August 2018 Office Technology

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CONTENTS Volume 25 • No. 2

FEATURE ARTICLES 10

Vendor Vision Manufacturers look to the workplace of the future

DEALERSHIP SPOTLIGHT Kraft Business Systems Dealership focused on health-care vertical

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by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine

by Christine Dunne Keypoint Intelligence-InfoTrends

For many smaller office technology dealerships, growth is often achieved by focusing on a particular vertical niche.

That was the case with Kraft Business Systems, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In Q1 and Q2 of 2018, Keypoint Intelligence-InfoTrends analysts interviewed OEM executives on their visions of the smart workplace of the future and what they see as their contributions to this growing space.

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Button First, Message Next Marketing successfully by developing interest

by Tim Votapka PPMC Inc.

P R I N C I PA L I S S U E S ConvergX 2018 Partnership a key focus for Ricoh in the coming year

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by Elizabeth Marvel Office Technology Magazine

Good marketing determines what the buttons are for any given audience and builds from there. It is not what you think of your product, service or company that matters. It is what your customers think.

COURTS & CAPITOLS 29

Employment Regulations New laws favor employees rather than employers

Focusing on the alliance between Ricoh USA Inc. and its dealer partners after last year’s changes to its direct sales business, Ricoh held its national dealer meeting June 2527, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

SELLING SOLUTIONS Sales Management Success Achieved by embracing these 10 strategies

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by Robert C. Goldberg BTA General Counsel

by Kim Ward Learning Outsource Group

This column often brings employment issues to your attention. After all, we all need to be aware of the latest regulations affecting our relationships. It is clear that the pendulum is swinging away from employers and favoring employees.

AIMED VIEWPOINT 30

Crushing B2B Digital Media How LinkedIn can impact your inbound sales funnel

by Craig Wasilchak Alternative Business Automation Solutions

I am on a journey to crush B2B digital media and share what I learn with the world. The combination of using LinkedIn to create brand awareness and for prospecting, along with using your existing tools correctly, completes your marketing system.

With flatter organizations, increasingly diversified responsibilities, added pressures and less margin for error, the crucial role of sales manager is both more important and more difficult than ever.

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

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• BTA Education Calendar • BTA Highlights • BTA Member Benefits

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Executive Director’s Page

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BTA President’s Message

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Advertiser Index

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S PAGE

The Top 10 Reasons to Attend NYC Event

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n the July issue of Office Technology, I wrote about the 2018 BTA National Conference, to be held Sept. 1921 at the Stewart Hotel in New York City, New York.

If you have not yet registered, consider this list of the “Top 10 Reasons to Attend”: (10) The 2018 BTA Channel’s Choice award winners will be announced. Be among the first in the industry to learn which vendors are considered by dealers to be the most supportive of the independent dealer channel. BTA will also announce its 2018 Volunteer of the Year.

(9) The conference venue, the Stewart Hotel, is located in the heart of Manhattan near Penn Station. Enjoy the Big Apple. Nearby attractions include the theater district, Madison Square Garden, the Museum of Modern Art, Radio City Music Hall, Times Square and more.

(8) The conference’s team-building experience, “The Contagion,” will be a memorable session you will not forget. Want to know more? You will when this fun experience gets underway.

(7) The Sept. 20 networking event will be a dinner cruise around Manhattan. The cruise will include a delectable sit-down dinner and night views of the city aboard the glass-topped Bateaux. Attendees will cruise past several New York City landmarks, including the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center site, Battery Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and more.

(6) The three-day event will provide many networking opportunities. Breaks during the conference, as well as special networking events, will allow you to learn from your peers and see the newest products and

services from more than 40 exhibitors.

(5) Eight general sessions will provide insight into topics dealers will find beneficial to their businesses. They include: a panel discussion on Access Japan 2018; acquisitions and lessons learned when acquiring; hot topics in labor and employment law; prospecting tactics and strategies; data marketing; operationalizing benchmarking; cybersecurity; and the new tax law.

(4) The vendor panel will give you an opportunity to learn more about production and industrial print. The panelists represent five vendors: Canon Solutions America, EFI, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc., Ricoh USA Inc. and Xerox Corp.

(3) The keynote address will encourage you to redefine what you think may be impossible. James Lawrence, the Iron Cowboy, is best known for completing 50 Ironmans (a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run) in 50 consecutive days in all 50 states. Lawrence will share his story and tell you about his life leading up to the Ironman mission, as well as setting two prior world records.

(2) Two-for-one registration is only $199 for BTA member dealers. And, if a member dealer uses his (or her) $150 discount code received with membership, twofor-one registration is only $49. With all of the education and networking events these three days include, this is a fantastic value.

(1) Support your association. BTA has helped dealers for more than 90 years, providing many member benefits that allow them to constantly improve their businesses. BTA’s events are just another way the association is helping its dealer members make profitable connections.

For more information, see the ad on pages 2-3 or visit www.bta.org/BTANewYork. 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 Christine Dunne, Keypoint Intelligence-InfoTrends www.keypointintelligence.com Robert C. Goldberg, General Counsel Business Technology Association Tim Votapka, Prosperity Plus Management Consulting Inc. www.prosperityplus.com Kim Ward, Learning Outsource Group. www.learningoutsourcegroup.com Craig Wasilchak, Alternative Business Automation Solutions www.altbizsolutions.com

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 Brian Smith Membership Sales Representative brian@bta.org Photo Credits: Bigstockphoto. Cover created by Bruce Quade, Brand X Studio. ©2018 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

BTA Names 2018-19 Scholarship Winners

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ach year, the Business Technology Association (BTA) awards a number of scholarships to qualifying children of full-time employees of dealerships that are current BTA dealer members. Since the 1984-85 school year, BTA has awarded 1,446 scholarships totaling $1.635 million.

BTA scholarships are awarded based on a thorough review of completed applications, transcripts and essays by an independent, impartial evaluator. For the 2018-19 school year, BTA awarded a total of $28,500 in scholarships to 24 students. Congratulations to the recipients and their sponsoring BTA member dealerships: n Orion Couch, Standley Systems, Chickasha, Oklahoma n Megan Deim, Fisher’s Technology, Boise, Idaho n Conner Delgado, Bishop Business, Omaha, Nebraska n Alissa Edgington, DOCUmation, San Antonio, Texas n Sydney Emmerich, EO Johnson Business Technologies, Wausau, Wisconsin n Mary Everett, Standley Systems, Chickasha, Oklahoma n Bailey Hackler, J.D. Young Co., Tulsa, Oklahoma n Kirsten Hahn, NovaCopy Inc., Memphis, Tennessee n Abigail Hamvas, Coordinated Business Systems, Burnsville, Minnesota n Abigail McBrayer, Loy’s Office Supplies, LaGrange, Georgia n Evan Mikos, Gordon Flesch Company, Geneva, Illinois n Ashley Moch, Duplicator Sales and Service, Louisville, Kentucky n Mersadies Morgan, Valley Office

Systems, Idaho Falls, Idaho n Grace Newsom, Pacific Office Automation, Beaverton, Oregon n Ray Nierman, Eakes Office Solutions, Grand Island, Nebraska n Katie Paulich, EO Johnson Business Technologies, Wausau, Wisconsin n Alexis Raihle, EO Johnson Business Technologies, Wausau, Wisconsin n Herbert Richardson, Carolina Business Equipment, Columbia, South Carolina n Joseph Salcce, Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office, New York City, New York n Paige Smith, The Business Centre of Quincy Inc., Quincy, Illinois n Alexander Studwell, Function4, Sugar Land, Texas n Shelby Taylor, Indiana Business Equipment, Terre Haute, Indiana n Terry Thompson, Century Business Technologies, Topeka, Kansas n Jacob Wiggs, Thermocopy of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee The BTA Scholarship Foundation is supported by contributions from individuals, dealers, manufacturers and distributors. We would like to thank the following contributors to the Foundation during the 2017-18 year: Advanced Systems Inc., Cedar Falls, Iowa; Anderson Business Technology, Pasadena, California; Budget Document Technology, Lewiston, Maine; Century Business Technologies, Topeka, Kansas; Copiers Plus, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey; Electronic Office Systems Inc., Fairfield, New Jersey; Frank Fonteyn, Citrus Heights, California*; Bruce Losty, Charlestown, Rhode Island*; Next Day Plus, Orland Park, Illinois; Michael McWilliams, Little Rock, Arkansas*; Prior & Nami Business Systems, Hamilton, New Jersey; and Vista Group Management Consultants, Danville, California*. (*In memory of 1975-76 NOMDA President Robert G. Kuykendall.) n — John Eckstrom

2018-2019 Board of Directors President John Eckstrom Carolina Business Equipment Inc. Columbia, South Carolina johne@cbesc.com President-Elect Bob Evans Function4 Sugar Land, Texas bobevans@function-4.com Vice President Tim Renegar Kelly Office Solutions Winston-Salem, North Carolina trenegar@kellyofficesolutions.com BTA East Tim Seeley Jr. Seeley Office Systems Inc. Glens Falls, NY tseeleyjr@seeleyoffice.com Don Risser Advanced Laser Printer Service & Supplies Inc. Emigsville, PA drisser@alpslaser.com BTA Mid-America Greg Quirk JQ Office Equipment Omaha, Nebraska gquirk@jqoffice.com DJ Hastings Hogland Office Equipment Lubbock, TX dj@hoglandofficeworks.com BTA Southeast David Polimeni RITE Technology Sarasota, Florida dpolimeni@ritefl.com Michael Hicks Electronic Business Machines Inc. Lexington, KY mhicks@ebmky.com BTA West Mike Brandon ABC Office Equipment Co. Inc. Spokane, Washington mbrandon@abcoe.com Joe Escamilla Document Systems Oxnard, CA jescamilla@documentsystems.com Immediate Past President Dan Castaneda International Copy Machine Center El Paso, Texas dan@icmc-elp.com Ex-Officio/General Counsel Robert C. Goldberg Schoenberg Finkel Newman & Rosenberg LLC Chicago, Illinois robert.goldberg@sfnr.com

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Vendor Vision Manufacturers look to the workplace of the future by: Christine Dunne, Keypoint Intelligence-InfoTrends

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he traditional work environment is going through fundamental transformation.

Artificial intelligence, robotics and data are automating many activities workers used to perform, and they are creating new jobs for those who can produce these automation tools, as well as the services to manage these devices.

As the workforce transitions and automation increases, the fundamental work environment must shift as well.

Like mobile phones and the consumerization of IT, the consumerization of “smart” things has already started in the home with smart devices. The technology has been evolving, starting with the combination of the internet, mobility, cloud, sensors and the internet of things — which has led to products such as smart light bulbs, thermostats, doorbells and security cameras. These things are all edging their way into businesses. At the same time, the smart office is not just about intelligent devices or physical spaces; in fact, work no longer means being tied to a desk or a central/single location where people congregate to work and collaborate.

Today, work is being performed anywhere, at any time — we are no longer confined to the four walls of a cubical or office, tethered to a PC or workplace. Today, work is where work can get done, and that is virtually anywhere. The difference between the smart home and the smart office is people. People are still required to transact, communicate, collaborate and make decisions to get work done. And although devices, tools and robots may be taking away physical jobs, at the end of the day, people can leverage and use these tools to work more productively and efficiently.

To better segment and organize the “smart workplace,” Keypoint Intelligence has created a taxonomy of services related to our industry that helps define and categorize these disparate technologies and services into a more concrete and comprehensive view of smart workplace solutions and services.

When it comes to the office technology industry, many vendors are participating in the smart workplace in their own ways — including automation solutions that simplify

workflows surrounding the digital MFP, as well as devices, solutions and services outside of the traditional office technology space. This article will provide insight into the efforts of seven North American OEMs. Methodology In Q1 and Q2 of 2018, Keypoint IntelligenceInfoTrends analysts interviewed OEM executives on their visions of the smart workplace of the future and what they see as their contributions to this growing space. Interviewees were asked the same set of questions on topics like trends driving their smart workplace strategies, current smart workplace offerings, as well as partners, plans, expected challenges and channel strategy.

Brother International Corp.

Dan Waldinger, Senior Director of B2B Marketing Brother International Corp.’s Dan Waldinger believes that, in many ways, the office of the future is already here and that the next wave will just be an extension of the trends currently in place. This includes a focus on mobility, security, pull printing, apps, bring your own device (BYOD), using devices as a service, device insights and device learning.

“When you talk about the office of the future, it’s really a lot of the things that are kind of here today, but what are they going to look like in five to 10 years and beyond?,” Waldinger asks.

These kinds of themes are starting to find their way into discussions with customers, particularly as many of the technologies in Brother’s offerings are addressing these various areas. In terms of security, for example, Brother’s MFPs are capable of safeguarding documents and data through features like NFC card reader user authentication, encrypted data transmission and secure document storage.

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technology will take on greater imporfacilitated connections with cloud-based “ ... Customers are tance going forward. applications through the sharing of apBrother’s API-based Brother Solutions plication programming interfaces (APIs) much more interested Interface (BSI) platform for partner inteand software development kits (SDKs). in companies that are grations is another example of a futureAnother key element of the future forward-thinking, so focused technology currently in place. office will be remote training and serwe’ve been really talking “You don’t need a client or server to do vicing capabilities. Brother expects about how to take this this,” Waldinger says. “It’s all based on technologies like virtual reality will cloud apps and integrations that parthelp customers learn how to use prodinformation forward ... ” ners and system integrators can leveructs more effectively. It will take care age using BSI.” of remotely servicing customer devices, For instance, PrintWithMe has partnered with Brother to enabling the dealer to focus more on customer consultancy create a driverless mobile printing solution for public spaces and intimacy “so they can focus on what they do best, grow like coffee shops, apartment buildings and schools. their businesses, and sell to and delight their customers,” Brother will continue to leverage its relationships with Waldinger says. dealers to gain access to usage insights collected as part of The servicing approach will become more and more promanaged print services (MPS) engagements. This informa- active, enabling replacement of parts right before they fail. tion provides device management insights into areas like Like other vendors, Brother will continue to seek partnerfeature usage, function usage, and color versus black and ships with third-party software companies going forward. white, helping to better understand the user experience.

In addition to PrintWithMe, a sample of current technolIt can be enhanced with information from other Broth- ogy integrations include PaperCut for print management, er devices such as mobile printers for retail applications, Google for cloud printing, and Microsoft for OneDrive and point-of-purchase printing and industry-specific applica- OneNote support. Brother will also continue to leverage its tions (e.g., printing of patient IDs and labels in health care). OmniJoin technology, a web and video conferencing service Altogether, this information creates valuable intelligence delivering highly secure voice, video and remote collaborafor companies, helping them improve productivity. tion through online meetings.

“The ideal Brother customer is using all of those technoloBrother has categorized its various office-of-the-future gies, and all of those technologies are talking to each other, initiatives into six areas: (1) workplace infrastructure; (2) and that’s really where device learning and artificial intel- employee experience; (3) customer experience; (4) changing ligence (AI) is going,” Waldinger says. workforce; (5) customer psychology; and (6) technology. It AI technology will allow vendors to better anticipate the plans to communicate these focuses with dealers and resellneeds of customers, making it an even more personalized expe- ers at channel events, as well as through marketing initiarience. Dealers will benefit from onboard self-diagnostics that tives. To support its commitment to some of these initiaare able to reorder parts and reduce spare inventory, resulting tives, Brother continues to hire new people from outside the in efficiencies and increased customer intimacy. At the same industry who can bring fresh perspectives. time, there are limitations with AI in the sense that the privacy “I think there’s an opportunity to refocus the discussion,” protection for personal data within areas like health care and Waldinger says. “As you can imagine, customers are much education should and will continue to be a top priority. more interested in companies that are forward-thinking, so “How fast is it coming?” Waldinger asks. “How fast will we’ve been really talking about how to take this information the government regulations allow AI, for instance, to play forward to our channel partners, to the customers.” into that? At the same time, because it’s an evolution, we will adopt more of a complementary approach to it.”

Canon U.S.A. Inc. As for other predictions, Waldinger anticipates that fuDennis Amorosano, Senior Vice ture MFPs will continue to see decreases in footprints and President & General Manager, Canon become closer to customers — right where they need them.

Information & Imaging Solutions Customers will also seek out technology providers that are Canon’s Dennis Amorosano beeasy to do business with and can grow with them as their lieves the workplace of the future is business requirements continue to evolve. being driven by customers seeking out Brother is fulfilling this last requirement through adapting new areas for business process autoits protocols and procedures to customer environments. Tomation. They are looking to improve day, the company is seeing device-as a-service offerings and the efficiency and effectiveness of workflows in departments 12 | w w w. o f f ic et ec hno lo g y m a g.c om | Aug ust 2 0 1 8

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like human resources and accounting. automate and improve their business “With even the best “And, of course, the objective is for processes. For instance, the mxHero platorganizations to be able to put their form allows customers to manage unof technology, there’s knowledge workers in positions where structured content in the form of email. nothing that replaces they can be more creative and more foOther future-focused areas of inface-to-face human cused on the strategic activities that are vestment for Canon have been the biointeraction in terms necessary to drive the business as opmedical space, as well as the video surof being able to posed to many of the mundane tasks so veillance arena (acquisitions include many knowledge workers are caught up Sweden-based Axis Communications communicate ... “ in today given the nature of the business and Denmark-based Milestone Sysprocesses that are out there,” Amorotems). While these initiatives do not fall sano says. squarely within the office technology sphere, from an office This need from customers is going to accelerate innova- perspective, there will be ways to leverage them over time. tion around technology for AI, machine learning and data “It’s quite clear to see that the company itself is even more analytics. Mobility and virtual working will be other areas highly diversified now than it was even just a couple of years of focus, though Amorosano believes the physical office will ago,” Amorosano says. “And the types of capabilities that continue to play an important role in employee interactions. we can bring to market are much more extensive than what “With even the best of technology, there’s nothing that we’ve been able to bring in the past.” replaces face-to-face human interaction in terms of being Over the last five years, employees within Canon’s CIIS able to communicate, collaborate, convey messages and subsidiary have interviewed approximately 15,000 Silicon things of that nature,” he says.

Valley companies in startup mode — including nearly 5,000 Instead, people are increasingly working in the way that organizations face to face. Not only is this exercise intended makes the most sense for them in the moment. to help identify new technologies for Canon, but it helps the “Basically, people are going to have the ability to work us- company have a better understanding of the larger IT maring the tools that they’re most comfortable with, whether ket for competitive purposes. that happens to be network-connected PCs, tablets, smart“It’s that startup innovative technology company that phones, etc.,” Amorosano says. has a new technology or a new business-model approach to The workplace of the future will also see more project- solving a customer problem that maybe catches hold and based employment structures, consultants and freelance takes off,” Amorosano says. “In a business like ours, it’s diffiworkers. These arrangements have been common in the cult to react quickly enough to compete with that. Those are technology industry, but will expand to other sectors. the kinds of companies that concern me the most.”

“I would imagine we’re going to see different types of Beyond disruptive threats to its core business, a different working arrangements than what we traditionally and typi- type of challenge for Canon is enabling dealers to effectively cally see today,” he says. sell and deliver business process automation solutions. This Canon has made various investments to help propel the is particularly an obstacle when Canon itself is still finecompany into the office of the future. For instance, it is tuning the right formula for selling traditional office equipdeeply engaged in the financial management process auto- ment and process automation technology. mation market (and accounts payable automation in par“There’s still a really big gap between selling print-centric ticular), and is increasingly incorporating more contextual solutions and selling process automation solutions,” Amoromanagement and machine-learning capabilities into this sano says, noting they have very different business models as and other process automation initiatives. well as requirements for sales reps and delivery personnel.

Over the last three years, its financial automation efforts — including marketing initiatives — have helped it become HP Inc. a sought-out advisor.

Stephan Schmitt, Head of Product “So that didn’t happen by accident, right?” Amorosano Management, Office Printing Solutions says. “We’ve built a very comprehensive marketing automaAccording to HP’s Stephan Schmitt, tion infrastructure inside CIIS [Canon Information & Imagthe office of the future is a key frameing Solutions] that we’re leveraging to reach and nurture work under which HP will organize prospective customers.” and transform its business. This is not Recently formed relationships with Box and mxHero have just a marketing strategy — it is an apbolstered Canon’s capabilities in terms of helping customers proach that will inform the company’s 14 | w w w. o f f ic et ec hno lo g y m a g.c om | Aug ust 2 0 1 8

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larger business strategy, in both the print bring paper back into the path of work,” “Ultimately ... it’s and PC realms.

Schmitt says.

“Ultimately ... it’s about creating an With companies increasingly usabout creating an engaging and collaborative environing cloud services for tasks like health engaging and ment in a workforce that is increasingly care and legal matters management, collaborative mobile, in a workplace that is dramatiHP and its resellers are striving to help environment in a cally changing, and work styles and prefthem link their print and PC devices to workforce that is erences that have significantly evolved these services. Providing these kinds of over the last 10-plus years,” Schmitt says. connectors has taken on greater imporincreasingly mobile ... “ Schmitt emphasized the mobility point. tance for HP than developing its own An increasingly digital-native workforce software solutions; it plans to make an is working out of a wide range of locations, including its work- announcement in this area in the coming months. place, home, while traveling, at conferences and coffee shops.

“We do (business process optimization) in a way that it “Increasingly, work is not getting done at your desk, integrates into the customer environment rather than comwhere you tended to have all the infrastructure,” he says. peting with it — another difference from some of our comMobile workers must not only be able to access digital petitors,” Schmitt says. “Very much a partner play.” information no matter where they are, 24/7, but they must In addition to McAfee and Microsoft, Schmitt mentioned be able to easily submit print jobs regardless of location. partners like Amazon for cloud purposes, ECi for service deThis involves a radical change to the print paradigm, so it livery, McKesson for health-care solutions and Abacus for becomes an element of one’s mobile work lifestyle process. legal solutions.

“You should be able to access printing and submit a print HP’s different initiatives around the office of the future job no matter where you are or which device you are using in center on smart connected devices that link to cloud infraa very simple, native experience,” Schmitt says. structure, machine learning and AI — which then feed into HP Roam was recently introduced for this very purpose. an applications ecosystem.

This cloud-based service enables workers to easily and seIn addition to the network monitoring and threat idencurely submit and release print jobs to a wide variety of tification example noted above, HP is using pattern recogprinters, regardless of location. nition and analysis to predict the failure of PC and print Another core pillar of HP’s office-of-the-future strategy device components before they fail. This information goes is security. For organizations to support the free flow of directly into a fleet management tool, enabling improved information, as well as a connected knowledge workforce, deployment of technicians, inventory of parts and supplythey must enable workers to securely access and share con- chain management. tent. This means inside and outside of company firewalls, “We have five or six components where we have about through endpoint security. “If you can’t do this, you lack the 95-percent accuracy relative to predicting a certain type of foundation for innovation,” Schmitt says. failure,” Schmitt says.

In both the print and PC spheres, HP has incorporated Consistent with these different initiatives, HP is shifting advanced security solutions into its devices through its own the marketing focus away from print devices and features to technology and services, as well as partnerships with com- areas like security, managed services, mobility and workflow panies like McAfee and Microsoft. This includes application integration. Schmitt added that the company is also dedicatwhitelisting, mobile phone authentication and integration ed to helping its indirect channel partners shift from a printcapabilities with larger IT environments. er-focused business to one that is software- and services-led.

HP is also refining technology to monitor network traffic, identify potential threats and respond to these threats more Konica Minolta Business proactively. HP considers its security focus a key differentiator.

Solutions U.S.A. Inc. Another important focus for HP is bringing paper back Kevin Kern, Senior Vice President, into the “path of work.” According to Schmitt, the transition Business Intelligence Services & between digital and paper processes is not often seamless.

Product Planning People must leave a digital process, enter a paper-based Kevin Kern of Konica Minolta proprocess, and then find a way to connect the two. vided a framework from which his “The picture we are drawing is the print industry in agcompany is crafting its workplacegregate has allowed it to be pushed out of the path of work, of-the-future strategy. recognizing that the entire office-of-the-future strategy is to “In our view, the workplace is made up of three key 16 | w w w. o f f ic et ec hno lo g ym a g.c om | Aug ust 2 0 1 8

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components — people, spaces and techKonica Minolta, as a result, has been fonology,” he says. “Research that we have cused on developing technology that “Our goal is to be the undertaken shows that technology is supports the creation of more simple and consultants who can transforming the workplace that we flexible work environments. This has been come in and help have traditionally known, where historione of the driving principles for the comidentify opportunities cally it has been focused on inputs and pany’s development of its new Workplace and then provide the outputs. Today, we are seeing technolHub product category. The first product ogy play a tremendous role in resetting from the category, the Hub, is intended to infrastructure to deliver our expectations of the way people work, integrate disparate IT and storage capaon those opportunities.” where they work and how they work. As bilities while allowing easy cloud-based such, particularly with the rising deupgrades and downloading of apps. mand of mobile working practices, workers today need to “The objective is to make IT simple for our customers — have easy access to the information they require at the right akin to the simplicity that a smartphone offers,” Kern says. times in the most appropriate formats. Currently, this is Another recent addition to its workplace-of-the-future challenging for many companies.” portfolio is the Double telepresence robot from Double RobotKonica Minolta is not just talking the talk, Kern goes on ics. This product lets workers remotely roam around an office to say. In addition to conducting research to understand the without having to schedule an in-person meeting — physicalchanging paradigms of the workplace of the future, Konica ly. According to Kern, the use of this product by a customer Minolta has invested significantly in R&D globally to de- located in a remote area led to a several-hundred-thousandvelop technologies to add value to the changing work en- dollar production print deal. People on leave from work can vironment. Alongside this, Konica Minolta has been trans- also benefit from the technology, which Kern has witnessed. forming its own infrastructure to be a reliable, leading-edge “With the Double robot, they could call into meetings, integrator for the smart workplace of the future. And, so, but they could be part of the meeting because they could through its own transformation, it understands the pain look around like you would [in person], not just like on a points, challenges and needs of businesses to propel them conference call or video conference,” he says. toward the future work environment.

Konica Minolta is also working on deals with a state “It’d be hard for us to have those conversations, particu- court system for its ALICE Virtual Receptionist, and a top larly in the mid-market and the higher end of the market pharmaceutical company for conference room setup and unless we, too, had undergone significant transformations,” management technology. All this technology is enhancing Kern says. “But, we have strengthened our value proposition Konica Minolta’s value proposition in support of tangibly by building up our IT arm with All Covered and our ECM realizing the smart office. The sales cycle for these kinds [enterprise content management] business and these types of products is often longer than 30 to 60 days, as it involves of things. Having these alternative capabilities has helped changing business processes.

Konica Minolta get to the bottom of the value-based needs “Our goal is to be the consultants who can come in and of its customers.” help identify opportunities and then provide the infrastrucAs such, unsurprisingly, a lot of customers’ top concerns ture to deliver on those opportunities,” Kern says. are not MFPs, though some MFP sales may result from these Konica Minolta now has more than 200 professional serconversations. “More and more, we’re finding that custom- vices consultants in the field who are working to support ers are very interested in how to achieve easy IT administra- sales reps with various IT opportunities, as well as securing tion, promoting a secure — physical or virtual — network their own business. They can support companies with more and ensuring collaboration.” than 17,000 seats or those with much smaller requirements.

Notably, Konica Minolta’s purchase of All Covered in 2010 As part of the sales process, the company leverages data gave it a wide variety of security service capabilities, which analysis from its channel marketing group to identify the can be used to help customers secure their larger IT infra- right set of offers for a target customer. And, once they have structures — including the mobile devices employees use in a relationship with a customer in place, it is something they and outside of the office. nurture over time — adding services as needs arise.

“In those environments you’ve got to have that secure infra“The ability to flexibly adapt to the customer’s data restructure underneath to drive the smart workplace,” Kern says. quirements, security requirements and everything else, There is no doubt that mobile devices and the ease of us- with remote support — which is critical — really will make ing apps is playing an increasing role in the workplace; with a difference we think,” Kern says. this comes the rising challenge of managing IT infrastructure.

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workplace-of-the-future strategy, including its ECM business — which has grown from a $3-million to a $54-million business in five years — and the servicing capabilities of its dealer channel. Dealers are bringing the legacy of a two- or fourhour response time — something often lacking from other channels.

“I think it’s going to be a service and a skill-set business as much as a hardware business,” Kern says about the workplace of the future.

Game-changing technologies and approaches include mobile apps on existing products like interactive flat-panel displays, projectors and print devices; AI that is leveraged to enhance how people work; and reworked processes that better fulfill customer requirements. For instance, in the mailing and packaging space, Ricoh is using lockers to dispatch products or tools to people in retail and health-care environments.

“Our job is to ensure we shift the meaning of the brand in the minds of our customer to one where they see a whole series of products, technology and services all focused on delivering in that new smart office of the future,” Laverty says.

As Ricoh moves toward the office of the future, it is focused on not selling products and services for the sake of selling them, but rather serving real issues and challenges customers have in their marketplaces or with their customers. The company just completed an extensive amount of internal training over the last 18 months to drive home this point.

“By playing a big part in those solutions, we become an important partner to our customers and our channel members,” Laverty says.

A key challenge for many customers is enabling their global workforces and networks to collaborate and communicate across great distances, different cultures and different languages. Ricoh can help them overcome this challenge by consulting with them on ways to better use current technology. New technology from Ricoh may also be helpful, such as the upcoming ability for intelligent whiteboard collaborators to view written words in a language they understand.

“In doing that, you are furthering the level of clarity and collaboration available to customers’ employees wherever they may be working,” Laverty says.

Another Ricoh initiative is the ability for customers to convert incoming mail and checks to digital format, move them to the intended destination, and better analyze the bits and pieces of information coming in from customers. A related project is a RICOH Return Mail Service offering that would help customers understand what is wrong with their current customer data, and show them how they can fix problems through scan technology and cloud-based information access.

Ricoh is also fine-tuning augmented reality technology for virtual reception of guests, as well as analytics capabilities for designing physical meeting spaces under a new smart office paradigm. For instance, Ricoh is increasingly able to help companies determine how to divvy up and equip space for meetings between just two, three or four people.

“The technology enables people to work collaboratively, including, for example, to do the scheduling, follow-ups,

“It’s connecting the physical to a digital experience where we can connect the people wherever they are, whenever they need to be connected.”

Ricoh Glenn Laverty, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Ricoh Americas, and President & CEO, Ricoh Canada Inc. Ricoh uses different phrases to describe the workplace of the future, including the “new world of work,” “changing work styles” and “changing lifestyles.” Essentially, these phrases represent the same thing: the quest to expand Ricoh’s reach beyond the traditional office.

“Our customers are working differently,” Ricoh’s Glenn Laverty says. “They’re working in a new digital environment in fundamentally different ways — always on with access to information from anywhere, at any time. They’re transforming the way they work and ultimately looking for greater levels of collaboration, productivity and innovation, and our job is to empower that digital workplace and help them drive effectiveness and efficiencies.”

According to Laverty, Ricoh’s value proposition is all about empowering digital workplaces that enable customers to achieve greater levels of innovative thinking as well as work smarter. This is facilitated through a wide range of technologies and services from Ricoh and its channels, including offerings around document management, collaboration services, IT services, commercial and industrial printing, digital cameras and different workflows in cameras.

“Our focus is intended to drive a strong foundational approach to innovation and customer experience, and we’ll continue to be committed to the things our customers care about,” Laverty says.

Ricoh continues to spend between 5 and 6 percent of its total sales in research and development, continually finding new ways to add value to its customers and society. It is clear that customers will need the right tools to work how they want.

“It’s connecting the physical to a digital experience where we can connect the people wherever they are, whenever they need to be connected,” Laverty says.

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communication and coordination of Similarly, Sharp’s vision is to provide who would be involved in activities relathe connection — through its products “The office environment tive to that meeting,” Laverty says. and services — that makes the technolis changing ... It’s more He mentioned other ongoing services ogy businesses use work better. a place of motion and and initiatives to push Ricoh further into Not only is this approach beneficial for connection. It’s where we smart office territory, including cloudthe customer, it also helps Sharp’s chango to meet and connect based print device management and the nel partners stay more relevant with ability for new workflows to be created their customers by offering a broader set with colleagues, a place and placed right on devices themselves of goods and services. Through Sharp’s of increasing fluidity.“ (an upcoming smart integration platform) partnership with Tech Data, dealers — enabling data collection, processing, have access to a wide range of third-paranalysis and distribution based on customer requirements. ty solutions (e.g., mobility solutions, scanners, network routRicoh will continue to work closely with partners like ers, water systems) that can serve as new revenue streams, IBM, collaborating to understand which office-of-the-fu- as well as differentiators. ture technologies it should prioritize, Laverty says.

“I think that a first-level benefit to channel partners is “With so much on the go, prioritization is always a great giving them ready access to the range of products their cuschallenge, but it’s positive in that we maintain an edge on in- tomers are buying,” Jannelli says. novation while listening to what customers need today, while In addition to the Tech Data partnership, Sharp’s relatively telling us what they’re going to need in the future,” he says. new ownership by Foxconn is opening doors to Foxconn’s key technology contacts as well as potential partnerships. One Sharp Electronics Corp. example is the Skywell® atmospheric water generator that creVince Jannelli, Associate Vice President ates a new way to collect and dispense clean drinking water. of Software Product Management It has taken the familiar office water cooler and introIncreasingly, the physical office duced a revolutionary technology that creates clean water is being used as a hub, says Sharp’s from the air we breathe, Jannelli says. The Skywell is a welVince Jannelli. come connection to the smart office, where employees can “The office environment is chang- opt-in to track personal water consumption via an app. More ing and fixed offices and desks are on importantly, thanks to its integration with Sharp’s Machine the decline,” Jannelli says. “It’s more Intelligence Call Avoidance System (MICAS IoT service), a place of motion and connection. It’s where we go to meet dealer service teams can proactively ensure that each conand connect with colleagues, a place of increasing fluidity.” nected Skywell is producing water at optimum levels.

Due to this emphasis on fluidity, Sharp is focusing the Developed as an internet-of-things platform, MICAS IoT first of its office-of-the-future initiatives on meeting room works across Sharp’s B2B portfolio. It helps Sharp’s authotechnology. This adds value around existing Sharp tech- rized service providers be more efficient by collecting sernology, for areas in which its channels already play. For in- vice data and presenting service recommendations in a stance, its new Alexa-like “assist bot” helps kick off meet- clear, easy-to-understand format. Simply put, it takes comings for individuals on Sharp AQUOS interactive displays. plex tables and computer talk, and converts them to usable, The overall goal is to help customers improve their meet- common language. Making information available in intering-room experience. net-of-things communication is the secret sauce that turns “How are people using our products?” Jannelli asks. “What mountains of data into usable information, Jannelli adds. are their frustrations? Can we help them by solving those All of this can help Sharp leverage the newest technolpain points? Creating a smoother experience when people ogy (e.g., data collection, analytics, natural voice processuse our products — this is what the meeting room is about.” ing) to make office life smarter. Turning data into usable In the meeting-room sphere, as well as with the broader IT information, simplifying the meeting experience, providenvironment, Sharp will continue to prioritize integration ser- ing analytics on resource utilization and helping employvices that help blend Sharp and non-Sharp technology. The re- ees optimize their water consumption — all are examples ality is customers are using — or have a need for — a wide range of smart office technology. of third-party technologies and Sharp must work within that “By aggregating access and ultimately simplifying the framework. Jannelli provided an analogy for this approach: use of these different services, we provide something unique “Manhattan is a great place, so is Brooklyn,” he says. “Yet, if it and differentiated in the marketplace that no one else can weren’t for the bridges and tunnels, how would we enjoy it all?” provide,” Jannelli says. ­22 | w w w. o f f ic et ec hno lo g y m a g.c om | Aug ust 2 0 1 8

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In terms of marketing its office-of-thepersonal lives, 10 years later we’re at the Xerox is looking to future solutions, Sharp will continue to beginning stages of what is possible in the strongly leverage digital marketing and work environment,” one executive says. cater to this new way search engine optimization for lead genXerox clients no longer care about the of working both through eration purposes. It will also continue to speed of the print device or the size of innovations within its engage with online communities (like the paper tray. Rather, they care about core business, as well Spiceworks) to interact with business how they can improve collaboration as entering adjacent decision-makers, gain insight into their and productivity in their workplaces. interests, and align services and messagThis is where apps come into play, with markets ... ing accordingly. Another key component partners that are able to bring Xerox for Sharp is marketing to its dealers. past its current 50 or so apps.

“The [dealer] channel is our customer, as it is [the chanXerox also understands the growing importance of IT senel] that allows us to deliver value to the end customer,” Jan- curity. It brought in security expert Dr. Alissa Johnson about nelli says. a year-and-a-half ago to strengthen its security offerings, as well as speak at industry events. Given the top customer Xerox Corp. priorities, Xerox is now offering a managed document soluAbout a year ago, Xerox changed tions “essentials” bundle for resellers. The bundle includes the name of its A3 and A4 devices apps, software, security and training in one package. from “office products” to “workplace assistants.” This reAs mentioned above, Xerox is exploring markets adjacent flected the changing times. to document printing like the internet of things and artifi“Xerox was intentional in that change, realizing that to- cial intelligence. Printed electronics and smart labeling are day’s workplace is fluid … it could be a home office, it could other areas that would align with its IP assets. be in the airport, it could be at a soccer field watching your As it moves into the future, Xerox is working to strengthkids … a Starbucks,” one executive says. “The company is en its sales approach. This includes moving SMB clients to trying to respond to the dynamic that the workplace is no its various channel partners, including agents, concessionlonger within the confines of an office ... it’s everywhere.” aires and Global Imaging Systems, allowing its direct salesXerox is looking to cater to this new way of working both force to focus more intently on large enterprise clients. through innovations within its core business, as well as enAnother Xerox strategy has been using social media and tering adjacent markets that are more emerging in nature. events to communicate its marketing message of “Set the Page It has a three-step plan for driving productivity, strengthen- Free” — showing the concept to clients and channel partners. ing its core, and investing continued cash and profit to fuel Xerox continues to demonstrate its commitment to help expansion into new markets. It plans to leverage IP from its bring the industry into the future — realizing there is an opthree research centers in a three- to five-year timeline. portunity that will benefit its customers, partners and the Xerox is planning innovations around inkjet technology, company itself. workplace solutions software, artificial intelligence and the internet of things. The company’s recent product launch Keypoint Intelligence-InfoTrends’ Opinion of 29 Xerox ConnectKey A3 and A4 devices — the largest Office technology vendors recognize that trends like molaunch in its history — blended futuristic elements. bility, the cloud and artificial intelligence are changing the The products’ open platform, for instance, lets partners nature of the workplace, as well as how people work. While and developers customize the devices for their clients to they are using this knowledge to design innovations in ofminimize steps in their workflows and automate steps in fice printing, they are also expanding into adjacent or even their workplaces. very new areas that respond to new customer requirements Customized apps on MFPs may play a similar role to and preferences. OEMs are also playing a proactive role in smartphones in our personal lives. They can help people helping redefine the workplace of the future through riskrun various elements of their work lives while letting them taking technologies, as well as thought leadseamlessly move between the cloud, desktop and device in a ership that paves the way forward. n secure way. This way, the print device becomes much more Christine Dunne is a consultant for Keypoint than just a copier/MFP or printer.

Intelligence-InfoTrends’ Office Technology and “The company realizes that just as the iPhone, Samsung deServices Group. She can be reached at vices and others have really driven up productivity and become christine.dunne@keypointintelligence.com. personal assistants, even using artificial intelligence in our Visit www.keypointintelligence.com.

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Button First, Message Next Marketing successfully by developing interest by: Tim Votapka, Prosperity Plus Management Consulting Inc.

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ears ago — and I mean many years ago — my family had a game we would play during long vacation rides in our hot car. We referred to it as “The Commercial Game,” and since it required no batteries, moving pieces, cards or dice, it was the perfect portable timekiller and the best way to keep us from bailing out of a moving vehicle on the interstate. The rules were simple: recite a line or hum part of a jingle without mentioning the name of the product or the company. The first one to fill in the blank or shout out the product or the brand won the point and would then get the next turn. If my family members were in the right frames of mind, this contest would consume a good 45 minutes and keep me and my siblings from kicking each other or shoving pillows over backseat neutral zones and declaring war on each other for the rest of the trip.

Now, the funny part of this game was when someone would go blank on a product or company. He (or she) may have had the tune down cold and could see the three old ladies at the counter of the fast-food joint staring down at the hamburger in front of them. About 30 percent of the time, there was a painful brain freeze when all recall went dark and time on the clock would run out — much to the joy of the presenter, who would maintain his turn for another round.

This failure would be an example of a great ad or promo that did not make any attempt to factor in the correct use of buttons and messages. It is imperative to have these understood by anyone you have deputized as your marketing manager.

The first thing that must be understood and accepted is these two terms are not the same thing at all. A message is the communication, the thought or the significance an advertiser wants to convey to his target audience. A button is merely the thing that is used to get the audience’s agreement to hear or read the message. The term originated in an early-20th-century expression, “press the button,” which

means to perform an action that automatically brings about the required state of affairs. In marketing communications, which includes public relations, the required state of affairs we are looking to reach is agreement and cooperation with one’s actions. In other words, read the ad or open the email. Graphics, images and headlines are used to push that button.

The message, on the other hand, is the real essence of any promotional piece. It is the idea, copy or narration that tells viewers and readers what fun they will experience once they have slipped behind the wheel of a new SUV. You will drive over rocky streambeds, camp out in the woods with your dog, fit every stuffed sports bag and kid in one van without a single bit of mud, and be on your way with everyone beaming. Those concepts and ideas are using buttons to draw your attention and agreement, yet the message is the second part of the equation and it speaks promissory words of quality of life, the comfort of a smooth ride with lane-change warning indicators, and other bells and whistles that make the new SUV the must-have vehicle for you and your family.

That is how good marketing is done. It determines what the buttons are for any given audience and builds from there. It often uses some of the very same words, phrases or images uttered by your prospects.

Here is one of my favorite examples. Years back, I was involved in a major positioning strategy and branding program for a capital equipment provider that was trying to overcome years of frequent thematic changes in its promotional campaigns. If something did not appear to have worked one year, the group tried another coat of paint without giving any thought or effort about learning what buttons its target audience had available to push. The products it had to sell were all well and good, and its service capabilities were on par with any competitor — better and more personal in many cases — yet the audience never recognized this group as a player in the marketplace. That is until some

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create: advertising, emails, website landsurveying was conducted; the buttons ing pages, presentations, direct mail and were identified and then pushed ferventRemember, it is not what so forth. We also did not take our own ly throughout the rest of the program. you think of your product, internal people for granted either. They, Creatively speaking, the button in service or company too, had to be oriented to the program, this case was time or, more precisely, that matters. It is what told what its content meant and how it all the concept of saving time. Everything your customers think. could be used in their vernacular, sales else about the equipment and the comand service alike. No one was left behind. pany, though extremely important, was It is your job to get Independent office technology dealers secondary to building that agreement them thinking ... have the same, simple formula at hand to read or view. Saving time was the butand many of them usually have enough ton and, to take it one step further, “It’s about time” was the phrase many prospective customers information (if they have surveyed) to know exactly what used in their survey responses. Ergo, the campaign theme buttons to push. That data has inspired some very successand the headlines in every ad started with the button “It’s ful promo pieces without making hit-or-miss investments About Time … ” and the graphic design featured an instru- on development, design and production. Think of it as if you ment casting the shadow of a clock to convey the idea that were in your prospect’s position — if you are facing stressful cost-reduction directives and you saw a line that read “XYZ’s all of these machines were designed and built to save time.

The message elaborated on that idea briefly enough to es- document management solutions cut down paperwork, extablish more credibility and interest for further information penses and my stress level,” would that not generate a little or assistance, and then we were in the race with the conti- bit of agreement from you? If your workflow was being hamnuity of the message deployed across all tactics we had to pered by old office products like a ball and chain, wouldn’t a graphic of that very image hit home? It sure would — and the accompanying messages would provide the appropriate backup information to validate your take on the situation and present the opportunity for you to handle it with the right kind of help. Throw in a discount or special offer for added enticement and now you have some effective leadgenerating marketing underway. Button first. Message next.

So now you know why certain advertisements succeed where others do not. This is why you keep snapping your fingers as you think about the clever spot with the guys walking by the diner, but go blank on what the ad was promoting. The ad did not push the right button for you and failed to get your agreement to pay enough attention to its message in order to find it memorable. Remember, it is not what you think of your product, service or company that matters. It is what your customers think. It is your job to get them thinking and the only way to do that is to push their buttons. When you do, you will be remembered as the go-to resource when the need for your product or service arises.

Who knows, you may end up having your ad come up in a game being played by a family driving down the highway on its way to summer vacation. Only this time, there will be no lapses in memory. They will know it was your promo and they will know it by your name. n Tim Votapka is the director of marketing services at Prosperity Plus Management Consulting Inc. He can be reached at (631) 382-7762 or tvotapka@prosperityplus.com.

Visit www.prosperityplus.com.

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COURTS & CAPITOLS

Employment Regulations New laws favor employees rather than employers by: Robert C. Goldberg, general counsel for the Business Technology Association

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his column often brings employment issues to your attention. After all, we all have employees and need to be aware of the latest regulations affecting our relationships. It is clear that the pendulum is swinging away from employers and favoring employees. BTA members have always treated their employees well. To continue doing so, there are some recent changes you should be aware of.

Previously, several large corporations — eBay, Intuit, Adobe, Apple, Google and Intel — have been subject to antitrust suits regarding agreements not to poach each other’s employees. The restrictions have also been expanded to include the sharing of wage information and, in some jurisdictions, asking an applicant about his (or her) previous compensation is prohibited. The antitrust laws prohibit contracts, combinations and conspiracies in restraint of trade. No matter what line of business you are in, we all compete for employees. Thus, an agreement not to poach employees from another business is a restraint of trade of the employee seeking employment.

Many channel agreements have provisions prohibiting the solicitation of employees from other parties. Do these agreements violate the law? There are exceptions.

In limited situations, businesses may agree, without violating antitrust laws, not to solicit each other’s employees or to share information about wages. These situations are necessary as part of a legitimate collaboration between the parties. For example, it may be permissible to agree to a restriction on hiring as part of a legitimate joint venture or teaming agreement.

I recently reviewed an agreement where a software developer agreed to support a dealer’s customers where the dealer had yet to develop that capability. The agreement had a one-year non-solicitation of each other’s employees, as well as the dealer’s customers. These teaming agreement restrictions have a legitimate business purpose. Likewise, there is an exception allowing businesses to share employment information in order to evaluate whether to pursue a merger or acquisition. Restrictions on asking potential employees their previous salaries are thought to limit compensation rather than determine compensation based on qualifications.

Rising health insurance premiums, benefits and taxes have prompted many dealers to consider adding independent contractors to their teams. Whether one qualifies as an employee or independent contractor has always been a gray area. The U.S. Department of Labor provides factors to consider in making a determination, but does not place an emphasis on

specific factors being more important than others.

The California Supreme Court, the source of many employment law changes, recently issued a ruling establishing a new standard for determining if an individual is an independent contractor or employee. The court held that all workers are presumed to be employees. Thus, the burden is on the company to prove an individual is an independent contractor. In the past, the factors considered were the worker’s investment in the tools used, the method of payment, the degree of permanence of the relationship, the degree of direction and independence of the worker, and the parties’ intentions regarding the relationship. Employees are entitled to minimum wage, overtime, meal and rest breaks, paid sick time, expense reimbursement and other forms of compensation, whereas independent contractors are not.

The California Supreme Court established the “ABC” standard to reach a determination. (A) Is the individual free from the control and direction of the hirer, both under contract and in fact?

(B) Is the worker performing work that is outside the usual course of the hiring company? (C) Is the worker customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation or business? Under the California rule, a copier/MFP salesperson working for a dealership would not likely qualify as an independent contractor.

Expect this analysis to spread beyond California.

It is important to remain current on the quickly changing employment picture. BTA will keep you advised. n Robert C. Goldberg is general counsel for the Business Technology Association.

He can be reached at robert.goldberg@sfnr.com. www.offi cetechnol ogymag.com | Au g u s t 2018 | 29

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AIMED VIEWPOINT

Crushing B2B Digital Media How LinkedIn can impact your inbound sales funnel by: Craig Wasilchak, Alternative Business Automation Solutions

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am on a journey to crush B2B digital media and share what I learn with the world. As a member of the Business Technology Association (BTA) and after serving on the AIMED Board of Directors for 10 years as its “Affinity Partner Chairman,” I have seen inbound and outbound marketing processes evolve. Marketing starts with your CRM and how you utilize its data. The combination of using LinkedIn to create brand awareness and for prospecting, along with using your existing tools correctly, completes your marketing system: (1) LinkedIn; (2) telemarketing; (3) targeted emailing; (4) targeted cold calling; and (5) targeted personalized mailings.

My journey to build an automated digital lead funnel system started on April 15 when I learned that LinkedIn embedded native video into its platform. I studied the platform day in and day out for five weeks while connecting with amazing storytellers and digital marketers. During this time, I was working up the courage to make and post my first video to test what I had learned about LinkedIn’s algorithms. Would my video gain likes, comments and views?

Phase 1 Test – Success I posted my first video on May 26 (Memorial Day weekend; it was bad timing). I meticulously stuck to the best practices I learned from watching other successful LinkedIn members.

I was expecting maybe 250 views; 2,000 would be a home run.

Views started coming in. At 700 views, the LinkedIn community reached out to help me by pointing out how to correctly tag people and hashtag important keywords. I had completely messed up the post, as I had used hashtags where tags should have been. I learned how to edit my post and correct my mistakes.

Seven-hundred views quickly climbed to 1,500, 3,000, 5,000 and 7,000. My video topped out at just over 8,180 views. What a ride.

It was pure work for one-and-a-half weeks to pull it off and interact with the community to gain 231 likes and 152 comments.

Phase 2 Test – Success With a Surprise I posted my second video on June 7. The video was a humorous educational video teaching how to properly use tags and hashtags. This time I wanted to confirm proof of concept and put less time toward driving views. My goal was 2,000 views. I awoke the next morning to view the status and noticed something odd.

I quickly did a double take. I had been listed on Zack Scriven’s list of top 10 favorite LinkedIn creators. My second video hit 74 likes, 41 comments and 2,320 views. Ultimately, the top 10 favorite LinkedIn creators post hit 168 likes, 105 comments and 7,704 views.

Phase 3 Test – Success I then posted my third test. It included a selfie I took while attending BTA’s Gateway to Success event in June in Fort Worth, Texas. The post was an educational update on how Epson WorkForce Pro printers are disruptive technologies in the marketplace, which will benefit customers by driving down the operational cost of printing. It also included the name of our business, Alternative Business Automation Solutions, and that we have more than 140 amazing customer reviews. I also sprinkled keywords into the content.

The Importance of a Social Community The LinkedIn community will build your engaged customer base and get people coming back for more of whatever it is that you are posting, whether it is an evergreen post, video, physical product update or a direct engagement with your business.

Three Items for a Thriving Community (1) Trust — Your community must trust you. A trusting community will like you and promote your brand, which will turn it into an evangelist.

(2) Engagement — Get your customers highly engaged with your brand. They become free spokespeople for your brand.

(3) Growth — Once you have trust and engagement in place, focus on growth. Make sure your audience is hyper-engaged with you and your brand. Content will become key. Focus on pushing out content on your brand and company brand once you connect with a potential prospect. n Craig Wasilchak is president and CEO of Alternative Business Automation Solutions, located in Arlington, Texas.

Connect with him on LinkedIn to discuss implementing a B2B digital marketing strategy, as a B2B friend or just to chat. He can be reached at craigw@altbizsolutions.com or (817) 226-4646, ext. 1027.

Visit www.altbizsolutions.com.

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EDUCATION CALENDAR August

21-22 BTA Managed Services Workshop Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania No matter where you are in your MSP maturity, the one-and-a-half-day BTA Managed Services Workshop will benefit your business. In this workshop, Mitch Morgan and Chris Ryne of Growth Achievement Partners will share their experience to allow attendees to walk away with a time-tested process, tools and metrics for capitalizing on the managed services market opportunity. Visit www.bta.org/MS to register.

22-24 BTA Sales Management Workshop

Chicago, Illinois The BTA Sales Management Workshop is a career development “must-have” for sales management at all levels, and provides the knowledge, skills, processes and tools to immediately increase effectiveness. Taught by Kim Ward of Learning Outsource Group, the BTA Sales Management Workshop focuses entirely on the “how-to” skills that will help each attendee reach his (or her) full potential as a great sales leader and coach. Visit www.bta.org/SalesMgt to register.

23

BTA Building My Business Webinar: “How to Ensure an 85-Percent Managed IT Services Close Ratio” During this webinar, led by Brian Suerth of Technology Assurance Group (TAG), you will learn proven techniques that you can immediately use to increase your managed IT services business and your recurring revenue. Visit www.bta.org/BMB to register.

September 10

BTA Strategic Sales Semester Determining which accounts and opportunities require a transactional approach and which require a strategic approach is a skill required to be successful today and into the future. The BTA Strategic Sales Semester consists of 13 45- to 60-minute online training sessions held every other week over six months. Visit www.bta.org/StrategicSales to register.

18-19 Select Dealer Group Meeting - www.bta.org/SDG

New York City, New York

19-21 2018 BTA National Conference - Hosted by BTA East New York City, New York The 2018 BTA National Conference will feature: a keynote address led by James Lawrence, the Iron Cowboy; a vendor panel on production and industrial print; a memorable team-building experience; eight additional educational sessions led by industry leaders; time to network with peers and exhibiting sponsors; and a dinner cruise around Manhattan in a glass-top boat, the Bateaux. BTA member dealers receive 2-for-1 registration. Visit www.bta.org/ BTANewYork 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 Alpha Laser & Imaging LLC, Evansville, IN FlexPrint Inc., Mesa, AZ Vendor Members PerformIT, Wrightstown, PA For full contact information of these new members, visit www.bta.org.

PCS VoIP Communication Solutions Pegasus Communication Solutions (PCS VoIP) is a communication solutions provider for any business, big or small. As the copier/MFP and supplies market is staying flat, PCS can provide another profit center to your company with no risk, no inventory and no back office to worry about. It is an opportunity to increase your bottom line on a residual basis by providing an invaluable service to your existing and new customer bases. This product will fit perfectly with the lines you offer now and it provides a perfect opportunity for cross selling and ensuring that clients will stay with your company for a long time. PCS will pay a one-year BTA dealer membership for any dealership that signs up to do business with the company.

Visit www.bta.org/PCS for more information.

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

For the benefit of its dealer members, each month BTA features two of its vendor members in this space.

Hybrid Imaging Systems is the company that puts you in control. From document scanning and management systems to business workflow engines and cloud-based file storage, Hybrid’s products empower its partners to improve the productivity and efficiency of their clients’ businesses. Its product, Scanshare, helps organizations of all sizes improve the accuracy, efficiency and productivity of their paper-based information workflows. Operated by an embedded office MFP application or a native Windows client, Scanshare’s server application can convert your day-to-day business documents into editable, electronic files and route them rapidly. www.scanshare.systems

Since 1991, Hyland has helped more than 19,000 organizations around the globe manage information, simplify processes and connect systems with its flexible and configurable software solutions. The company is inspired to make its customers’ lives better with intuitive software that enables them to digitize their workplaces and fundamentally transform. To support the diverse needs of its customers, Hyland collaborates with an exclusive team of partners comprised of traditional solution providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), technology partners, systems integrators (SIs) and alliance partners. www.hyland.com A full list of BTA vendor members can be found online at www.bta.org.

For more information, visit www.bta.org.

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MEMBER BENEFITS Included with $430 BTA dealer membership: Legal Services • Industry advice & guidance via the BTA Legal Hotline • Sample legal agreements & contracts customizable for your dealership • Contract reviews • Data security & patent troll guidance & brochures • National industry campaign against fraudulent telemarketing of copier/MFPs & computer supplies

Publications • Monthly Office Technology magazine • Weekly BTA Hotline e-newsletter

Channel Trends & Statistics

Business Support Services • Ask the Analyst service • Monthly Building My Business webinars • Sample job descriptions • Sample compensation plans

Discount Promo Codes • $400 in discounts with a one-year membership or $950 in discounts with a two-year membership to apply toward education or BTA events

BTA Scholarships • The opportunity to apply for educational scholarships of $3,000, $1,500 & $1,000 awarded to children of BTA member dealers & the children of their full-time employees.

Applications due each year by May 1.

• Channel’s Choice Summary • BTA Compensation Report • BTA Finance Report • BTA Service Report

BTA Navigator Program

Available to members at reduced fees:

Business Support Services

Channel Trends & Statistics • 2016 Business Equipment Quota Index (BEQI) • Keypoint Intelligence-Buyers Lab bliQ — competitive intelligence & sales tools • Keypoint Intelligence-InfoTrends reports

BTA Events & Educational Offerings • Registration to BTA’s district-hosted events & annual national conference • Classroom training programs covering all aspects of your business, including training for sales reps, sales managers and service managers, as well as a financial benchmarking workshop to help grow your business • Online workshops, including an in-depth sales workshop consisting of 13 modules for your entire sales team, a new sales rep training workshop, and one-to-one telesales training & coaching • CompTIA exam voucher discounts • IT University online courses • Logical Operations’ User Productivity Courseware & Axzo Crisp Series

Available to members at competitive rates: Insurance Programs

• Business executive life • Business liability • Data compromise coverage • Disability, long- and short-term • Retirement programs

• OEM co-op reimbursement program for BTA dues & educational workshop tuition. Check with your supplier!

• Background checks • Business valuation services • Collection services • Credit card processing • Credit report & business information services • Employee assessment tools • On-hold messaging service • Recruitment services • Relationship management/CRM • Telemarketing/lead generation • VoIP communication solutions

Discounted Programs • BTA Marketplace discounts & value-added offerings • BTA member rewards program • Car rental discounts • Device monitoring & management • Gas & electricity volume purchasing agreements • Hard drive security solutions • Marketing solutions • Mobile discount programs • Product evaluations & side-by-side comparisons • Shipping & freight discounts

• Health discount card providing medical, dental, vision, hearing, lab & prescription discounts • Medical, life, health, dental & vision plans through an insurance brokerage service • Section 125 cafeteria plans • Term life • Workers’ compensation

For more information, visit www.bta.org/Benefits. www.offi cetechnol ogymag.com | Au g u s t 2018 | 33

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DEALERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

Kraft Business Systems Dealership focused on health-care vertical by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

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or many smaller office technology dealerships, growth is often achieved by focusing on a particular vertical niche.

That was the case with Kraft Business Systems, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A focus on health care ultimately helped Kraft grow from a $400,000 dealership when it was acquired by Jeff Cousins in 1994 to almost an $11-million dealership today. However, there is a surprising twist to Cousins’ story.

“I’ve never been able to say, ‘I’m at an age where I can just ride out where I’m at and take advantage of the leverage that’s already been created,’” Cousins says. “So, I’ve been comfortable making changes over the years. I got into health care because I needed to find a way to compete with manufacturers and larger dealerships in our market.”

Cousins recalls the day that one of Kraft’s vendors asked if he wanted to enter the health-care space and sell an EMR (electronic medical records) solution. “I said, ‘Sure! What’s an EMR solution?’” he says. “That’s how we got into it. Candidly, it was a major investment on our part from a staffing perspective, training and time.”

Actually, the first go-round for Kraft with an EMR solution partner was “one of the worst decisions we ever made,” Cousins says. “I had no control over the implementation, training, support, follow up or optimization. So, we sat down as a group and I said, ‘If we can’t find a partner that is going to allow us to control the outcome like we can with imaging and IT solutions, I don’t want to do this.’”

That led Kraft to a long and successful relationship with eClinicalWorks. “It took us a year to sign off on certified training, but it was actually a fairly natural fit for us,” Cousins says.

“We had more than 750 EMR implementations.”

The eClinicalWorks solution is designed for the “ambulatory space,” Cousins says. “Our focus was on independent physicians, but that opened up other areas to us. We started getting contacted by health systems saying, ‘We are struggling with how to optimize the doctors’ practices that we own.’ So, we were getting in front of some of these hospitals and, all of a sudden, we were doing practice billing and HIPPA compliance work; in our second year we did about a million dollars just in HIPPA certification and contract work alone. We were also doing accounting and bookkeeping work.”

The focus on health care with the EMR solution also allowed Kraft to expand its reach with imaging devices (the dealership offers Copystar, Lexmark and Sharp products) and managed IT services, which now represents about 30 percent of the

Jeff Cousins ( far right in group photo; inset), president and owner of Kraft Business Systems, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with some of his nearly 50 employees. Cousins acquired the company in 1994. dealership’s revenue. Once inside doctors’ practices, “it was a logical play for us to then be able to start talking about how we could also manage both their IT and imaging,” Cousins says.

“If you look at our last 35 sales in the health-care space, 85 percent of them have imaging solutions and 60 percent have IT solutions from us.”

Its history in the health-care industry has distinguished Kraft from its competition. “It is obvious to a practice manager, physician group or anybody else in the health-care space that we’ve invested a lot of time and energy to understand the industry,” Cousins says. “We understand their acronyms, their pain points, the frustrations doctors face and why health systems often lose money on the physicians’ groups they acquire.

It takes a long time to be able to talk with integrity and have more than one person who can do so; that’s a big investment.

We probably invested $1 million during the first three or four years in understanding the industry.”

What is the surprising twist to Cousins’ story? He sold the dealership’s health-care group three years ago. “We started talking to the largest health-care systems in the state of Michigan,” he says. “They were very intrigued with what we could do, but the problem was scalability. It was: ‘Great idea, but how do you scale up to a $6- to $10-billion health system?’”

Cousins says it was a valid question. “The expectations would be at a whole new level,” he says. “Actually, we went through this when we got an order for 3,000 imaging devices from one

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Today, after that one year at the malpraccompany and made all the mistakes. We retice insurer, two years back at the helm at alized we were in a different space, and that “There are many Kraft and the expiration of non-competes in those kinds of mistakes were never going to opportunities for the health-care space, Cousins is re-entering be acceptable and could kill us. So, we sold dealers; for us, health the vertical, poised for growth and armed our health-care group to the largest malcare has proven to be with the insight and experiences of the past. practice insurer in the country and I went our leading opportunity.

“After about a three-year hiatus, we’re movto work for them for a year.” ing forward again with a very large partner Yes, Cousins went to work for the comYou just have to be in the health-care space,” he says, noting pany that acquired Kraft’s health-care willing to explore ... “ that Kraft has not only grown organically group, serving as an executive vice presin the past three years, but recently made its ident while a core group of management continued to oversee Kraft. During his one-year tenure at the first acquisition in the state of Michigan. “There are many opcompany, he worked to generate new business in the state of portunities for dealers; for us, health care has proven to be our Ohio. “I generated $3.5 million for the entity in a year,” he says. leading opportunity. You just have to be willing to explore, find “That was helpful for Kraft long-term, but really exhilarating the opportunity that is best for your dealership and recognize that there will be a few unknowns for me, a sales guy who enjoys that kind of challenge.”

Helpful for Kraft? There were no non-competes in place with as you move forward.” n Brent Hoskins, executive director of the the malpractice provider that precluded Kraft from selling its Business Technology Association, is editor of other products and services to the prospects Cousins was pursuOffice Technology magazine. He can be reached ing. “When I was in Ohio, we were able to sell 700 to 800 imaging at brent@bta.org or (816) 303-4040. units in the state,” he says. “We did the same thing in Indiana.”

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

ConvergX 2018 Partnership a key focus for Ricoh in the coming year by: Elizabeth Marvel, Office Technology Magazine

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ocusing on the alliance between Ricoh USA Inc. and its dealer partners after last year’s changes to its direct sales business, Ricoh held its national dealer meeting June 2527, 2018, at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The event drew more than 1,200 attendees.

With the goal of innovating a new go-to-market strategy to adapt to the changes in the market, Ricoh chose to eliminate its direct sales force for SMB in 2017, giving that business to its dealer partners. While there are still some inside sales reps calling solely on existing customers, dealers are now considered the company’s growth engine.

“In 2017, we disrupted the industry with the changes we made to our strategies,” said Jim Coriddi, vice president of the Dealer Division at Ricoh USA Inc., during his general session comments. “The driving force was customer penetration and improving the overall customer experience ... We realigned to position the dealers as a primary growth strategy in the most profitable segment of our business — SMB. “Well, here we are today, about a year under our belt and, in SMB, there is no Ricoh direct sales force on the street for you to compete with,” Coriddi continued. “Your major competitor is gone ... That means that every single Ricoh Family Group [RFG] dealer — every single one of you here — is solely responsible for generating new customer growth for Ricoh in the SMB space.”

The company’s plan seems to be working, as Coriddi announced a strong 2017 fiscal year. Same-dealer (RFG dealers in FY17 that were also RFG dealers in FY16) revenue grew 10 percent; A3 color MFPs grew 7 percent; A4 color growth was 11 percent; and dealer units grew to 43 percent of total units sold in the U.S. market. Coriddi also noted that the amount of leads the company distributed in FY17 increased 400 percent from the previous year, and in the last six months, it has distributed more than 700 free leads a month. The win rate on these closed leads is 38 percent — a number Coriddi called “outstanding.”

To continue this success, Ricoh announced a three-point growth strategy, Ricoh Ignite, to acquire new customers, retain existing customers and expand the company’s portfolio of products, solutions and services within those customers.

Jake Yamashita, president and CEO of Ricoh Co. Ltd., laid out this strategy during his general session presentation.

“Every business is going through dramatic change caused by technology,” he said. “And every business has a choice — innovate or die. Our choice is clear. We will always be the innovation company. So we are making significant investments

Left to right: Jim Coriddi; Jake Yamashita; and Joji Tokunaga. in technology for our growth and for our customers’ growth. I call this Ricoh Ignite.”

Ricoh Ignite consists of three key growth strategies.

“Growth strategy zero [in Japan, zero is considered the first number when counting] is about future development of our core office printing business,” Yamashita said. “Growth strategy one is about expanding printing technology into new markets and growth strategy two is about adding new value to our current office customer base.”

These strategies could be seen in the Dealer Experience Center, where Ricoh shared its newest advances, including: new A3 color MFP technology to be released in early 2019; a new production print series, the RICOH Pro C7200 series; RICOH Clickable Paper, an interactive solution that combines the online and offline worlds; and RICOH Cloud Workflow Solutions, which are subscription-based, multi-tenant cloud solutions focused on workflows.

Finally, the theme of “togetherness” was expressed by several Ricoh executives during their presentations.

“I know you all have some level of awareness of the significant changes that took place in Ricoh USA in the past year,” said Joji Tokunaga, president and CEO of Ricoh in the Americas, in his general session presentation. “And while they were difficult and disruptive, they had one very important positive benefit for our future. It gave us the opportunity to demonstrate the deep trust we have in our dealer partners.

“Trust is the foundation of ... partnership,” Tokunaga said. “We are united through our commitment to our customers. When we work together in partnership, we are a match of resources to our customers and an unstoppable force against our competitors.” n Elizabeth Marvel is associate editor of Office Technology magazine. She can be reached at elizabeth@bta.org or (816) 303-4060.

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SELLING SOLUTIONS

Sales Management Success Achieved by embracing these 10 strategies by: Kim Ward, Learning Outsource Group

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manager works “through” employees to achieve goals. As simple as this sounds, it is not always simple to do. With flatter organizations, increasingly diversified responsibilities, added pressures and less margin for error, the crucial role of sales manager is both more important and more difficult than ever.

My company, Learning Outsource Group, has supported the office technology industry with sales management leadership development and sales education for the past 25 years. We have been fortunate to work with the best in the business and would like to share some of what we have learned.

Following are the 10 most current strategies for sales management success: Invest in Your Future Leadership and great management both require a commitment to lifelong learning. Investing in yourself through education and personal development can help simplify very complex responsibilities.

Create a Success Culture The right values of business and personal conduct create a high-potential success culture. Managers should always remember that elite, high-performance team members want to be surrounded by other elite, high performers.

Lead With Passion The best possible motivation for action is passion. The speed of the leader determines the pace of the pack. Leading with passion propagates passion in those who choose to follow.

development and sales productivity, the business in general can organically grow. Sales managers must learn how to teach their staff members to think for themselves, make more decisions and accept responsibility for their actions.

Become a Winning Coach Great teams normally have great coaches. A great coach identifies player strengths as well as developmental gaps.

They then develop effective strategies to leverage or develop these strengths and weaknesses. With much empathy, great coaches passionately support employee efforts for continuous improvement and greater success.

Hire the Right People Great teams start with the right people. Hiring and ramping the right staff members has never been more difficult or important. How we recruit and select employees is the first important step in building and sustaining an elite, high-performance team. Get it right and you will easily recognize the difference.

Install a Performance Operating System Great sales managers do the right things, at the right times and for the right reasons. This requires an operating system that contains the objectives, plans and resources that guarantee performance success. Most managers realize that they are not going to create this operating system on their own, so the very best reach out for help to speed up their learning and implementation curves.

Commit to Developing Your Staff Building or improving a business has never been a secret, but it requires that sales managers develop their staff members to be as good — or better — than themselves. With employee

Create a Balanced Motivational Environment Just as hand-penned letters, drive-in movies and rotary phones are no longer the standard, so, too, should traditional motivational techniques be replaced with something more www.offi cetechnol ogymag.com | Au g u s t 2018 | 37

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current and productive. Great sales managers understand the diverse and ever-changing motivations of their team members. Because of this, they also recognize the need for a continuously balanced motivational environment that feeds the needs of any seller at any time.

repetitively create it is much more complicated than sometimes expected. But, by implementing these 10 strategies to sales manager success and the right operating system, it can happen. I feel fortunate to have worked with so many sales managers who continue to get it right. n Kim Ward is the director of training and education for Learning Outsource Group and shares the same responsibilities for the Print Management Solutions Group.

He has been involved in the training and consulting industry in a variety of capacities since 1990 and, most recently, authored the company’s newest advanced consultative selling program, Cooperation Selling.

Ward is a nationally recognized speaker, facilitator, consultant and coach to the office technology industry, and has personally worked with more than 20,000 industry professionals. During the past 20 years, he has worked extensively with a large number of industry OEMs as well as hundreds of office technology dealers.

Ward can be reached at kward@learningoutsourcegroup.com.

Visit www.learningoutsourcegroup.com.

... Sales managers cannot afford to spend time doing things that do not produce the highest possible return on their invested time.

Eliminate Low-Payoff Time Wasters If you go to work with no plan for the day could you easily find eight to 10 hours of work? Most say yes. With so many new and diverse responsibilities, sales managers cannot afford to spend time doing things that do not produce the highest possible return on their invested time. There are several low-payoff time wasters that can be easily identified and eliminated with the right strategies.

Expect Improving Performance Great sales managers do not just hope for improved performance — they expect it. They expect it because they have learned where performance comes from, how to create it through others, and the huge impact of a current and effectively implemented sales manager operating system.

Today, more than ever, sales management success does not just happen. It is created. And how to consistently and

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Expertise you can count on no matter what path your business takes

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