 10:52 AM Page 10

Print Audit May 07 4/18/07 2:15 PM Page 1

and software technology investments.

These services include data capture

and conversion, security services, doc-

ument production analysis and docu-

ment workflow analysis.

Through our dealer meetings, inno-

vative service and sales training and

marketing collateral, such as white

papers, we provide the BTA dealers

with the tools to help deliver the most

appropriate solutions and professional services for their

customers. Canon is also dedicated to supporting the BTA

dealers with a highly skilled, technical/solution-oriented

dealer sales team that is dedicated to driving added value

for both the dealer and customer.

From the office desktop to production and large-format

printing, Canon has a complete line of color offerings that

will serve BTA dealers and their customers well next year.

In addition to our color imageRUNNER line, we have

really established our color presence and enhanced our

offerings and services in the areas of production and large-

format printing in 2007. We expect our work in these two

areas will help uncover new market opportunities that we

expect will drive dealer profits and growth for years to come.

Currently, we have nine imagePROGRAF models that

address a number of market segments such as CAD/CAM,

photography and graphic arts. This is compared to 2005 when

Canon’s large-format line consisted of only three models.

On the production side, Canon began shipping our much-

talked-about imagePRESS C7000VP digital press earlier this

year. Customer demand for imagePRESS is high and we expect

that to continue in 2008, increasing opportunities for dealers

in CRD, print-for-pay and commercial print environments.

In addition to the imagePRESS C7000VP, Canon provides

a number of programs and offerings to complement the

device and help drive interest in digital production printing.

They include the imagePRESS Workflow Solutions Program,

a collection of Canon branded and third-party solutions that

focus on key workflows in production printing environ-

ments and the imagePRESS Essential Business Builder

Program, a step-by-step approach to help printers develop

the right “go-to-market” strategy for their new imagePRESS

device and become value-added service providers.

This year we have also had tremendous success with our

imagePRESS C1 model for short-run, color production and

proofing applications. We expect its popularity to continue

for the foreseeable future.

There are many opportunities for

dealers to remain profitable and grow

during the year. With our comprehensive

line of hardware and software offerings

and solutions, Canon is ready to help

dealers make the most of well-established

market segments and venture into new

revenue markets, such as large-format

and production printing, in 2008.

Hewlett-PackardBill Avey, Director of the U.S.

Multifunction Printing (MFP) Business

Capturing more pages is the focus

for HP in 2008. The copier and printer

markets will continue to converge,

and the growth of color devices and

MFPs will continue to explode. This

will lead to a continuing increase in

printed pages and a continued decrease in copier pages. In

the new year, independent dealers will be able to grow their

business by identifying where and how their end-user cus-

tomers are printing pages.

End-user customers now get the concept of the printer-

based MFP. HP’s printer-based MFPs will help us provide

products that deliver the functionality customers really

need. Examples from HP include an industry-leading, radi-

cally simple and intuitive control panel and a robust set of

market-leading solutions for document capture, job

accounting, security and management. In addition, HP’s

patented Edgeline technology redefines business printing

with the combined benefits of ink and laser in a single

device: fast printing speeds, excellent print quality for text

and graphics, a low cost-per-page and HP world-class relia-

bility, opening the door to innovative printing solutions for

businesses with high-volume printing requirements.

In 2008, color in the office will continue to accelerate and

grow. From everyday office documents being printed on

color printers (both single and multifunction), to color

being applied to everything from presentations to marketing

collateral to communications, the number of color pages

being printed is exploding. Lower price points and new solu-

tions are driving color growth in the office (2Q05 IDC, Lyra

Research Inc. Hard Copy Industry Advisory Service and

Hard Copy Supplies Advisory Service, Second-Half 2005

Forecast) and customers are increasingly deciding that the

value of color outweighs any cost. As a result, customers are


... We provide the BTAdealers with the tools to help deliver the most appropriate solutions and professional services for their customers.

12OT1207 12/1/07 11:02 AM Page 1

FMAuditadSept07 8/29/07 11:38 AM Page 1

requiring robust color solutions at

every price point — and HP offers the

broadest color printing portfolio in the

industry for every type of business and

budget (including color laser printers

starting at $299).

With the growing adoption of color in

the workplace, dealers now have the

opportunity to capture existing and new

market share. According to Lyra

Research, 268 billion color office pages were printed world-

wide in 2005 and the number is expected to grow to 489 billion

by 2010 (Lyra Research, First-Half 2006 Plain Paper Forecast

Perspective by Device Type, August 2006). As part of HP’s com-

mitment to the channel, we will continue to invest in key parts

of our color printing business, extend our color printing lineup

(HP has 11 products in the color printing arena alone) and

provide even more resources to support partners who choose

to engage and grow their HP business. HP brings technical and

marketing resources to help our partner network better

understand how to position HP color printers, market and sell

color printing services and maximize their opportunity to

create demand to our mutual customers.

The opportunity for independent dealers to partner

with HP is through our Solutions VIP Elite program (SVIP).

As our SVIP partners have realized, it is no longer just

about selling a printer. It is about providing a printing

solution — one that can help customers optimize and

manage their printing and imaging environment and

improve their workflow to reduce costs and increase pro-

ductivity. HP is helping dealers adapt to these changes by

offering resources, education and incentives to market and

sell printers as systems, as printing services or as solutions.

With HP’s new technology (color printers and MFPs)

dealers can help their customers optimize their printing

infrastructure and utilize this opportunity to provide serv-

ices around managing the printing environment and, ulti-

mately, improving workflow.

HP, along with our independent dealer partners, has a

tremendous opportunity in 2008 to capture existing and

new market share by offering the largest portfolio of prod-

ucts, services and solutions.

Our comprehensive solutions and services for document

capture, security, workflow management and output man-

agement provide technology leadership and a market-

leading portfolio to maximize the value of customers’

imaging and printing investment and deliver on the

bottom line margin needs that our part-

ners desire with their HP partnership.

HP is the partner of choice in the color

printing space and will continue to

extend its color printers and solutions

to this rapidly growing market. HP also

offers the industry’s most complete set

of printer-based MFPs, as demonstrated

by an 80 percent increase in sales in Q1

FY2007. HP’s printer-based MFPs will

help us continue to shift the market away from copiers and

focus on products that deliver the functionality customers

really need.

As demonstrated through our partnership with BTA, we

are committed to the continued support and success of our

partners and are poised to continue our strong competitive

advantage and to extend our reach in the marketplace

through our successful partners. As part of HP’s commit-

ment to the channel, we are investing in key areas and

bringing more resources to support partners who choose to

engage and grow their HP business.

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc.Kevin Kern, Vice President of

Product Planning & Marketing

When we look forward to 2008, we

do not see a huge paradigm shift in

“go-to-market” strategies for us or for

our dealers. However, we should be

mindful that our industry is in the

midst of significant change. It seems clear that the business

of printers and MFPs are converging at the customer level

and dealers need to be well-prepared to handle the changes

and opportunities that will result.

With that said, we see four market-driven opportunities

for Konica Minolta and our independent dealer channel:

helping customers who are looking to rationalize their

output device strategy; solutions and services; transition to

color; and production print.

Output device strategy — In most cases, the deployment

of output devices in the office has looked at MFPs and

printers from different disciplines within the organization.

The result has generally been to create a haphazard envi-

ronment of devices with no real strategy. There is a rich

opportunity that is driven by the convergence of printers

and MFPs, mainly by taking a more consultative role with


It is about providing aprinting solution — onethat can help customersoptimize and managetheir printing andimaging environment andimprove their workflow ...

14OT1207 12/1/07 12:20 PM Page 1

FMAudit ad 2 Nov 07 10/29/07 10:08 AM Page 1

the customer and developing and imple-

menting a plan for deploying output and doc-

ument capture. By taking a more strategic

role, the dealer has the chance to capture

additional revenue from printers and support

services than in the day when the focus was

only on copiers or MFPs. We see many dealers

creating billable hours from providing these

services or even taking it to the next level of

managed services. In the coming year, we will

introduce a range of software products to give our dealers

tools to manage these opportunities.

Solutions — The industry has been talking about solutions

for years now, but the success level within the dealer com-

munity has been quite inconsistent. The MFP makes a great

solutions platform and with the availability of application

programming interfaces and SDK tools for MFPs, dealers

have the chance to develop a true blended hardware and

solutions business. The key factor is the ability to provide the

services of discovery, design and implementation, as well as

post-sale support. These services are key to the future as they

will provide new, profitable revenue streams while deep-

ening the dealer’s connection to the customer.

Transition to color — The market for color will continue to

grow and dealers who have not jumped in should. At the cus-

tomer level, the transition to color is moving most quickly in

the small-to-medium business (SMB) market, but we see

mid- to larger-size accounts slowly beginning to engage

color. As a manufacturer, we will deliver products that

reduce the total cost of ownership and make it more cost

effective for the customer to replace black-and-white

devices. Our dealers must become adept at assessing the use

of color in the office and showing how consolidating color on

an MFP is a cost-effective solution. We have enough data to

know that the color business can improve a dealership’s prof-

itability. The bottom line will drive this business forward.

Production print — The dealer community has been quite

successful in the production print arena, but there are sig-

nificant growth opportunities ahead. One of the most inter-

esting is selling digital color to commercial print markets.

Offset transfer or the concept of taking pages traditionally

produced on a printing press to digital is a market we have

first touched with our bizhub PRO C6500. While still a small

percentage of the digital business, this segment will only

grow and represent net new pages to the dealership.

Strength of the dealer channel — The independent dealer

channel is of critical importance to Konica Minolta. Our

dealers are entrepreneurs who

have a good focus on local market

conditions. They are agile, respon-

sive and quick to act on opportuni-

ties. They are better connected into

the business network in their com-

munities and have a heightened

market awareness that no direct

branch can hope to emulate. Our

job as a manufacturer is to listen

carefully to what our dealers are telling us about their cus-

tomers’ needs and what is required at their level to meet

these needs.

Kyocera Mita America Inc.Michael Pietrunti, President & CEO

Kyocera Mita America (KMA) has

spent the last 12 months growing

and evolving its business, with much

success. In 2008, we look forward to

continuing that mom entum by

focusing on a number of trends

affecting our industry and critical

operational areas of our business.

First and foremost, we will continue to strengthen the

relationships with our dealer network and find opportuni-

ties for parallel growth in their businesses and ours. Our

goal is to drive change — a change that is dependent on our

ability to work together and to capture — “even click” —

ahead of emerging opportunities. In an environment where

manufacturer-dealer contention is becoming common-

place, KMA will instead build a synergistic relationship with

our dealers — one that can truly foster mutual growth.

To expedite our growth, we are looking to capitalize on

several key market factors to drive increased business. One

key market factor affecting our business is the rapid transi-

tion from older monochrome devices to new color printers

and MFPs, which will continue to create replacement and

upgrade opportunities for all KMA dealers. A key area of focus

will center on the rapid expansion of our B2C MFP business.

KMA is taking steps to ensure that more of our dealers’

customers and prospects know that our products are right

for them. We are optimistic that in 2008 our dealer channel

will be confident in Kyocera Mita’s strategy to deliver a sig-

nificantly expanded and more robust color B2C lineup and,

more importantly, that those products will continue to

deliver what the customer expects from us: easy-to-use


Our dealers are entrepreneurs who havea good focus on localmarket conditions. They are agile, responsive and quick to act on opportunities.

16OT1207 12/1/07 12:27 PM Page 1

FMAuditDigitalGatewayad 11/26/07 11:26 AM Page 1

technology, unparalleled reliability and

lowest total cost of ownership. In 2007,

KMA launched four new B2C color

MF Ps and four n e w mono chrom e

MFPs. In 2008, we will expand our pres-

ence in the B2C color market — espe-

cially in Segments 2, 3 and 4 — and

launch a suite of next-generation B2C

MF Ps. We real i z e that to achi e ve

success in this area, a lot of hard work is

needed, as many of our competitors have benefited from an

earlier start in this area. However, our momentum and

product offerings are strong.

KMA realizes that to sustain meaningful growth, we need

to continually challenge ourselves. A key focus area will be to

continue to build up our channel and share in the top 25 U.S.

markets. In 2007, we made significant progress in this area as

we continue to fortify our dealer channel infrastructure. I

will state that our primary strategy is to work in tandem with

existing KMA dealers to capture new market opportunities.

Another important objective will be to implement our

plan to extend our presence in the printer market. As a

company, we recognize the need to drive deeper brand

awareness in the IT channel and in 2008 we plan to continue

to increase our mind share by taking our printer business to

the next level. Our printer products are known for perform-

ance and features, but when it comes to our traditional

strengths — reliability and total cost of ownership — we

trump our competitors.

We will continue to put a significant emphasis on support

of managed print services (MPS), programs that focus on

increasing a customers’ fleet productivity while reducing

direct and indirect costs. This is where the real incremental

growth opportunity exists for expanding our dealers’ busi-

nesses beyond the traditional scope. Dealers who are cur-

rently taking advantage of this opportunity are already

enjoying significant revenue gains and we anticipate many

within our dealer channel will incorporate the MPS sales

strategy in the coming year.

A dealer who can offer customers an integrated package

of hardware, software, services and support will have the

opportunity to gain even more competitive advantages,

while enabling customer satisfaction to rise to new levels.

KMA is placing greater emphasis on solutions, where we

recognize an important customer migration trend in the

market. Together, we will develop an effective and sustain-

able system that supports the dealers’ solution selling

tactics, enabling our dealers to evolve

their sales models from standalone to

digitally connected installations.

We also will maintain our clear focus

on what we define as practical solutions.

We enjoyed a successful 2007 with the

introduction of a new version of iTag, a

scalable, user-friendly document man-

agement solution ideal for small busi-

nesses or departmental environments.

Aside from the incremental profits, the most important

value of iTag is to help our dealers make the all-important

transition from “box mover” to “trusted business partner.”

This is especially true at the departmental level and among

small-to-mid-sized and enterprise-based companies, where

the document management opportunities can be the most

profitable. From an enterprise perspective, KYOcapture, our

flagship server-based document capture workflow solution,

has the opportunity to grow greater profits for our channel.

We will look to engage our dealers on evolving their busi-

nesses toward a consultative sales model that can strategi-

cally address the needs of today ’s globally connected

businesses. We recognize that incorporating a consultative

sales approach is necessary to increase the connected

versus standalone ratio of imaging products among end-

user customers. Although this presents a shift away from

the traditional mind-set, we believe the value-added insight

from our dealers will lead to true growth and a new

dynamic customer relationship. In order to support this

developing relationship, KMA will provide dealers with the

necessary tools and support required to make these vital

business transitions.

We are also focusing on offering customized, vertical

market solutions that focus on aligning document imaging

requirements with market-specific needs. Areas where we

see the greatest opportunities for success include: health-

care, government, finance and education. To ensure we are

properly equipping our dealer network with the best tools,

KMA has made a dedicated effort to ensure the proper ver-

tical certifications. In 2007, we proudly became Cerner and

MEDITECH certified for healthcare, NIST-certified for gov-

ernment, achieved Microsoft Gold Certification status and

received International Standard Organization 14001 Envi-

ronmental Management System Certification. ISO 14001

designation, which is the recognized standard for environ-

mental management, is a critical benchmark for our envi-

ronmental efforts. With new certifications in hand, our


A dealer who can offercustomers an integratedpackage of hardware,software, services andsupport will have theopportunity to gain evenmore ... advantages ...

18OT1207 12/1/07 12:32 PM Page 1

PluggedIn 12/1/07 12:44 PM Page 1

dealers have the opportunity to own

“verticals of excellence,” grow their busi-

nesses organically and maintain prof-

itable customer relationships.

We believe teamwork and a syner-

gistic business relationship with our

dealers is critical and we cannot stress

that enough for 2008. No manufacturer’s

suite of products and technologies can

justify continued actions that are juxta-

posed to their dealers’ strategies. We recognize that our BTA

dealers are unique and that our success in the past, and the

success we will experience in the future, is a direct result of

their efforts. Clearly, our business structure provides us the

opportunity to leverage one another’s strengths and we

must recognize that we are part of one system, working

together toward common goals — offering our customers

greater satisfaction and success. We strongly believe that all

of our future plans and strategies can only germinate from

within the type of symbiotic relationship KMA already

enjoys with its dealers. The year 2008 will bring new tools,

products and solutions to KMA dealers, but even more so, a

collaborative approach to ensure our collective growth.

Lexmark International Inc.Jim Hawkins, Channel Development

Manager

We at Lexmark not only realize

that th e BTA Chann el of inde-

pendent dealers is unique, but it is

comprised of a collection of profes-

sional and sophisticated businesses

that provides unparalleled support

to other businesses. The dealers’ ability to understand their

customers’ needs for document processing requires some of

the most educated sales, service and network professionals

of any product and services channel. That is why we have

just recently introduced our “Business Solutions Dealer

Program,” a program designed specifically for the BTA

Channel. This program offers a unique product pricing and

distribution program that you will find has been designed to

help you not only compete, but win in the arena of changes

to come during the next year and beyond.

Moving into 2008, our industry is poised to change in many

ways. Several third-party industry analysis firms report that

the total percentage of overall 11-by-17-inch (A3) paper-han-

dling in the United States has now been reduced to approxi-

mately 4 percent. Yet, most dealers only

have A3 MFP devices available to them

to meet the needs of their customers.

That said, this year should be a banner

year for the influence that A4 MFPs will

have on our industry.

While typical page consumption

analysis shows that 67 percent of the

total page output is printed, 30 percent

copied and 3 percent faxed, when end-

users incorporate MFP technology into their daily business,

these percentages change. Printing output grows steadily to

nearly 90 percent as end-users find that they can now staple,

sort and finish. They have less need to print and then copy, in

order to receive finished output. Noting that 11-by-17-inch

paper-handling is on the decline and that the total printing

output percentage is increasing with MFP usage, many

organizations have grown to appreciate the reliability of a

printer-based MFP. Dealers who can provide their customers

with A4 printer-based MFPs will have a strong value proposi-

tion to offer their customers. End-users will appreciate a

lower TCO, an increased feature set and a smaller space

requirement.

Lexmark’s X642e, X644e and X646e series of mono laser A4

MFPs offer speeds up to 50 ppm. All models come standard

with PS3, PCL6, 600 to 2,400-dpi, copy, print, fax, e-mail and

scan with color scanning. Each of these models allows you to

scan to and print directly from USB memory. Our X782e

color laser A4 MFP offers speeds up to 40 ppm black and up

to 35 ppm full color. This model also comes standard with

PS3, PCL6, 600 to 4,800-dpi, copy, print, fax, e-mail and scan.

With the multitude of capabilities found on newer MFPs,

end-users are more inclined to choose those devices that are

easier to understand and use. They prefer to buy products

that are specifically designed for their industry and make

their document processes simple. Lexmark makes it easy for

anyone to use our products by allowing the dealer or the

end-user to customize our “e-Task” color touch screen panel

with icons for any features or applications that they prefer.

With open architecture becoming more important to satisfy

customer needs and help dealers distinguish themselves

among competitors, Lexmark’s Embedded Solution Frame-

work (eSF) allows Java-based applications to run directly on

Lexmark products. Solutions can be uniquely tailored for

each customer and applications can be easily scaled to hun-

dreds of devices. Dealers who elect to be certified are wel-

comed to become Certified Solutions Providers for Lexmark


With the multitude ofcapabilities found onnewer MFPs, end-usersare more inclined tochoose those devicesthat are easier to understand and use.

20OT1207 12/1/07 12:50 PM Page 1

products. Through the eSF architecture,

we offer not only solutions by generality

like document distribution, OCR pro-

cessing, posters and banners, bar codes

and data security, but also by industry,

such as retail shelf tags and bar coding,

legal Bates numbering, healthcare

patient wristbands and warehouse RFID

printing and programming.

We have recently stepped beyond the

norm by introducing MFPs designed exclusively for key ver-

tical markets. Based on the Lexmark X646dte laser MFP plat-

form, Lexmark now offers the “Education Station,” the

“Clinical Assistant” and the “Legal Partner.” A highlight from

each of these unique MFPs are: The “Education Station”

offers testing and grading, the “Clinical Assistant” offers

forms on demand and EMR integration and the “Legal

Partner” offers cost recovery and tracking. Incorporating

open architecture through eSF and pairing with our certified

solutions providers allow both dealers

and Lexmark to meet the ever-changing

needs of the end-user.

Additional areas for growth, which

offer BTA dealers exceptional revenue

opportunities, are single-function prod-

ucts and managed print services. Through

our Business Solutions program, Lex-

mark offers authorized dealers our

entire laser-based mono and color

printer product lines. These are in addition to the mono and

color A4 and A3 MFPs of which our X945e B2C model rates

speeds of up to 45 ppm black and up to 40 ppm color. Our

own Lexmark Fleet Manager (LFM) managed print services

offering and software just recently received accolades for the

“Best Revenue Generator” and “Best Partner Program” at the

CMP XChange ’07 conference in October. BTA dealers will

find LFM available as one of the many channel offerings. Two

other offerings worthy of consideration are the document

Additional areas forgrowth, which offer BTAdealers exceptional revenue opportunities,are single-function products and managedprint services.

w w w . o f f i c e t e c h n o l o g y m a g . c o m | D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 | 21

21OT1207 12/1/07 2:10 PM Page 1

needs assessment (DNA) and our reg-

ional showroom facilities.

At Lexmark, our slogan is “Customers

for Life.” We value our dealers and will

continue to develop award-winning

products, programs and solutions. Our

“Business Solutions Dealer Program” is

designed to support you and Lexmark

will be available to assist you. This

coming year, Lexmark will strengthen its

emphasis on BTA Channel development. We hope you will

consider Lexmark as a business partner.

Muratec America Inc.Jim D’Emidio, Vice President

of Sales & Marketing

Muratec America Inc. believes

that in 2008, independent office

equipment dealers will see con-

tinued channel conflict from direct

and indirect competition, significant

hardware and software technology

advancements and an increase in customer demand for cus-

tomized document workflow and business application solu-

tions. We believe that these trends represent an opportunity

for dealers to accelerate revenue growth, create differentia-

tion in their market and deliver powerful applications and

solutions that will entrench dealers deeper into the cus-

tomers’ everyday business processes.

Over the past nine months, the channel has experienced

some major shake-ups in regard to distribution. The Xerox

acquisition of Global Imaging was obviously the biggest

change as it allowed Xerox to make significant headway in our

distribution channel. The response from manufacturers has

been both positive and negative as far as the dealer commu-

nity is concerned. As manufacturers look to replace existing

Global business, they have increased their direct presence by

acquiring dealerships in those markets (at premium prices) as

well as authorizing new dealers to represent their product

lines. As this trend continues it will be imperative to diversify

your product offerings, integrate document workflow and

value-added solutions into your customer’s business processes

and focus on growing your brand name.

Last year we encouraged dealers to diversify their product

offerings by exploring new high-speed, letter-size multifunc-

tional devices that were targeted toward replacing tradi-

tional standalone printers. This was in response to product

released by Hew lett-Packard and

Lexmark that targeted workgroup-

based document imaging. We believe

that in 2008 HP, Lexmark and other tra-

ditional printer manufacturers will

expand their product offerings in these

categories as they continue to shift

more focus to workgroup document

imaging solutions. In order to protect

and grow the current installation base,

it will be imperative that independent office equipment

dealers take heed of these trends and embrace competitive

products to successfully compete for the workgroup user.

Muratec recently launched the MFX-4550 Professional

Edition — a letter-size, 45-ppm MFP, which enables dealers

to successfully compete with printer-based MFPs. When

competing against the traditional printer manufacturers, an

independent dealer has an advantage by offering a lower

cost of operation, responsive on-site service and a complete

portfolio of imaging and workflow solutions.

We believe that customers will continue to turn to the

independent office equipment dealer to integrate workflow

and cost efficiencies into their everyday business processes.

This will require dealers to fully understand the customers’

pain points, such as color and monochrome output cost,

device discovery and management, adoption of VoIP, docu-

ment workf low, document management, compliance,

network security, e-discover y and more. Muratec is

addressing these demands by introducing several new appli-

cations on our MFPs designed to enable enhanced commu-

nication with fax gateways, increased device management,

improved network security, personalized user interfaces and

metadata entry from the MFP control panel (document

management archiving).

Dealers must continue to invest in educating themselves as

owners as well as their employees. Dealers should not depend

on a single manufacturer for hardware or to make their docu-

ment workflow and print management decisions for them.

With hundreds of workflow, compliance, security and print

management solutions in the market, it is imperative to be an

engaged and educated dealer owner. It is also important that

dealers continue to work on growing their own brand name

in the market and not that of the manufacturer. Manufac-

turers will continue to expand distribution through acquisi-

tion and authorization, so dealers must continue to educate

themselves on market trends and technologies, offer a diverse

line-up of hardware and software solutions and become more


With hundreds of workflow, compliance,security and print management solutionsin the market, it isimperative to be an ...educated dealer ...

22OT1207 12/1/07 2:14 PM Page 1

ingrained in the customer’s everyday

business processes in order to succeed.

OKI DataAmericas Inc.Mike Garofola ,

Senior Marketing

Manager, Color

Products

It is no longer

a competitive advantage for office

equipment dealers to be solely copier

specialists. If anything, dealers need to become experts in all

areas of print and document management in order to profit

in 2008 and beyond. The success of dealers will rely on their

ability to understand the full scope of customers’ document

infrastructure and provide solutions that more efficiently

manage workflow. As we move into 2008, portfolio diversifi-

cation and a more consultative approach toward customers

become the keys. Dealers need to think a little wider about

what customers need and expand their offerings beyond the

traditional copier business.

Offering printers and printer-based MFPs is a wise

starting point. Trends show that compared to copying and

faxing, printing has become the most widely used practice

within an office; a report from InfoTrends in August 2007

shows that printing is the most commonly used function in

color laser/LED MFPs, comprising 53 to 69 percent of usage

(depending on whether the device is copier-based or

printer-based). In parallel, businesses are bringing color

printing in-house for a variety of purposes, including the

production of marketing collateral and sales materials. This

growth can be largely attributed to the significant techno-

logical advances in color printing that have led to out-

standing print quality, greater media flexibility, faster speeds

and lower operational costs. As a result, the printer has

become a tool for end-users to improve their bottom line

and enhance workflow efficiencies.

In addition to traditional copier programs, offering cost-

per-page (CPP) programs on printer fleets will further expand

a dealer’s profitability, while also securing customer loyalty

and longevity. Many customers who have adopted color

printing for general business are comfortable with an all-

inclusive cost-per-page strategy since their costs for color are

generally fixed, regardless of page coverage. However, in order

to protect the profitability potential in CPP programs, dealers

should incorporate escalation clauses in customer contracts

that will allow them to raise rates up to

10 percent every six months based on the

number of toners used versus rated

yields by the manufacturer.

Adding more diversified sales strate-

gies, such as offering printers and printer-

based MFPs, will not only add to a dealer’s

bottom line, but also begin to position the

dealer as a consultant to the customer —

not just a salesperson. By taking on a con-

sultative role, a dealer thinks beyond the products to proac-

tively understand what resources will run customers’

businesses more efficiently.

Partnering with document management system (DMS)

providers is an excellent area for a more consultative expan-

sion. Dealers can capitalize on the workflow and document

management trend by incorporating DMS systems, such as

MicrosoftSharePoint, into customers’ IT systems to better

manage and service their printers. Small- and medium-sized

If anything, dealers need to become expertsin all areas of print and document management in order to profit in 2008 and beyond.


23OT1207 12/2/07 2:27 PM Page 1

businesses (SMBs) along with vertical

businesses are ideal customers to target

with this portfolio tool . These cus-

tomers typically do not have advanced

IT networks and are not as familiar

with these resources but could benefit

from the integration. Keep in mind that

for larger customers, a dealer should be

savvy enough to incorporate these

products into an existing infrastructure

that has already made significant IT investments. No matter

the size of the business, DMS providers will help dealers

offer more value to their clients.

Some printer/MFP manufacturers, such as OKI Data

Americas Inc., are developing products to ease integration

with DMS providers and utilize consistent software platforms

that decrease the learning curve and increase ease of use for

both dealers and end-users. The CX3641 A3 Color MFP from

OKI Printing Solutions features embedded EFI Send-Me Tech-

nology and has been designed to create a one-step, paper-to-

electronic document conversion that easily integrates into

existing business workflow processes and provides connec-

tors to popular document management systems.

As dealers look to diversify their portfolios and take a more

consultative approach to customer relationships, they will be

able to take advantage of incremental opportunities in the

printing industry — an industry that has been recognized for its

growth and proves to be a true supporter of the dealer channel.

Panasonic CommunicationsCompany of North America Steve Mullin, President

Looking toward 2008 from the

vantage point of a successful year, we

see a future in which our dealers

continue to grow their businesses

based on one simple premise: prod-

ucts and people. Both our products

and our people are a means to an end, a tool with which to

achieve a goal in the most efficient, cost-effective and highly

qualitative manner.

Ever since turning our company around by migrating

from an in-house sales force to a dealer-driven model

several years ago we have been able to devote a much

greater percentage of our resources and energy into deliv-

ering a more robust solution to our customer.

By working with our customers, we focus on their total

cost of own ership. Because of th e

breadth of technology Panasonic offers,

it is easier for our company to offer a

better solution with a suite of compli-

mentary products and allow our dealers

to maintain their margins, rather than

acquiescing to buying market share. A

smarter customer requires a smarter

partner — someone who understands

their business and can help their busi-

ness. Once again, our transition from a hardware-oriented

internal sales force to a value-added dealer sales channel

has been instrumental in enabling us to take maximum

advantage of this shift in end-user priorities.

With our national network of high-quality vendors pro-

viding a full range of compatible Panasonic products, our

customers now have one-stop service and support for every

link in their document-processing chain.

Turning once again to the increased importance of total

cost of ownership, we believe that our dealers are uniquely

positioned to benefit from Panasonic’s legendary leadership

in the areas of minimizing routine maintenance and maxi-

mizing long-term durability because of our industry-recog-

nized reliable products.

Simply put, relative to industry averages since 2000, our

products cost significantly less in both dollars and person

hours to service and repair. Always one of our dealers’ major

selling points, that message resonates more powerfully than

ever going into 2008.

Within a mature market such as document imaging and

processing, the question of where we go from here cannot be

adequately answered simply by hyping advancements in core

specifications. Will our upcoming products be more powerful,

faster and include more bells and whistles? Almost certainly.

But they will also be more refined, more attuned to the

smaller picture. We know where our products perform best

and it is there that we will continue to focus. This brings us

back to products and people. It has always been the philos-

ophy of Matsushita to keep the customer close. Our strategy

going forward has remained the same as our founder’s;

though we are focused on the product, we are concentrated

on the needs of our customers in specific markets where we

know our product fits best and benefits the customer best.

Our salespeople are not just there to take an order. They are

driven by Matsushita’s philosophy to service our customer

by supplying them with the proper product that fits their

specific needs.

Though we are focusedon the product, we are concentrated on the needs of our customers in specificmarkets where we knowour product fits best ...


24OT1207 12/1/07 2:21 PM Page 1

Our strategy has been and continues to

be to become the best and easiest com-

pany with which to do business. We

believe in diligently servicing our cus-

tomers and strive to do so on a daily basis.

Our goal is to create partnerships with

dealers who share in and aspire for the

same. This is a mature market and our

customers are looking for more than just

product, which is why we lead with

people and extreme customer satisfaction.

Ricoh Americas Corp.Ron Potesky, Vice President,

Corporate Product Marketing

In today’s ever-expanding digital

age, customers are increasingly

b ecoming more educat ed and

sophisticated in regard to their tech-

nology needs and wants. The biggest

challenge, as well as opportunity, for

dealers in 2008 will not just be keeping up with these rapidly

changing requirements and requests, but staying one step

ahead of the game.

First and foremost, the demand for color and advanced

document management solutions will continue in 2008. In

addition, a specific customer need that will be prevalent this

coming year will be the demand for very specific vertical

and horizontal solutions. To keep up with this demand,

Ricoh’s focus will be on delivering easy-to-understand and

easy-to-sell solutions that small- to medium-sized busi-

nesses need and dealers will want to sell.

Getting vertical — Vertical market applications are a hot

territory for dealers today and there is a real opportunity to

capitalize on this industry trend that will only become

hotter as we move into the new year. Ricoh will be intro-

ducing several vertically-focused solutions in 2008 for

various markets (e.g. real estate, healthcare, legal, etc.). This

effort aims to supply dealers with all the tools necessary,

such as proper training, collateral and advanced products,

to target and capture small- to medium-sized business in

specific vertical markets. Since each vertical industry has its

own specific document management needs, it is critical that

the solutions provided to help streamline workflow are

available in a range of market-specific document manage-

ment applications. Ricoh prides itself on maintaining a dedi-

cated and experienced support team that is intimately

familiar with the trends and challenges

of vertical industries.

The demand for state-of-the-art MFPs

combined with high-tech solutions in

vertical markets continues to grow as

compliance issues become more and

more prevalent. With accountability acts

such as HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley, new

MFP technology is essential for keeping

documents safe, secure and in the right

hands. Ricoh has developed real solutions, such as eCabinet,

a secure network document repository, and Data Overwrite

Security System (DOSS), a system that reduces the risk of

information theft by overwriting data on MFPs, that meet

accountability and security standards and provide a solid

document management infrastructure.

On the horizon — While it is important to focus on ver-

tical applications, it is also vital for dealers to be armed with

strong horizontal applications that are designed for a broad

cross-section of users. In Ricoh’s case, this broad cross-

section is small- to medium-sized businesses and one

example of a horizontal solution the company offers is

Transaction Link. With the Transaction Link application,

users of Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200 accounting systems for

businesses across all industries can use their Ricoh MFPs to

scan supporting documents and link the resulting electronic

files to specific transactions for auditing purposes as well as

reporting on missing documents.

By providing Transaction Link to customers, dealers

enable them to improve document workflow efficiency,

compliance (internal and with Sarbanes-Oxley), customer

satisfaction and profitability by integrating with existing

business processes. Transaction Link supports the current

customer demand for easy-to-use, yet advanced solutions. It

relies on th e familiar int er faces of MAS 90 current

accounting systems and Ricoh MFPs so installation is fast.

However, the results are long-lasting as it is designed to

increase cash flow while streamlining a wide range of docu-

ment processes and enhance the return on investment (ROI)

for existing business-critical accounting systems.

Above and beyond — Given that the industry has been

shifting toward solutions, it is imperative that anyone selling

MFPs and printers begin with a solutions-based focus,

whether it is vertical or horizontal. Customers are looking for

more value-add expertise and services that can move them

beyond just creating output to developing efficient and

secure document workflow that affects their bottom line.


The biggest challenge ...for dealers in 2008 willnot just be keeping upwith these rapidlychanging requirementsand requests, but stayingone step ahead ...

25OT1207 12/1/07 2:56 PM Page 1

Successful dealerships are those that not

only sell and service systems, but also

possess technical expertise in areas such

as document management and net-

worked services in order to maintain

value for customers and meet a wide

range of needs from basic to advanced.

Ricoh recognizes this dichotomy of

customer demand and has developed

technologies surrounding security,

workflow management, scanning and more. For example,

due to the security-focused landscape of our country today,

many more companies are recognizing the need to be able

to scan files, create back-up documents, and send docu-

ments to a more centralized location to ensure business

continuity in the face of a disaster. Ricoh is able to create

these mature solutions that meet sophisticated customer

needs due to the alliances it creates with document man-

agement organizations and the dedicated engineering

resources it has around the world. The ability to offer these

advanced capabilities and resources will elevate a dealer’s

value and increase revenues and profit.

Dealerships can also market themselves as value-added

resources if they can go into a prospective client’s business

and access what equipment the organization is currently

using, evaluate how it is being used and then make appro-

priate recommendations on what hardware and software

solutions would be the most beneficial for the company’s

needs in order to save them time and money and increase pro-

ductivity. If dealers can do the latter, it will ultimately drive

more sales and lead them to greater success. However, this will

not just happen overnight; training is the key to transforming

a dealership into a document management consultant.

Enlightenment — In an effort to not put the cart before the

horse, Ricoh recognizes the need to properly train dealers on

various solutions/new technologies before sending them out

into the document management wilderness.

Ricoh offers advanced support and training programs to

dealers through its proprietary Ricoh University program.

In addition, a large focus for 2008 will be on continuing to

develop online dealer training tools. Today, Ricoh has Ricoh

Connects, a sophisticated online multimedia training

portal. The portal allows dealers to take virtual tours of

hardware and software solutions in order to really explore

the products, become well-versed in the technology and be

better equipped to sell. The portal is a win-win for both the

new and the old, as new sales representatives can get certi-

fied on the products and solutions and

veteran reps can get certified on new

products and continue to grow their

knowledge base.

In 2008, Ricoh will introduce many

new black-and-white and color prod-

ucts from low- to high-volume along

with new solutions to go with these new

systems that cater to the vertical and

horizontal markets. Meeting the current

industry demand for specific vertical and horizontal solu-

tions will not only set Ricoh apart, but also help Ricoh deal-

erships set their customers apart from the competition. The

overall value proposition must be clear and concise — help

customers to save money, improve workflow and, ultimately,

move their ideas forward.

Sharp Imaging and Information Company of AmericaEd McLaughlin, President

Since we last spoke, Sharp has

combined all of its business products

into one cohesive organization with

the goal of having a broader under-

standing of our customers’ needs and

requirements. The Sharp Imaging and Information Com-

pany of America, as we are now known, encompasses not

only the copier division, but business projectors, POS prod-

ucts, professional displays and educational calculators. This

empowers our organization to provide a broad-based, well-

tailored solution for many business needs.

By blending divisions, we can provide insight about tech-

nologies that we might not have had insight into before,

enabling us to tap into broader market trends, like the power

of personalization. For example, we ran a program this past

August/September with Sharp’s Quiz Calculators that opened

the doors into perspective accounts in existing school dis-

tricts for many copier dealers. As a result, instead of thinking

of the dealership as a copier vendor, schools are looking at

Sharp dealers to provide a host of products that meet their

needs. This lends itself well to the idea of customization.

As we discussed last year, customization is critical to this

industry and we see this continuing in the coming year. We

previously outlined the potential for the success of Sharp

OSA, a development platform for MFP applications that

brings the power of customization closer to the customer.


By blending divisions,we can provide insightabout technologies thatwe might not have hadinsight into before,enabling us to tap intobroader market trends ...

26OT1207 12/1/07 2:44 PM Page 1

PrintManagementFP 11/30/07 5:06 PM Page 1

This has proven successful over the past

year, and continues to be a strong focus

for us.

Sharp OSA is a development platform

that integrates network applications

seamlessly to create a personalized MFP

that can meet your customers’ specific

business needs. Ideal for dealerships,

any developer can use the Sharp OSA

platform because it is based on XML

and SOAP — industry standard programming protocols that

are widely used. When we came to you last year, we had 50

developers in the OSA program and now we have close to

100. We have been selling an average of 600 OSA kits per

month, showing that our dealers are seeing the true value of

Sharp OSA. They have become trusted advisors in customer

accounts, working together to address account needs and

create a solution that will grow with the account’s business.

It is important that dealerships transition to solutions-

focused thinking. Quite simply, any dealership not adopting

this will be left out in the cold. Copier manufacturers are

quickly moving toward providing networked appliances that

are key to document workflow and not simply a “box” that

makes copies. Sharp has been working with local dealers to

educate them on the value this can provide to their cus-

tomers. Sharp Academy, an online resource, helps dealers

become fluent in product features and capabilities. Sharp

dealers are also encouraged to learn more about the power

of customization through Sharp OSA by joining our regular

webcasts on the Sharp Independent Dealer Network

Channel. In addition, My Sharp, an innovative platform for

individually tailored product support and training allows

dealers to help customers get the return on their technology

investment. It features helpful demonstrations about using

the scan, copy, print and fax capabilities found on Sharp

office products as well as using related software solutions to

virtually order and refresh supplies.

The value that independent dealers have always provided

to the market is knowledge of the customer. An entrepre-

neurial business is inherently more flexible and able to

adapt to changes in the industry. This customer knowledge

is critical in providing the best possible support and specific

features and application answers for their customers’ busi-

ness needs now and in the future.

In addition to customization, we have tracked a growing

end-user expectation for environmentally friendly products.

There has been a surge over the last few years of consumer

awareness and demand for green prod-

ucts. We see this trend moving into the

commercial arena, as customers are

looking for manufacturers to be respon-

sible with recycling programs that con-

serve natural resources and lower ozone

emissions. As a company that aims to be

environmentally advanced, Sharp is

well-positioned in this respect. Many of

Sharp’s copiers are EnergyStar com-

pliant and we look forward to announcing a comprehensive,

environmentally friendly program early in the new year.

As we look ahead to 2008, we will continue to expand into

markets we are not yet actively supporting. We introduced

the high-speed Hercules series midway through last year

and experienced a 15 percent growth in just the first

quarter. We look forward to providing continued advance-

ment for dealers, through new products and applications,

and most importantly, our commitment to customization.

Toshiba America BusinessSolutions Inc.Rick Taylor, President & CEO

As we close the book on 2007,

Toshiba has maintained its position

as the fastest growing copier com-

pany in the United States, far out-

pacing the industry in non-retail unit

sales. This achievement is no fluke in

our flat market; instead, it is a direct result of the programs

and strategies we have developed and executed specifically

to help our dealers attain maximum growth and success.

Toshiba sees three key areas of opportunity for savvy

dealers who want to grow their business:

Color — Year after year, Toshiba continues to set new

records in color unit sales and monochrome-to-color conver-

sion rates. Customer adoption of color products will continue

to present a significant opportunity for dealer growth both in

hardware and aftermarket sales, with color being an area of

Toshiba’s product line well poised to meet customer demand.

Software solutions — For the past several years, Toshiba has

been encouraging dealers to make the transition from “selling

the box” to developing partnerships with customers to provide

more comprehensive “business solutions.” Increasingly, the

average selling price of hardware has decreased. In order to

offset that loss, it is imperative that dealers bundle solutions

with their equipment sales. Not only will they differentiate


They have become trusted advisors in customer accounts,working together to ...create a solution thatwill grow with theaccount’s business.

28OT1207 12/1/07 2:43 PM Page 1

themselves from the competition, but

they will gain incremental revenue and

margin. Offering solutions will be espe-

cially critical in 2008 as customers are

faced with achieving multiple business

objectives such as security, hardcopy

scanning, file conversion and electronic

file management when considering their

document management needs.

Over the past year, Toshiba has added

several strategic solutions to its product lineup, including the

proprietary Re-Rite, a highly advanced scanning and elec-

tronic file management software. For customers, it provides

the ability to convert documents to one of 17 editable file

formats. For Toshiba dealers, it is an ideal introduction into

selling solutions, as it is proving itself to be easy to both learn

and to sell.

Print management — As hardware and CPC rates con-

tinue to be squeezed, print management provides a solid

opportunity for cost recovery. Toshiba offers dealers valu-

able tools to help them compete in this area, including

Encompass and Total Print Management.

To capitalize on these areas of opportunity, dealers must

invest in training for their sales force. Toshiba recognizes

that the transition to selling solutions is not an easy one, so

we have created a new training program called Solution

Selling System (S3). This program focuses on a 10-step

selling model that includes identifying solutions that will

best help the customer, best practices for presenting those

solutions and then managing the account afterward.

In addition to the above-mentioned areas of opportunity,

dealers also should be aware of some key areas where cus-

tomers’ demands are beginning to shift:

A4 products — Increasingly, customers are recognizing

that the bulk of their printing and copying needs use stan-

dard letter- and legal-sized papers and they are demanding

machines that solely focus on meeting those specific needs.

Toshiba has anticipated a growing emergence of this

demand and has launched products that focus on these cus-

tomer requirements.

Single suppliers — Customers also are beginning to recog-

nize the value of partnering with a single supplier to meet all

their printing, MFP, wide-format, high-speed scanning, soft-

ware solutions and print management needs. Toshiba has

been preparing for this customer shift over the past several

years and is well poised to fully support its dealers in

meeting their customers’ complete product line needs.

As we look to the year ahead, Toshiba

sets itself apart in an oversaturated

industr y through the strength and

breadth of our complete hardware and

solutions product line and the wide

array of value-added support programs

and professional service resources that

aid dealers in building and maintaining

solid business relationships with their

customers. In addition, Toshiba’s world-

class training programs are second to none, ensuring our

dealers are best prepared for any and all industry challenges.

2008 looks to be an exciting year for Toshiba as we prepare

to unveil a host of new products and business enhancement

tools; and we are excited to share them all with our dealer

partners at our National Dealer Meeting in March of next year.

Just as we encourage our dealers to serve as valued business

partners to their customers, Toshiba also strives to provide

that added value to our dealer partners and we look forward

to continuing that relationship for many years to come. �

Offering solutions willbe especially critical ...as customers are facedwith achieving multiple business objectives ...when considering their ... needs.


29OT1207 12/2/07 2:44 PM Page 1


by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

‘Day of Disruption’InfoTrends hosts third annual ODT Forum

Focused on addressing the opportunities

resulting from th e signif icant recent

changes in the office technology industry,

market research firm InfoTrends hosted its third

annual Office Document Technology (ODT) Forum

Nov. 7-8 in Quincy, Mass. The event, themed “Day

of Disruption,” drew approximately 110 attendees,

including dealers and representatives of both hard-

ware and software companies.

“The theme this year is all about disruption,”

said Charlie Pesko, president of InfoTrends, as he

welcomed attendees to the first day of the forum.

“And disruption leads to opportunity. So, we are

going to talk about that, both from the hardware

and software side of the industry.”

Pesko cited several “disruptive things” that

have occurred in the three years since the first

ODT Forum. “There is a lot of disruption on the

channel side of this business,” he said. “We’ve got

vendor consolidation, vendors buying dealers and

vendors building their own direct organizations.

So, the mix of distribution is changing.”

Among the other disruptive changes are the “inkjet move-

ment” from the desktop to the workgroup and the “true con-

vergence for the first time in the marketplace between the

printer and copier business,” said Pesko. “It is a single

market today. It is no longer ‘printer-based MFPs’ and

‘copier-based MFPs.’ It’s one buying decision now. That’s a

big change we’ve seen over the last three to four years.”

And, finally, said Pesko, there has been the disruption

caused by the rise of software-based solutions. “ We

believe we’ve crossed the chasm between the ‘early

growth stage’ and the ‘rapid growth stage’ of the market-

place,” he said. “It [the installation of software-based solu-

tions] has really become a priority both on the dealer and

vendor side of the industry. Its ability to drive the hard-

ware side of the business has come up very dramatically

in the last three years.”

Pesko noted that InfoTrends’ database currently includes

close to 200 ISV (independent software vendors) in the U.S.

market. “So, the number of opportunities and number of

solutions out there has grown pretty dramatically and it will

continue to grow,” he said. “When I look out there in the

marketplace, we’re going to see hundreds — perhaps thou-

sands — of solutions opportunities, if you look at all the hor-

izontal and vertical opportunities.”

Jon Reardon, a group director at InfoTrends, echoed

Pesko’s optimism for the opportunities software-based solu-

tions provide. “We see increased adoption at the solutions

level moving forward,” he said in “A Day of Disruption — An

Above: The third annual

Office Document

Technology Forum drew

approximately 110

attendees. Right:

InfoTrends President

Charlie Pesko; Far Right:

InfoTrends Group

Director Jon Reardon.

30OT1207 12/3/07 2:40 PM Page 10

Outlook on Opportunity,” his keynote

address. “From a customer perspective,

adoption rates seem to be gaining some

traction. Almost every vendor now has a

suite of solutions they offer in combina-

tion with their hardware offerings.”

However, said Reardon, solutions will

present at least one challenge going

forward. “It’s a question of metrics and

how we measure solutions activity and

solutions success,” he said. “The industry has a long way to go

in this area. We think there will be continued focus on metrics

and how we measure the contribution of solutions to the

well-being of hardware manufacturers. Some vendors are

doing a much better job than others, but no one has actually

figured it out in its entirety.”

Reardon cited a number of other trends that contribute to

the “Day of Disruption.” Among them:

�The transition from monochrome to color output (with a

22 percent compound annual growth

rate [CAGR] forecasted through 2011 for

color copier/printers and a 19 percent

CAGR forecasted for production color);

� The 7 percent CAGR since 2003 for

the print-on-demand production mark-

et, which is forecasted to increase 2

percent (to a 9 percent CAGR) in 2007

through the 2011 forecast period;

� A continuation of the decline of

prices across the board, with the 3 percent decline experi-

enced in 2006 continuing at the same percentage each year

through 2011.

The agenda for the ODT Forum included 18 education

sessions. In addition, the event featured the products of 14

exhibiting companies, primarily software vendors. �Brent Hoskins, executive director of the

Business Technology Association, is editor of Office

Technology magazine. He can be reached at [email protected].

“From a customer perspective, adoptionrates seem to be gainingsome traction now. Almost every vendornow has a suite of solutions they offer ... “


31OT1207 12/3/07 7:51 AM Page 1


by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

BTA Southeast’s ‘Fall Colors’ District hosts education & networking conference

Continuing with its longstanding tradition of bringing

dealers together for learning and networking oppor-

tunities, the BTA Southeast district’s annual “Fall

Colors Conference” was held Oct. 26-27 at the Waynesville

Country Club Inn in Waynesville, N.C. The event drew 75

attendees representing approximately 25 dealerships.

“The BTA meeting in Waynesville was a time to recharge

our batteries, learn from our speakers and share with our

colleagues,” said attendee Mike Upchurch, president of Busi-

ness Machines Inc., Raleigh, N.C. “I would like to encourage

all of our members to take advantage of this annual

meeting. There is no better location for the fall meeting than

the mountains of North Carolina. I look forward to another

record-breaking meeting in 2008.”

The agenda included two education sessions. Tom Call-

inan, president of Strategy Development, Bryn Mawr, Pa.,

presented “Implementing a Print Management Strategy.” The

session provided attendees with insight to help them develop

a strategy to capture all of a customer’s printed pages, ulti-

mately fully transitioning the customer to the dealership’s

MFP and printer brands. The second speaker, BTA President-

Elect Ronelle Ingram, vice president of technical service for

Steven Enterprises Inc., Irvine, Calif., presented “Past —

Present — Future,” providing ideas on claiming previously

missed sales opportunities and methods of motivating all

employees to help boost company revenues.

In addition, the agenda included an opening reception and

closing banquet. During the banquet, the association recog-

nized BTA 2006-07 National President Dan Hayes, who had

previously served as president of the BTA Southeast District.

“BTA extends its sincere gratitude for your many years of

exemplary service as a volunteer at the local, district and

national levels,” said current BTA President Shannon Oliver, as

he presented the award. “Your leadership and commitment to

the association and its programs have served to strengthen

the office technology dealer channel of distribution.”

Dolphin Capital and Color Imaging were both exhibiting

sponsors. Following the conference, Bob Banks, business

development officer for Dolphin Capital, commented on the

event. “We enjoyed participating in the conference,” he said.

“We were able to meet with current customers to receive their

feedback and to network with prospective office products

dealers to discuss opportunities to partner together. The loca-

tion was beautiful, with the mountains surrounding Way-

nesville, the golf courses, the fall scenery, perfect weather and

the nearby restored downtown.”

The next BTA Southeast conference will take place April

4-5 at the Embassy Suites — International/Jamaican Court

in O rlando, Fla . Watch www.btasouth east .org and

www.bta.org for details. �Brent Hoskins, executive director of the

Business Technology Association, is editor of Office

Technology magazine. He can be reached at [email protected].

Above: Ronelle Ingram leads one

of the conference’s education ses-

sions. Left: During the closing ban-

quet, Dan Hayes (left) accepts an

award recognizing him for his

many years of volunteer service to

the association from current BTA

National President Shannon Oliver.

BTA Southeast Dec 07 11/28/07 3:28 PM Page 10

December is always a good time of the year to reflect

upon the accomplishments of the past eleven

months. Although the New Year’s resolutions are

long forgotten, we do know how we fared with

family, work, social and civic responsibilities

as well as overall satisfaction with life. As I

reflect this December, it is not difficult to

conclude that my professional responsi-

bilities surpassed all other goals and

responsibilities. Am I a workaholic?

A workaholic has a compulsive need to

work at the expense of everything else in his

(or her) life. Fueled by laptop computers, cell

phones and BlackBerries, one can be any-

where in the world and work. A recent Univer-

sity of North Carolina research study estimated

that one-quarter — one in four — of U.S .

employees fall within the workaholic definition

above. Devoting one’s entire life to his work is

unhealthy in many respects. Are you or is anyone

in your business a workaholic?

The same study cited above found that the

trend of workaholism costs U.S. businesses

$150 billion each year. Not only is this phenomenon

costly to a workaholic’s family and a cause of

increased rates of divorce, but it also results in

lost productivity, increased health costs, stress, dis-

abilities and wage and hour claims for overtime compensa-

tion. In fact, workaholism has gotten so bad that there is a

twelve-step program, Workaholics Anonymous, that has

been developed in an attempt to solve the problem.

Groups like this have been formed to assist workers in

developing a complete life and not just a working life.

The first thing an individual can do to cut back on work is

to take charge of technology rather than letting technology be

in charge of him. Having a BlackBerry or Nextel phone does

not mean one has to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a

week. Sending e-mails in the evening, being the first, last or

both at the office, having difficulty delegating, exhibiting

excessive perfectionism, skipping lunch, being tired constantly

and being depressed or exhausted are signs of a workaholic.

Workaholics are typically “star performers” and

remain incredibly productive until they crash. As man-

agers, we often reward these “star performers” with flat-

tery, promotions and raises. In years past, our fallen stars

were described as “burnt out,” but now it may be pos-

sible to keep that outstanding salesperson produc-

tive by managing his workload or your own. The

issue is not working hard, but being able to turn

it off and enjoy life.

It is essential that we set boundaries. The

first thing to do is to monitor employee hours.

Have all employees (as well as yourself ) clock

their time regardless of whether they qualify for

overtime or not. Once you are aware an employee is

w orking more hours than h e should and that

employee is entitled to overtime, you must compensate

him for the time. The fact that overtime is not authorized

does not mean an employer does not have to pay for the

hours. If an employer receives the benefit of the work per-

formed, he must pay for it.

Attorneys are using new technology to prove the hours an

individual has worked. Detailed call and e-mail logs show

every minute an employee is working on these devices. These

records can be used in court to establish the entitlement of

overtime compensation, penalties and interest.

Workaholics may also qualify as disabled employees

entitled to disability benefits or a workers com-

pensation claim. Just as “BlackBerry

Thumb” has been recognized as a dis-

ability, workaholism may reach the

same level as increased research and

study continues. If one can no longer

earn a living due to the effort put forth at

work, he is going to look to his employer to com-

pensate him for the loss.

Life is not limited to work alone. Make sure

you and your employees take time to enjoy all

life has to offer. I know that I am going to try. �Robert C. Goldberg is general counsel for the

Business Technology Association. He can be

reached at [email protected].

by: Robert C. Goldberg, General Counsel for the Business Technology Association

COURTS & CAPITOLS

Are You a Workaholic?Prevent chaining employees (& yourself) to work


33OT1207 12/2/07 4:11 PM Page 26

The competitive battle for success in major

account selling is won by those who can

create a competitive advantage for their

customers. Closing major sales, however, is an

art that requires exceptional skills combined

with a solid process or plan for success.

We all want to close bigger deals, but selling to

larger organizations can be a daunting task to

new, as well as experienced, sales representatives.

Big-ticket sales require a different approach and

unique skills. They require a process of thinking,

diagnosing, extensive planning, patience and the

coordination and application of resources from

all over the company. They involve a longer sales

cycle, meeting with sophisticated and cross-func-

tional purchasing committees and, more often

than not, they offer limited access to the real

decision-makers.

Nonetheless, if you are successful you will

accomplish two major goals of effective account

management. That is, you will bring profitable

business into your organization and position yourself as a

highly valued (some might say, invaluable) business partner to

your customer.

If your sales reps are like most, they do not like to call on

higher levels in their accounts. They are more comfortable

calling on the purchasing agents or office managers. Large

deals, however, require higher level approvals and, in the past,

sales reps liked to communicate their proposals through

lower level or middle management contacts. To compete

more effectively for the big deals today, both your new and

experienced reps must be equipped to call higher and wider in

their accounts and understand the complexity of the pur-

chasing landscape from a 360-degree viewpoint. In short, they

need to plan more extensively and understand the art of the

complex sale.

Here is a five-step process to help your reps manage all the

elements involved in closing the big deals. The process addresses

customer needs, goals, competitive strategies, contact buying

motivations and account obstacles. It puts the emphasis on

opportunity planning and provides salespeople with a “strategy

map” that lists all the critical steps involved in preparing for and

closing the major sale. Let us take a look at each step.

� Plan to meet your customer’s stated needs with transac-

tional value — Needs are the stated or implied “transactional”

requirements of the customer (product specs or performance

expectations, pricing, etc.). Combined, they are the necessary

“ticket to play.” In this step, you should prepare a clear presen-

tation of transactional value propositions that meet or exceed

the customer’s stated needs. In addition, the message should

be directed to the target contact(s) who are most responsible

for assuring that these needs are met, such as the transac-

tional buyers (users and purchasing agents).

� Prepare to address the customer’s performance goals with

relationship and business impact value — Performance goals

are results the customer will derive from the vendor relation-

ship. These goals can be either the impact your product and

service will have on the customer’s operating performance

(increased productivity or increased sales to their customers)

or the relationship value (trust and loyalty). The job of the

sales rep is to uncover the customer’s goals and define the

Managing Complex SalesA five-step plan for the big-ticket deals

by: Tom Kramer, Strategy Mapping Selling

SELLING SOLUTIONS


34OT1207 12/2/07 4:14 PM Page 29

potential impact that your technology and

service will have on the customer’s bottom

line. This is where you define your unique

and compelling value proposition. Finally,

you should focus your message of “busi-

ness impact value” directly on the target

contact(s) most responsible for assuring

that these goals are met, such as middle or

upper management or those concerned

with ROI.

� Find a competitive position of strength — It is imperative to

understand your competitor’s true value proposition. That is,

why would your customer want to deal with your competi-

tors? What are your value propositions (both transactional

and relationship) that will effectively offset each of the com-

petitor’s value propositions?

Now you are ready to rate the relative strength of the com-

petitor and the anticipated effectiveness of your “offsetting”

value propositions. Remember to also consider the com-

petitor’s transactional as well as relationship/impact value.

In addition, you should identify your competitor’s “power

advocates” — those who are known supporters of each com-

petitor and who will have a significant influence (direct or

indirect) on the buying decision.

You are now positioned to make a go/no-go assessment. Ask

yourself if you are in a position to compete and win this busi-

ness. If not, you should revisit your value propositions to see if

you can strengthen your case or make the go/no-go decision.

� Connect to individual buyer requirements and personal

wants — Your “contact list” should contain individuals identi-

fied as: (a) part of the needs evaluation; (b) responsible for the

achievement of the identified “goals”; or (c) the competitive

power advocate.

Buyer roles also need to be sorted out. What is the role that

each contact will play in the buying process? Will they be an

approver, decision-maker/final recommender, high or low

influencer or observer? Do they support you or are they “open”

or against you?

Now you should create a development plan for each contact

to move those against you to “open” and those who are “open”

to supporting you. With this information in place, ask yourself

if you have sufficient support from the contact list to win the

opportunity. If not, revisit your contact development strategies

or make the go/no-go decision.

� Find solutions to critical obstacles — Frequently there are

general obstacles that need to be addressed such as customer

history and previous dissatisfaction levels, product competi-

tiveness and significant price differentials, T & C’s, etc.

Determine which obstacles must be

resolved in order to achieve the sale. Create

a realistic and workable solution for each

critical obstacle that can be implemented.

Identify the resources that you will need.

That is, what will be required to implement

your solutions or who, from management

or tech support, will be needed to support

and implement your plan.

With these solution plans in place, will

you be able to resolve the critical obstacles sufficiently to

address the concerns of the customer? If not, revisit your solu-

tion strategies or make the go/no-go decision.

This concise, five-step process is particularly effective

because it takes a 360-degree look at all the critical aspects of

the major sales opportunity. It is a way to think about and

create a comprehensive opportunity strategy that will lead to

the development of a “Next Best Action Plan.” This practical

plan considers all the elements that need to be addressed to

achieve success.

I realize that this process is considerably more involved

than your typical sales process. If managed properly, however,

it will train your reps to think more strategically, plan more

effectively and coordinate your company’s resources more effi-

ciently. The end result will be that your people will be better

prepared with a consistent, disciplined and repeatable frame-

work to close major deals at more profitable levels while

increasing your strategic standing with your customers. �Tom Kramer is an affiliate partner of

Strategy Mapping Selling (SMS). He has more than 30 years of

sales, sales management and marketing experience with IBM,

Eastman Kodak Company and Canon U.S.A. Inc.

He can be reached at [email protected].

Visit www.strategymappingselling.com or www.smsap.com.

Strategy Mapping Plugged-In is designed for an

entire sales team to join online for a single price.

Based on the Ten World Class Sales Standards that

define top sales organizations both large and small, SMS

Plugged-In teaches right thinking — making the

right call on the right contact at the right account at the right

time with the right message to get the right results.

SMS has significant experience in the office equipment industry

and can help ensure reps receive the best in

business thinking and advanced professional

selling skills. See page 19 for details on the

launch of a new BTA program providing its

dealer members with the opportunity to take

advantage of SMS’s Plugged-In program.


Determine which obstacles must beresolved in order toachieve the sale. Createa realistic ... solution foreach critical obstacle thatcan be implemented.

35OT1207 12/3/07 2:43 PM Page 1

Even if you did not believe the doom-

sayers of the past few years, if you have

positions to fill, you know that there was

truth in their predictions. In a 2004 study con-

ducted in partnership with the Employment

Policy Foundation, consulting firm Watson

Wyatt concluded that the labor shortage in the

United States could reach 18.1 million workers

in 2020. This is due, in part, to the aging popula-

tion. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates

that, from 2005 to 2012, the annual growth rate

of the 55 and older population will be four

times greater than that of the overall workforce.

This labor shortage, while still in its early

years , presents se veral problems for

employers, particularly small businesses. We

operate on smaller profit margins than huge,

multi-national corporations. Our recruiting

resources are limited. Many small businesses rely on news-

paper ads and the occasional online posting for new hires.

Larger employers have the ability to take regular advantage of

career fairs, far-flung Web-based advertising and any number

of other outreach efforts aimed at getting the best talent avail-

able. The other disadvantage that small employers often face

is that there are fewer people doing the work. This takes multi-

tasking to the highest level. In most dealerships, it is not

uncommon for people to occupy double roles; the office

manager may double as the HR representative and the CFO

may also manage employee benefits.

Staffing ChallengesThe fact of the matter is that there do not seem to be

enough well-qualified people for the positions. Managers

across the country are lamenting their inability to get and

keep the best people. Whether you own the dealership or are

managing a department, you have undoubtedly felt the effects

of the labor shortage firsthand — not enough applicants, little

or no loyalty from new employees and perhaps a sense of enti-

tlement from older staff members. These are persistent com-

plaints from managers struggling with the effects of the

shortage of competent, committed staff.

It should first be noted that an unfilled position is better

than a poorly filled position. It is far wiser to be selective in

hiring than to hire the first warm, breathing body you find. The

work that it takes to deal with an incompetent, uncooperative

or uncommitted employee is more taxing than waiting for the

right person. Think about the amount of effort that managers

put into bad hires. Not only do these employees create extra

work for managers, they also often make life difficult for the

rest of the team. Their colleagues are forced to suffer through

the pain of working with a person ill-equipped for the job.

Team members are called upon to fix and fill-in for these bad

hires. In extreme cases, good employees will leave because of

the extra burden brought on because they are overworked and

underappreciated.

These staffing problems are real and trying for even the

most savvy leaders. But they are not insurmountable. John

Kuchta, president of Omaha, Neb.-based Solution One, uses a

thorough approach to finding the right people. He believes that

one bad employee can cost you a customer that you have had

for many years. Rather than risk a customer defection, Kuchta

uses a well-planned approach to hiring. He makes sure that the

message is clear — they will not settle for just a warm body. He

has high standards and a tough screening process, but neither

The Labor ShortageA smart manager’s guide to keeping good people

by: Joanne Smikle, Smikle Training Services Inc.

PRINCIPAL ISSUES


36OT1207 12/2/07 4:25 PM Page 26

recruitment nor retention are problems for

his company. Kuchta attributes this to the

fact that his company uses a detailed

process on the front-end. His process

begins with a screening interview and an

assessment. The results are measured

against the job description. The subsequent

interview is typically three hours long. It

allows the candidate to get to know the

company and vice versa. Each and every

hiring manager is trained for the screening process. Kuchta

approves every hire and is active in the recruitment process.

Catching & Keeping the Right PeopleRecognizing the fact that there are fewer well-qualified people

for jobs in many regions of the country, it is necessary for man-

agers to implement smart recruitment and retention strategies.

Reevaluating your approach to getting and keeping good people

will enable you to feel less of the pain of the labor shortage.

There are five strategies that, when consistently implemented,

will enable you to skillfully staff your organization.

Strategy #1: Look where you have never looked before — If you

typically hire from the newspaper or the Internet, consider

unusual places. This new terrain can include local graduate

schools. Masters programs draw mid-career professionals,

many of whom may be looking for the next challenge. It is sur-

prising how many people enter graduate programs with the

hope of making a career transition. This is the prime location

for finding your next managers.

Since the population is aging, it makes sense to hire older

people. The “Grey Brigade” comes with experience and a strong

work ethic. While you may think that everyone over 60 is looking

for a Florida retirement, many within that population are opting

to stay in the workforce. We are living longer and healthier lives,

so there are fewer reasons to reach for the rocking chair on your

60th birthday. Contact AARP, local senior centers and your local

government’s office of aging to seek out seniors.

Strategy #2: Offer seasonal opportunities — If your business

experiences predictable peaks, plan to use seasonal employees

to fill those positions. Rethink your business model to deter-

mine where and how you can use limited-term workers to fill

gaps in your current staffing. Consider which projects lend

themselves to seasonal workers. Perhaps it is order fulfillment

that is consuming too much time. Or, it may be managing

major mailings and marketing campaigns. Once you identify

projects that lend themselves to seasonal or temporary

employees, begin advertising in community newspapers. Yes,

the major newspapers in your metropolitan area can yield

leads, but community papers are often

read by people looking for part-time and

short-term work.

Strategy #3: Flexibility — Keeping your

best employees requires flexibility. Each

business defines flexibility differently. In

some companies it will mean creating flex-

ible work schedules to accommodate the

needs of part-time employees. In other

organizations, flexibility may be defined as

job sharing between two part-time employees. And yet, in other

organizations, flexibility may mean allowing telecommuting for

appropriate positions. Ask your employees to find out where you

could become more flexible and accommodating.

Flexibility is especially important if you are going to utilize

the talents of semi-retired seniors or stay-at-home parents.

They have built full lives and will work if the work can meld

with their existing commitments. It i s important for

employers to develop sensitivity to these needs. When

employees see that you are willing to work with them, they will

work with you. You will engender commitment by being rea-

sonable and responsive.

Strategy #4: Create a welcoming workplace — If you intend to

keep solid new and old employees, you must give serious consid-

eration to your organizational culture. Is your workplace one

where people want to work? Is your lunchroom bright and

pleasant? Do you make small gestures like providing snacks in the

break room? Welcoming workplaces are celebratory environ-

ments where people are the focus. Birthdays and other significant

events should be remembered and acknowledged formally or

informally. These are the small things that have big payoffs. When

people know that their managers care about them and their lives,

they are more willing to invest in the work and the company.

Welcoming workplaces are characterized by open commu-

nication that flows up and down. Employees want to be able

to voice their suggestions, bright ideas and concerns. Compa-

nies that have regular staff meetings where employees have

time to question, discuss and share are typically more suc-

cessful than those that do not. These companies emphasize

what is most important — listening and learning from the

people who do the work.

Strategy #5: Coach and mentor — Coaching and mentoring

are performance management tools that should be used with all

employees, new or old. Use these tools with new employees to

get them in sync with the work and the workplace. Assign a

mentor to new hires to help them learn about the job, the

industry and the company. Making people feel welcome extends

to providing them with a mentor as soon as they come on board

Welcoming workplacesare characterized byopen communication that flows up and down. Employees wantto be able to voice their suggestions ...


37OT1207 11/28/07 10:28 AM Page 1

and using this mentoring system immedi-

ately connects new hires to the company.

They have an instant support system that

they can turn to with questions and con-

cerns. This is a simple retention strategy

that keeps human connections growing in

the company.

Coaching helps employees, regardless

of their tenure with the company, to reach

th eir ful lest pot ential . It cannot b e

assumed that managers know how to coach — most need to

be taught. The DRAW Model is an easy-to-use approach. The

first step, “Distinguish & Define,” focuses on creating clarity

about the relationship.

In this step, the coach identifies who will be coached and

why. Coaching should be used to reinforce positive behavior

and correct negative behavior.

In the second step, “Relate & Route,” the employee and his

(or her) coaching mentor begin to build bridges with one

another. Creating a human connection is vital to successful

coaching relationships. The more the coach and the employee

can relate to one another, the better the relationship will be.

During the third step, “Address & Assess,” the coach gets to

the nuts and bolts of dealing with performance issues. When the

coach is using this model to reinforce, this step is used to high-

light best practices that the employee can use to continue

making great strides. When the coach is using this model to

remedy performance problems, the issues must be clearly

defined and a plan must be created to

address them.

The final step, “Work & Weigh,” occurs

as th e employee w ork s on th e plan

created in the prior step. The coach is

th ere to suppor t and guide as th e

employee works on improving perform-

ance and productivity.

Coaching and mentoring establish sus-

tainable partnerships. They create a

higher level of connectedness that keep people invested in the

work and workplace. They also create more opportunities for

dialogue throughout the enterprise.

The effects of the labor shortage are becoming evident.

There are fewer well-qualified people for the available jobs. We

have a large graying population rapidly nearing retirement.

These realities make it important for employers to use creative

staffing strategies. They must also be focused on retaining

talent within the company. These mandates make it essential

for leaders to be conscious of culture and environment as they

are determinants of employee satisfaction. Wise leaders will

put forth the extra effort to create a welcome workplace that

attracts and keeps the very best talent. �Joanne Smikle is an author, consultant and

speaker specializing in leadership

development. Visit www.smiklespeaks.com to

read more articles on current business topics.

Smikle can be reached at (301) 596-3140.


Creating a human connection is vital to successful coaching ...The more the coach and the employee canrelate ... the better therelationship will be.

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(800) 323-3856 / (630) 964-2440 / www.amessupply.com

29 • BEI Services

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39 • Business Products Council Association

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31 • Duplo

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19 • Strategy Mapping Selling Plugged-In

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7 • Toshiba

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38OT1207 12/2/07 4:35 PM Page 1

The BPCA was founded in 1963 with the vision of

forming a best practices organization that unites

leaders of independently-owned office equipment

dealers. The concept is quite simple - bring the

leaders of these companies together so that they

can share ideas, learn from each other, and take

their businesses to the next level.

Our members will attest that it’s well worth the

investment by making each of them better leaders

and bringing more value to their dealerships.

Feel like there’s something missing from your

organization? Let BPCA bring together all the

pieces of the puzzle.

Piecing Ideas Together.

If you’d like more information about our

organization and how to join, please send

us an email or give us a call.

Phone: 800.897.0250

Email: [email protected]

Website:

www.businessproductscouncil.org

Membership Director BPCA

c/o BTA

12411 Wornall Road

Kansas City, MO 64145

“Better Dealers Through

Learning and Idea

Exchange.”

31OT0107 12/18/06 2:51 PM Page 1

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage PaidEaston, PA 18042

Permit #31 Office Technology MagazineBusiness Technology Association 12411 Wornall RoadKansas City, MO 64145(816) 941-3100www.officetechnologymag.comwww.bta.org

800.234.8787 | www.greatamerica.com

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Steve JacobsInfomax Office Systems, Inc

Des Moines, IA

Great America June 07 5/14/07 10:04 AM Page 1

December 2007 Office Technology

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