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Sales Training: What You Need, Where to Find It
January 3, 2013
Sales people well versed in selling products may struggle with services—here’s how to change that.
Build on Success: How to Use Existing Customers to Generate New Business
January 3, 2013
A portfolio of customer testimonials, case studies and client references will add some heat to cold calls
3 Technology Trends to Watch in 2013
January 2, 2013
Innovations in printers and MFPs this year suggest what may be on the horizon in 2013
How to Leverage Xerox PagePack for New Profits
December 20, 2012
Success in managed-print services hinges on an essential decision: what partner program to adopt.
Why Now’s the Time to Cash In on Document Management and Workflow Systems
December 11, 2012
Explore document management and workflow solutions for new revenue opportunities that can quickly grow from a managed-print foundation.
Large vs. Small—Why Account Size Matters
December 3, 2012
While some VARs and MSPs specialize in selling to small or midsize businesses, the best business strategies serve both markets.
Auditing Tools—Why They’re Essential for MPS Success
December 2, 2012
When it comes to knowing how much they print, most clients are clueless. Here’s how to ground
them in reality and show them why MPS is so important.
Are You Missing the Boat With Social Media?
October 31, 2012
If you’re not leveraging social media resources to help grow your managed print businesses, it’s time to take the plunge.
Helping Customers Seal Security Threats is Good Business
October 15, 2012
Security threats are real–so are the business opportunities that come with tying safeguards to managed-print contracts.
Marketing 2.0: Why Video is Great for Selling MPS
October 1, 2012
Streaming video can bring your marketing messages to a new and highly impactful level. Here’s what experts say are the keys to keeping it engaging and affordable.
4 Secrets for Expanding MPS Sales
September 19, 2012
It’s always important to boost sales. Here’s a strategy that VARs and MSPs can take to the bank.
Vertical Markets—Where to Find the Biggest Opportunities
September 14, 2012
Some industries are better than others when it comes to cashing in on managed print services. Here’s where your sales and marketing efforts will have the biggest impact.
How the Right Partner Program Fuels New Profits
August 22, 2012
Learn what tools Parmetech uses to solidify its position as one of the top managed-print providers in the country.
Sales Incentives That Make Sense
August 7, 2012
How to create sales incentives that work in today’s ultra-competitive managed-print services market.
Sales Incentives That Make Sense
August 7, 2012
How to create sales incentives that work in today’s ultra-competitive managed-print services market.
Assessments: Always Important, Not Always Easy
July 25, 2012
It’s best to convince prospects early in the sales process that it’s in their best interest for you to do a full assessment of their print operations. Here’s what to do if they balk.
Build a SuperTeam for MPS
July 3, 2012
Getting into MpS is simple. Sustaining a practice is challenging. To succeed, one needs a team of dedicated, members with singular purpose: The MpS SuperTeam.
Upselling Opportunities—Don’t Leave Money on the Table
June 7, 2012
Don’t be satisfied when a managed-print deal is in the works. Use this opportunity as a springboard for additional revenues and profits from equipment upgrades and services. Here’s how to develop a successful upselling strategy.
New Blood: High-Impact Professionals Can Boost MPS Sales
May 10, 2012
“Super Salespeople” aren’t the answer. Find seasoned pros who help customers achieve their print-management goals.
Cash In on Automated Supplies Replenishment
May 3, 2012
Offering customers an easy and reliable way to keep their printer fleets stocked with consumables is one sure way to win new business. Here’s how one successful VAR turns toner into gold.
Straight to the Top: How to Reach MPS Decision Makers
April 25, 2012
Getting face time with top decision makers is one of the biggest challenges when selling managed print services. A leading sales and marketing consultant explains how to stack the odds in your favor.
Managed Print: What to Watch For in 2012
Check out predictions and goals from some of the leading players in today’s managed-print market.
Top Managed Print Challenges and How to Overcome Them
VARs and MSPs discuss the lessons they learned on the road to MPS success.
Is Your Sales Staff Ready for Managed Print?
One of the biggest challenges to launching managed print is getting the sales staff up to speed. Here’s how one expert accelerated the process.
IT VAR Explains How it Succeeds with Managed Print
Succeeding with managed print requires patience, perseverance and the backing of a solid partner program.
4 Managed Print Obstacles and How to Overcome Them
There aren’t any guarantees for managed-print success, but one VAR explains how it’s tipping the odds in its favor.
Cash In on the ‘Ripple Effects’ of Managed Print
Print services aren’t the only revenue generators with managed-print opportunities. Learn how to profit from the ripple effects of new hardware and software sales and related IT support.
How to Avoid Toner-Coverage ‘Gotchas’
Every managed services contract has its challenges. For managed print, one of the biggest is toner coverage if it doesn’t get the proper attention.
VARs Learn How to Leverage Xerox eConcierge for New Revenues
Earlier this year when Xerox eConcierge(TM) debuted, many VARs recognized the potential this cloud-based printer supplies sales platform offered for creating new revenue opportunities. Now, VARs are seeing that potential translate into concrete results.
Managed-Print Pioneer Has Advice for Smoothing the Transition
Laser’s Resource has been honing a successful managed-print strategy for more than eight years. Learn why Xerox eConcierge is becoming a valuable addition to its sales portfolio.
Xerox eConcierge™ Builds a Bridge to Managed Print Services
Wow! Look how Xerox eConcierge™ helps customers see the need for managed print.
New Xerox eConcierge™ Software Helps You in Two Ways, for Two Types of Customers
Get Customers Hooked on Managed Print — It’s Now Easier Than You Think.
Managed Print Trend Watch: Xerox eConcierge™ Has Arrived
Still a Managed Print Holdout? See how Xerox eConcierge can get you, and your customers, in the game.
An MSP Sounds Off on Managed Print
December 7, 2011
Xerox offers a turnkey solution that provides a new opportunity including a mature service option that integrates well with professional software packages says, Oli Thordarson of Alvaka Networks.
Leveraging What Matters: Partner Programs And Free Marketing Tools — Part 1
December 6, 2011
Budgets are tight, but that doesn’t mean solution providers can stop marketing. Need easy-to-create, high-quality promos and multimedia proposal tools — but can’t stretch your marketing dollars? Everything Channel’s Dan Neel talks to Xerox’s Tom Gall about making the most of free marketing tools offered via Xerox’s Peak Program.
Leveraging What Matters: Partner Programs And Free Marketing Tools–Part 2
December 6, 2011
In this continuation of the discussion between Everything Channel’s Dan Neel and Xerox’s Tom Gall, there’s find out about a great (and free) marketing tool called Quick Pitch available to partners via Xerox’s Peak Program.
One MPS Provider’s Story
December 6, 2011
Wonder how other solution providers have fared with PagePack? In this short video, Mike Greenberg, Pres. and CEO of PrintTelogy, Inc., describes how PagePack has helped his manage print service company grow, and what benefits specifically appealed to him and his sales force.
Getting Started In Managed Services
December 6, 2011
If you are not already in the managed services end of the market, managed print services provides a great way to get started. In this clip, Xerox’s Jason Oliver explains how PagePack (Xerox’s managed print offering) is an easy-to-implement solution that providers can use with any customer. Derek Belair of N-able Technologies explains how IT concerns are driving print services.
What’s The Market Opportunity In Managed Print Services?
December 6, 2011
Jason Oliver of Xerox talks about the 20% to 30% cost-savings Xerox’s managed print offering (PagePack) offers clients and Derek Belair of N-able Technologies talks about the cost problem issue that managed print services solve.
The Green Machine
December 6, 2011
IDo your printing and imaging clients know that Xerox’s Solid Ink technology produces 90% less waste than conventional printer ink and toners? Aside from top-quality ink, the environmentally friendly benefits of Solid Ink are worth noting.
Cost-Per-Page Made Easy
December 6, 2011
Cost-per-page contracts can be the right solution for organizations looking to finally control costs. The problem is, such contracts are not always easy to put together. Find out how Xerox’s PagePack program helps VARs with this task.
How to Avoid Toner-Coverage ‘Gotchas’
Every managed services contract has its challenges. For managed print, one of the biggest is toner coverage if it doesn’t get the proper attention.
Featured Blog: MPS Strategies
Alan Joch is a veteran editor and writer who covers printing and imaging, electronic content management and a range of other IT topics for industry publications and Websites. He helped launch the Xerox Business Transformation Center three years ago, and prior to that was the founding editor and principle writer for the Printing and Imaging Solutions Center, an online forum for solution providers.
Services With a Smile
May 5, 2013
There are no guarantees in business life, but doubling down on services continues to look like the right strategy for the times
Assessments Without the Angst
May 4, 2013
The channel has a new option that can help them spend less time on assessments and more time on closing deals.
Xerox’s Ursula Burns Discusses the Future of Documents
May 3, 2013
If you’re wondering about the future of and Xerox’s commitment to this area, a wide-ranging interview in ComputerWorld will answer many of your questions
Continue reading: Xerox’s Ursula Burns Discusses the Future of Documents »
Which Partner Program is Best?
March 30, 2013
If 2013 has taught us anything so far it’s that partner programs for managed print services are in a constant state of growth and refinement. Choice is good, but the real question is, which program is right for each individual service provider?
The Future of Managed Print
March 28, 2013
Want to understand the future of output devices and hard-copy printing? Then look to smartphones.
The Channel Strikes it Rich with Managed Services
March 27, 2013
Managed print services is a subcategory in a larger trend—the growing–no exploding–rise in managed services. For solution providers with the right entrepreneurial streak, this is like a modern day gold rush.
Continue reading: The Channel Strikes it Rich with Managed Services »
CRN Takes a Close Look at ConnectKey
March 26, 2013
Scott Campbell at CRN wrote a nice analysis of Xerox ConnectKey, which puts the new software platform and its role in the multifunction printer market into perspective.
Clouds Help MPS Soar
March 25, 2013
Big changes in the air: VARs and MSPs can now align themselves with cloud platforms to quickly deliver world-class MPS services without extensive infrastructure investments.
Go With the Workflow
March 4, 2013
There’s a lot of attention being focused on document management and workflow systems, but the real question is, how can the channel cash in on this clear business need?
Next-Gen MFPs Offer Upselling Opportunities
February 28, 2013
Seventy percent of businesses and IT managers and mobile workers say that optimizing document flow would help them respond to market needs more quickly. How does workflow enter into your near-term road map?
Continue reading: Next-Gen MFPs Offer Upselling Opportunities »
How to Profit From the MPS Market’s Continued Growth
February 27, 2013
The managed print services market doesn’t look like it will be losing steam anytime soon. In fact, it’s likely to be one of the channel’s best business opportunities for the next year or more.
Continue reading: How to Profit From the MPS Market’s Continued Growth »
The Channel Starts to Weigh-In on XPPS
February 26, 2013
Some MPS providers have gotten an early look at Xerox Partner Print Services, an ambitious new program that debuted earlier this month. So what’s the channel’s reaction to XPPS so far?
MPS Partner Programs Continue to Evolve
February 7, 2013
There’s a strong case to be made for a fundamental rethinking of vendor partner programs for MPS.
Success Through Specialization
January 16, 2013
Sad but true: not every sales person is right for every account.
The 30-30 Value Proposition
There’s an easy way to remember the value proposition in managed print. Xerox’s Gary Gillam explains what “30-30″ means.
Close-up and Profitable
Close-up and Profitable Think there’s no other upsell opportunity after Managed Print Services? Dave Polzin, of BusinessWare Solutions thinks differently. Take a moment to listen.
The Managed Print Market is Wide Open
Managed print services provider Dale Fulkerson of Lasercomp explains why the opportunity is huge for solution providers looking to get into managed print.
The Win-Win Cost Equation of Managed Print
So what are the numbers that support managed print services as a model that cuts costs for customers while boosting your margins? Xerox’s Jason Oliver breaks down the numbers and Derek Belair of N-able Technologies explains the services and supplies problem-solving component.
Miles Per Gallon = MPS?
Some times what counts in helping clients transition to managed print services is giving them the right perspective. In this brief clip, Gary and Dan talk about a useful analogy for describing the cost-savings of managed services or cost-per-page contracts.
The ROI of Managed Services
Let’s get down to brass tacks. Exactly what kind of ROI can a VAR expect from managed services and how soon can they get it? Gary and Dan discuss this topic as well as some of the helpful tech to get VARs going in managed print services.
What is business transformation?
What does Xerox mean by “business transformation”? In this segment, Mr. Gillam discusses the idea of moving to a more-sustainable sales model based on managed services and the opportunities it presents.
Don’t Sell Yourself Short When Quoting Managed Print Prices
Determining what to charge customers for managed print services may mean the difference between running a profitable business and losing money. Here’s what you need to know to succeed.
State of Managed Print – A Reality Check
Let’s look at the managed print services market, and how one VAR entered it.
Field Study Hard Look: Make a Customer Aware of Costs, Make Them a Customer for Life
Small to midsize customers are not aware of the costs associated with printers, says Gerard Perillo, managing partner at Integrated Document Technologies. What they are aware of, though, will surprise you.
Business Transformation Field Study — The Truth About Labor: Advantage, You.
Large national chains lack the institutional focus to deliver personalized, consultative managed print services the way solution providers in the channel can. So, take advantage of that now, says Steve Mairet, co-owner of A1 Tonertech Inc., Orange, Calif.
Your Business, and Managed Print 3.0
Within the next year-and-a-half or so, managed print services will be a serious consideration for any customer when they purchase a printer.
Managed Print Problem Solving – What You Need to Know
Problems always arise, so how does a successful managed print providers overcome them? Michael Trevisan, president of Atlantic Office & Laser Products, takes us through the ups, and the downs of managed print problem solving.
Real-World Insight, and Feedback
BusinessWare Solutions got into managed print about five years ago. Even though the economy overall was in better shape back then than it is now, managed print customers didn’t come pouring in, until now.
The First 100 Days, a Managed Print Playbook
How does a successful managed print provider grow their business quickly, and profitably? Here’s a look at how one managed print provider applied some common sense, and communication, early on to succeed.
Growth Game Plan: Asset Optimization Vs. Consolidation
Think long term and resist the urge for temporary gains.
How To Get The Most From Print Partner Programs
Print VARs today need to use every advantage to get new business at no extra cost.
Four Keys to Selling MPS In Tough Economic Times
Solution providers struggling to preserve sales, profits and optimism for their future continue to see little encouragement from the predictions of most economists. But savvy VARs know there’s one product that may actually be easier to sell during today’s tough times—managed print services.
Three Good Reasons To Add Leasing To Your Managed Services Mix
Although a tough economy may be convincing some clients to delay purchases of MFPs, the right combination of hardware leases and managed print services contracts can keep revenues flowing.
New Pricing Strategy Protects Color Printer Margins
Xerox is taking a new tack that bucks the trend for ever-cheaper color hardware and as a result offers a way to stabilize margins. The company actually increased the base price of its solid-ink 8860 printers and 8860 MFPs, while reducing the cost of consumables.
Printer Harmony: Balanced Deployments Boost Bottom Lines
Solution providers across the country say upward of 75 percent of all new customers operate far too many printers in relation to their staffing levels and, in turn, incur excessive costs and inefficiencies.
Service And Support: The Gifts That Keep Giving
Solution providers that find comfort in moving high volumes of deeply discounted printers may soon find their world turned upside down. Ever-shrinking margins and aggressive price-cutting competition are quickly spelling the end of transaction-based business models, solution providers and industry veterans say.
Business value of MFPs
In today’s tougher business environment where reduced hardware spending can put even more pressure on solution providers, there is a specific advantage to addressing customers’ needs for greater productivity.
Preparation is Key to Selling Managed Print Solutions
How did CTS Services, Inc. create the foundation for managed print success?
Managed Print Focus: Inside the Heads of SMB Customers
Listen to how Tom McDonald of NSI gets a typical SMB customer to see they are spending way too much on printing.
The Art of the Managed Print Deal
Do you really know where the best opportunities in managed print are? Bob Wiederhold of TeraCat Data Solutions does, and he takes you through his company’s strategy right here.
Close Touch With Partners Like You
If you’re a Xerox partner, you’ll want to know what’s happening in San Antonio, TX, on April 27-29. Are you in the know? Get the scoop on the Fusion 2011 Xerox Partner Summit.
Customer Targeting For Managed Print Sales
Just how important is the CIO or IT manager in today’s managed print sales landscape? One managed print provider says that is where the rubber meets the road in today’s managed print sales.
Managed Print 2010 – A Quick Review
It’s time for a look back at some of what we learned about managed print in 2010. Take the flashback tour now.
Sales Strategy Case Study: Taking The Managed Print High Road
Nothing beats strong, straightforward advice from a managed print provider who’s been around the block. This new Sales Strategy Case Study delivers just that.
Sales Strategy Variation: Managed Print Services Matures and Forges Change in Sales Tactics
Learn all about the changes in sales tactics managed print providers are making vs. changes their peers are implementing. And, what key sales techniques and practices can up your managed print game.
If You Could Tell a Friend One Thing About Managed Print
Want to know what the potential roadblocks are when considering making a huge investment in Managed Print Services? Let Thomas Csanky, director of sales and marketing at Neocomp Systems Inc. tell you.
Field Study: Knowing What Customers Want, Then Closing Managed Print Sales
Feast yourself on a veritable blueprint of how to consult, sell, and satisfy a new managed print services customer.
Field Study Hard Look: MSPs See Managed Print Ready for Prime Time
If George Lucas, the director of the Stars Wars saga, and James Cameron, the director of Avatar, waited until computer technology caught up to their visions before they made their films, how should you be thinking about managed print technology?
Quoting and Marketing Managed Print Services
Effectively quoting and marketing your managed print services can grow your profits by double digits when done right. Here are some tips from Terry Williams, president of ATS.
Advancing Your Managed Print Business
Creating an effective sales strategy is a key part of building a successful managed print services business. See how Garrett Peaslee of Secant Technologies did it.
More Print Quotes Lead to Greater Profits
Any experienced fisherman will tell you they’ve thrown more hooks in the water than the number of fish they’ve pulled out. That’s just how it happens. What if you could generate more managed print quotes, faster, and more accurately? Would you make more money?
A Solid Sales And Marketing Strategy
Today, missing the opportunity to showcase a green attribute can mean lost business. That is why solution providers selling and servicing solid ink-based print and imaging systems from Xerox find it easy to leverage solid ink as a way to capitalize on green buying trends.
Green Has Always Been More Than Just a Color to Xerox
Back in the early 1980s when Al Gore was still just a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 6th District of Tennessee, Xerox initiated a formal policy to begin reducing waste and conserving energy across its internal operations.
Xerox Hits the Road to Rally Partners Around Managed Print
The electrifying guitar sound of AC/DC’s trademark hit Back In Black thundered from the stage as the crowd anxiously awaited the show. But this was no rock concert. This was the Back In the Black Business Stimulus Tour.
The Top 5 Per-Page Print Contract Follies & How to Avoid Them
Delivering managed print services to a customer is like being married with a prenuptial agreement. You want the relationship to work, but if things get ugly, you’re both likely to run for the protections of the contract.
Custom Features Give MFPs Added Sizzle
MFPs continue to look and act more like standalone computers than just devices for printing, scanning, and faxing. Now MFP OEMs are introducing new sets of development software tools that are pushing these workgroup machines to new levels of functionality.
Service And Support: The Gifts That Keep Giving
Solution providers that find comfort in moving high volumes of deeply discounted printers may soon find their world turned upside down. Ever-shrinking margins and aggressive price-cutting competition are quickly spelling the end of transaction-based business models, solution providers and industry veterans say.
