February 2024 Office Technology

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CONTENTS Volume 29 • No. 8

FEATURE ARTICLES

THANK YOU, BOB

Analytics & Automation

27 Wishing you happiness,

10 Three dealerships tout

the value of their CRMs

‘Love You, Brother’

great health & good fortune

by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine

by Mike Stramaglio Stramaglio Consulting

By now, you are likely using CRM software in your dealership. Or are you? Perhaps you are utilizing a homegrown collection of tools that get the job done. Or do they? This article includes profiles of three BTA member dealerships, providing a brief look at their CRMs.

Value Building 101

18 Get in the front seat of the car with your customer

by Derek Shebby Modern Sales Training

I am thrilled, honored, excited and deeply grateful to share my thoughts regarding Bob “The Judge” Goldberg and his impact on my life, career and our wonderful industry. I might add this is a difficult and emotional assignment because our lives have been so intertwined.

PRINCIPAL ISSUES Executive Connection Summit

28 AI emerges as a predominant topic of discussion

It is no secret that mastering the art of building value in deals leads to higher commissions and improved win rates. For salespeople, this is an attractive skill to acquire. A proven process is essential for salespeople who want to make more money by building value inside of their deals.

by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine

Office technology dealers, vendors, consultants and members of the industry media gathered Jan. 14-17 at the Scottsdale Resort and Spa at McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona, to attend the 2024 Executive Connection Summit (ECS2024).

Advisory Boards

22 Experienced guidance for strategy & growth

by Mark Perlo Sales Growth Partners

Mastering Recruitment

29 Attracting millennial

& Gen-Z talent in 2024

With the demands on CEOs — including ongoing change, pressure from family and other founders, the rise of new competitors and business models, and the need to transform businesses — it may be time for you to get some help and enlist an independent advisory board.

by Adam Volpe Altek Business Systems

Recruiting top-tier talent is pivotal for companies like mine to flourish. While many companies struggle to find, hire, train and keep millennial and Gen-Z employees, our success hinges on understanding and meeting the unique aspirations and values of these generations.

COURT S & C APITOLS The Implications of AI

25 Set forth guidelines to ensure ethical, responsible use

by Greg Goldberg Incoming BTA General Counsel

Stramaglio Consulting’s 2024 Executive Connection Summit grappled with key issues affecting the future of the office technology industry. One topic in particular took up a significant portion of the agenda: artificial intelligence (AI).

DEPARTMENT S Technology Association 26 Business • BTA Highlights 6

Executive Director’s Page

8

BTA President’s Message

30

Advertiser Index

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S PAGE

Dealers Share CRM Software Feedback

D

o you use client relationship management (CRM) software? This month’s cover story features three dealerships regarding their CRMs, as well as the results of a Business Technology Association (BTA) dealer member survey regarding the use of CRM software in their dealerships. The survey results and comments on pages 15 and 16 give you an idea of what CRMs dealers favor, as well as their thoughts on the value of the software used in their dealerships. You can see the full survey results at www.bta. org/CRMSurvey.

Some of the multiple-choice questions on page 15 also allowed for “additional comments,” which I thought you might find interesting. Following is a sampling of anonymous dealer comments from those questions.

[How do you describe] the extent to which your dealership utilizes your CRM for marketing, quoting, data mining, relationship management, automated processes, etc.? n “This is an initiative in our organization and we are working diligently to optimize its usage. We improve every day.” n “We use the basics, but haven’t done a lot of work with the modules we could add.” n “We are optimizing it every month.

Great tool. It will never be fully optimized.” n “Notes, tasks, contact info and proposals are about the extent of our use.”

How would you characterize your CRM software vendor in terms of its level of support, guidance, training and receptivity to recommendations for improvement? n “Support is timely and issues/questions are usually resolved quickly.” n “It’s all online interaction, so having a representative of our own would be nice.”

n “They are a great partner with great support. However, if your business isn’t willing to invest PMT (people, money and time) into the tool, it’s crucial to have realistic expectations that you will not see any real significant changes. There’s no magic bullet a vendor can provide without a substantial investment in the project. If you’re not planning to invest PMT, then consider finding the cheapest and most basic tool.”

How satisfied are you with your CRM, in terms of its functionality, ease of use and contribution to your dealership’s sales success? n “Works well when fully utilized.” n “It’s OK. I rarely, if ever, hear anyone say they are satisfied with their CRM.” n “The interface is dated. We still rely on an on-prem server/database, which limits functionality when sales reps are on the road. Updating pricing is a real chore. Still, it does what we need it to do in many ways.”

How would you describe your sales team members’ commitment to utilizing your CRM on a daily basis? n “This is always a work in progress based on the managers holding the sales reps accountable.” n “Our reps hit the basics well (logging activity, updating current sales info, etc.).

Anything aside from that ends up being on a rep-by-rep basis. Some will use equipment modules within the system, others will do everything offline.” n “We made it mandatory, and as a business, we decided to drive this change without allowing any employee to be a roadblock due to their unwillingness to change. So, we said it’s OK if they do not want to use the tool; those who did not want to participate would lose their ability to upgrade current customers. Shockingly, everyone is a valued user today. It’s the best decision we’ve ever made!”

— 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 Greg Goldberg, Incoming General Counsel Business Technology Association Mark Perlo, Sales Growth Partners www.salesgrowthpartners.com Derek Shebby, Modern Sales Training www.modernsalestraining.com Mike Stramaglio, Stramaglio Consulting www.stramaglioconsulting.com Adam Volpe, Altek Business Systems www.altekimaging.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: (312) 648-2300 Valerie Briseno Marketing Director valerie@bta.org Brian Smith Membership Sales Representative brian@bta.org Photo Credits: Adobe Stock. Cover created by Bruce Quade, Brand X Studio. ©2024 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.

FLASHBACK

The association’s magazine cover 62 years ago this month — the NOMDA Spokesman, February 1962.

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BTA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

2023-2024 Board of Directors President

Build on Your Success April 5-6 in Orlando

A

re you ready for a look into the near future? If so, I encourage you to attend the first Business Technology Association (BTA) event of the year, the 2024 BTA National Conference. Hosted by BTA Southeast, the conference will be held April 5-6 at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida. It will feature two keynote addresses, two additional educational sessions, four breakout sessions, plenty of time to network with your peers and more than 35 exhibiting sponsors, and a cocktail reception.

The educational sessions will give you insight into trends like artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity, as well as share sales strategies, show how you and your team members can achieve greater levels of success, and more.

The first day of the national conference will begin at 7:45 a.m. on Friday, April 5, with breakfast, followed by opening comments and the first keynote address, “What Makes the Great Ones Great,” presented by Don Yaeger, an award-winning leadership speaker, executive coach, sports writer and New York Times bestselling author. Using rich personal accounts gathered from more than 25 years of interviews with many of today’s sports legends and business leaders, Yaeger will share some of his “Sixteen Consistent Characteristics of Greatness.”

After the first keynote, attendees will have time to visit with the exhibiting sponsors to learn more about their products and services. Breakout sessions will follow, where attendees can choose between three offerings: “How to Present QBRs,” with Gary Lavin and Mike Kirkpatrick of CEO Juice; “Elevating Your 21st-Century Prospecting Sales Strategy,” with Kate Kingston of Kingston Training Group; and “Responsible Use of Artificial

Intelligence & Its Impact on Cybersecurity,” with Jay Ryerse of ConnectWise. Lunch will follow the breakouts.

After lunch, the second keynote, “Understanding Why & How Online Attackers Target You,” will be presented by Brett Johnson, “The Original Internet Godfather” and former U.S. Cyber Crimes Most Wanted. Johnson will discuss the mindset of online attacks, dive into how attackers find their targets and what trends to look for coming your way. Additional exhibit time will follow Johnson’s keynote.

At 3:15 p.m., Tracy L.M. Norton of Louisiana State University (LSU) Law will present the first educational session, “The Ethics & Productivity Implications of Generative AI.” After her session, you will have more time to visit with the exhibitors, followed by a cocktail reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The second day of the conference will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 6, with breakfast, followed by opening comments and the final educational session, “Thanks for the Memories,” presented by BTA General Counsel Bob Goldberg. A break to visit with peers and exhibiting sponsors will follow. Breakout sessions will wrap up the educational portion of the event from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. The second set of breakouts will include Kingston and Ryerse’s sessions from the first day, as well as “ChatGPT Trained on CEO Juice Data,” presented by Lavin and Kirkpatrick. Closing comments and prize drawings will wrap up the conference from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m.

If you’re looking at the future of your business and want to get new ideas and strategies for success, join us in Orlando in April. BTA members receive two-for-one registration for only $199. For more information, see the ad on pages two and three or visit www.bta.org/BTAOrlando. n — Don Risser

Don Risser DCS Technologies Corp.

Franklin, Ohio don.risser@dcs-tech.com President-Elect

Adam Gregory Advanced Business Solutions LLC St. Augustine, Florida adam@goabsinc.com Vice President

Debra Dennis CopyPro Inc. Greenville, North Carolina ddennis@copypro.net Immediate Past President

David Polimeni RITE Technology Sarasota, Florida dpolimeni@ritefl.com BTA East

Mike Boyle BASE Technologies Inc. Bethel, Connecticut mboyle@baseinc.com Joe Dellaposta Doing Better Business Hagerstown, Maryland jvd@doingbetterbusiness.com BTA Mid-America

Brantly Fowler Zeno Office Solutions Inc. Midland, Texas bfowler@zenotx.com Greg Quirk JQ Office Equipment Omaha, Nebraska gquirk@jqoffice.com BTA Southeast

Jim Buck Carolina Business Equipment Inc. Columbia, South Carolina jimb@cbesc.com Mike Hicks Electronic Business Machines Inc. Lexington, Kentucky mhicks@ebmky.com BTA West

Mike McGuirk ProCopy Office Solutions Inc. Mesa, Arizona mmcguirk@procopyoffice.com Kevin Marshall Copy Link Inc. Chula Vista, California kevin@copylink.net Ex-Officio/General Counsel

Robert C. Goldberg Schoenberg Finkel Beederman Bell & Glazer LLC Chicago, Illinois robert.goldberg@sfbbg.com

8 | www.of ficetechnologymag.com | Februar y 2024

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Analytics & Automation

Three dealerships tout the value of their CRMs by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

B

y now, you are likely using CRM (client relationship management) software in your dealership. Or are you? Perhaps you are utilizing a homegrown collection of tools that get the job done. Or do they?

Following are profiles of three BTA member dealerships, providing a brief look at their CRMs. Perhaps the comments and insight they share will provide you some guidance as you seek to add a CRM to provide for analytics of sales data and time-saving automation of your processes.

Budget Document Technology Budget Document Technology, a Konica Minolta, Lexmark and Xerox dealership, is based in Lewiston, Maine, with additional offices in Hamden, Maine, Manchester, New Hampshire, and Amesbury, Massachusetts. Tom Ouellette is president of Budget. His brother, Steve Ouellette, serves as CFO. It was in 2013 that Budget began using SalesChain as its CRM, says Kevin Kelliher, vice president of sales, noting that for a period of time, it remained a hybrid environment, with both the CRM and legacy paper-based processes in place.

“Tom and Steve started using SalesChain for its integration with e-automate, for managing accounts, rep notes and client contacts,” he says. “But our sales process remained manual and paper-based, outside of the CRM.” When he joined the dealership nine years ago, the hybrid environment was still in place, Kelliher says. However, in 2019, Budget “implemented SalesChain’s Proposal module, which allows sales reps to create quotes and submit orders right in the CRM,” he says. The dealership also added SalesChain’s Delivery Desk workflow automation system, a set of tools designed to help a dealership organize, automate and measure the efficiency of its fulfillment processes. “That meant that our sales team’s order forms, equipment setup sheets and paperwork would go straight to our schedulers and, ultimately, to our service team for implementation — all from within the CRM.”

When Budget “went all in” with SalesChain, “the time savings were huge for both our sales and admin staff,” Kelliher says. “We now had published lease rates and product pricing right in the CRM, eliminating the need for manual calculations and removing the possibility of human error.” Going “all in” has “opened new trackable channels of communication and added redundancies as we hand off from sales to admin to service. Overall, that has been a huge win.”

The use of SalesChain by Budget’s sales reps is “100% mandatory,” Kelliher says, noting that when he took on the vice president of sales position he “knew the software’s capabilities and our current processes well, and helped to enable some of the latest features offered by SalesChain. They include a more advanced Service Module and integrations with CEO Juice that allow reps to request copies of recent contract invoices and generate comprehensive quarterly business review (QBR) documents to review with clients.”

Kelliher shares a glimpse into the daily routine of Budget’s sales reps and their use of SalesChain. “Reps start the day by checking their SalesChain calendars, which have all their meetings, account reviews and blocked time for planned sales activities,” he says. “They use the MIF [machines in field] feature to identify devices that are approaching end of life and the Lease Desk feature to track upcoming lease expirations. This allows them to start informed conversations with clients and create custom solutions with long-term focus. We live and breathe by that calendar.”

Each time a rep engages with clients, he (or she) is going to make a note in SalesChain of what is found, Kelliher says.

“So, if ‘John Smith’ is no longer the purchaser at the client location or is retiring and a new person is being onboarded, put that in the CRM,” he says. “We want to know that.”

Kelliher has nothing but praise for SalesChain in terms of its level of support and training. “They’re awesome; in a word, ‘excellent,’” he says. “Email requests to support at SalesChain are going to result in a response within an hour

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or two with a resolution.

Plus, they’ll schedule sales training as needed. In fact, they added a hundred or so topical training videos under the support tab. So, the reps can use those as reference tools for activities they may not be doing every day.”

calls; we measure the number of lease documents. That “Reps start the day by gives us an idea of the sales checking their SalesChain reps’ pipelines — an idea of calendars, which have all their our order and hit rates.” meetings, account reviews AD also allows management to monitor contact and blocked time for planned with clients in the months sales activities ... We live and leading up to a lease expirabreathe by that calendar.“ tion date. “At a glance, I can — Kevin Kelliher tell you the exact date that GoodSuite Based in Woodland Hills, Budget Document Technology the primary contact at the California, and celebrating client location had a converits 25th anniversary this year, sation with somebody from GoodSuite serves 10 counties in the southern half of the our company,” Christino says. “That way, for example, we state, from Fresno to the border with Mexico. The company can see whether the client has a lease maturing in three started out as a Xerox agent. Today, it offers Sharp and Kon- months but has not responded to a single email from Goodica Minolta products — and managed IT services.

Suite this year. We need to know that.”

GoodSuite implemented The Sailor Group’s AgentDealer One area of The Sailor Group’s current initiatives with AD (AD) CRM in 2019. John Christino, the dealership’s sales op- will help to support a key growth area at GoodSuite. “Our IT erations manager, serves as admin for the CRM. In that role, business is 22% of our revenues,” Strull says. “Over the next he has found that “one of the strongest features of AD is its three years, I project that we will become 50% imaging and reporting functionality,” he says. “The CRM is based on the 50% IT.” While the dealership’s IT department uses ConnectSalesforce platform, which is known for its customization. Wise to manage its service tickets, “we do use AD to log and We can create some pretty fantastic customer reports. The track activities and opportunities for those IT deals,” Chrismanagement team members rely heavily on our ability to tino says. “AD is actively working on a ConnectWise integrapull up detailed sales metrics and rep activity reports.” tion and we’re actually part of their pilot program. It’s very Christino shares the example of one of the many custom- promising. We’ll have the ability to sync ConnectWise and ized reports he has built in AD. “I have a report that shows AD in real time, and we’re supposed to have the ability to see us all of our top 20% clients by revenue that have a lease ex- all of the service tickets from the IT side in AD.” piring in the next six months,” he says. “In addition, it shows Christino recommends that every dealership that uses AD us the ‘health grade’ for each of these clients based on such ensure there is an admin assigned to manage the CRM. “I factors as the client’s tenure with us, whether or not they think the best thing that a dealer can do is to get at least one have been cross-sold — they are stickier that way — and person trained as an admin, so that he or she can do all of the whether they’ve had any major complaints with us recently.” customizations and projects in-house,” he says. “That person With AD’s customizable reporting capability, “I can usu- can troubleshoot any issues that come up in real time, rather ally get Dan [Strull; founder and CEO of GoodSuite] whatev- than having to wait for support. That is the best thing that a er information he needs to make critical decisions,” Christi- dealership can do. That’s made a huge difference for us.” no continues. “AD also helps us automate a lot of day-to-day tasks; I have the ability to automate almost anything I can The Lioce Group think of, building all kinds of customer alerts. For example, Reported to be the largest independent office technology when a customer emails us and is upset about something, I dealership in the state of Alabama, The Lioce Group (TLG) is have a bit of AI built in where I can get an alert and I am able headquartered in Huntsville, with a second office in Birmingham. Under the leadership of its president, Nick Lioce, the to notify the appropriate people. We can respond quickly.”

Lease management is a particularly important capability dealership offers Canon, Konica Minolta and Sharp products, of AD, Christino says, noting that with “a click of a button” as well as mailing solutions and electric vehicle (EV) chargers.

In about 2010, the dealership implemented what is today fully completed lease documents are generated for sales reps.

Strull says monitoring those lease documents is a part of his Sherpa CRM by White Cup. “Prior to that we had kind of a routine. “At the senior leadership team level, we measure the piecemealed collection of Excel documents, PowerPoints, number and dollar amount of the lease documents that are etc. — a lot of homegrown information shared throughout generated,” he says. “We don’t measure the number of cold the office,” says Bill Berg, vice president of sales. “For example, 12 | ­w ww.of ficetechnologymag.com | Februar y 2024

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Berg says the investment we would have a proposal in the CRM has paid off in template that someone put “I think the best thing that just the elimination of simple together and would run with a dealer can do is to get at errors. “Before, when we were that for a while. It was tough.” least one person trained as placing equipment orders Life changed at TLG when an admin ... That person can from Excel spreadsheets, just Sherpa CRM was implementone Excel error would throw ed. “It not only generates protroubleshoot any issues that everything off,” he says. “So, posals for us, but it ensures come up in real time, rather it’s paid for itself in that way. we have accurate orders, than having to wait for support.“ As long as you consistently product numbers and pric— John Christino have good data, Sherpa has ing,” Berg says. “It has given our management team a way GoodSuite taken that whole error element out of it.” to track account information Addressing the common and sales rep activity. It has simplified taking a customer from the first stage — establish- challenge of getting all sales reps to utilize the CRM daily, ing a relationship — to building proposals to placing the final Berg acknowledges that it is sometimes difficult to get some order. It takes us through the full sales cycle, putting every- reps to use Sherpa CRM as they should. “You’ve got to manthing in one place. It has saved us hours and hours. Truthfully, age it correctly,” he says. “I regularly talk about it with the I don’t know how we would have grown to the size we have reps in sales meetings; how inputting information will benwithout it. We put anything that goes out of this building — efit them. I recommend that the reps primarily use the CRM early in the morning and again at the end of the day, but that whether it be a loaner, rental or sale — through Sherpa.”

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“Make sure it handles everything — from proposals to rep activity to customer information. Plus, make sure you talk to others whose dealerships are the size of yours about their CRMs ... ”

CRM Survey Results

O

ffice Technology magazine surveyed BTA’s dealer members about the use of client relationship management (CRM) software in their dealerships. Following are the questions and the results from the 97 respondents. Additional dealer comments can be found on page 16 and on the Executive Director’s Page on page six.

— Bill Berg The Lioce Group

it should be like clockwork. ‘It reminds me of what I need to do today and I am setting up reminders for what I need to do down the road.’”

What information is Berg most often viewing in Sherpa CRM? “It’s the pipeline,” he says, noting that TLG has customized each stage of the sales process. “We treat it like baseball — first base, second base, third base and then it’s ‘the close.’ I’m looking at that a few times a week to see if our games are in line; do we have what we projected, not only for this month, but for 90 days out? That’s where I spend most of my time in Sherpa.”

Berg advises other dealers to make sure they have on-site “champions” for their CRMs. At TLG, that’s Tyler Cravens, who serves as the sales support person at the dealership.

“That has been a game changer,” Berg says. “Having a dedicated champion is well worth the investment.”

A part of Cravens’ responsibility is to train new hires on the CRM. “About three months ago, we hired a new rep,” Cravens says. “I walked him step by step through Sherpa — ‘Here’s how you input customer information. Here’s how you place an order. Here’s how you go through the sales stages.’

If there are any questions, the reps usually come to me. If I don’t have an answer, I’ll reach out to White Cup directly.

Their support is really good. They respond quickly to anything that I need.”

For the owner and manager in a smaller dealership only now searching for a CRM, Berg advises making sure the CRM integrates with the dealership’s ERP and is industry specific. “Make sure it handles everything — from proposals to rep activity to customer information,” he says. “Plus, make sure you talk to others whose dealerships are the size of yours about their CRMs; get those referrals.” n Brent Hoskins, executive director of the Business Technology Association, is editor of Office Technology magazine. He can be reached at (816) 303-4040 or brent@bta.org.

(1) Which CRM do you use in your dealership? n AgentDealer: 11.34% (11 responses) n SalesChain: 33.02% (33 responses) n Sherpa CRM by White Cup: 27.84% (27 responses) n Other (indicate product name): 26.8% (26 responses) Other product names listed included: ACT Premium, Ascellerate by ECI, ConnectWise Manage, FORZA/SAP, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics 365, monday sales CRM, Pipedrive, Soaring by Falcon, Tigerpaw and Zoho.

(2) How long have you used your present CRM? n Less than one year: 13.4% (13 responses) n One to three years: 25.77% (25 responses) n Three to five years: 9.28% (9 responses) n More than five years: 51.55% (50 responses) (3) Which of the following best describes the extent to which your dealership utilizes your CRM for marketing, quoting, data mining, relationship management, automated processes, etc.? (One respondent skipped this question.) n We are using our CRM at far less than its full potential: 40.63% (39 responses) n I am generally satisfied that we are using many of our CRM’s capabilities at a respectable level on a daily basis: 51.04% (49 responses) n We have fully optimized the use of our CRM and its capabilities: 8.33% (8 responses) (4) How would you characterize your CRM software vendor in terms of its level of support, guidance, training and receptivity to recommendations for improvement? n Less than satisfactory: 18.56% (18 responses) n Satisfactory: 43.3% (42 responses) n Very good: 25.77% (25 responses) n Excellent: 12.37% (12 responses) (5) How satisfied are you with your CRM, in terms of its functionality, ease of use and contribution to your dealership’s sales success? n Less than satisfied: 27.84% (27 responses) n Satisfied: 52.58% (51 responses) n Very satisfied: 19.59% (19 responses) (6) Which of the following best describes your sales team members’ commitment to utilizing your CRM on a daily basis? n It’s an uphill battle that is “hit and miss” in terms of our sales reps using the CRM on a daily basis: 35.05% (34 responses) n I am generally satisfied with the level of usage of our CRM among our sales reps: 47.42% (46 responses) n I am very pleased with my sales team members and can say that they fully embrace the use of our CRM: 17.53% (17 responses) n www.of ficetechnologymag.com | Februar y 2024 | ­15

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BTA Survey: Dealers’ General Comments on CRMs

analytics for a deeper understanding of customer preferences. “[CRMs are] great tools, but only as valuable as the users and “Personalized Marketing: Enables tailored marketing campaigns, organizations make them. It is only as good as what you put into it.” boosting engagement and conversions.

Matt Nix, president “Sales Efficiency: Streamlines sales processes, automates tasks and Duplicating Products Inc., Gainesville, Georgia enhances sales team productivity.

“Data Security and Compliance: Prioritizes data security and “I believe it has helped us get more sales data from our ERP softensures compliance with privacy regulations. ware along with our leasing vendors.”

“Scalability and Integration: Adapts to business growth and inteDJ Hastings, president Hogland Office Equipment Inc., Lubbock, Texas grates seamlessly with other tools for enhanced efficiency.”

Jeffrey Cousins, CEO/founder

Kraft Business Systems Inc., Caledonia, Michigan “I view a CRM as a place to hold information on prospects and clients. Ours is a cloud offering and works great for that purpose. It’s “We have tried several CRMs with weak results. They were expensive, also very inexpensive; only $10 per user per month.” time consuming and sales representatives did not utilize them properly.

Reena Philpot, sales manager We are currently using independent tools to help with normal CRM tasks.”

Precision Duplicating Solutions, London, Kentucky David Anderson, president Anderson Business Technology, Pasadena, California “All CRMs have their advantages and disadvantages, pros and cons.

SalesChain is good and should do what we need it to do. The most im“BDT’s [Budget Document Technology’s] sales reps embrace our portant issue is to commit to a good CRM and optimize its capabilities.”

SalesChain system. The integrations with e-automate and leasing Tom Harrison, COO partners work very well in providing real-time information to our reps.

UTEC, Ann Arbor, Michigan The vice president of sales provides continuous refresher training and new features relevant to the team every quarter. Management holds “We moved from Sherpa CRM to (browser-based) SalesChain for support and mobility, and have been very pleased with the decision.” reps accountable for using the CRM to its fullest and it shows, as all reps at BDT exceed 100% of annual quota.”

Erik Skadberg, president Tom Ouellette, president CPI Business Solutions, Lafayette, Indiana Budget Document Technology, Lewiston, Maine “CRM use is great and expected. But when it is used as a hammer “It feels like CRMs are being very responsive versus innovative to micromanage representatives, that is when it fails and also why it when it comes to development and the use of CRMs in the sales world. has a bad reputation now.”

If we’re going to attract younger generations into this industry, we Brian Bence, director of sales need to use CRMs that are fun to use.”

Shenandoah Valley Office Equipment Inc., Verona, Virginia Eric McIntosh, senior vice president WiZiX Technology Group Inc., Roseville, California “Are there any AI options that could make CRM usage more successful?”

Gordon Stapleton, vice president/CFO “We are moving away from an external/third-party integrated Quality Digital Office Solutions, Mt. Joy, Pennsylvania solution, as well as our core solution — e-automate — and replacing

“CRMs are as good as the data input by the reps and the reps’ abil- the whole lot with one app to cover all areas of the business.”

Ron Hulett, president & CEO ity/willingness to follow through the process. More data doesn’t mean U.S. Business Systems Inc., Elkhart, Indiana more sales. Quality versus quantity.”

John Kerling, CEO & vice president “[A CRM is] extremely important to the movement of information United Business Systems, Buffalo, New York within the dealership. Integration with all aspects of the business is “With AI and how it’s evolving, I don’t think any interface will matter also extremely important.”

Tim Renegar, president in the near future. You will speak and it will go into the correct account Kelly Office Solutions, Winston-Salem, North Carolina in the CRM.” Tim Ducat, director of sales “We’ve looked at other options, but as a small dealership, the costs Smart Technologies of Florida, Melbourne, Florida (real and soft) are too much for us to make the jump [to another CRM].

The White Cup support people are very good, and I’m pretty satisfied “I tried a few CRM systems. I found SalesChain to be the best.” with their training platform and functionality of the product.”

Stephen Valenta, president/owner Paul Knoff, sales director Offix, Gainesville, Virginia Bauernfeind Business Technologies, Marshfield, Wisconsin

“Do not get stuck with only things that interface with ECI. Many “This feels obvious, but a CRM is only as good as the people who people mistakenly believe they must integrate with e-automate when, use it (or don’t use it). It is definitely a constant battle with sales reps to in reality, the true value of a CRM lies in its potential for marketing and get them to use anything to its full extent.” sales impact on the business. Buy and use the best tool, not the best Michael Kenny, president & CEO integration. [A CRM should provide:] U.S. Copy Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana n “Customer Insights: A CRM provides valuable customer data and 16 | ­w ww.of ficetechnologymag.com | Februar y 2024

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Value Building 101

Get in the front seat of the car with your customer by: Derek Shebby, Modern Sales Training

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t is no secret that mastering the art of building value in deals leads to higher commissions and improved win rates. For salespeople, this is an attractive skill to acquire. However, ironically, while many salespeople want to increase their gross profit in the deals they work, they often lack a consistent system to effectively build value. My observations over the past few years indicate that such a system is either missing or poorly taught in organizations across the nation. A proven process is essential for salespeople who want to make more money by building value inside of their deals.

I’ve had the privilege of working with more than 750 salespeople annually across the country through my 12week sales boot camp. This program focuses on three key aspects: prospecting to acquire net-new clients, conducting effective meetings that lead to next steps and, ultimately, building more value in sales processes.

What continually surprises me is that the sales reps and leaders in my programs often discover that their organizations lack concrete strategies for adding value beyond building stronger client relationships, emphasizing their companies’ exceptional service teams and trying to save clients as much money as possible. This situation helps explain why we frequently find ourselves in price wars.

I recommend three things for you to consider incorporating into a value-building system for your organization: (1) Criteria Discovery: How you go about understanding what matters to your client (2) Sales Process: How you incorporate value-building steps into your sales cycle (3) Proposals: How you present your business case for differentiation You should aim to have a plan for salesperson development and create management processes to improve their skills in these areas. Although I will only be sharing information on the first part of this system (criteria discovery)

in this article, I will be covering the other parts in another Office Technology article and a BTA Building My Business webinar in the months ahead.

Criteria Discovery: How We Go About Understanding Our Clients “It’s not about you. It’s about the customer.” Have you heard that before?

What about this one: “That’s why you have one mouth and two ears.”

In both situations, you have a similar challenge: You aren’t listening enough and clearly don’t understand what your customer cares about. Unfortunately, this is a normal issue that occurs daily with salespeople. This can improve when you learn how to discover and understand your customer’s criteria. Without this, you can’t hope to build any value in your sales.

What does “criteria” even mean? I like to think of criteria as getting inside of your client’s brain: n What is going on in his (or her) head? n What’s happening today in his world? n What is he trying to accomplish? n What challenges is he trying to overcome? n What made him start his search for a better way? n How does he see your solution fitting into these plans? n How does he see you as a partner? n How does he think you could help? n How much is he spending today? n How much is the lack of efficiency costing him? n What would happen if he didn’t hit his goal?

If you know how your client would answer each of these questions, then you have successfully understood his criteria. Your sales team members should seek to learn about these criteria with all clients they interact with.

Think about it. How easy would it be to sell value to your clients if you knew their criteria? If you knew you had a way to help your customers reach their goals and get through their challenges by leveraging your solutions, how easy

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would it be to increase the gross profit Understanding Our Customer’s in your deals?

Like a GPS navigation Criteria Changes Our Relationship So what is the biggest threat you have With Him system, he should to understanding criteria? Assumptions.

We can’t forget that our customers see your solutions, Salespeople assume way too much. That’s are on a mission. They are trying to take your organization when it becomes all about you and not the their businesses to better places — placand your expertise customer. Also, when you assume, you es that are different from where they fail to ask questions. When you don’t ask are today. Imagine them in the driver’s as essential to his questions, you end up talking a lot more seats of their cars. Nothing is more imcompany’s success. in your meetings. Remember, one mouth, portant than reaching the destinations two ears. The solution? You must get betthey’ve set for their organizations. They ter at asking questions that uncover the client’s criteria. must reach their goals.

As a salesperson, your goal should be getting invited into How to Get Better at Asking Questions the front seat of the car with your client. He needs to see you From what I’ve seen, asking great questions during client as a resource for him and his business. You should seek to be meetings is an advanced skill. Even the sales leaders I work that valuable to his mission. Like a GPS navigation system, with have challenges with it. It’s all due to a lack of a system he should see your solutions, your organization and your exor process during meetings. pertise as essential to his company’s success. To get to this Here is the system I would recommend you consider in- point, you need to earn the right of the customer asking you corporating into your premeeting preparation. You have to take a ride. Without understanding his criteria, where to remember that your solutions, for the most part, can be he is going, why he is choosing the path he is on, his time sold to any company in any industry. That is a good thing frames and rationale, how could you ever share the true and a bad thing. It’s good because there are tons of poten- value of your solution with him? tial clients out there, but it’s bad because you need to spend Once your sales organization adopts and fosters a system time to understand every single industry. Without some that identifies and understands client criteria, the next part sort of understanding, your ability to have a nice, flowing of building value is to have time to prove out those value conversation that yields solid criteria will be difficult to differentiators inside of a sales process. Companies that are obtain. You need a way to prime yourself to have a good known to build the most value and have the highest gross conversation with your prospect. That comes from your profit in their deals have sales processes that foster value premeeting preparation. building. I will dive into that within the second part of the Whenever I prepare for client meetings, I ask myself two value building 101 series. n questions: “How does this company make money? How could Derek Shebby, founder of Modern Sales Training, spent 17 years our offerings help it make more?” These questions send me as a top sales executive and sales director with Mr. Copy (MRC)/ down a path of learning about the client’s business, industry Xerox in San Diego, California. MRC was the largest Xerox agent and objectives before having our first meeting. All clients we in the nation before being acquired by Global Imaging Systems meet with want to make more money. Companies exist to in 2009. During his tenure, Shebby oversaw the performance make money. All decisions our clients make support that truth. and development of hundreds of salespeople and sales leaders When you ask yourself these questions beforehand, you across the state. Specializing in the entire sales process, he helped end up learning about your client’s business and uncover legrow his dealership from $40 million to more than $100 million gitimate questions about how your solutions could fit into in annual revenue (30 to 500 employees). Since 2020, Shebby the company’s growth and performance. Those questions has coached dealership sales managers, vice presidents and prime your mind to have an interesting conversation durpresidents to sales growth and profitability by implementing ing the actual meeting with your client. proven industry strategies and modern sales leadership Quality questions prepared beforehand turn into a conprocesses. He also runs a sales boot camp that is being utilized versation with the client that’s focused around him and his by the top dealers in the country, has an MPS business. However, the best salesperson comes prepared for workshop (sponsored by Clover) and a sales this meeting to both have a conversation around the quescommunity called OUTLIERS. Shebby can be tions he uncovered from his premeeting preparation that reached at derek@modernsalestraining.com lead to criteria, as well as share relevant best-practice ideas and has exclusive sales trainings for BTA on how other organizations have leveraged his offerings to members at www.modernsalestraining.com/BTA. achieve success.

Visit www.modernsalestraining.com.

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Advisory Boards

Experienced guidance for strategy & growth by: Mark Perlo, Sales Growth Partners

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s the former CEO of a managed services firm that was acquired by a Fortune 100 company, I can say without hesitation that having an advisory board was one of the most beneficial decisions I made. I strongly encourage all managed services firm owners and CEOs to implement advisory boards as soon as possible. In this article, I will tell you why.

Growth in private small and middle-market companies is often constrained by the lack of “diverse experience” in the company. Often, the company is comprised of managers who share the same experiences, knowledge and skill sets.

While this can be beneficial for the growth of a company, it also fosters the concept that “if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got.”

It is estimated that less than 5% of small and middlemarket companies have established advisory boards. The primary reason for such a low percentage is that small and middle-market business owners and CEOs believe they are smart enough to succeed without advisory boards, think they are too expensive or believe advisory boards would constrain their decision-making abilities.

With the demands on CEOs — including ongoing change, pressure from family and other founders, the rise of new competitors and business models, and the need to transform businesses at an ever-quickening pace — it may be time for you to get some help and enlist an independent advisory board.

Not convinced? In a recent survey conducted by Statistics Canada, private companies with advisory boards experienced the following results: n Increased Sales Growth — In the first three years after an advisory board was set up, sales grew 66.8% compared to growth of 22.9% in the three previous years. n Strengthened Productivity Growth — In the three years after the advisory board was set up, productivity rose an average of 5.9% compared to 3.2% in the previous threeyear period.

Here’s a closer look at why small businesses should consider this strategic asset.

(1) Diverse Expertise — Small business owners typically wear multiple hats, managing various aspects of their

operations. An advisory board brings together individuals with diverse expertise, covering areas such as finance, marketing, legal and industry-specific knowledge. This collective wisdom provides a comprehensive perspective that can prove invaluable in decision-making.

(2) Strategic Insight — An advisory board contributes strategic insights that can guide a small business through critical decisions. Whether it’s market expansion, product development or navigating industry trends, the advisory board offers a sounding board for ideas and helps formulate well-informed strategies.

(3) Networking Opportunities — Advisory board members often bring extensive networks to the table. These connections can open doors to partnerships, collaborations and potential clients. Leveraging the networks of advisory board members can be a game-changer for small businesses seeking growth opportunities.

(4) Risk Mitigation — Running a small business involves inherent risks. An advisory board drawing from diverse experiences can help identify potential risks and devise riskmitigation strategies. This proactive approach enhances the business’s ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges.

(5) Objective Guidance — An advisory board provides an external, objective viewpoint. This impartiality is crucial, especially when dealing with sensitive internal matters. The board can offer constructive criticism, encouraging the business to address weaknesses and capitalize on strengths.

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current and specific problems.

(6) Talent Development — Small n Boards of directors are constrained businesses often struggle with talent ... Establishing an by their fiduciary responsibilities. development and retention. An advisory advisory board is a Your advisory board can also help imboard can provide guidance on effective strategic decision that prove your personal ROI. Look to your human resource strategies and help the empowers small-business advisory board to help you expand your business attract and retain top talent. owners with a wealth of leadership and managerial skills. A propThis input is particularly beneficial for erly selected group of advisors can help creating a positive workplace culture. knowledge, experience anticipate and avoid costly mistakes.

(7) Long-Term Planning — Small and connections.

Most small business owners expect businesses sometimes get caught up in to eventually sell their firms or merge day-to-day operations, neglecting longterm planning. An advisory board assists in creating and with other companies. Planning your liquidity event can executing a robust, long-term strategy, aligning the busi- be complex and daunting. The right advisory board can help you prepare and execute the transaction, helping you ness with its goals and ensuring sustained growth.

Advisory boards are not peer-to-peer groups, consultants achieve the best possible return. After all, isn’t that why you or boards of directors. These resources are generally limited created the business in the first place?

If you are not planning to sell, but want to transition your in scope: n Peer-to-peer groups are comprised of like-minded business to an employee, family member or eventual sucbusiness owners who do not usually provide the “been- cessor, an advisory board can help address sensitive issues like sibling rivalry and individual agendas. Advisory board there, done-that” expertise. n Consultants focus on instant action, and addressing members can also help evaluate the candidates’ capabilities for succession planning and facilitate communications.

Advisory boards remove emotion from the decision-making process and smooth leadership transitions from family to professional executives.

For entrepreneurs and business owners to be successful, investments in their businesses must be made. Advisory boards are typically a modest investment that can run as little as one-tenth of 1% of annual revenue.

In conclusion, establishing an advisory board is a strategic decision that empowers a small business owner with a wealth of knowledge, experience and connections. It serves as a compass, guiding the business through challenges and positioning it for long-term success in today’s competitive business landscape. n Mark Perlo is president of Sales Growth Partners. He offers a track record of achievement in creating a strategic vision, driving change and developing/motivating high-performance teams that deliver multiyear, multimillion-dollar results. Perlo is a business analyst and customer-focused executive with a proven ability to start new enterprises and turn around underperforming operations. A subject-matter expert in building and managing teams, sales management and sales processes, he has vast executive experience with a Fortune 500 company and an extremely successful entrepreneurial startup. Perlo has built and sold office technology businesses, including Xerographic Solutions Inc. (XSI) in Fairport, New York. He can be reached at (585) 370-1300 or mperlo@sgpteam.com.

Visit www.salesgrowthpartners.com.

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COURTS & CAPITOLS

The Implications of AI

Set forth guidelines to ensure ethical, responsible use by: Greg Goldberg, incoming BTA General Counsel

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tramaglio Consulting’s 2024 Executive Connection Summit (ECS2024) took place Jan. 14-17 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The four-day conference featured prominent voices from inside and outside the channel, and grappled with key issues affecting the future of the office technology industry. One topic in particular took up a significant portion of the ECS2024 agenda: artificial intelligence (AI).

For those who did not attend last year’s event, ECS2023 was ahead of the curve, introducing generative AI technology to attendees a full two weeks prior to the debut of ChatGPT. For anyone just waking up from a yearlong nap, ChatGPT is the AI tool that can compose anything from a textbook chapter to a heavy metal ballad based on input from a user’s prompt.

One year later, the big questions surrounding AI have largely shifted from what AI can say to what AI can do — more specifically, how it can drive increased profitability. ECS2024 tackled this question, bringing together top industry leaders, including OEMs, MSPs, financial services providers and next-generation leaders, offering a wide range of presentations and panel discussions sharing a multitude of insights and perspectives.

There is broad consensus across the channel that AI represents a tectonic shift at least as disruptive as the evolution from analog to digital printing. In fact, according to statistics cited at ECS2024, as many as 83% of businesses surveyed agree that AI is an immediate priority. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that AI may affect as much as 40% of all employment. The use cases for dealers implementing AI technology are vast — targeted marketing and sales, precision inventory management and optimal fleet deployment, just to name a few. The predictive abilities of AI are particularly powerful, offering dealers the ability to forecast the equipment needs of current and prospective customers; to detect specific parts or equipment with increasing market demand; and to schedule and route technicians for maximum efficiency and profitability.

Nonetheless, as with any new technology, especially one boasting such enormous potential, AI poses a multitude of legal questions and ethical concerns. Will AI technology render certain roles within an organization obsolete? What happens if AI discloses proprietary information, such as customer lists or trade secrets? Who is liable if an AI chatbot attempts to enter into a contract or defames a customer? What happens

if an organization forbids the use of AI, but employees ignore the prohibition? I could fill an entire column with novel hypothetical scenarios involving AI, but the point is clear: the intended and unintended consequences of implementing AI technology will be considerable.

Looking ahead toward the new AI frontier, pioneering dealers should assess the danger of implementing AI technology in their businesses and consider how to protect against it. For the time being, the most basic solution is to enact a comprehensive AI policy. In general, an effective AI policy should set forth guidelines to ensure AI is used ethically and responsibly, including complying with legal and regulatory standards, as well as protecting data privacy. A gold standard policy (or policies) should inform both employees and customers of how AI is utilized in a business and provide a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities.

For instance, employees of any organization should know, at a minimum, what internal decisions are made using assistance from AI, as well as what measures are in place to eliminate bias and encourage fairness. Moreover, both an organization’s employees and customers should be informed whether and how AI collects, stores and uses their data, and what protection protocols are used to safeguard the information. It is important for any effective AI policy to clearly identify what controls an organization has adopted to monitor AI’s output, including quality assurance, human oversight, legal oversight, continuous improvement and liability mitigation.

The applications and implications of AI technology are certain to be centerpieces of office technology conferences for the foreseeable future and beyond. ECS2024 served an important purpose, presenting an early glimpse into putting AI to work and providing a framework for weighing the costs and benefits of implementing AI technology. Watch this space in the coming months for further information about how to stay ahead of the AI boom and how to protect your business from the downside risks. BTA has a sample AI Policy available at www.bta.org/LegalDocuments. n Greg Goldberg, partner at Barta | Goldberg, is incoming general counsel for the Business Technology Association. He can be reached at ggoldberg@bartagoldberg.com or (310) 479-1454. www.of ficetechnologymag.com | Februar y 2024 | ­25

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

Dealer Member Standard Business Systems, Little Rock, AR For full contact information of this new member, visit www.bta.org.

Managed Website & Online Product Catalog Services Dealer Site Builder provides turnkey managed websites for office technology dealerships. From small, rural dealerships to wellestablished organizations, Dealer Site Builder has a solution to meet your company’s needs.

BTA members receive free setup on a new website (a $1,000 to $2,000 value).

Product Catalog Solutions works with dealers to add full product catalogs to their existing websites. It is not a product section based on a free plug-in, but is highly customized, based on working with dealers in the office technology industry.

BTA members receive free product catalog setup and customization, plus discounted pricing. (Setup and customization is a $500 value. Discounted pricing for an unlimited catalog is just $1,600 per year.)

For more information, visit www.bta.org/WebsiteServices and www.bta.org/ProductCatalog.

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.

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc. is a leader in advanced imaging and networking technologies from the desktop to the print shop.

The company brings together unparalleled advances in security, print quality and network integration via its line of bizhub MFPs; bizhub PRESS and PRO production printing systems; magicolor color printers; and pagepro monochrome printers. Konica Minolta also offers advanced software solutions, wide-format printers, microform digital imaging systems and scanning systems for specialized applications. https://kmbs.konicaminolta.us Mars International is a remarketer of high-quality, pre-owned copier/MFPs. Its extensive inventory comes from the company’s strong relationships with some of the world’s largest leasing companies. With a thorough quality control and equipment handling process, Mars International’s technicians check for completeness and functionality. The company is proud to be a leader in customer service in the industry, guaranteeing that its products will arrive as represented. Mars International offers quantity discounts and discounted fixed national freight rates. www.copierremarketer.com A full list of BTA vendor members can be found online at www.bta.org.

For more information, visit www.bta.org.

26 | w­ ww.of ficetechnologymag.com | Februar y 2024

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THANK YOU, BOB

‘Love You, Brother’

Wishing you happiness, great health & good fortune by: Mike Stramaglio, Stramaglio Consulting

Editor’s Note: On June 30, 2024, Bob Goldberg will retire from his service as general counsel for the Business Technology Association (BTA). He has served in that role since 1977.

On July 1, his son, Greg Goldberg, will become the association’s new general counsel. The two have worked together for many months preparing for the transition. This article is the first of several to pay tribute to Bob, thanking him for his many years of service to the association and the office technology industry. am thrilled, honored, excited and deeply grateful to share my thoughts regarding Bob “The Judge” Goldberg and his impact on my life, career and our wonderful industry. I might add this is a difficult and emotional assignment because our lives have been so intertwined over the past 45 years. I hardly know where to begin.

We were young men when we first met. It was the glory days of our industry back then and the “characters” running the industry were legendary — and I mean legendary! It was the days of the National Office Machine Dealers Association (NOMDA; now BTA), with its national conventions attracting 10,000 to 20,000 people.

The “rules” were a little loose in those days and could sometimes get a little interesting. The more “interesting” things got, the more NOMDA needed a sheriff in town. That sheriff was Bob Goldberg.

Bob has always been the perfect person for the role as BTA’s general counsel and has carried that badge with honor, extraordinary grace, skill and humor. He is a master at negotiating contracts, guiding mergers and acquisitions, supporting succession planning initiatives, and dealing with or avoiding litigation. These have been his contributions to our industry for decades now — since 1977. Bob has never failed to deliver the best possible outcomes for all parties. He has proven to be the industry’s greatest ambassador. Bob set the ultimate professional and personal standards that we all aspire to meet.

The Judge took me under his wing early in my career and for that, I am forever grateful. I am not sure why he took the time to mentor this young and very feisty Italian kid from Chicago, Illinois, but he did, and I can guarantee you my life and career would have been wildly different without Bob. I have been blessed to have worked with some of our industry’s most gifted leaders, but there is only one Bob Goldberg. He has always given me his time when I needed it most — and not just in business. Bob was always there during very challenging personal/

I

medical issues when I needed someone to guide me. He instinctively knew how to support me. When I lost my hearing in my right ear, Bob knew exactly what to say to me — and that’s just one example. He is all heart and all class. I could go on and on about The Judge. His life has been a noble cause and anyone who has had the privilege to know him is very fortunate.

A number of years ago, I founded the Patriots Pack Motorcycle Club to honor our veterans and, ultimately, to help support The Jillian Fund. Bob has always supported worthy causes and he made the decision to ride with us in the “Mars Rover Support” vehicle that Raj Thadani (president of Mars International) sponsored for us thanks to Bob’s request.

Year after year and for tens of thousands of miles across America, he was there. This is when my relationship with Bob grew stronger and stronger to the point where we are Pack brothers and he is now “The Judge.”

The Pack represents the best of humanity. The Judge often says: “Look at us. We’re all from different backgrounds, various parts of the country/world, cultures, etc. We ride together, eat together, drink together and laugh together. We are a brotherhood and living proof of what we can be together.” That might not be a completely accurate quote, but it is pretty close.

Our industry owes The Judge a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid, but I can say “thank you” from the bottom of my heart and offer my infinite respect, admiration and unwavering support. Bob, I wish you happiness, great health and good fortune. We also thank you for bringing your wisdom to us via your wonderful son Greg. Our industry has been in great hands and will remain in great hands. See you on Ride 2024, Judge. Love you, brother. n Mike Stramaglio is president and CEO of Stramaglio Consulting.

He is also the visionary behind the Executive Connection Summit (ECS) and The Consortium. Previously, Stramaglio served as president of MWA FORZA, president and CEO of MWA Intelligence, president of Hitachi Koki International, vice president of America sales for Ricoh and vice president of the Business Equipment Division at Minolta. He can be reached at mike@stramaglioconsulting.com.

Visit www.stramaglioconsuting.com. www.of ficetechnologymag.com | Februar y 2024 | ­27

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

Executive Connection Summit AI emerges as a predominant topic of discussion

by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

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ffice technology dealers, vendors, consultants and members of the industry media gathered Jan. 14-17 at the Scottsdale Resort and Spa at McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona, to attend the 2024 Executive Connection Summit (ECS2024). While imaging is the past and present commonality of the attendees, the summit solidified the understanding that artificial intelligence (AI) is being added to the list of their commonalities going forward.

Several of the summit’s educational sessions were specifically focused on the promise and perils of AI, while many of the other sessions’ presenters made reference to the impact of AI in changing the landscape of the industry. On the first morning of the four-day summit, Michael Cozzens, CEO of the Cozzens Group, moderated a panel that set the stage for the AI dialog, “Putting AI to Work.”

Panelist Keven Ellison, vice president of marketing for Advanced Imaging Solutions (ASI), based in Las Vegas, Nevada, made it clear that dealerships are already embracing the use of AI. At ASI, ChatGPT has been used to assist sales reps who are “too scared of a customer coming back ... with objections” when selling IT services, telecom and other services outside of transactional office equipment sales. “It [ChatGPT] actually comes up with all of the objections that a salesperson could possibly have from a prospect,” he said. “Then, it tells them how to handle each of those objections.”

Ellison said ASI also uses ChatGPT to improve the quality of its sales rep phone and video conference calls. Recordings of such calls are uploaded into ChatGPT. “We can now use that for training,” he said. “The sales managers don’t have time to listen to every call, but do you know what does have time in the day to listen to every call and then mentor them [the reps] on how to handle objections in the future and get better? AI does. This is how you can use it just for the sales process.”

Increasingly, dealers are going to recognize the enormity of AI’s impact on the industry, said panelist Laura Blackmer, president of dealer sales for Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc. “When I was introduced to AI ... I knew immediately that this was going to be a seismic shift for us,” she said. “This is [like] going from analog to digital; this is going from mono to color. It is that important and that big in our industry.”

Despite the expressions of great expectation and optimism, panelists likewise emphasized the importance of being cautious with and educated about AI. As panelist Joseph Brunsman, managing member of the Brunsman Advisory Group,

Participants in the “Putting AI to Work” panel discussion, left to right: West McDonald, GoWest.ai; David Tan, CrushBank; Anthony Sci, Keypoint Intelligence; Joseph Brunsman, Brunsman Advisory Group; Jim George, Donnellon McCarthy; Keven Ellison, AIS; Laura Blackmer, Konica Minolta; Peter Kujawa, ConnectWise; and Michael Cozzens, who served as moderator. put it regarding the risks of AI as it relates to cybersecurity: “The risks are going to be legion.” With similar bluntness, he emphasized that AI is the focus of plenty of emerging legislation that will lead to compliance requirements. “I’ve ... spoken to people on Capitol Hill; you are going to see legislation in a quick hurry,” he said. “You need to keep track of the regulatory side and the statutory side, because that is going to very quickly have large material impacts on [how you are using AI within] your business.”

The panelists also addressed the impact of AI on jobs. While Brunsman said implementing AI could “start destroying jobs,” others offered another perspective. “You can’t replace people with AI,” said David Tan, chief technology officer at CrushBank. “If that’s how you go into this journey, you are bound to fail. That’s not what it’s about. It’s about making your people better at what they’re doing.” Echoing the point, panelist Anthony Sci, president and CEO of Keypoint Intelligence, offered advice on discussing the implementation of AI with employees: “You talk to your people and say, ‘I’m not looking to get rid of you. What I am looking to do is utilize your time in a way that will further grow the company.’” n Brent Hoskins, executive director of the Business Technology Association, is editor of Office Technology magazine.

He can be reached at brent@bta.org or (816) 303-4040.

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

Mastering Recruitment

Attracting millennial & Gen-Z talent in 2024 by: Adam Volpe, Altek Business Systems

R

ecruiting top-tier talent, particularly among millennials and Gen-Z, is pivotal for companies like mine — Altek Business Systems — to flourish in today’s market. At Altek, our focus on cultivating a young, dynamic sales force has led to exceptional growth, exceeding 130% within a mere three years.

While many companies struggle to find, hire, train and keep millennial and Gen-Z employees, our success hinges on understanding and meeting the unique aspirations and values of these generations.

Understanding Millennial & Gen-Z Aspirations To appeal to these cohorts, it’s crucial to acknowledge their priorities. It’s not just about the highest paycheck; it’s about finding a role that offers impact and purpose. They seek a space where their efforts matter, where they see tangible results and where their ideas are valued. Altek prioritizes this by investing in their growth, fostering camaraderie and promoting a culture of innovation.

Retaining High-Caliber Talent The secret to retaining exceptional millennials and Gen-Z individuals lies in fostering a culture that prioritizes their happiness and fulfillment. Altek achieves this by investing in comprehensive training, both externally and internally. We emphasize a structure that fosters accountability without suffocating micromanagement, empowering our reps to take ownership of their roles.

We believe if you can’t trust specific reps to do their daily tasks and jobs, then they’re not a good fit in your culture. At the end of the day, it is about their results and active pipeline.

If those two items look bleak, then in most cases it is due to lack of activity and effort. However, there can be cases where a young rep just needs the right coaching and guidance if the mindset, drive and effort are truly there.

Effective relationships and communication thrive on mutual engagement. That’s why we plan frequent gatherings, team activities, open dialogue and transparent discussions to solidify our dedication to nurturing our team’s fulfillment and well-being.

Synergy Between Marketing & Sales At Altek, we pride ourselves on our partnership between

marketing and sales. Encouraging sales representatives to team up with marketing for tailored approaches — while staying within brand parameters — nurtures empowerment and an entrepreneurial outlook. Collaboratively, we generate materials, email campaigns and content that bolster lead generation, fostering inspiration. This liberty to shape their own brand enriches the role, rendering it more captivating and aligning seamlessly with our brand directives.

Finding the Right Candidates Finding the right candidates is always a struggle. Utilizing platforms like Handshake and LinkedIn aids in sourcing potential candidates who are open to new opportunities.

Maintaining an active social media presence that highlights your company culture attracts more applicants. Whenever I connect with someone on LinkedIn, he (or she) immediately visits my profile to delve deeper into our company. This glance serves as your first impression to a prospective hire, so I strongly recommend enriching your About section and incorporating culture-centric links into the Featured section of your LinkedIn profile.

Furthermore, referrals from satisfied employees stand as testaments to your conducive work environment. If an employee is proud of the company he works for and knows the company is hiring, he is more likely to recruit high-talent www.of ficetecthnologymag.com | Februar y 2024 | 29

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individuals, because he knows these peoCreating a Thriving Culture ple will find fulfillment and will be recogIn the end, successful recruitment is In the end, successful nized within the company. akin to effective prospecting. It demands recruiting ... demands Rigorous interviewing, knowledge testinvesting time and effort in identifying intime and effort ing and third-party personality evaluadividuals aligned with our core values and in identifying tions such as the DiSC (Drive, Influence, cultural fabric. To thrive, particularly with Support and Clarity) assessment to evaluindividuals aligned the next generation, companies must evalate compatibility in the workforce ensure uate and adapt their internal structures to with our core values we onboard the right talent. create a workspace where these individuand cultural fabric.

It’s important to note that the majority als can truly excel. n of candidates avoid companies that seem Adam Volpe is vice president of sales at BTA to prioritize turnover rather than investing member Altek Business Systems, located in individuals or that lack defined growth opportunities — in Telford, Pennsylvania. Prior to joining whether perceived from the company’s reputation or sensed Altek in 2019, Volpe was a sales manager and during their visits. To personalize a candidate’s experience, sales rep in the marketing, automotive offer facility tours, introduce him to senior executives and orand IT industries. He can be reached at ganize meetings with your sales representatives throughout avolpe@altekimaging.com. the interview process.

Visit www.altekimaging.com.

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