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CONTENTS Volume 23 • No. 10

FEATURE ARTICLES 10

Mobile Printing Primer A look at market trends, solutions & opportunities

P R I N C I PA L I S S U E S Secure Your Customers Are you promoting your unique value proposition?

by Ken Edmonds Service Management Coach

by Denine Phillips Tech-Write

One of the most difficult challenges any dealer faces is retaining customers. If you are only providing copy and print devices and services, your relationships with your clients are at risk. To identify a good course of action, I recommend looking to the best companies in our industry.

After discussions with industry executives, it is clear that many variables come into play when it comes to mobile printing. Therein lies the challenge for office technology dealers.

The Millennial Dynamic Harmonizing workplace IT & end-user needs by Tom O’Neill Canon U.S.A. Inc.

SELLING SOLUTIONS Crushing Quota Consider these seven steps using LinkedIn

Organizations have moved past the millennial generation’s disruption of the workforce and are now entering a period where enterprise leaders can — and must — organize and optimize solutions for these new workforce members.

by Larry Levine Social Sales Academy

The reality of a major account rep boils down to one question: “Did you hit quota?” Each time a dealership approaches the end of its fiscal year, executive management starts thinking about the next year. Among the key parameters discussed: the sales quotas assigned to major account reps.

COURTS & CAPITOLS 22

‘Banning the Box’ It is time to update your employment application

The Launch Phase What new sales reps need from their managers

by Robert C. Goldberg BTA General Counsel

by Troy Harrison Troy Harrison & Associates

Many states, counties and cities have recently passed legislation “banning the box” that seeks information about criminal convictions. These changes in the law require updates to your employment application.

P R I N C I PA L I S S U E S 25

‘One Canon’ Manufacturer hosts media event March 7-8 by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine

Canon U.S.A. Inc. recently hosted a media event to focus, in part, on the progress of the company’s Business Imaging Solutions Group (BISG) since the manufacturer’s “One Canon” business strategy was unveiled in August 2016.

Sales management is fun for me and, yes, it can be aggravating. But there are certain moments that make all of the aggravation worthwhile. One of those moments is what I call the “launch” — that moment when it is all coming together for your new salesperson.

D E PA R T M E N T S Business Technology Association

• BTA Education Calendar • BTA Highlights

Executive Director’s Page

BTA President’s Message

Advertiser Index

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SBB roadshows coming near you! As a member of the SBB council, CIG is partnering with BTA to host educational forums in conjunction with BTA's 2017 Midwest, Northeast, and West events. These forums will provide education and tools needed for the emerging seat-based billing model. Join us as we discuss opportunities, challenges, implementation strategies and best practices. Receive 50% off when you register for both the BTA event and SBB roadshow. To register, please visit www.bta.org/SBB *Percentage difference based on average and estimated CIG and HP wholesale pricing for a set of color cartridges for the HP Color LaserJet M651 printer. Actual percentage difference may vary based on individual pricing and rebate terms. 592217B | Clover Imaging Group, MSE, and their logos are trademarks owned by Clover Technologies Group, LLC, and may be registered in the United States and other countries.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S PAGE

Attend BTA Webinars & Access Archives

re you among the 4,500-plus individuals who have logged in to one of the association’s monthly BTA Building My Business webinars? If not, I encourage you to take advantage of this member benefit. Launched in January 2008, these complimentary webinars provide insight and guidance from a variety of office technology industry experts. They are only open to BTA members. Whether or not you have attended any of the past BTA webinars, there is an opportunity to listen to many of them again. Links to recordings of past webinars are available on the BTA website at www.bta.org/BMB Archives. In addition, PDFs of the PowerPoint slides are available for download from the site. You will need your username and password to access this member resource. While some of the webinars may be outdated or no longer relevant, many are timeless. Following is a sampling of some of the past webinars you can find in our Building My Business Webinar Series archives. n “What is Your Dealership Worth?” presented in May 2015 by Jim Kahrs of Prosperity Plus Management Consulting. n “Eight Simple Rules for Getting the Most Out of Your Sales Team,” presented in August 2014 by Troy Harrison of Troy Harrison & Associates. n “Recruiting Best Practices for Your Dealership,” presented in January 2013 by Russell Thomas Bruguiere of Crawford Thomas Recruiting. Recordings of BTA webinars are not immediately accessible via the website. With that in mind, watch BTA promotions for upcoming webinars and plan to attend the live presentations. Following are details on the May, June and July webinars.

n May 25: “Successful Selling in Today’s Landscape” will be presented by Melissa D. Whitaker, founder and CEO of Melissa Whitaker International LLC. The selling landscape has been forever changed by rapid technology development. Sales professionals are going to have to adapt to survive. They need to develop the skills to provide relevant insights and value during the sales conversation. In this webinar, Melissa will discuss the six biggest challenges salespeople are facing in today’s landscape and the specific solutions for overcoming them. n June 21: “Overcoming the Fear of Business Planning by Using the Business Model Canvas” will be presented by Harry Hecht, business coach and consultant. Writing a business plan for a dealership can be daunting, but a new form of business planning, the Business Model Canvas (BMC), makes the process easier. In this webinar, Harry will explain the BMC, a one-page document that allows dealers to test and validate the key parts of their businesses in a manageable format. He will also offer tips on the use of the BMC to develop a full business plan. n July 20: “Identifying & Closing Gaps in Your MPS Consumables Cost Envelope” will be presented by Doug Johnson, chief strategy officer at LMI Solutions. Typically, around two-thirds of MPS business costs are consumables. Often, these costs are managed primarily through consumables acquisition cost strategies with suppliers. However, there are many variables that can negatively impact this key cost. In this webinar, Doug will identify these variables and provide attendees with practical ways to mitigate or eliminate risks in consumable cost overruns to help dealers grow their bottom-line MPS profits. Register for these members-only webinars at www.bta.org/BuildingMyBusiness. n — Brent Hoskins

Executive Director/BTA Editor/Office Technology Brent Hoskins brent@bta.org (816) 303-4040 Associate Editor Elizabeth Marvel elizabeth@bta.org (816) 303-4060 Contributing Writers Ken Edmonds, Service Management Coach ken.edmonds@CKE-Enterprises.biz Robert C. Goldberg, General Counsel Business Technology Association Troy Harrison, Troy Harrison & Associates www.troyharrison.com Larry Levine, Social Sales Academy www.socialsalesacademy.net Tom O’Neill, Canon U.S.A. Inc. www.usa.canon.com Denine Phillips, Tech-Write denine.phillips@charter.net

Business Technology Association 12411 Wornall Road Kansas City, MO 64145 (816) 941-3100 www.bta.org Member Services: (800) 505-2821 BTA Legal Hotline: (800) 869-6688 Valerie Briseno Marketing Director valerie@bta.org Mary Hopkins Database Administrator mary@bta.org Teresa Leerar Bookkeeper teresa@bta.org Brian Smith Membership Sales Manager brian@bta.org Photo Credits: Bigstockphoto. Cover created by Bruce Quade, Brand X Studio. ©2017 by the Business Technology Association. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of published material. However, the publisher assumes no liability for errors in articles nor are opinions expressed necessarily those of the publisher.

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BTA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

f you attended the 2016 BTA National Conference held in Kansas City, Missouri, last June, you will be familiar with the location of this year’s Gateway to Success event, to be held June 7-8, 2017, at the InterContinental Kansas City at the Plaza in Kansas City. The educational and networking event, open to dealers nationwide, will be hosted by the BTA Mid-America volunteer leadership team. The event will kick off at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7, with welcoming comments and the keynote address, “From the Bottom Up,” presented by Chad Pregracke, founder and president of Living Lands & Waters, America’s only “industrial-strength” river clean-up organization. Pregracke, the 2013 CNN Hero of the Year, will share a compelling, uplifting and inspiring story about growing up on the Mississippi River, and how his experiences led to his vision to clean up the river and start his not-for-profit company. Following the keynote and time to visit with exhibiting sponsors, the featured educational session, “Creating the Living Brand,” will be presented by Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, provost, executive vice chancellor and professor of marketing at the University of Kansas. She will discuss branding strategies and share six powerful lessons in living your brand promise, from hiring practices to creating a community. The first day of Gateway to Success will wrap up with a welcoming reception, giving attendees the opportunity to network with peers and exhibiting sponsors. On Thursday, June 8, breakfast will be served followed by opening comments and three educational sessions: “Selling — Not Compliance — Is My Priority,” presented by

Bob Goldberg, general counsel, BTA; “Highly Productive Sales Professionals,” presented by Tom Callinan, president, Strategy Development; and “Retain Top Talent, Before It’s Too Late,” presented by Sally Brause, director of human resources consulting, GreatAmerica Financial Services Corp. Following lunch, the final three educational sessions will be held: “Death of a Salesman: How to Sell in the Information Economy,” presented by Richard Farrell, president, Tangent Knowledge Systems; “Building Value in Your Business,” presented by Ed McLaughlin, vice chairman, Innovolt, and CEO, Valderus; and “Eight Hacks of Sales Masters,” presented by Melissa D. Whitaker, founder and CEO, Melissa Whitaker International LLC (MWI). There will be breaks between each session during the day to visit with exhibiting sponsors. Following the educational sessions, there will be drawings for a number of prizes from the exhibiting sponsors. Attendees will also have the chance to win one of five $100 American Express gift cards from BTA. That evening, attendees will travel to Kauffman Stadium via motorcoach to enjoy a Houston Astros versus Kansas City Royals baseball game. Dinner will be served in five private suites at the stadium. BTA member registration for Gateway to Success with a baseball game ticket is only $199; this price includes a free registration for another of the member dealership’s employees. Non-member registration with the baseball game ticket is $249. In addition to the baseball game ticket, registration includes the Wednesday and Thursday educational sessions; Wednesday welcoming reception; and Thursday breakfast and lunch. For more information or to register, visit www.bta.org/BTAKC. I hope to see you in Kansas City for another great BTA event. n — Rob Richardson

2016-2017 Board of Directors President Rob Richardson Allied Document Solutions & Services Inc. Swedesboro, New Jersey robr@ads-s.com President-Elect Dan Castaneda International Copy Machine Center El Paso, Texas dan@icmc-elp.com Vice President John Eckstrom Carolina Business Equipment Inc. Columbia, South Carolina johne@cbesc.com BTA East Jim Donnellon ABS Business Products Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio j.donnellon@absproducts.com Greg Gondek ACT Group Cromwell, Connecticut greg@advancedcopy.com BTA Mid-America Erik Crane Copy Products Inc. Springfield, Missouri ecrane@copyproductsinc.net Bob Evans Function4 Sugar Land, Texas bobevans@digiteconline.com BTA Southeast Brian Snow Tallahassee, Florida Advanced Business Systems bsnow@a-b-s.com Tim Renegar Kelly Office Solutions Winston-Salem, North Carolina trenegar@kellyofficesolutions.com BTA West John Hines Copiers Northwest Inc. Seattle, Washington jhines@copiersnw.com Cathy Dimon Northern Business Systems Fairbanks, Alaska cdimon@acsalaska.net Immediate Past President Dave Quint Advanced Systems Inc. Waterloo, Iowa dquint@asiowa.com Ex-Officio/General Counsel Robert C. Goldberg Schoenberg Finkel Newman & Rosenberg LLC Chicago, Illinois robert.goldberg@sfnr.com

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Mobile Printing Primer A look at market trends, solutions & opportunities by: Denine Phillips, Tech-Write

fter discussions with industry executives at Canon, Konica Minolta and Kyocera, it is clear that many variables come into play when it comes to mobile printing. Therein lies the challenge for office technology dealers: Understanding the different ways users can convert digital documents and images into a printed page, while on the go. Mobile printing is simply the process of sending data wirelessly from a handheld device (smartphone or tablet) to a printer or MFP. Exactly how that process takes place — in the foreground and background — is on a sliding scale of complexity, depending on the delivery method. The primary methods in use today are: direct print (peer-to-peer); public cloud services (hosted); and private cloud solutions (on-premise). Before delving into how mobile print deployments work, I asked industry executives about the factors that influenced their decisions to embrace mobility. Certainly, support for mobile technologies is a value-add for customers; organizations can leverage their printer/MFP hardware investment to increase workgroup productivity. But were there any market or industry trends — besides driving added page volumes — that fueled their engineering efforts? “Our mobile printing capabilities were initially driven by bring-your-own-device (BYOD) initiatives, primarily within the education sector, along with widespread use of Apple iPhones and iPads in the home,” says Danielle Wolowitz, vice president of the Corporate Marketing Group at KYOCERA Document Solutions America Inc. “Also, many students have Google Chromebooks, so the ability to print is often an RFP requirement. Then, just a few years ago, Apple’s AirPrint capability began appearing in home office printers. “Today, almost all general-office MFPs are AirPrint-enabled, allowing users to connect their Apple devices directly

to a printer without downloading a print driver,” Wolowitz continues. “It’s a native File > Print function that is a quick and easy way to output documents. Kyocera was one of the first manufacturers to obtain AirPrint certification across the entire line. Today, we have a complete suite of mobile apps and server-based solutions to meet mobile print and scan needs in any size organization.” Dennis Amorosano, vice president and general manager of Business Imaging Solutions Group (BISG) marketing and Canon Imaging and Information Solutions (CIIS) professional services at Canon U.S.A. Inc., shares a similar perspective. “The market for mobile technology began to grow roughly six years ago, with the proliferation of smartphones and tablets,” he says. “It was expected that users of these devices would ultimately want to print content. Canon took a couple of different approaches to deal with this demand. We began to work with other companies in an effort to develop standards around mobile print. Our involvement in the Mopria Alliance is an effort to set those standards, making it easier for end users to drive print activity from their mobile platforms in a manner that is most conducive to them.” Tom O’Neill, director of product marketing for BISG’s Enterprise Solutions Division at Canon, says the interest in mobile printing grew as users of smartphones and tablets realized that they could use these devices for business, not just to make phone calls or play games. “With Microsoft Office now available on these devices, you can create Word documents and PowerPoint presentations as you can on your desktop, and there are times when you have to print on paper,” O’Neill says. “How do you do that? That depends on the specific solution. Canon has everything from free mobile print apps for convenience all the way up to server-based solutions where you can implement tracking and security measures.” Finally, Chris Bilello, director of business development

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at Konica Minolta Business Soreviewing documents lutions U.S.A. Inc., says he con(58.5 percent); (2) cus“Today, doctors use siders the adoption of mobile tomer satisfaction (46.9 tablets and laptops to printing within the industry percent); (3) the numaccess and update patient as being driven by the explober of transactions promedical records and print sion in the number of mobile cessed (39.1 percent); (4) treatment plans. Being able workers and BYOD, specificalemployee satisfaction to send that data to the ly. “The next logical step from (34 percent); and (5) our clients and customers was the number of new cusnearest printer, over a to ask us to support printing tomers on board (31.4 wireless network, is critical.” from BYOD devices in their enpercent). Walk into any — Danielle Wolowitz vironments,” he says. “Six years Verizon Wireless store KYOCERA Document Solutions America Inc. ago, we created an application and you will see sales called PageScope Mobile, a free associates using tablets application for iOS and Android platforms. Despite this ear- to print product information, contracts and receipts in a ly support for mobile printing and scanning, and approxi- fraction of the time it takes to print from a wired computer mately 650,000 downloads, we have not seen the explosive workstation. That simple workflow ticks off all five “bengrowth we had anticipated. But as the market matures efit” boxes. and mobile printing workflows are simplified, we envision With 1.3 billion global mobile workers (IDC, 2015) and the greater widespread adoption.” massive migration to mobile devices, the need to generate hardcopy from mobile devices will only grow. Consider that Barriers & Benefits 68 percent of Americans have smartphones and 45 percent In the past, industry observers frequently cited the fac- have tablets (Pew Research, 2015). Ownership of other digitors that were barriers to more rapid adoption of mobile tal devices has not grown in recent years. Specifically, shipbusiness tools and services. Case in point, a 2012 InfoTrends ments of PCs have been dropping while the growth rate of survey, Mobile Knowledge Worker: Emerging Opportuni- smartphones and tablets is anticipated to exceed 80 percent ties, reported the reasons why users did not print from their per year over the next five years. mobile devices, specifically: (1) “I do not have access to a printer that I can print to from my mobile device”; (2) “My Use Cases mobile device does not support printing capabilities”; and There are many real-world scenarios where printing, as (3) “I do not understand how to print to my printer from my well as document scanning and distribution, takes place usmobile device.” ing a mobile device: traveling executives need handouts for Clearly, there was confusion about how to download an a meeting or presentation; sales professionals print proposapp, install a print driver or locate a printer on the network. als, brochures and contracts while in the field; insurance Even today, each solution has different requirements — net- claims adjusters submit photos of property damage for case work topology (i.e., wired, wireless), operating system sup- files; and HR professionals print and scan performance report (e.g., iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, etc.), views, benefit packages and health-plan information. file format compatibility (e.g., PDF, Microsoft Office, photos, The possibilities are limitless, as Wolowitz explains. “Toetc.) and so on. day, doctors use tablets and laptops to access and update In the past three years, however, the office technology in- patient medical records and print treatment plans,” she dustry has made great strides in simplifying mobile print- says. “Being able to send that data to the nearest printer, ing workflows. Much has also been accomplished in terms over a wireless network, is critical. Large enterprises are of educating dealers and customers on the many benefits of also embracing mobile technology because of the many adopting a mobile strategy. Today, telecommuters, business consultants and freelancers they have. Seamless access to travelers and those in campus environments — collectively guest printing services is a must. And, mobile scanning called mobile workers — can easily generate hardcopy out- is also a huge value-add. Rather than carry paper, mobile put whether inside or outside the office. workers are using apps on their smartphones or tablets to IDC reports that the “business benefits of mobile print- scan documents from their office MFPs. The files are then ing are significant.” In a 2015 survey of 342 users, the top available for viewing at any time.” five most-often-mentioned business value benefits of printWithin the commercial sector, there is a need to have seing directly from a smartphone or tablet were: (1) speed of curity and print management policies in place, O’Neill says. 12 | w w w. o f f ic et ec hno lo g y m a g.c om | Ap r il 2 0 1 7

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“These organizations want have familiarity across the to maintain control and entire line. Once you learn “It can be overwhelming, keep track of print activity one of the applications, you so we developed a mobile on the network, making a can intuitively understand solutions product guide to server-based solution the them all.” help reps understand the logical choice,” he says. “In O’Neill talks about the market and offerings, larger organizations, you’re consumerization of technolask the right questions going to see the networks ogy, emphasizing that “no and come up with the locked down. Devices are one cares about the techmuch more controlled. IT is nology itself.” He explains: right recommendations.” less inclined to give every“They just want to be able — Chris Bilello body access, especially in to do what they want to do Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc. highly regulated verticals — print from a mobile delike banking and health vice. That’s been one of the care. In those environments, users can print confidential roadblocks up to this point. The challenge was that you documents that are held on the server until they arrive at had to understand how to connect to the printer. Now, with their destinations — another building on campus, a branch our mobile applications, such as Canon Print Business, you office, even another floor within the same building. Once can easily search for a printer, automatically connect and there, the users can release the jobs for print out.” you’re ready to go. That’s complete technology transparency. Bilello sees the Google Chromebook phenomenon within I didn’t have to do anything but select the printer. That’s reK-12 districts exploding. “The Chromebook can use Google ally where people want to go.” Cloud Print as an intermediary between the printer and the tablet,” he says. “You pull down a homework assignment, re- How it Works port or school calendar from your Google Drive and print it. As noted, there are three primary mobile printing delivYou can even use the Google app on the MFP control panel ery methods, from basic to advanced — direct print, pubto log into your Google Drive, select a document and print lic cloud services and private cloud solutions. Each varies right from the panel; the MFP becomes the mobile device.” based on the mobile device OS, network infrastructure, document formats, printer/MFP support (and embedded The Learning Curve component requirements) and much more. Due to the sheer number of available mobile print soluRegardless of the intricacies, print data either remains intions, industry executives agree that there is a learning side or leaves the network. If document security and access curve. “You have the hardware technology that’s built into control are important to a customer, a private cloud soluthe printer or MFP, like AirPrint, Wi-Fi Direct and Google tion is recommended. For that deployment, the server hostCloud Print,” Bilello says. “You have Konica Minolta-de- ing the solution is under internal IT management. Printing veloped PageScope Mobile and third-party offerings like can take place across disparate networks, but data remains EveryonePrint. It can be overwhelming, so we developed a behind the firewall. Print jobs reside on the server until the mobile solutions product guide to help reps understand the authenticated user enters his (or her) release code at the market and offerings, ask the right questions and come up control panel, providing added security and accountability. with the right recommendations.” On-premise solutions also support print management, If sales reps do not feel comfortable with a topic like mobile auditing and tracking integration with Equitrac, Pharos and printing, “they won’t talk about it to customers,” Wolowitz others. Additionally, on-premise deployments are mobile desays. “In all our Total Document Solutions training classes, vice agnostic, meaning any type of mobile device (e.g., iOS or app training and even our hardware training, we encourage Android) is supported. In terms of printers and MFPs, these reps to download the KYOCERA Mobile Print app to their solutions typically support only the OEM’s hardware; they handheld devices. During the course of training, they can use are proprietary. Examples include Konica Minolta PageScope the app and become familiar with it. Something that we em- Mobile, Kyocera CentraQ/CentraQ Pro and Canon uniFLOW. phasize is that our app also supports scanning from an MFP Data also remains within the network when using direct to a mobile device, so it’s a true print and scan solution. And, print delivery methods; users print to a printer/MFP that we’ve designed the app with what we call our unified UI [user is on the same wireless network as the smartphone or tabinterface], so that the look and feel within the app is the same let. AirPrint is a native direct print feature within iPhones, look and feel in the print driver and our web utilities, so you iPads, iMacs and MacBooks. A user searches the network 14 | w w w. o f f ic et ec hno lo g y m a g.c om | Ap r il 2 0 1 7

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(wired or wireless) for any PowerPoint, JPG, etc., are typprinter/MFP that supports ically supported, though Ex“With YouTube, you can see AirPrint. For example, from cel spreadsheets are troublehow mobile technologies the Mail app on your iPhone, some, just as they are when integrate with our MFPs open a PDF attachment, go printing from a PC.) What to deliver the best user to “Print,” select a printer level of security is required, experience ... There’s no and how many copies you if any? Is print tracking and question that over the past want. It is that easy. There is control important? Do they few years, mobility has no driver download or softallow BYOD? If so, how is IT ware installation necessary. currently managing those transformed the office landscape.” Another easy direct print devices on the network? — Dennis Amorosano method is quick response Answers to these probing Canon U.S.A. Inc. (QR) codes. A QR code on the questions can help uncover front of the network MFP is potential opportunities. Deread by an app on your mobile device; Apple and Android pending on the scope of the engagement, dealership sales devices have the built-in ability to read QR codes. The infor- reps need not go it alone. Office technology manufacturers mation contained in the QR code automatically discovers have business solution consultants who assist with needs the printer, enabling a user to select that output device. On assessment and implementation plans. Leveraging dedicata business network, the user does not have to boot up his PC ed specialists ensures that the recommended mobile print to generate hardcopy, saving time and boosting productivity. strategy meets the customer’s core requirements. When utilizing public cloud services, print data is hosted on remote servers, thus leaving the network. This imple- The Next Step mentation is often found in hotel business centers, airport This mobile printing primer just scratches the surface of VIP lounges and convention venues. Like direct print, there a multifaceted, evolving ecosystem of solutions available is no need to install a printer driver, and the system is mo- through Canon, Konica Minolta and Kyocera, as well others bile device and printer/MFP agnostic. A user submits a job such as Brother, HP, Lexmark, Panasonic, Ricoh, Samsung, via email, a mobile print app or web upload. The communi- Sharp and Xerox. Check out any MFP manufacturer’s webcation pathway is encrypted using SSL and TLS protocols. site and search “mobile printing” for brochures, white papers Depending on system configuration, the document either and user guides. There is a wealth of information out there. prints automatically or a release code is required. There is Our contributing executives also suggest visiting YouTube. a cost savings with public cloud services, as there is no in- Says Bilello: “Our YouTube videos are an excellent way to reach ternal hardware or software infrastructure required to pro- our dealer community, business owners and users around the vide mobile workers with 24/7 access to print resources. globe. There’s really no better way to quickly get up to speed.” When a print file is stored in a public cloud or private Says Amorosano: “With YouTube, you can see how mobile server awaiting release, it is called pull printing. All jobs are technologies integrate with our MFPs to deliver the best user directed to a centralized print queue. This eliminates hav- experience. And, while these mobile capabilities will continue ing to search for and select a printer beforehand. The docu- to advance, there’s no question that over the past few years, ment is held on the server until the user enters his release mobility has transformed the office landscape.” code at the printer of his choice. Pull printing is a flexible With nearly half of the workforce identifying as “mobile” method for enterprise-level customers to provide secure, workers, Gartner predicts that, in 2017, those employees will on-the-go print convenience. be using their own devices in the workplace. “Uncovering Push printing is when a document or image resides on mission-critical workflows within those businesses is key,” your smartphone or tablet and you output the job to, for in- Wolowitz says. “This can reap rewards in this expanding stance, a home office or small business printer. The docu- market as you help businesses choose a mobile strategy that ment prints directly to the output device; the file is not rout- delivers end-to-end process improvement.” n ed through (or held on) a server. Denine Phillips of Tech-Write is Which delivery method is best for a particular customer dea freelance writer who serves the marketing pends on answers to many questions. For starters: How large and technical documentation needs is the organization? How many printers/MFPs are in the fleet? of the office technology industry. What mobile device platforms are in use? Which file formats She can be reached at are most common? (Note: All popular formats like PDF, Word, denine.phillips@charter.net or (908) 246-0423. 16 | w w w. o f f ic et ec hno lo g y m a g.c om | Ap r il 2 0 1 7

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The Millennial Dynamic Harmonizing workplace IT & end-user needs by: Tom O’Neill, Canon U.S.A. Inc.

he millennial generation’s ability to shake up the workforce we once knew is a story that many businesses are still trying to narrate after years of “Generation Y” holding the pen. Today, organizations have moved past this disruption and are now entering a period where enterprise leaders can — and must — organize and optimize solutions for these new workforce members based on how they function best. We can anticipate this will mean the implementation of cloud-based solutions. As firms answer this call for mobility and consumerization, and move into transformational business processes, IT will need to optimize technology to the preferences of this workforce, achieve the standardization that businesses crave and, ultimately, help increase productivity — which may help profitability. The dealer channel can bet this new dynamic presents a selling opportunity. In a recent Canon U.S.A. Inc. virtual panel discussion, an expert group of industry analysts joined a Canon marketing leader and Canon North American Office Solutions dealer to outline the milestones enterprise IT has successfully surpassed, as well as the challenges that are still ahead as preferences and technology continue to evolve. The crux of the conversation explored the well-known phenomenon that millennials engage with and have 24/7 access to a variety of services and mobile technology in their personal lives and they now expect the same within their workplaces. While this could open up opportunity to help increase productivity and capitalize on an “always-on” attitude, businesses must be sensitive to the fact that access controls and consistency are vital to a company’s DNA. However, the dealer channel can help enterprises address these challenges and adopt new attitudes that harmonize their employees’ desires with their organizations’ needs. Challenge 1: Access Controls Given this new dynamic, IT decision-makers need to actively avoid creating a difficult-to-manage environment when meeting millennial expectations for technology, flexibility and customization. Businesses that can embrace a unified

approach across hardware and software solutions will be better equipped to help enterprise environments optimize their digital workplace transformations and help meet the expectations of today’s workforce, while also supporting the mutual goals of access controls and efficient, productive business environments. Multifunction systems that provide a simple authentication application option can help IT administrators control which users have access to a device and the functions available to those users. Simultaneously, this allows for personalization of the device’s user interface, letting individual users access and use the functions and settings of the device based on their individual preferences. With the growing use of cloud-based solutions, enterprises are also challenged to provide technology that can be flexible to meet these needs, while also limiting access to sensitive data. Solutions that can be both access-controlled and customizable, while also

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peers and more than 50-percent more likely to be deploying SaaS versions of travel booking, invoicing, payroll and financial management software (U.S. 2016 SMB Enterprise Application Migration Survey: Watching Midmarket Move to a Cloud-First IT Environment [IDC #US40228615]). This increasing demand has been further validated in our interactions with our dealer community. Dale Dupree, vice president of sales for North American Office Solutions at Canon U.S.A., has also indicated that the channel expects an increased demand for IT flexibility, customization and convenience in the workplace, and that providing a virtually seamless experience can be critical to helping achieve the ROI that enterprises expect.

While some trends come and go, the need for flexible technology will continue to flood the workplace, creating an excellent opportunity for businesses to evolve ...

Challenge 2: Recognizing the Need for Flexibility IT decision makers are often the gatekeepers for giving the green light to technology that can provide transformative changes that can impact workplace productivity. However, when it comes to adapting to change throughout the ecosystem of the company, the buy-in of these administrators can be challenging to obtain. Canon is not alone in recognizing this shift toward a more flexible workplace environment. IDC research shows the younger members of the workforce are placing emphasis on the need for flexible solutions. In one instance, IDC research found that millennial-led firms are 25-percent more likely to be deploying software as a service (SaaS) than their

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The Bottom Line Millennials entering the workforce have had life-long experiences with consumer technology, and with Generation Z shortly behind them, we can anticipate this expectation for “my technology, my way” to remain a robust selling opportunity for dealers over the next 10 to 15 years. Channel partners offer the ability to help businesses retrofit their technology, allowing them to provide work experiences that are not only mobile-friendly, but also flexible enough to provide a level of personalization unique to the needs of their employees, meeting them on their own terms. While some trends come and go, the need for flexible technology will continue to flood the workplace, creating an excellent opportunity for businesses to evolve and for channel partners to help facilitate this process. Channel partners that can guide organizations toward realizing the benefits of striking a balance between the personalization modern workers crave and the ability to use proactive security features, can be positioned to remain competitive in 2017 and beyond. n Tom O’Neill is director of product marketing for the Enterprise Solutions Division of the Business Imaging Solutions Group (BISG) at Canon U.S.A. Inc. He has more than 35 years of experience in the document imaging industry. O’Neill’s experience includes defining product portfolio strategies; leading hardware, software and product planning/engineering teams to define solution requirements that meet customer needs; leading marketing and cross-functional teams; and delivering marketing and sales support throughout the solutions’ lives. He can be reached at thoneill@cusa.canon.com. Visit www.usa.canon.com.

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COURTS & CAPITOLS

‘Banning the Box’ It is time to update your employment application by: Robert C. Goldberg, general counsel for the Business Technology Association

here is never a year that passes without the BTA Legal Hotline receiving several calls regarding embezzlement, fraud and/or theft involving a dealership employee. These calls are troubling, as there is almost always a great deal of trust placed in the individual and his (or her) crime is quite disturbing to the dealership owner. In February, there was a news story from Rockland County, New York, reporting that an individual had allegedly overcharged a local business more than $250,000 for copier/MFPs that were never delivered. In announcing the indictment, the district attorney stated: “This elaborate scheme in which the defendant was allegedly involved was motivated by greed — plain and simple.” So, how does a dealership protect itself? It begins with the employment application. The application is typically the first point of contact between the employer and a prospective employee. The application seeks information regarding the prospect. Using a single employment application for all applicants provides consistency and helps avoid claims of discrimination. The information provided allows for the screening of unqualified individuals. If an individual is hired and it is later determined that there is false information on his application, it can be used to terminate him. Many states, counties and cities have recently passed legislation “banning the box” that seeks information about criminal convictions. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued enforcement guidance on the use of criminal history questions. The EEOC believes that the use of criminal history questions may have a disparate impact on minority candidates. Although arrest records should never be used in evaluating a candidate, convictions traditionally could be considered. There are benefits to considering criminal histories. These benefits include: workplace safety for employees and customers; avoidance of negligent hiring claims; reduction in the risk of theft and dishonesty; and compliance with federal, state and local laws that require background checks for certain types of jobs. However, the benefits must be weighed with the legal risks. Conviction records can be taken into account under appropriate circumstances. They have always been considered very reliable due to the judicial safeguards associated with trials and guilty pleas. Regardless, the EEOC suggests that employers should not ask about criminal convictions on their employment applications. Instead, employers should inquire

about applicants’ criminal histories during a later stage of the hiring process. This is consistent with those jurisdictions that prohibit the question that asks if one has been convicted of a felony during the past seven years. When inquiring about convictions, the offense should be job related. Any applicant with job responsibilities involving money, leases, finances or inventory could certainly be asked if he has ever been convicted of theft, forgery, fraud or related offenses. Consideration should be given to the time that has lapsed since a conviction. If an individual in his 30s was convicted of theft as a teenager, that may not be justification for eliminating him as an applicant. Prior employment in a similar position without incident, rehabilitation, education, training and character references may all become factors in overcoming a past conviction. It appears the best practice for employers is to not eliminate candidates based solely on past criminal convictions. Consider the full picture — not just the conviction. These changes in the law require updates to your employment application. Elimination of the conviction box is necessary. BTA has posted a new employment application on its website and you are encouraged to review and implement it. Visit www.bta.org/LegalDocuments to download the application. You will need your username and password. Of course, if you have any questions, feel free to contact the BTA Legal Hotline. n Robert C. Goldberg is general counsel for the Business Technology Association. He can be reached at robert.goldberg@sfnr.com.

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EDUCATION CALENDAR May 25

June

Building My Business Webinar: “Successful Selling in Today’s Landscape” In this webinar, Melissa D. Whitaker of Melissa Whitaker International LLC will discuss the six biggest challenges salespeople are facing in today’s landscape and the specific solutions for overcoming them. Visit www.bta.org/BuildingMyBusiness to register.

5-7

BTA Sales Management Workshop Owings Mills, Maryland Taught by Kim Ward of Learning Outsource Group, the BTA Sales Management Workshop focuses entirely on the “how-to” skills that will help attendees reach their full potential as great sales leaders and coaches, as well as best practices to build and sustain an elite, high-performance sales team. Visit www.bta.org/SalesManagement to register.

7-8

Gateway to Success - Hosted by BTA Mid-America Kansas City, Missouri The 2017 Gateway to Success event, open to dealers from across the country, will feature: a keynote address by 2013 CNN Hero of the Year Chad Pregracke of Living Lands & Waters; a featured educational session presented by Dr. Neeli Bendapudi of the University of Kansas; six additional educational sessions presented by industry leaders; a welcoming reception; and a Houston Astros versus Kansas City Royals baseball game. Visit www.bta.org/BTAKC to register.

BTA Strategic Sales Semester The BTA Strategic Sales Semester, taught by Mitch Morgan and Chris Ryne of Growth Achievement Partners, consists of 13 online training sessions held every other week over six months that are geared to specific parts of the sales process. Visit www.bta.org/StrategicSales to register.

Building My Business Webinar: “Overcoming the Fear of Business Planning by Using the Business Model Canvas” In this webinar, business coach and consultant Harry Hecht will explain the Business Model Canvas (BMC), a one-page document that allows you to test and validate the key parts of your business in a manageable format. Visit www.bta.org/BuildingMyBusiness to register.

21-22 ProFinance 2.0 Cleveland, Ohio With color, connectivity, software, MPS and MNS, the business has changed — and ProFinance has changed with it. Taught by John Hey and Todd Johnson of Strategic Business Associates, ProFinance 2.0 incorporates these changes into the industry model, including benchmarks for MPS. Visit www.bta.org/ProFinance to register. For more information, visit www.bta.org/Education or call (800) 843-5059.

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BTA HIGHLIGHTS BTA would like to welcome the following new members to the association:

Dealer Members Docugraphics LLC, Charleston, SC LaserWay, Houston, TX MidAmerica Technology, Bloomington, MN Service Associate Members Rainmaker Sales Support, St. Louis, MO Vendor Associate Members mpScriptel, Columbus, OH National Depot Repair, Chester, NY TSO Distribution, Wake Forest, SC Unitone Imaging Supply, Canoga Park, CA For full contact information of these new members, visit www.bta.org.

BTA Legal Services

For the benefit of its dealer members, each month BTA features two of its Vendor or Service Associate members in this space. BTA Vendor Associate member National Depot Repair (NDR) reduces repair costs for OEMs, distributors and dealers by decreasing costs, downtime and environmental impact. The NDR team handles technically demanding challenges in product life-cycle support through improved supply chain performance, expedited return and replacement programs, reduced parts acquisition costs and increased throughput efficiency. Dealers can take advantage of NDR’s authorized parts distribution programs — purchasing parts and supplies for major printer, copier, kiosk and multifunction brands. www.nationaldepotrepair.com

BTA General Counsel Bob Goldberg has more than 35 years of industry experience. He provides members with no-fee advice and guidance on a diverse range of topics, including dealer/manufacturer disputes, contracts, employment matters, industry documentation, legislative issues, business valuation, and general industry and business issues as they affect dealers and resellers. He can evaluate legal needs, review and analyze reseller contracts and serve as a third party to help resolve business disputes. BTA members also can download sample legal documents from BTA’s website. Visit www.bta.org/Legal for more information.

BTA Service Associate member Guardian Data Destruction is headquartered in South Hackensack, New Jersey; with locations in Dallas, Texas; Detroit, Michigan; Los Angeles, California; and Seattle, Washington. The company is comprised of a team of veterans with experience in logistics and asset tracking, removal, destruction and recycling. Besides the physical “wires and pliers,” it also owns specialized, proprietary hardware and software systems for both destructively and non-destructively erasing digital data from hard drives and large storage farms in a secure, compliant and absolute manner. www.guardiandatadestruction.com

For information on BTA member benefits, visit www.bta.org/MemberBenefits.

A full list of BTA Vendor and Service Associate members can be found online at www.bta.org.

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

’One Canon’ Manufacturer hosts media event March 7-8 by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

anon U.S.A. Inc. recently hosted a media event to focus, in part, on the progress of the company’s Business Imaging Solutions Group (BISG) since the manufacturer’s “One Canon” business strategy was unveiled in August 2016. At the event, held March 7-8 in Boca Raton, Florida, 45-plus industry analysts and editors gathered for the Mason Olds opportunity to learn more about how the Canon family of companies is working together to ensure customers and partners have access to all of Canon’s businessto-business offerings. Through their presentations, key Canon executives discussed the impact the One Canon initiative is having on the company as a whole, as well as provided a deeper look into each of the business units represented within the company. In addition, a product showcase gave attendees an exclusive, all-access look into the scope of print and workflow solutions that Canon has to offer. Among the many presenters at the event was Mason Olds, senior vice president and general manager of sales for BISG. In his presentation, he noted, among other strides, how the One Canon initiative has been changing the dynamic between dealers and the company’s direct operation, Canon Solutions America (CSA). “For the first time, thanks to One Canon, they’ve [dealers] been able to utilize our service,” Olds explained. “So, when a smaller dealer gets a deal for, say, 50 different locations around the country, and it needs to be serviced, that small dealer can’t do it. In the past, the dealer would always have to call on 50 other independent dealers. They [dealers] still do that predominantly, but there have been a number of cases where the service rates were really low, some of the terms and conditions were really challenging, and the other dealers didn’t want to take them on, so CSA was willing to take that on, make it simple and do things quickly. So, that strategy [exists], thanks to One Canon.” In his presentation, Olds also highlighted what he referred to as the “human side” of the business. He emphasized, for example, the longevity of Canon’s management team. “Mr. [Joe] Adachi [chairman and CEO, Canon U.S.A. Inc.] has been around for a long time,” he explained. “Toyo Kuwamura [executive

vice president and general manager, BISG] — I’ve known him since the first day I walked into the place 25 years ago; Dennis Amorosano [vice president and general manager, BISG marketing and CIIS professional services], Hiro Imamura [senior vice president and general manager of marketing, BISG] — we used to sit next to each other when we all were in our 30s. Even our newer people, who came over from Océ — they all worked at the same place for a long time and now they’re part of the team.” Olds contrasted Canon’s management longevity with that of the competition. “You know, Ricoh, they just changed their CEO,” he noted. “KM [Konica Minolta] — more changes of people. And Xerox, I don’t even recognize those people from the people I was competing against five or 10 years ago … New can be a bit sexy for a little while, but when people have their own money invested in their businesses, they want comfort. They want to see people who have steered them correctly in the past.” One area where Canon plans to further advance its efforts to “steer” dealers correctly — also focused on the “human side” of the business — involves one of the greatest challenges dealers face: succession planning. Noting that “training is one of the most important things” to Canon, leading the company to invest “a lot of money in the training of its people,” Olds announced the company’s plan to provide training specifically designed to help dealerships transition to the next generation. “The second week in May, we’re offering a week-long training program to our dealers and their next generation,” he said, indicating that the training has been developed with “all the resources” Canon has to offer. “It’s something that is being greatly appreciated; we sold out our whole session.” While Olds took the opportunity to express Canon’s support of its dealer channel, he reported on its ongoing strides as well. “Last year we grew again [dealer channel revenue], so that’s five years in a row,” he said, noting that the growth has continued in 2017. “In January and February, the dealer business has grown for us; this isn’t units — it’s easy to show growth in units. This is revenue, including aftermarket — not just hardware … It’s almost a billion-dollar channel for us. We’re just a little bit below $1 billion right now; that’s our goal, to get over $1 billion.” n Brent Hoskins, executive director of the Business Technology Association, is editor of Office Technology magazine. He can be reached at brent@bta.org or (816) 303-4040. 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 | A p r i l 2 0 17 | 25

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

Secure Your Customers Are you promoting your unique value proposition? by: Ken Edmonds, Service Management Coach

ne of the most difficult challenges any dealer faces is retaining customers. If you are only providing copy and print devices and services, your relationships with your clients are at risk. You face the challenge of getting an acceptable profit margin since every cycle winds up in a bidding war. The result is declining revenue and, possibly, a shrinking base. Allowed to go on long enough, the result is fatal. To identify a good course of action, I recommend looking to the best companies in our industry. Look at what they are doing and see if you can find ways to emulate them. Let’s take a quick look at what I see on the websites of six industry-leading dealerships and what they offer that may be contributing to their success. n Marco (www.marconet.com) — The first thing that struck me was the quality of the company’s website. The second thing I noticed was the list of services at the top of the page: managed services, cloud services, business IT, copiers and printers, and carrier services. In reviewing the website, I found that they support and sell everything that touches the network. Marco has made a point of telling prospective customers that by having all of these services with one vendor, the customer’s life will be easier, with fewer headaches. n RJ Young (www.rjyoung.com) — When I look up RJ Young on Google, the description reads: Nashville IT & Network Services: Document Management. This description highlights the direction the dealership is moving. After reading the history of the company, I found it has acquired an IT company to provide the expertise it needs to enter that market. n Pacific Office Automation (www.pacificoffice.com) — This is another example of a dealership offering network support, cloud services IT and document management. n Loffler (www.loffler.com) — The dealership’s website highlights the following: business IT services, copier/MFPs and printers, managed services and cloud services. n Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office (www.tomorrowsoffice. com) — The website indicates that the dealership offers managed IT, managed print, managed documents, professional services, Atlantic Cloud and Atlantic Private Cloud. Your response to this may be: “Why do I care what these

companies do?” The answer: Because you either face them in your marketplace or a company that is doing the same things. Imagine, if you will, one of the two following scenarios: Scenario 1: You have a client that is quite happy with you, but is facing challenges in managing its IT infrastructure. The company needs a provider with more expertise than it can afford to have in-house. Another dealership comes in and offers to handle all of the office’s IT and communications needs, proposing to replace your equipment and bundling all of the client’s support into one package with one monthly payment and one number to call for any support needs. What happens to your relationship with the client? It is probably over. Scenario 2: Your sales representative calls on a prospect and finds out that the company is looking to upgrade its equipment. The incumbent is providing the client’s IT support and equipment, and its service and equipment rates are higher than yours. Your rep makes a proposal undercutting the incumbent’s price. Do you get the business? Even though you have the better price, the prospect will probably not make the change since the company is dependent on the incumbent for so many of its needs. In either case, your prospects of placing equipment are minimal. The overwhelming need is to get both deep and wide in your customer’s account. The more your client depends on your organization, the higher the probability of success in retaining that customer. It is very much like the difference in fishing with a barbless hook and a hook with a big barb. Once the barb is embedded, the client is yours. Identify Opportunities In my recent articles appearing in Office Technology, I discussed the need to develop a management team, train the team’s members and use them. Now is the time to put them to work. As a team, identify the skill sets that are available in the company. Also, listen to your customers and find out what they want. The questions you need to answer are: How do we become indispensable to our clients? What services or products can we provide that will make us irresistible to new clients? What is our unique value proposition?

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every visit, new customers are easier to Develop a Plan & Strategy attract and you have the prospect of longWhen you develop Once you have identified the opportuterm future growth. n nity, it is time for your team members to a product or service Ken Edmonds is currently employed as a start working on the plan. They need to that binds your district service manager for a major copier/ decide if your company has the skill set customers to you, MFP manufacturer. He has an extensive internally to fill the need. If the answer you no longer have background in the imaging business, having is “no,” the next question is: How can you owned a successful dealership, served as to be the cheapest acquire it? I suggest reviewing my article service manager for multiple dealerships in the February issue of Office Technology, dealership in town. and as a document solutions specialist for “Are You Impeding Growth?,” for ideas on Sharp Electronics. Additionally, Edmonds this process. has more than 40 years of experience in the electronics and While developing this plan, one thing to consider is how computer fields. He has attended BTA’s FIX: Cost Management to make the plan irresistible. How can you tailor it to create for Service workshop, Pros Elite service manager training and an offering that has a unique value proposition? You need to the Service Managers Achieve Results training make sure that you market your plan in a way that makes you conducted by Strategic Business Associates different (better) than the competition. for Sharp Electronics. Edmonds also Part of this plan also requires that your sales team memcompleted the University of Wisconsin bers change their approaches. They can no longer walk down training program for technical trainers. the street offering the same products in the same way. They He can be reached at need to understand, accept and wholeheartedly adapt to this ken.edmonds@CKE-Enterprises.biz. change if they — and your company — are going to succeed. Communicate Your Services Make sure your clients are aware of all that your dealership offers. If you have an indispensable product or service and you do not communicate that fact, you might as well not offer it. If different products or services segregate the sales force, make sure that both teams are calling on all of the company’s clients. When I owned my dealership, I would occasionally find out that a client had purchased a product or service we offered, but from another company. When I asked why, invariably it was because they did not know we offered that particular product or service. The goal must be that 100 percent of your clients use all of your services. If that is not the current state of your business, you have work to do. Attack Aggressively While your sales team members are working to secure your existing base, they also need to begin to attack new clients. The essential service you offer should be the focus when contacting prospective clients. If they do not have that need or interest, the sales rep can always fall back to offering copier/ MFPs or printers. Reap the Benefits When you develop a product or service that binds your customers to you, you no longer have to be the cheapest dealership in town. Your profit margins will rise, and your base and your business will be more secure. When you have a unique value proposition that your sales team focuses on during 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 | A p r i l 2 0 17 | 27

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

Crushing Quota Consider these seven steps using LinkedIn by: Larry Levine, Social Sales Academy

he harsh reality of a major account rep boils down to one question: “Did you hit quota?” Each time a dealership approaches the end of its fiscal year, the principals and executive management team members start thinking about the next year. Among the key parameters discussed: The sales quotas assigned to their major account reps. Major account reps who overachieve their quotas set the standard for sales effectiveness. However, many do not achieve their quotas and have room for improvement. This leads to the question: How many major account reps would crush their quotas if they focused on increasing their business development activities and stopped spending so much time managing lease-end activities? The 800-pound sales gorilla has awoken! It is time for major account reps to lead the way, set the example and become business leaders inside your dealership. Having served as a major account rep, I know how they work. Managing lease ends is exhausting. However, failure to meet and exceed quota boils down to inadequate effort by the rep. According to the CSO Insights 2015 Sales Compensation and Performance Management Study, only 54.6 percent of sales professionals produce enough revenue to meet quota. Inadequate effort equates to a lack of focus and consistency around one thing — prospecting. Think about the following: How would your major account reps crush quota in 2017 if 50 percent of the customers in their bases decide to keep their current equipment as opposed to upgrading? When major account reps place all of their sales eggs in the lease-end basket, it is a recipe for disaster. I encourage all major account reps to read “Fanatical Prospecting” by Jeb Blount. In his book, Blount states: “The brutal fact is the number-one reason for failure in sales is an empty pipe, and the root cause of an empty pipeline is the failure to consistently prospect.” Major account MFP reps must integrate the use of social media to nurture, grow and facilitate crushing their sales quotas. I used the following seven steps to go from $0 to $1.3 million as a major account rep in a new major account position. I came to work every day in a business suit and tie. I made a commitment to myself that my LinkedIn profile would also look professional to facilitate my social business development. (1) I crafted and curated educational content. This is not difficult but, for some, it is uncomfortable and even a bit

advanced. It took time, but there were many educational moments. (2) I shared the content with my social network to help kick-start conversations. Sharing content is not difficult. Part of what we must do as major account reps is continually educate our clients and prospects. (3) I frequently looked at who viewed my profile. The free version of LinkedIn gives you only five profile views. There is a high probability of missing some extremely important buyer views. This is a big reason to have LinkedIn Premium. Furthermore, I would encourage the use of LinkedIn Sales Navigator as the right social tool for intelligent prospecting. (4) I converted these viewers to first-level connections through personal invitations to connect. However, attempting to convert too early can be risky. I would recommend following them on LinkedIn or saving them as leads in Sales Navigator to build further credibility and trust. A connection from a sales rep can be confronting if it is done too early. (5) I reviewed the content engagement section for comments to my posts, which led to further conversations. Another equally important tip: Find and engage with your prospects who are sharing their own content. (6) I mined my network by reviewing second-level connections and asked for help from the people who knew me very well — my current clients. (7) I turned my online conversations to offline meetings. It all starts with making this a daily habit. Nothing happens until you make the commitment to drive change in your life. Integrating the seven steps I used to help crush quota will facilitate how you capture the attention of new prospects, how you drive conversations, how you collaborate, how you connect and, most importantly, how you convert to drive more sales revenue. I challenge and encourage all major account reps to let go of the 800-pound sales gorilla in 2017. As a result, they will become sales leaders and chart the course for others to follow. n Larry Levine is social sales strategist & co-founder for Social Sales Academy. He has 27 years of in-the-field sales experience in the office technology industry, including serving as a copier/MFP major account rep. Levine can be reached at llevine@socialsalesacademy.net. Visit www.socialsalesacademy.net.

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SELLING SOLUTIONS

The Launch Phase What new sales reps need from their managers by: Troy Harrison, Troy Harrison & Associates

love sales management. I truly do. And I honestly have heard few people — speakers, authors or even sales managers — say that in my 27-year career. It is fun for me and, yes, it can be aggravating. But there are certain moments that make all of the aggravation worthwhile. One of those moments is what I call the “launch” — that moment when it is all coming together for your new salesperson. The activity patterns are forming up, the pipeline is filling and those first few sales are coming in. That is when you know that your new salesperson is going to make it. Any sales manager who does not smile and feel a surge of pride — both for himself (or herself) and the salesperson — is not cut out for the job. Here is the rub: While this is one of the most gratifying moments in sales management, it is also one of the most delicate. If you want to get the most out of your bouncing baby salesperson, it is critical that you work to reinforce and build his confidence — while avoiding behaviors that can be confidence-killers. This came to mind as I was speaking to a friend of mine who decided, in her 30s, to launch a sales career. As all new salespeople do, she struggled for a while, but is now getting things going in the right direction. In fact, just to be clear, she is having a month that would be a breakout month for a seasoned veteran, not just a rookie. That is why her sales manager’s actions are so concerning to me. Right now, her sales manager still accompanies her on customer signings. Recently, there was a miscommunication about a document she was supposed to bring to a later appointment (I saw the texts; the sales manager’s communication was non-specific and the mistake was easy to make). The sales manager, however, reacted badly. While sitting at a customer’s location, within earshot of the decision maker’s office, the sales manager, in a loud voice, said: “Good grief, if you can’t get the right forms for a meeting, how can I ever trust you to work deals on your own?” This went on for a few minutes and other people in the company heard. The salesperson, of course, was very upset and her confidence (which should have been very high) took a big hit. Had this happened a year down the road, after the salesperson had established herself as a performer, she could have let it roll off her back (although it still should not have happened). But, because of when it happened, it was a big hit. She will recover, but it could have been terminal. Of course, the sales manager committed several errors. As we all know, you praise in public and reprimand in private.

You never air out dirty laundry at the customer’s location. Plus, right before a sales call (when this happened), you hold on to any issues to discuss later so they do not affect the call you are about to have. Each of these errors is magnified with a new salesperson. So, what does your salesperson need from you in the launch phase? Here is a partial list. (1) Confidence and more confidence. You have been there before and, in many cases, your salesperson has not. That means he walks into the unknown every day. Your job is to make as much of the unknown into the known as possible. Show the salesperson what is ahead based on his activity and proposal level. Help him forecast which sales will close and which ones will not. Impart as much good selling technique as you can, and let the salesperson work independently as much as possible. (2) Praise. Here is the thing that might surprise you. In the earliest stages of a salesperson’s development — the onboarding, prelaunch phase (typically 90 days) — I advise watching your salesperson’s activity very carefully and offering correction whenever things are taking the wrong path. This is because bad habits can settle in very quickly and you can make better corrections sooner than later. However, once you are past the onboarding phase, you may need to focus for a while on the positive (this can be particularly critical with millennials). Your new salesperson, in the launch phase, is seeing some www.offi cetechnol ogymag. c om | Ap ri l 2017 | 29

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your hat and then come back to it after the successes. Those successes might be small launch phase is over. If it is indicative of a or might be big — but in the salesperson’s If the salesperson pattern, you should correct it, of course — mind, they are all big. You need to reinforce missteps, is the but in as non-threatening a manner as posthat, as long as he meets expectations for misstep indicative of sible. For an example of how not to do it, new accounts. There is plenty of time in the a pattern that could refer to my earlier story. long term to point the salesperson at the endanger success on Here is the best news of all: If you handle accounts that need to be targeted. For now, the launch phase well, your salesperson will every win should come with high-fives, more sales calls, or is become one of those salespeople you do not yells and brass bands. it a one-time issue? have to worry about — and you can devote (3) Hold your tongue. This is tough, but your attention to the next “launch.” n it is one of the steps that separates the great Troy Harrison is the author of “Sell Like You Mean It!” and sales managers from the mediocre. Remember that the launch “The Pocket Sales Manager.” He is a speaker, consultant and phase is temporary. Typically, it lasts from 30 to 60 days and, at the end of that period, the salesperson has convinced himself sales navigator who helps companies build more profitable and productive sales forces with his cutting-edge that things are going to be good going forward. He “toughens sales training and methodologies. up” mentally and is better able to handle criticism and adversity. For information on booking speaking/training The question that you, the sales manager, have to ask yourengagements, consulting or to sign up for self during launch phase is this: If the salesperson missteps, is Harrison’s weekly e-zine, call (913) 645-3603 or the misstep indicative of a pattern that could endanger sucemail troy@troyharrison.com. cess on more sales calls, or is it a one-time issue? If it is a oneVisit www.troyharrison.com. time issue, it may be better to make a note of it, keep it under

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