January 2016 Office Technology

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CONTENTS Volume 22 • No. 7

FEATURE ARTICLES 10

The Year Ahead: Part One Dealers contemplate strategies for success in 2016

P R I N C I PA L I S S U E S The Customer Experience Create some heroes within your organization

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by Rock Janecek Burtronics Business Systems Inc.

Compiled by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine

What do you believe will be the areas of greatest opportunity for office technology dealers in 2016? What do you believe will be the best strategies for success in pursuing those opportunities? Recently, Office Technology magazine asked these questions of dealers via an email survey. Perhaps the comments shared by your fellow dealers mirror your plans — or provide some new ideas.

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The Change Around Us ‘Good enough’ is no longer good enough

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by Mike Lecak Collaborative Consultant Group LLC

Our ability to change and adapt will be the difference between success and failure.

This is the challenge we must all accept.

relationships@work Sharp hosts National Dealer Meeting Dec. 3-6

by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine

Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) hosted its National Dealer Meeting Dec. 3-6, 2016, in San Antonio, Texas. Featuring presentations by senior Sharp executives, a number of educational sessions and a Technology Exhibition that showcased the company’s newest products, the meeting drew approximately 650 attendees from 215 of Sharp’s authorized dealerships.

REFLECTIONS ON 90 YEARS 28

Strive to have all of your customerfacing employees project a professional image that you direct, reflecting your mission statement.

‘Very Fond Memories’ It began at a NOMDA convention back in the 1960s

Job Benchmarking It will improve the chances of success with new hires

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by Larry Breed Precision Hiring & Development

Business owners everywhere are seeking better ways to find the talent necessary for their business success.

SELLING SOLUTIONS Spending vs. Investing How would you define your sales management time?

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by Troy Harrison Troy Harrison & Associates

by Jeff Jehn Waltz Business Solutions

Having grown up in a family-run office equipment business, my experiences in the industry began many years ago.

COURTS & CAPITOLS 31

Problem Solving The seven ‘Cs’ of a non-litigious approach

by Robert C. Goldberg BTA General Counsel

For as long as I can recall, BTA (and, previously, NOMDA) has always advocated for resolving differences outside a court of law.

I can state this as fact: Far too many sales managers spend their time when they think they are investing their time.

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

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• BTA Calendar • BTA Highlights

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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

BTA at 90 — I Can’t Help But Reminisce

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n 1986, I was a reporter for a suburban Kansas City, Missouri, newspaper. Two years after graduating from the University of Missouri School of Journalism I had a job in my field that I enjoyed.

However, the challenge of making ends meet with an income somewhere south of the poverty level ultimately made it necessary for me to find a new job.

I scoured the help wanted ads in the Kansas City Star newspaper. There I found a job listing for a “magazine reporter” at the National Office Machine Dealers Association (NOMDA). At the time, I knew nothing about the association or the industry. In fact, I remember pronouncing aloud each letter individually when I first saw the ad, as N.O.M.D.A., rather than as the acronym. I submitted my résumé and landed an interview.

As you can imagine, while in journalism school it never occurred to me that I would one day be writing about the office copier.

Nonetheless, when I was offered the job at NOMDA, I accepted. My office technology industry journey had begun. Back then, I wrote about things that seem ancient today. In fact, my first article, appearing in the January 1987 issue of the NOMDA Spokesman magazine, was titled, “Today’s Yellow Pages Redefined.”

Fast forward 29-plus years. Today, I am still writing for the magazine, now Office Technology, having served as its editor since 1989. That first article was nearly 350 issues ago. That’s a lot of deadlines! As it turns out, I quickly found that I enjoyed writing about the office copier (especially when it became the digital MFP), as well as the many other ever-changing facets of this incredible industry. I am forever grateful to

the association for providing me the opportunity to make this a part of my life’s work.

Why the reminiscing? It’s simple. As you are aware, 2016 marks BTA’s 90th anniversary. You can’t help but look back. “The Parade of Progress,” a book published by the association in 1986 on the occasion of its 60th anniversary, takes us all the way back to a part of our shared heritage. It tells of a group of typewriter dealers who decided to meet: “There was the conviction that, if entrepreneurs were to be successful in the intensely competitive world of typewriter sales and service, there had to be unity among the dealers across the country.” The book reports: “The group originally met in formal session in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 22-23, 1926.” There you have it, the birth of the Business Technology Association.

The association has a wonderful legacy. It all has to do with the volunteer leadership — the dedicated men and women who have stepped forward to give back to their association. Without them, BTA would not have endured for so many years. Under the leadership of these faithful volunteers, the association has helped to provide the unity that our founders had envisioned. I am amazed when I think about how many thousands of dealerships have benefited from the educational programs, research, legal services, information, networking opportunities and advocacy the association offers.

Congratulations to all of you on the 90th anniversary of your association. As I have briefly done above, I know you have your own stories to tell — of your start in this industry, as well as memories of the association and what it has meant to you. I would love to hear from you. Email me your story at brent@bta.org. I’ll share it in the magazine or on the BTA website. I look forward to hearing from you. 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 Larry Breed, Precision Hiring & Development www.precisionhiring.com Robert C. Goldberg, General Counsel Business Technology Association Troy Harrison, Troy Harrison & Associates www.troyharrison.com Rock Janecek, Burtronics Business Systems Inc. www.burtronics.com Jeff Jehn, Waltz Business Solutions www.waltzbusiness.com Mike Lecak, Collaborative Consultant Group LLC www.collaborativeconsultantgroup.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 Membership Marketing Manager valerie@bta.org Mary Hopkins Database Administrator mary@bta.org Teresa Leerar Bookkeeper teresa@bta.org Brian Smith Membership Sales Representative brian@bta.org Photo Credits: Bigstockphoto. Cover created by Bruce Quade, Brand X Studio. ©2016 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 2015-2016 Board of Directors

Embrace Managed IT at Spring Break

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re you adopting managed IT services in your dealership? A December 2014 survey of dealers by market research firm InfoTrends revealed that 73 percent of the office technology dealers responding to the survey who did not offer managed IT services at the time were considering doing so or had definite plans to do so. Among the dealer respondents offering managed IT services at the time, 94 percent projected that their involvement would increase over the next five years. Are you on track with your managed IT services strategy? With a focus on this burgeoning opportunity, BTA’s first 2016 district event, Spring Break, hosted by BTA Southeast, will be held March 18-19, 2016, at the InterContinental New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Spring Break will begin on March 18 with breakfast and opening comments, followed by the keynote session, “The Dance of Generations: Leading the Multigenerational Workplace,” led by Steven Shepard of Shepard Communications Group LLC. Two educational sessions will follow: “Why Revenue/Profit Diversification is Essential in the Evolving Office Technology Industry,” led by Jerry Newberry and Jeffrey Kelly of Pros Elite Group; and “Building a Managed IT Services Division,” led by Mat Wolfgram of The Office Technology Group. Lunch will be served following the morning sessions.

After lunch, two more educational sessions will be held: “Managed IT Services: Build or Partner?,” led by Chip Miceli of Des Plaines Office Equipment Co. Inc.; and “How to Build a Practice Selling Cloud & Hybrid Solutions” (speaker to be announced). A dealer panel, “Emerging Technologies — Impact on Sales & Service

Operations,” moderated by David Ramos of InfoTrends, will follow. Next, attendees will have the opportunity to visit with peers and exhibiting sponsors during a welcoming reception. Breaks between sessions on both days will give attendees additional networking time.

The second day of Spring Break will begin with a continental breakfast on March 19. The final three educational sessions will be held in the morning: “Don’t Just Move Forward — Accelerate With Managed IT,” led by Britt Sidentopf of LeapForward Managed Services; “Managed IT Lead Generation & Onboarding Best Practices,” led

by Lindsay Dick of Collabrance LLC; and “Reaching New Heights Through Social Media,” led by Andy Slawetsky of Industry Analysts Inc. Following the morning sessions, closing comments and prize drawings will wrap up the educational portion of the event.

That afternoon, attendees will travel to the National World War II Museum for a tour of the museum and dinner at the onsite restaurant.

BTA member dealer registration for Spring Break with a National World War II Museum ticket is only $199; a registration includes a second registration for another of the member dealership’s employees for free. Non-member dealer registration with the museum ticket is $249. Registration includes the Friday and Saturday educational sessions and dealer panel; Friday breakfast, lunch and welcoming reception; and Saturday breakfast.

For more information on the sessions, additional pricing information or to register, visit www.bta.org/BTASoutheastEvent.

I look forward to seeing you in New Orleans as you gather new ideas to improve your managed IT services strategy. n — Dave Quint

President Dave Quint Advanced Systems Inc. 2945 Airport Blvd.

P.O. Box 57 Waterloo, IA 50704 dquint@asiowa.com President-Elect Rob Richardson Allied Document Solutions & Services Inc. 200 Church St. Swedesboro, NJ 08085 robr@ads-s.com Vice President Dan Castaneda International Copy Machine Center 1515 Lee Trevino, Ste. EE El Paso, TX 79936 dan@icmc-elp.com BTA East Greg Gondek ACT Group 20 Commerce Drive Cromwell, CT 06416 greg@advancedcopy.com BTA Mid-America Bob Evans DigiTec Office Solutions Inc. 12560 Reed Road, Ste. 200 Sugar Land, TX 77478 bobevans@digiteconline.com BTA Southeast John Eckstrom Carolina Business Equipment Inc. 5123 Bush River Road Columbia, SC 29212 johne@cbesc.com BTA West Cathy Dimon Northern Business Systems 3526 International Fairbanks, AK 99701 cdimon@acsalaska.net Immediate Past President Ron Hulett U.S. Business Systems Inc. 3221 Southview Drive Elkhart, IN 46514 ron.hulett@usbus.com Ex-Officio/General Counsel Robert C. Goldberg Schoenberg Finkel Newman & Rosenberg LLC 222 S. Riverside Plaza, Ste. 2100 Chicago, IL 60606 robert.goldberg@sfnr.com

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The Year Ahead: Part One Dealers contemplate strategies for success in 2016 Compiled by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

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hat do you believe will be the areas of greatest opportunity for office technology dealers in 2016? What do you believe will be the best strategies for success in pursuing those opportunities? Recently, Office Technology magazine asked these questions of dealers via an email survey. Following are many of the responses received. (See the February issue for the remaining submissions.) Perhaps the comments shared by your fellow dealers mirror your plans — or provide some new ideas.

Opportunities: Managed network services (MNS).

Strategies: Acquiring a small IT company with a talented number-one IT guy and good secondtier techs.

Dean Boring, president & CEO Boring Business Systems, Lakeland, Florida Opportunities: The greatest opportunities come with change. It’s up to the dealer to grasp the changes going on right now and invest in his (or her) future. It’s no different than it was years ago. In that regard, nothing has changed.

We have invested in managed network services, telephony, video surveillance and access control. All of these products connect to the network; our goal is to control the network.

Strategies: The strategies are pretty much always the same. You must have highly trained people. You must invest in training and recruiting the right people.

Joe Birk, president Data Comm Inc., Jefferson City, Missouri Opportunities: I believe that the greatest opportunity for independent dealers going forward is collaboration with other dealers.

Strategies: Let’s face it, the products and services offered

in our industry change regularly, as does the methodology for selling and servicing them. Some dealers have been successful in marketing MPS; others have not. Some dealers have done well in MNS and some have not. We have all had certain levels of success in some areas while struggling in others. We have tried things that didn’t work so well and looked back and have been able to say: “Well, right there is why this didn’t work the way I expected.” I believe it is imperative that we learn from each other’s mistakes as well as our successes. I also believe that BTA’s PRO Dealer Group is the perfect venue in which to do this. None of us are really competing in the same circles, yet we all face the same difficulties and, typically, even the same “foes.” Understanding the territorial differences, we still have much to learn from each other and can help each other avoid expensive pitfalls. Surely, with all of the expertise in our group, we can find the time and methodologies to pool that knowledge and help each other grow and be more profitable.

Edward Jones, CEO Advanced Business Systems, Watertown, New York Opportunities: Managed print services (MPS) and production equipment.

Strategies: Investing in personnel and the necessary tools and software. Concentrating on our existing relationships within our base.

Greg Whittington, owner Innovative Office Systems LLC, Bossier City, Louisiana Opportunities: I feel that the greatest opportunities will come from combining software applications in productivity suites such as Office 365 and Google apps with the cloud’s capability, accessibility and collaboration properties. Plus, mobile computing availability and security.

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Strategies: Employee training and grow our customers’ businesses as well. understanding of new applications, Strategies: The best strategy is mak“The best strategy is software and utilities to better sell and ing sure you have people on your team making sure you have serve end users for all their needs. It who understand the expectations of people on your team is crucial that you have the support of your dealership and are willing to take who ... are willing to your vendors to get properly trained in the time to learn not only your products, take the time to learn these areas. You also need to re-evalubut your competitors’ as well. We have ate your employees’ abilities to support to be willing to invest in our people to not only your products, new platforms for your business and, ensure they have the right tools in their but your competitors’ ... ” when necessary, make hires from the playbooks. Also, it is very crucial to take ever-growing IT field. the time to do quarterly business reDan Castaneda, general manager views (QBRs) with your customers. The International Copy Machine Center, El Paso, Texas QBR should not be a social call, but a time to provide the customer with an assessment of his current fleet and workOpportunities: Offering and deploying content man- flow. This will allow for feedback on the potential for imagement software with workflow and business process im- provement and growth. Bottom line: If you don’t take care provement components. of your customer’s business, someone else will.

Strategies: You must have a solutions specialist on board Debra Dennis, vice president of support services to conduct sales calls, and hold seminars to educate current CopyPro Inc., Greenville, North Carolina and prospective customers on the value proposition of such offerings. Also, you must have a compensation plan in place Opportunities: We think managed network services to reward sales teams for bringing in specialists for demon- is our biggest opportunity. We started in 2014 and did strations and appointments. $100,000 in revenue and lost about $30,000. This year we will Richard Van Dyke, president do $350,000 in revenue and break even. Next year, we plan Advanced Office, Santa Ana, California on doing $575,000 and making 10 percent EBIT. Strategies: We will exceed that if all 15 of our sales reps Opportunities: Managed network services. sell one IT deal for 15 to 25 seats and at least $85 per seat.

Strategies: We purchased a small network support com- We have established our sweet spot and we feel confident we pany and hired the owner as director of network support ser- will exceed our targets. We have tied one IT sale to our anvices. He brought 15 accounts with him. We are ending our nual President’s Club trip, meaning that if you are 300 perthird year with $600,000 in revenue and 20 percent in contri- cent of plan and do not sell an IT sale, you do not go on the bution. The biggest challenge is tracking the support agree- trip (which is Hawaii this year). ments, which are a little different than a typical copier conMike McGuirk, president tract. We have a similar issue in tracking tech productivity.

ProCopy Office Solutions Inc., Tempe, Arizona We are hopeful that we will get our arms around these issues this year. With multiple lines of distribution being established Opportunities: For us, it’s managed network services. by the manufacturers and the increasing commoditization of Strategies: I believe the best strategy is to join a peer the MFP, services is the only way left to make a profit. group to help you succeed.

Mike Brandon, president & CEO Chap Breard, vice president ABC Office Equipment Co., Spokane, Washington MOEbiz, Monroe, Louisiana Opportunities: Customer-focused opportunities continue to be great for office technology dealers. We need to constantly ask: What can we bring to our customers’ business environments to help them operate more efficiently? Dealers should employ a team of specialists who can understand, analyze and support business opportunities. Provide this team a playbook of integrated solutions that include equipment (A3, A4 and printers), software, network services and managed print services. We need to be able to maximize our partnerships and not only grow our businesses, but help

Opportunities: For us it will be both physical and electronic security, and the growing of our supply and MPS businesses.

Strategies: Utilizing brands and products that are both reliable and cost effective, and ensuring staff members are well trained, compensated and motivated.

Roger Worme, general manager Regional Business Systems, St. Michael, Barbados Opportunities: We see production print continuing to be a growth area for us. We experienced 67-percent growth

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in the production space in 2015. We ensure that sales staff will avoid the op“I think the ability to also see MPS continuing to grow. We portunity and destroy your reputation. are engaged with clients who want to If a dealership has done the groundwork offer layered solution print smarter with solutions like Pato ramp up for this and be able to deliver services to our perCut. Follow-me printing and mobile these services with the same consistency customers will be key printing are areas where we have seen and high-level standards that they have for customer retention, additional interest. for the print/copy side of the business, as well as obtaining Strategies: Our strategy is making then the opportunity is very good and sure our account managers are properly can help move the dealership to a higher new customers.” trained to continue to find opportunilevel of performance and profitability. ties in production print. We are adjustOutsourcing these services to someone ing our compensation plans to drive MPS and larger pro- else or partnering with a third-party company that does not duction opportunities. share your company culture and standards should be carefulMike Blake, president ly considered, as that can leave you in the middle of a situation Corporate Business Systems LLC, Madison, Wisconsin that can cost you all the same things mentioned above.

If the dealership is not prepared to enter this space, then Opportunities: Managed print. developing and perfecting your go-to-market strategy for Strategies: Getting out in front of customers and selling. MPS still continues to be a great opportunity, at least in our Mike Mitchell, owner market. We continue to uncover and develop these opporOffice Equipment Source, Elmira, New York tunities in our market. It is still a relatively untapped segment of the business. Traditional “copier” dealers have not Opportunities: I still believe that managed print and the adjusted their compensation models to reward their sales associated software/hardware solutions are the greatest teams for this business and so they just look past it. There opportunities for 2016. are still many dealerships that tout themselves as “hybrid” Strategies: I think human contact with decision makers dealerships or technology companies, but default back to who have P&L responsibility, along with team selling using pushing a “box” at the customer that they can make the state-of-the-art assessment tools, are the best strategies for highest commission on. accomplishing growth in this service. This must be followed Strategies: The strategies, again, at least in my opinion, up with world-class customer service and a reputation for vary based on the “snapshot” of the dealership. MPS stratdelivering said service. egies are plentiful and can be gleaned and adapted from Rick Webster, president many other BTA dealers, BTA business partners who proVerity Group, Richardson, Texas vide consulting services, or a variety of other BTA supply partners and providers. There are many to consider and Opportunities: I think the ability to offer layered solu- each provides a basis for engagement and deployment. We tion services to our customers will be key for customer re- developed our own strategy years before the MPS acronym tention, as well as obtaining new customers. was developed and, for us, it continues to be successful. We Strategies: I believe taking a solutions approach when have adapted it over the years to include additional bundles analyzing our customers’ businesses will allow our custom- of services and tools to deliver on our promise, so that we ers to see that we want to help them grow their businesses remain relevant to our customers, which is all that matters. instead of just selling them products.

For managed IT services, again, there are varying opinDave Johnson, business manager ions and “programs” available to internalize into the dealBlue Ridge Copier/Ethos Technologies, Salem, Virginia ership and engage in that business. We believe the best strategy is to develop a consistent “technology stack” of Opportunities: I believe the greatest opportunities are tools that you will support and avoid getting pulled into the largely dependent on the dealership’s area of expertise. It is spider web of flash that comes along every day. By keeping impossible to identify one opportunity and say that is “it.” that stack consistent and adding to it only when you have Managed IT services is an enormous opportunity for those the expertise and the customer need to support it, you can who are in a position to deliver those services. If the deal- streamline your efforts in the business to market, adminisership does not possess the people, processes, tools and trate and support it. skills however, it is certain that this can turn a good, loyal Once engaged in IT, you are certain to get pulled into supcustomer into your worst nightmare, destroy profitability, porting things that you aren’t prepared for; it is the nature 14 | ­w w w. o f f ic et ec hno lo g y m a g.c om | Ja nua r y 2 0 1 6

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of IT. Knowing when to say “no” is funOpportunities: As IT and profession“I believe production damental to success. If not, you will find al services for the SMB space are growyourself suddenly on the hook to support ing, this is an opportunity to go deeper will continue to bring their phone systems, ERP applications, and wider into existing customers, enthe greatest opportunity etc., until you are at the breaking point gendering more closely tied relationfor dealers in 2016. and have completely alienated your cliships. That said, for most of us, the MFP This is the fastest ent from ever using you again for anyis still the largest sector of our businessgrowing segment thing. We have had customers not only es, so keep the pressure on. expect that we rewire their phone lines, Strategies: Making sure you can deof our business ... ” but in one case, a customer thought we light and exceed the expectations of would be providing his dial tone. Phones your customers if you are new to the IT were never even mentioned in our presentation and, yet, the world. Making a mistake here could significantly impact customer just expected that we would support anything he your relationship. Don’t risk it. Make sure you are ready to threw into the mix. do an excellent job, or partner with an already-proven enFor us, providing everything as a service is a key offering, tity, such as Ricoh’s MindShift, until you are ready to take all packed into a nice payment plan that creates the reoccur- it in-house. ring revenue model that our industry enjoys and thrives on.

Dawn Abbuhl, president The traditional IT mentality of “burn an hour, bill an hour” Repeat Business Systems, Albany, New York and transactional-level sales of hardware go against the grain for us and are not presented as options unless used as Opportunities: Sales of cloud storage, document mana comparison against our competitors. This provides us the agement, seat-based MPS, color hardware and exploitation opportunity to sell the value of our offering through manag- of vertical-market databases. ing the environment versus trying to justify our price. Most Strategies: Hone your skills on those clients you are close traditional IT providers are not set up to work this way and to, then push into other markets and clients. Have your do not understand it, although they are learning quickly. hardware sales team work closely with your solutions speThe major players in your market will be well on their way cialist; make sure the spiffs go both ways. to developing contract bases tied to reoccurring revenue and Mark Van Den Hoek, owner working hard to bundle in as much as they can, but there are The Office Advantage, Mitchell, South Dakota so many small IT shops that just don’t have the resources or, quite frankly, the desire to move in this direction that their Opportunities: I believe production will continue to customer bases are prime candidates for takeovers. bring the greatest opportunity for dealers in 2016. This is Ron Hulett, president & CEO the fastest growing segment of our business, not only on the U.S. Business Systems Inc., Elkhart, Indiana equipment side, but the service and supply portions are also growing at a fast pace. As we are able to capture the prints Opportunities: The ability to capture customers in this coming off of the production devices, we are offsetting the mature market. Building a larger customer base to eventu- loss of prints that we are seeing in the convenience copiers ally sell other products is the greatest opportunity. The ma- as the customer is copying and printing less, especially in ture market is giving dealers opportunities to capture new black and white. accounts due to the lack of interest with the competition.

Strategies: A dealer must commit to the production What products these will be are different for each dealer. For space, which requires investment in equipment, trained us, it’s digital signage and workflow solutions. Others will technicians, and specialists who understand and know the sell MNS. It doesn’t matter; getting the customers is the key. needs of the customers. The combination of knowledgeable Strategies: It’s different in each market. I like to ana- personnel, well-trained technical support and placing the lyze my competition and bring our customers something proper equipment in the environment to meet the customthe competition is lacking; something that gets me into er’s requirements are critical for success. There are no shortthe account. The dealership should incent the sales team cuts if you want to be successful in production. to pick up these new customers. But the key is not losing Hunter McCarty, COO any of our current customers. Simply add a steady stream, RJ Young Co., Nashville, Tennessee but don’t lose customers.

Nick Lioce, president Opportunities: 2016 will be a year of dealers continuing The Lioce Group, Huntsville, Alabama to try to decide how to morph their businesses for the future.

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Managed services is the hot topic and I have spent years working with men“Among the emerging trend right now. However, many dealtors developing strategies and have ers are finding that it takes quite a lot found that working through an outline opportunities: digital of money as well as a longer-term ROI at the time of the quarterly review not signage solutions. They than what has been messaged by many only gets the attention of the client, are now becoming the people who are trying to sell this model. but really sets the direction. The belief norm. About 10 percent Strategies: My recommendation is is that you must know from the beginof dealers are gravitating to do your due diligence if you are on ning of doing a deal that you must have the fence regarding managed services. an ending, and sometimes that ending toward this product ... “ Our company is continuing to do well must be followed from the result back in MPS despite what many prognosticato the beginning. Below is what drives tors are predicting. My personal opinion is that the enter- this successful achievement and ultimately shows the ecoprise segment of MPS is totally saturated, but the SMB seg- nomic value of the advanced sales cycle — the outline of a ment is still a tremendous opportunity for those who have true sales rep. not paid attention to this market segment.

(1) Creating a partnership/relationship with a new or curKevin Morris, CEO rent client.

OneDOC Managed Print Services LLC (2) Introducing a solution first, such as document manOklahoma City, Oklahoma agement/PaperCut/FMAudit. The key here is to get the data first, as it will speak to the client and drive the advantage Opportunities: Despite indications that the global eco- of mind thinking. If this result works, then the client is on nomic recovery remains slow, the office technology indus- board and will follow your direction. (Our peripheral vision try seems to be advancing quite quickly. As we have seen must be well enforced in order to see the bigger picture of in previous years, the penetration of products and services our environment and seek out products. The goal today is has presented opportunities for dealers as incomes have not only to replace existing items, but to add several.) risen and device prices have declined, creating a fertile en(3) Once a solution is introduced, it must be combined vironment for a period of what I like to call “robust catch- with another product such as an MFP, or integrated with up growth.” Among the emerging opportunities: digital proprietary software that the client is currently invested in. signage solutions. They are now becoming the norm. About We call this the closed-source solution. Most GP/revenues 10 percent of dealers are gravitating toward this product, are generated from this way of thinking. which presents newfound annual support revenues.

(4) Remember to include many products at the appointStrategies: Focus strategies are becoming more impor- ment, such as bar-code printers, digital signage and mailtant than ever in today’s active business world. As clients ing solutions. Most clients don’t know that you carry these start to ask more questions about the what, where, how and items, so it’s your job to be the trusted teaching advisor. why they need the products and services of today’s technol(5) If you introduce a product to a customer and interest ogy, they tend to hesitate on moving forward. So, with these is there, make sure to set the stage by treating each section questions in mind, our sales forces have to be willing to take of your selling outline to be on a timeline for the client. Overthe journey with clients, as well as teach a newly invented whelming someone with too much information will be a way of doing business. Whether or not the products or so- sales nightmare. Keep your outline simple, smart and short lutions are an advantage by improving efficiencies, as deal- in order to achieve set deadlines and secure the sale. Above ers, we need to find new ways to associate/adapt our new all, treat the engagement like making a BLT, which transproducts with a mix of the old. Just like sales 101, we all do lates to the client in this effect — BLT (Believe, Like, Trust). the right things to achieve one set of goals and usually get Always set the direction with the client and show him the one item sold. It is most critical today to combine items by path of value by setting achievable goals and showing how doing quarterly reviews and honing in on the solutions ver- he benefits from them — not only financially, but effectively. sus plain old selling. We all have heard the sayings from our Tony Donnellon, branch manager bosses, parents and colleagues: “Are you leaving money on ABS Business Products, Columbus, Ohio the table?” and “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” Well, what if I told you there was a much betOpportunities: With 2016 being a presidential election ter way to position yourself in the eyes of the client by show- year, I would expect there to be a lot of uncertainty within ing him not only value, but a direct path to success that ulti- the economy, preventing any large economic swing. Orgamately leads to larger profits and keeps competitors at bay? nizations are going to continue looking for ways to reduce 18 | ­w w w. o f f ic et ec hno lo g y m a g.c om | Ja nua r y 2 0 1 6

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costs and increase efficiencies. Our ininitiative last year with the hiring of a “It isn’t enough to simply dustry is built on improving technology technician and a visionary business dewhile reducing costs. I believe these two velopment manager. We’ve garnered a throw new technology things together are a great opportunity. couple dozen clients where we monitor on top of old problems.

By promoting managed services (both and remotely manage their servers and If our customers realize print and IT), we have the opportunity workstations. We have worked hard and significant gains, they to realize large growth by simply helping enjoy very high customer satisfaction can help us get into far organizations meet their goals of susand now see the path to profitability. taining/increasing productivity while Best of all, these clients represent exmore opportunities ... ” cutting expenses. isting relationships (which are now far Strategies: Hard work, commitment more secure) and net-new business with and developing real and sincere relationships with custom- buyers eager to also turn over their MFP fleets to us. We aners. We need to really learn about our customers and their ticipate rapid growth in managed IT during the new year. goals, and provide programs and solutions that truly meet Strategies: As always, the ultimate strategy is to find the them. It isn’t enough to simply throw new technology on top right people, set goals and be sure you are all on the same of old problems. If our customers realize significant gains, track, then give the team the ability to work out the “on-thethey can help us get into far more opportunities than any ground” issues. amount of advertising would return.

Terry Chapman, president Joseph Dellaposta, owner & COO Business Electronics Corp., Birmingham, Alabama WPS Inc., Hagerstown, Maryland Opportunities: I still think the core business of copiers Opportunities: Now that capital ventures are paying top will continue for many years to come. The added feature of dollar for our business, digital signage software and video scanning is what will drive that force. walls will continue to grow in our space. I wish more dealStrategies: Since scanning is where the opportunities lie, ers would get involved in MPS; it’s much easier these days. a good IT department will be needed. If your business canI don’t see MNS growing in our space unless dealers start not afford its own department, outsourcing is the key. buying out IT companies. I also see large format growing in Bill Newton, president our space.

Authorized Office Systems Inc., Largo, Florida Strategies: For the video wall and signage software, partner with someone who does the content; dealers have Opportunities: I believe the greatest opportunity for the people already in place to do the rest. For MPS, compa- 2016 will be in selling services, which include IT services, nies like Clover have the tools you need to get started and MPS and managed mail services. By providing more services they will walk you through the process. For large format, and solutions to each customer, we are able to go wider and you have availability from many companies. deeper in each account and possibly reduce competition.

Chip Miceli, president Strategies: The best strategy for success is having a clear, Des Plaines Office Equipment Co. Inc., Elk Grove Village, Illinois organized, repeatable plan to go after these opportunities and not just sell a few more solutions. I believe having all Opportunities: In terms of internal growth, I believe so- the resources to sell, implement and service these new oplution-based sales is the area of greatest profitable growth. portunities in place before we go to market is the key to reIn addition, there is increasing opportunity in the acquisi- peatable success. tion of other dealerships that aren’t able to grow or do not Frank Shoaf, president have a succession plan.

Central Business Systems Inc., Lexington, Kentucky Strategies: Solutions, like other initiatives, require dedicated attention by formidable people who are experienced Opportunities: We believe the areas of opportunity and can take ownership. or potential prospects vary from dealership to dealership Ray Fuentes, president and are determined by several factors such as: location; a Edwards Business Systems/Virginia Business Systems specific, self-growing perspective; specific technologies/ Bethlehem, Pennsylvania brands; dealership size; and relationships. All of these could be positives (pros) or negatives (cons), but they can all be Opportunities: The ability to move into IT and man- potentiated or overcome. For instance, location is no longer aged services represents a huge opportunity. We began this an obstacle nowadays, but instead, it can be seen as a real 20 | ­w w w. o f f ic et ec hno lo g y m a g.c om | Ja nua r y 2 0 1 6

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growth opportunity, if that is your percan hold an in-depth conversation with “Develop and train. spective; also, your specific brand(s), in someone who can recommend a parthe case of MFPs and printers — since ticular solution and answer their quesDevelop best processes some brands are more A4-oriented — tions immediately, which brings instant and practices. Train all can serve better in industries such as credibility to our company. Our sales of your employees. Talk health care, finance or corporate. ECM, reps have tried to have those same conabout the advantages MPS and MNS are today’s trendy topversations with prospects and either the new services will ics and, most likely, realities. Not evthe sales reps become intimidated and ery dealership can adopt all of them, don’t perform proper follow-ups, or the bring to your company.” but probably one or two, as its core or customers become frustrated and end secondary portfolio services business. up talking to someone else more knowlWork on your strengths to make them bulletproof and, at edgeable about the subject. the same time, make sure your weaknesses aren’t forgotten.

Alan Dickinson, vice president of sales Very specifically determine and describe the factors menPreferred Office Products, Fort Smith, Arkansas tioned before and work from there into making them part of your business planning.

Opportunities: Managed services — This can cover Strategies: There are three key factors that have worked a number of areas for a dealer. It could be managed print for us: services, managed IT services or managed document ser(1) Differentiation from the competition that actually pro- vices. Regardless of which one it may be, there are plenty vides value and solves problems for the prospect. Are we well of opportunities out there for these types of services. If you trained? Are we certified? Do we have the correct business aren’t currently in this space, put together a plan to get in partners? Do we have positive referrals? Are we able to prove the game. If you’re already in, look at your processes to see it to the prospect with no doubt whatsoever? opportunities where you can expand or improve.

(2) Added services or products that support the earth/the Strategies: Do research about your customer base. environment/green initiatives that can be tangible, recog- What are they asking for? Do research about the service you nizable and traceable. How do our business partners con- want to start providing. Ask your manufacturers, suppliers tribute to this? Can we make our prospects a part of it and (LMI, Clover, etc.) and trusted dealers. Dealer meetings are active? Do we participate in programs such as PrintReleaf great to “pick the minds” of many, or join a dealer group if or similar? you aren’t in one already. Now, on to your own abilities. Can (3) Be flexible, adaptable and willing to change. Say “so you support the new service with your existing people and long” to those strict and “squared” schemes of solutions and infrastructure? Will your ERP handle the new service? implementations.

Develop and train. Develop best processes and practices.

Jaime Aguilar, director Train all of your employees. Talk about the advantages the Think Smart S.A. de C.V., Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico new services will bring to your company.

Dive in. Your people will watch your lead. If you aren’t Opportunities: The greatest areas of opportunity are in committed, then they won’t be either. Monitor the progress. services — network, scanning, managed print and docuSam Stone, president ment management.

Stone’s Office Equipment, Richmond, Virginia Strategies: I think we finally have a good strategy in place. Monthly and ongoing training is provided for all Opportunities: I think you want a macro answer to this, sales reps to help identify solution- and service-sale op- like what are the opportunities that any dealer of any size portunities. The sales reps are then responsible for setting could take advantage of. I don’t have an answer to that. It appointments with prospects and our solutions special- certainly isn’t managed services; I don’t think that is a monist on staff (who we have developed). After that initial ap- ey maker. It should be solutions, and I see that as an opporpointment has been completed, it is up to the specialist to tunity, but we have not taken advantage of that. It might be maintain the relationship with the prospect throughout document management/electronic filing, but we have had the sales cycle. The specialist is responsible for the close of a hard time getting that ramped up. For us, it is to be a lot the sale and the sales rep will earn a lead fee, which is a per- more effective in executing our sales efforts next year. centage of the total sale. We have implemented this stratStrategies: Sales effectiveness — We have a new sales egy recently and we are starting to see the benefits of a spe- manager who, so far, has shown to be very good. We want cialist driving the sale instead of a sales rep. The prospect him to continue to execute. Solutions — We hired some 22 | ­w w w. o f f ic et ec hno lo g y m a g.c om | Ja nua r y 2 0 1 6

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depth on the support side here and hopefully that will help us be more effective. We have also focused our solutions and will have them in the showroom.

Document management — We are dipping our toes into a relationship with a new software provider.

Paul Archer, president Automated Business Products/ Colorado LLC, Centennial, Colorado

“You must create a professionally confident team that is proud of its efforts ... that can ... convey the company message of being the best in the business.”

Opportunities: The area of greatest opportunity for office technology dealers in 2016 is, quite frankly, A3 networked MFP sales and service. For 2015, CEI grew its core business by 20 percent year over year by: (1) targeting its marketing campaigns to take business from the competition and (2) educating its staff members and providing them with the necessary tools to deliver an exceptional customer experience. We also actively market MPS and MNS, and have made great strides in both arenas, but our core business is what fuels our growth and affords us the opportunity to explore these other areas. We don’t dabble in coffee, water, smart boards, projectors or whatever else the industry talking heads are pitching. We sell and service copiers and we’re the best in our market, bar none.

Strategies: In pursuing growth through your core business offering, a dealership must become “the” company in its market. You have to become the company everyone wants to do business with. Run a tight ship, but make sure to invest in your team, your facility and your community. You can’t just talk the talk — you have to walk the walk. Your sales team members have to be rewarded for growing their bases. Your service/admin staff members have to be rewarded for excellent customer service and for becoming company ambassadors. You must create a professionally confident team that is proud of its efforts — a team that can accurately convey the company message of being the best in the business. Do all of this and deliver on your promises and you’ll see significant growth in 2016.

Jeremey Whitaker, director of business development CEI, The Digital Office, Raleigh, North Carolina Opportunities: There is a growing disconnect between many of the direct operations and their customers. This creates more opportunity for dealers to fill the void. There are also many technologies available to dealers that can help position us more as consultants. Making that shift creates more profit and opportunity.

Strategies: There is a need to be more selective of where you want to focus. It is crucial to understand what type of customer is profitable and what services you can execute

well. Consultative selling skills, responsive technical service and a solid admin team are all must-haves.

Ray Belanger, president Bay Copy, Rockland, Massachusetts

Opportunities: IT managed services and workflow solutions.

Strategies: Putting the right team together and determining who the right partners are (N-able, Intronis, Connectwise, etc.). In addition, we are aggressively looking to acquire the right size IT company, but making sure that its culture matches ours.

Alan Albergaria, president Automated Business Solutions, Warwick, Rhode Island Opportunities: Services and how we, as an industry, handle them, will be how our companies will succeed; whether that is by servicing customers’ copiers and printers, managed IT, or even 3D printers and robots.

Strategies: How we take care of our customers and adapt to what our customers need will determine how well we do.

Tyler Best, president Abadan Tri-Cities, Richland, Washington Opportunities: I think the market will continue to demand excellence and I think some of the organizations that take shortcuts by not properly maintaining equipment in the field will open avenues for companies known for quality service and a fast response time to add accounts to their customer lists. The managed services provider side of the industry should continue to help customers see our industry as more of a one-stop shop. Not needing multiple companies to maintain their productivity should be seen as a bonus reason to do business with their current MFP providers, opening avenues previously unavailable.

Strategies: The best strategy to achieve growing MFP provider market growth is to find the best representation with an understanding of the business trends and how to present them. Many sales representatives have more in their offerings than they can comprehend and they don’t know when to apply those offerings. Educating the people who represent your company is key to being successful in this era.

Jeff Eaves, president Appalachia Business Communications of Kingsport, Gray, Tennessee 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.

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

relationships@work Sharp hosts National Dealer Meeting Dec. 3-6 by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

S

harp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) hosted its National Dealer Meeting Dec. 3-6, 2015, in San Antonio, Texas. Featuring presentations by senior Sharp executives, a number of educational sessions and a Technology Exhibition that showcased the company’s newest products, the meeting drew approximately 650 attendees from 215 of Sharp’s authorized dealerships.

Laura Blackmer, senior vice president of sales for SIICA, opened the first of two general sessions by explaining the theme of the meeting, relationships@work. She cited the concept of the “Internet of Things,” noting that it is now possible, for example, for people to change their home thermostats remotely or monitor their heartbeats while exercising. “The problem is, with all of this talk about connectivity, we sometimes forget the simplest of connections is between two people,” she said. “Or, as I like to think of it, the ‘Internet of People.’”

Blackmer said she has observed that the relationships Sharp dealers have with the company are “incredibly important” to them. “The fact that we have this kinship with you sets us apart,” she said, pledging that Sharp is committed to leveraging the similarly strong kinships it has with others to continually provide new opportunities to the Sharp dealer community. “We want to help create those connections for you. We don’t want to own them. We want to facilitate them.”

The facilitation of new connections for dealers was apparent at the meeting with the inclusion, for example, of Jeff DeCarlo, senior vice president of sales and corporate strategy at Fujitsu Computer Products of America, and Joe Quaglia, president for The Americas at Tech Data Corp., as general session presenters. Similarly, in the meeting’s Technology Exhibition, there were 63 third-party exhibitors, including such companies as Continuum Managed IT Services, PSIGEN Software Inc. and PaperCut Software.

In his general session presentation, Kazushi Mukai, executive managing partner and president of Sharp Business Solutions Co., acknowledged the “many new integrations and partners” at the meeting. “The B2B world is about relationships and we will work hard to expand your opportunities in this market,” he said, taking the opportunity to reference the financial challenges Sharp Corp. has experienced in recent years and thanking dealers for the support they have shown the company. “The concept of this meeting is relationships working together. We appreciate all that you have done to help us through this challenging time, but also to help bring new

Top photo: Attendees learn about new opportunities in the meeting’s Technology Exhibition. Bottom photos, left to right: Laura Blackmer, Kazushi Mukai and Doug Albregts. products to the market and your continued efforts to share your knowledge and expertise with us.”

Similarly emphasizing the importance of relationships in his general session presentation, SIICA President Doug Albregts hearkened back, in part, to the company’s 2012 dealer meeting, themed “Irresistible Force,” as he reminded dealers of the vision SIICA has pursued in recent years. “We want to be irresistible,” he said, noting that being irresistible to dealers is necessary to drive the company’s profit and revenue. The completion of those tasks, he said, positions Sharp for its newly stated goal of achieving “hyper-growth.”

Albregts noted what Sharp is doing to achieve its vision.

“I’ve challenged the team to think big, but act bigger in everything we do,” he said, referencing the book, “Think Big, Act Bigger: The Rewards of Being Relentless,” written by Jeffrey Hayzlett. “That challenge has helped us change our culture to focus on our partnership with you.”

The culture change has been accomplished through a number of tactics, Albregts said, specifying its focus on having the

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to ready condition within 10 seconds. right people, simplifying programs and imBuilt on the same engine platform as the proving delivery times. “And we bring it all The culture change has Advanced Series, the Essentials Series, detogether with Tech Data,” he said. “These been accomplished signed for cost-conscious customers, offers tactics will be core and have been core to through a number of out-of-the-box copying, network printing everything we do and it’s paid off.” tactics ... having the and network scanning at speeds of 30 ppm, Albregts emphasized the value of Sharp’s right people, simplifying 35 ppm, 40 ppm, 50 ppm and 60 ppm. The relationships with Tech Data, sharing that series will be available in the second quarthe distribution company will be Sharp’s programs and improving ter of 2016. facilitator of managed IT services solutions delivery times.

In addition, Sharp announced at the meetfor its dealers. The relationship with Tech ing the integration of MWAi FORZA with Data “will facilitate growth for IT hardware and services on your customers’ networks,” he said, not- Sharp’s Machine Intelligence Call Assistance System (MICAS) ing that it will also “facilitate the connections needed to help platform, providing for service management and ERP collaboration. Sharp also announced a partnership with Blackboard Inc. diversify your business.”

Beyond its focus on relationships at the meeting, Sharp to enhance the paper-to-digital workflows in the higher educashowcased a new series of 10 mid- to high-volume color MFPs tion and K–12 environments, which will enable ease of use for in two distinct varieties — the Advanced Series and Essentials educators and students alike. Sharp’s integration with BlackSeries. The Advanced Series models offer speeds of 30 pages board Learn is targeted to launch in the spring of 2016. n Brent Hoskins, executive director of the Business Technology per minute (ppm), 35 ppm, 40 ppm, 50 ppm and 60 ppm. The Association, is editor of Office Technology magazine. models, available now, offer scanning up to 200 images per He can be reached at brent@bta.org or (816) 303-4040. minute and a walk-up motion sensor that brings the machine

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REFLECTIONS ON 90 YEARS

‘Very Fond Memories’ It began at a NOMDA convention back in the 1960s by: Jeff Jehn, Waltz Business Solutions

Editor’s Note: In each issue of Office Technology magazine in 2016, BTA’s 90th anniversary year, dealers and others will share their reflections on the association’s rich history — looking back, sharing memories and expressing their loyalty to the association that was founded by a group of typewriter dealers back in 1926. The vision was to create an association of dealers who can help one another to ensure they collectively remain the industry’s premier channel of distribution. aving grown up in a family-run office equipment business, my experiences in the industry began years ago. It is amazing how far this industry has come — and how the National Office Machine Dealers Association (NOMDA), now the Business Technology Association (BTA), has evolved to stay relevant in our industry.

I have very fond memories from childhood of accompanying my father to those wonderful NOMDA conventions. My first was during the mid-1960s at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. There were booths from many manufacturers — most that are, unfortunately, long gone. I saw the conventions grow into very large shows where one manufacturer after another tried to outdo one another with amazing displays of equipment and people. All of the vendors waited for the NOMDA show to introduce their new and exciting wares.

It was impressive.

These large trade shows fueled NOMDA’s tremendous growth and its efforts to educate dealers, as well as advocate for the cause of the independent entrepreneur. There were four regions and scores of local chapters in each, all offering assistance and education to thousands of dealers at the grassroots level. The late 1990s saw a decline in the concept of a large national trade show and, with that, NOMDA needed to change its method of delivery to stay relevant to the independent dealer.

Looking back on that time, I am sure I was not alone in wondering if BTA would still be around in the future of an ever-changing landscape. The major players in the industry began their own training and educational programs, wishing to keep their dealer customers under their own wings.

It was a changing time and may have been a watershed moment for BTA. I am happy to say that not only did BTA survive, but today, it thrives. I cannot tell you how many times during presentations over the years that I have heard a manufacturer state that it

H

needs the “BTA Channel” or refers to its dealer customers as “BTA dealers.” This tells me that the concept of an association providing advocacy and collaborated education is, indeed, a valid concept.

I am happy to say that this is my 43rd year in a business that has been very good to me. I recount fondly my participation in the local and regional levels of our association, culminating in my year as 2004-2005 BTA national president. My parents and this industry taught me to give back and share, and the principles I learned and the training I received have guided me through all of these years.

I believe our vendors know they need independent dealers and understand the reason BTA is still around. Back in the early days of NOMDA and up through the late 1950s and early 1960s, most office equipment was procured through national branch operations; there were few real “dealers.” When it was realized that cost delivery of product was better served through local, independent dealers, the pendulum swung and the independent dealer and, thus, NOMDA/BTA, thrived.

Today, the relevancy of BTA shows itself to me in my company being a member of the Select Dealer Group (SDG; one of BTA’s two dealer peer groups). Without hesitation, I tell everyone that joining BTA 50-some years ago and then becoming an SDG member in the early 2000s was absolutely the best thing my company has ever done. Benchmarking my dealership, its financials and its best practices against 40 other SDG dealerships has made a significant impact on our company’s operation and its bottom line — not to mention the associations and friendships I have developed over the last 10 years.

It is dealers banding together to learn as a group what they could not learn on their own. Isn’t that what BTA has been all about for the past 90 years? n Jeff Jehn is president of Waltz Business Solutions, Crestview Hills, Kentucky — a BTA member dealership since 1956. The dealership, now owned by Jehn and his three brothers, was previously owned by their parents, James and Janet Jehn, who purchased the dealership in 1961 from the original owners. Waltz was founded in 1892. Jehn can be reached at jeffj@waltzbusiness.com.

Visit www.waltzbusiness.com.

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EDUCATION CALENDAR February 24

BTA MPS Client Engagement Training Series The BTA MPS Client Engagement Training Series, led by Mike Lecak of Collaborative Consultant Group, consists of six one-hour, Web-based courses designed to assist participants in the following: getting the appointment; MPS value propositions; conducting the appointment; the assessment; the proposal; deal implementation; and client management. During the six-week series, there will be three one-hour, one-on-one coaching sessions in addition to the online training sessions. During these sessions, you will be working with Lecak on three of your specific accounts.

You will be taking these opportunities through the sales process, from appointment through the assessment to the proposal and contract. You will have a chance to gain valuable insight while working on actual “live” prospects. Visit www.bta.org/MPSClientEngagement to register.

March

9-10 ProFinance 2.0

Owings Mills, Maryland Over the last 14 years, the principles of ProFinance have dramatically improved the performance of hundreds of dealerships. Now, with color, connectivity, software, managed print services (MPS) and managed network services (MNS), the business has changed — and ProFinance has changed with it. Taught by John Hey and Todd Johnson of Strategic Business Associates, ProFinance 2.0 incorporates these changes into the industry model, including benchmarks for MPS. With more than 30 key benchmarks, this management tool will help you and your team achieve double-digit operating income. Visit www.bta.org/ProFinance to register.

18-19 Spring Break - Hosted by BTA Southeast New Orleans, Louisiana Are you embracing the managed IT services opportunities within your customer base — or are you leaving money on the table while risking having your customers stolen by the competition?

With a focus on managed IT services, the Spring Break event will help you better prepare your dealership to claim a greater share of this burgeoning opportunity. The event will feature a keynote session by Steven Shepard of Shepard Communications Group, a dealer panel focused on managed services, and seven additional educational sessions presented by industry experts.

In addition, there will be time to visit with 40-plus exhibiting sponsors, many of which will hold drawings for great prizes during the event. Dealer attendees can also enter on-site for a chance to win one of five $100 American Express gift cards and be entered into the BTA District Event Sweepstakes. The event will wrap up with a tour of the National World War II Museum and dinner at the museum’s restaurant. BTA member dealers receive 2-for-1 registration! Visit www.bta.org/BTASoutheastEvent to register.

For more information, visit www.bta.org/Education or call (800) 843-5059.

www.offi cetechnol ogymag.co m | J a n u a ry 2016 | 29

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

Dealer Members 4 The Office, Pittston, PA Carefree Office Technology, Fairfax, VA CBS Office Automation, Golden Valley, AZ Executive Technologies, Sioux City, IA The Toner Exchange, Wilmington, NC Western Business Products, Redding, CA Service Associate Member DOS LLC, Fort Worth, TX For full contact information of these new members, visit www.bta.org.

Buyers Lab: The Industry Resource Are you curious about vendor success stories from 2015 and their plans for 2016? Want to know how a specific dealership is differentiating itself in its region and how it continues to grow? Did you miss a dealer meeting or trade show, but need to find out what happened from an unbiased source? BLI’s experienced staff of analysts has you covered — on both the hardware and software sides.

Visit www.bta.org/BuyersLab to check out the latest strategy session and dealer profile articles picked by BLI’s editors. BTA member dealers also receive a 20-percent discount on new bliQ subscriptions.

Visit www.bta.org/BuyersLab 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 or Service Associate members in this space.

Founded in March 2011, BTA Vendor Associate member Aster Graphics’ mission is to provide its customers with highquality printer supplies, industry-leading and environmentally friendly solutions, and worldclass service and support. The company’s employees — experienced industry veterans and professionals, most of whom have at least eight to 10 years of leadership experience in large printer supply companies — cover management, production, R&D and quality control.

Its team of IP engineers is dedicated to patent research, making sure its products are safe. www.goaster.com

BTA Service Associate member Association Background Checks has tailored the background screening process specifically for association professionals. Customers can now utilize the company’s online tools to automate and manage the background screening process of all applicants from start to finish.

The company’s eBackground combines its eValidate, eRegister and eSource technology to provide one of the most robust and efficient background check methods available today.

BTA members receive special discounts on the company’s services, including a free account, tutorial and background check. www.associationbackgroundchecks.com A full list of BTA Vendor and Service Associate members can be found online at www.bta.org.

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Highlights Jan 16.indd 1

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COURTS & CAPITOLS

Problem Solving The seven ‘Cs’ of a non-litigious approach by: Robert C. Goldberg, general counsel for the Business Technology Association

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or as long as I can recall, BTA (and, previously, NOMDA) has always advocated for resolving differences outside a court of law. Whether it was through the Manufacturer/ Dealer Relations Committee, the general counsel’s office or by contract, it was felt that business disputes require a business solution rather than a legal outcome. Recently, I spent 10 hours with a dealer who was seeking the mediation of a dispute with his major supplier.

Mediation is non-binding and can only resolve a dispute with the agreement of all parties. This makes mediator selection very important. In this recent mediation, the mediator was a retired federal judge who estimated that he had helped resolve more than 2,000 disputes. He had seven reasons ­— seven “Cs” — why mediation is superior to litigation. Since they are all valid reasons, I wanted to share the seven “Cs” with you.

The first “C” is client control. The judge warned of the dangers of putting your business future in the hands of 12 jurors who are unfamiliar with the industry, possibly business, and of different backgrounds, education and perspectives. Mediation allows the dealer to determine and negotiate a favorable outcome. The mediator helps bring the parties closer together.

The second “C” is cost control. It is no secret that litigation is expensive. Dealers choosing to litigate are taking dollars from their businesses and likely receiving less themselves as a result. Suppliers often have budgets for legal expenses and these costs will not impact the corporate individuals involved.

Costs not only represent dollars, but also emotional stress that can come with protracted proceedings. Litigation can consume an individual and distract him (or her) from the pursuit of business opportunities.

Mediation provides the third “C” — a certainty of the outcome. Trial verdicts can be appealed if one side is unhappy and thinks an error was made. An appeal represents added costs and uncertainty.

The fourth “C” is confidentiality. When working with a dealer network, confidentiality is an important factor. A judicial determination is public and can be relied on by others. A mediated settlement can be kept confidential and not broadcast to the industry.

The fifth “C,” creativity, is a factor that is unavailable in a litigated context. In this mediation, the dealer presented a creative solution that was attractive to all of the parties. The solution did not require payment of any monies, but restructured the territorial assignment to best meet the business objectives

of both parties. This creative solution was different from all previous discussions, however, it provided a satisfactory result for all.

Creative solutions lead to the sixth “C,” a continuing business relationship. Litigation results in winners and losers. Often, a dispute causes a severance of relationships. Without suppliers, a dealer does not have a business. Successful mediation allows a continuing relationship and the opportunity to grow a business without interruption. When a dispute develops, it is important to establish what the very best outcome would be. It is rare that the best outcome would end a relationship.

Finally, mediation allows for the seventh “C” — closure.

Litigation is a reliving of the past. The entire contested process is devoted to determining what happened previously. A successful mediation does not focus on the past, but on the future.

The parties can move forward with a new understanding and an improved relationship. The dispute is resolved and everyone can get back to what they do best.

BTA has long encouraged a non-litigious approach to problem solving. Over the years, BTA has helped hundreds of dealers and suppliers resolve differences in a business context with a business solution. If you are having a problem and are a BTA member, call the Legal Hotline at (800) 869-6688 and let your association help get your relations back on course. 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.co m | J a n u a ry 2016 | 31

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

The Customer Experience Create some heroes within your organization by: Rock Janecek, Burtronics Business Systems Inc.

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n the December issue of Office Technology, I highlighted the “everyday heroes” that exist within your business — the customer-facing employees who represent your business every day in the best way possible. These heroes interact closely with your customers day after day and, because of this frequent interrelationship, the actions of your field employees will directly influence the customer’s perception of your business practices and standards.

In my December article, I explored the presale visit, the delivery and the installation. This month, I will continue through the rest of the customer experience.

Key Operator (or Post-Sale) Training How many other types of businesses have the opportunity to interact with the buyer after the sale and explain, in detail, how the product just leased or purchased is awesome? Having a training class soon after the sale allows you to make sure the employees at your customer location feel good about the recent purchase and know all of the features available to make their business processes flow smoothly.

Some dealers utilize the same employees who performed the presale check, since they know the business processes and how your solution integrates within the customer’s workplace.

Other dealers will have a full-time customer service trainer who provides fee-based training for customers to utilize as needed. The cost for the initial training is disclosed on the sales order and future training needs will be billed as needed, or a block of hours will be presold to the customer if the solution may warrant frequent or more complex instruction.

This value-added service can give your customer’s employees peace of mind, knowing that you will support them; they will not feel like they are on their own if they have any issues.

Quarterly Review By far, the best byproduct of managed print services (MPS) is the quarterly review, which gives you the ability to present a sales pitch directly to the decision maker every quarter. This is a fantastic sales appointment that the customer actually welcomes and features the decision maker as a willing participant. Your quarterly review will highlight the benefits of your solutions and the achievements that you have recently accomplished with the customer, as well as explain other successes you have had with other customers and products. You can then

show your customer how to save more time and money by subscribing to your next solution. The quarterly review has been a benefit for successful dealers for years — long before MPS made it fashionable. Plan your quarterly reviews carefully and you will increase loyalty and customer retention.

Supply Sales It is important that you support your customer base.

Having the necessary product on hand or within reach is important for customer satisfaction. While stocking myriad supplies for every product you have ever carried is not practical or prudent, it is prudent to have items for your newest products readily available either in stock or within local mailing distance. Supplies for older or out-of-date equipment should not take up valuable shelf space that can be used for new product. Set your priorities to support your profit centers.

It is a good practice to devise a backup plan for those times when you cannot get product through your normal channels.

There are times when the OEM will not be able to provide you with an item — there may be backorders or other unforeseen circumstances that keep you and your customer from receiving much-needed product. Have alternative sources ready and make sure communication channels are open between these sources and your supply employees before a crisis occurs.

Work to minimize incorrect order shipments. Having the wrong product appear at the customer location will create excessive time and expense to correct, and leaves the customer without a needed item until the matter is resolved.

Repeated incorrect shipments may cause your customer to wonder why your business cannot seem to get the correct supply. It should be simple, right? The data within your database may be incorrect, with old equipment still registered as active.

Or, a physical move may not have been inputted. Mispicks and incorrect shipping happen on occasion. Work to discover the cause of incorrect shipments and develop methods to safeguard and improve the order process. Monitor the complete order process from initiation to shipping and tracking.

Call Center/Dispatchers Your call center is your dealership’s nerve center. Your dispatch team members will handle the majority of customer interactions within your organization, so they must be the most

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capable, customer-oriented personnel on the goal. To achieve this goal, the techniyour payroll. When your customers are cian should be well equipped with the cor... Your call-center upset and unreasonable, they will interrect parts, resources, tools and confidence personnel must be act with these heroes, who have the task of to complete the call. able to defuse any making everything wonderful again.

Similar to a dispatch team member, a situation, provide Proper treatment and quick resolution technician must be able to reassure the acceptable solutions of upset customers will set the tone that customer that all is well with the world may exist for the rest of the business cycle. and he made a wise decision by partnering and promise satisfactory This is an area where the savvy BTA dealwith your company. When FCE cannot be conclusions ... ership can outshine the competition. Havachieved, the technician’s job is to present ing a professional dispatch team, with each an agreeable course of action to the end team member being able to show empathy for your customer’s user that will ensure a timely resolution. FCE can and should current situation while confidently arranging a speedy solu- be measured; you will want to chart the movement of FCE and tion, can place your company far ahead of any other dealer- set standards and goals for improving the FCE process. ship or OEM branch.

A technician should be presentable, portraying your imA local dealership is able to have a more personable ap- age in a positive way. Do you have an enforceable dress code? proach to your customer base than a call center in a different Do you provide company shirts with your logo? Does the vestate or country. Take advantage of this. Creating a quality hicle he uses every day present a good first impression? Is he dispatch center can bring your company the most dividends. equipped with business cards and company information for I recommend spending some time quietly or inconspicuously the customer? listening to your call center activity without interfering. Take Your employees who perform connectivity should have notes on what you hear, listen for the proper reactions, seek current or leading-edge software and hardware as they perout great, proactive responses and record any less-than-stel- form network services on the job. This demonstrates that your lar responses. Then, schedule a time when you can review your business is up-to-date and knowledgeable. Any special skills, findings with your call center team. training or certifications may be displayed prominently on Do not be surprised when you discover what was being said your technicians’ business cards, further boosting customon the other end of those phone conversations; you may find er confidence. Preach professionalism to your service team that the demands of your customers can often be impractical, members and monitor their activity. Conduct follow-up visits sometimes unbelievable and, occasionally, unimaginable. Yet, with your customers in order to gauge the end-users’ percepeven with these uneven odds, your call-center personnel must tion of your service team members. be able to defuse any situation, provide acceptable solutions One of Aesop’s Fables includes the moral: “A man is known by and promise satisfactory conclusions even as two more phone the company he keeps.” Switching this phrase up a bit, it could be lines are ringing with irate customers experiencing even more said that “your company is known by the employees you keep.” important crises requiring the same soothing treatment from Strive to have all of your customer-facing employees project your true heroes — your dispatch team members. a professional image that you direct, reflecting your mission statement and your commitment to excellence. The rewards Field Service Technicians will be seen in many areas, including customer satisfaction Your field service technicians are the visible face of your as well as employee satisfaction. When team members work business. They interact with your customers every day, and together to achieve a common goal, it reinforces the bonds of with each of those interactions, they will radiate your business loyalty. Create some heroes within your organization. n culture to the end user. If you have hired and trained properRock Janecek is division service manager for Burtronics ly, you know that these heroes have a sense of confidence and Business Systems Inc., San Bernardino, California. He has a commitment to their duties. They understand their role in been in the office technology industry since 1980. Janecek is a your company and are able to execute their duties with a reworking service manager who understands the daily trials and alization of customer needs. The main technician objective is tribulations of leading a profitable service customer satisfaction. A stellar technician understands that department. He served as BTA’s national sometimes he (or she) may not be able to fix the equipment, president during the 2010-11 year. Janecek is but he can still fix the customer. currently an instructor for BTA’s FIX: Cost Strive for first call effectiveness (FCE). Repairing and mainManagement for Service 2.0 Workshop. taining the customer’s equipment during the initial call — He can be reached at rjanecek@burtronics.com. without rescheduling or having the customer call back — is Visit www.burtronics.com. www.offi cetechnol ogymag.com | J a n u a ry 2016 | 33

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

The Change Around Us ‘Good enough’ is no longer good enough by: Mike Lecak, Collaborative Consultant Group LLC

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he only constant in the office technology industry is change. As business owners, we are seeing change around every corner — change in process, change in technology, change in our offerings and change with our customers. With so much change around us, we sometimes retreat into our comfort zones and do our best to resist. While this might offer us some short-term comfort, in the long run, it only puts us behind everyone else.

When we take a step back and look at our offerings, we must also look at our customers.

How have they changed? How do the decision makers we are targeting every day access information? How do they communicate and want to be communicated with?

There are some things that will not change. We must offer value in our products and services. We must be able to communicate that value to get and keep our customers’ and prospects’ attention. These are constants. What has changed over the years is both who we are selling to and how we need to engage with them. For the most part, they live in a 140-character world. Speed is the measuring point. Understanding and working within that framework can keep you connected. Ignoring it might simply exclude you from that communication loop.

As a baby boomer, I can tell you that the changes I have seen over the last 20 years are both fascinating and too numerous to name. Technology has changed the way we give and receive information, as well as the speed in which those tasks are done.

What has also changed are the expectations our customers now have. I often wonder how I was able to really keep up with my customers in the past. I would walk into my office, look at the message carousel for my name and grab the stack of messages to return calls from the previous day. That was an accepted practice, so to compare then to now does not seem fair or sensible.

Today, calls have turned into texts or emails. Those texts and emails seem to come with an expectation of an immediate reply. Because you can reply instantly, it is almost expected that you should; it is just the landscape in which we are operating. Many of your decision makers have never operated outside of today’s norm; the Internet, cell phones, email — they have just “always been.”

As I speak to dealers around the country, I am often struck by the challenges they face and the different ways in which they face them. We are an industry known for sales acumen. We are

a fertile ground for recruiters. Headhunters continue to comb our ranks. The simple reason: We can sell. That is why I am often amazed at how some cannot seem to navigate the “solution sale” that is now commonplace. Too many sales reps and managers seem to be stuck. They know their jobs and they understand their customers, but they do not want to rock the boat.

While I can understand that sentiment, I could not disagree more with the premise.

As you continue to see the workforce changing in terms of both age and ability, what is certain is that those are not the only things changing. In the past, our value as sales professionals seemed to boil down to a few certainties. We needed to understand our customers’ needs, find the pain and provide a solution that would “plug the gap.” As we call on customers today, very few things are the same as before. It is our ability as sales professionals to challenge the status quo that will make and keep us relevant.

Today, your customers know far more than they are given credit for; information is readily available for anything they want or think they need. Google is the great equalizer. To be truly relevant today, you need to be on the front end of identifying gaps in process or execution. When identified, these gaps should be the basis for your solution-centered sales model.

“Disruptive technology” is an often-used term today. I submit that while the technology used will continue to change for the better, your customers need guidance through that technology maze to completely understand how to take advantage of this shift. How can technology help them? Acting as the subject-matter expert and truly understanding how they can benefit from your solutions is a start. The concept is simple, but the execution is not easy. The landscape will continue to change as technology improves at lightning speed. Our ability to change and adapt will be the difference between success and failure. This is the challenge we must all accept. “Good enough” is just not good enough anymore. Remember, if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. n Mike Lecak has been in the industry since 1983.

He currently serves as president of Collaborative Consultant Group LLC. He can be reached at mlecak@collaborativeconsultantgroup.com.

Visit www.collaborativeconsultantgroup.com.

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Lecak Jan 16.indd 1

12/22/15 4:59 PM

Free Live Webinar

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How Key Events Last Year will Impact Your Business in 2016 The Year In Review begins with a market overview that details the roles various economic factors have played in the current market and how the leading vendors have fared this year. Next, we’ll survey the trends in certain market segments including those for electrophotographic and inkjet devices. The Review concludes with a deep-dive into the consumables market and an assessment of how recent M&A activity, lawsuits and other factors are changing the competitive landscape for both OEM and non-OEM supplies vendors.

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engage ‘n exchange

Sweepstakes - ENX ads Jan 16.indd 1

12/18/15 4:14 PM

PRINCIPAL ISSUES

Job Benchmarking It will improve the chances of success with new hires by: Larry Breed, Precision Hiring & Development

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usiness owners everywhere are seeking better ways to find the talent necessary for their business success. Jobs and the specific talents of the people who fill them are the unique building blocks of that success. But how can you discover the specific talents required for a job and match them with the talents inherent in a person?

All jobs have unique requirements for on-the-job behavior. For example, the employee behavior required for a customer service job’s work environment would likely include tactful decision making, the ability to contact many people, patience, diplomacy and having a cooperative nature.

In addition, all jobs have inherent rewards and a predominant culture that drives performance excellence. When the job’s rewards and culture match those of the person who will be performing the job, the result is performance excellence.

For example, one of a customer service job’s rewards may be expressed as: “Gaining personal satisfaction by performing the job consistently the right way, according to a predefined set of rules and procedures.” Employees whose values or motivators are in line with this reward and culture will excel.

People have unique behaviors that can be matched to jobs.

However, these behaviors and job matches seldom occur.

When a person’s behaviors are in sync with a job, the result is increased performance and employee satisfaction, and decreased turnover.

Common behavior types range from outgoing and assertive to soft-spoken, mild and reserved, from adventurous and daring to controlled and restrained — and everything in between.

But how can you discover the specific talents required by a job and match them to a person’s talents? n Benchmark the Job — Define the talent required to be successful on the job by identifying top performers and asking them to determine and prioritize the knowledge, skills, behaviors and motivation required to be a top performer. Then, create a list of questions to ask future candidates to determine if their talents match the job. n Compare the Candidates to the Job Benchmarks — Incorporate the job benchmark questions into your interviewing

process and compare each candidate’s talents to the job benchmarks prepared by the successful top performers you would like to clone.

It used to be very difficult and timeconsuming to create job benchmarks, which are the primary reasons that most businesses do not have or use job benchmarks in their hiring and development processes. However, with today’s technology, employers can create accurate and detailed job descriptions for key positions quickly and easily. Here is one three-step approach: (1) Identify the job to be benchmarked and select one to three subject-matter experts who know what it takes to be successful in the job being benchmarked.

(2) Have each person complete a job benchmarking questionnaire about the knowledge, skills, behaviors and attitudes they feel are necessary to be successful in the particular job.

(3) Have the group meet to discuss and agree on what knowledge, skills, behaviors and attitudes are required for job satisfaction and superior performance.

Here are a few of the key benefits of using job benchmarks: n Job Satisfaction — Job-related talents are directly related to job satisfaction. n Higher Performance — People are better positioned to achieve success when they are engaged in work suited to their natural behavioral styles and values. n Lower Turnover — People are less likely to leave an enjoyable and challenging job.

Using job benchmarking in the selection and development of your employees will reduce “gut-feeling” hiring decisions made under pressure, improve your new hires’ chances of success and reduce costly turnover. The right talent in the right job equals top performance and employee satisfaction, which is exactly what every company wants. n Larry Breed established Precision Hiring & Development in 1991 after working with Lanier Worldwide Inc. for 26 years in service, sales, management and training. He can be reached at (800) 875-7599 or lbreed@precisionhiring.com.

Visit www.precisionhiring.com.

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Breed Jan 16.indd 1

12/23/15 8:45 AM

SELLING SOLUTIONS

Spending vs. Investing How would you define your sales management time? by: Troy Harrison, Troy Harrison & Associates

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he word “investment” (and its closely related word “spend”) have a heavy bearing in the world of sales management. According to Merriam-Webster, to “invest” means “to commit (money) in order to earn a financial return,” and to “spend” means “to use (money) to pay for something.” Note the difference? When you “spend,” it is without expectation of achieving a profit.

In more than 15 years of managing salespeople and coaching other sales managers, I can state this as fact: Far too many sales managers spend their time when they think they are investing their time. Understand that most sales managers spend their time working with, or on, the bottom tier of their sales forces. They usually do this to bring low performers up to a level of basic competence (quota) so they will not have to fire them.

“But, Troy,” you ask, “that’s natural, isn’t it? My top guys don’t need my time and some of them may not want me messing with them. Therefore, I can improve the skills of my bottom-tier salespeople and impact my sales force’s performance that way.”

This response is true nearly all of the time — and sometimes it is even the correct way to look at their situation. However, this is where we turn back to the old question of spending your time versus investing your time. Here are three questions to ask to help you understand which is which: (1) After a work session with a rep, do the rep’s skills improve? This would seem obvious, but it is not obvious to many sales managers. I recently had the opportunity to make joint calls with a client’s sales rep. I had previously made joint calls with him three years ago. At that time, he was teetering on the edge of being released. Since then, the manager has made a project out of the rep, dedicating at least a half a day per week to working with him.

So, what is the result? Nothing that I could see. His skills have not improved in any measurable way. He is still not asking the right questions, fumbling in his ability to present to a customer, missing buying signs and probably burning sales left and right. Yet his numbers are just enough higher that he is no longer in danger of being fired. We will get to the “why” of his numerical improvement in a moment, but first, here is the moral of this story: If your sales rep’s skills are improving when you work with him, you are investing your time. If not, you are spending your time.

(2) Are your joint calls focused on teaching the sales rep how to sell or are they focused on just helping the rep get the deal? Here’s the “why” of the above point. It is true that the

sales rep’s numbers have improved. The reason — which the rep in my example admitted at the end of the day — is that the sales manager is going on enough important calls that more deals are getting closed. Of course, the reason that those deals are closing is that the sales manager is basically closing them himself — taking over the sales calls and making the deals happen. If you do this, you might think that you are doing your job and benefiting the company, but you are not. You are only benefiting yourself and your rep, and only in the short term.

If you are staying silent during joint calls and using them as a coaching opportunity, you are investing your time. If you are the one selling, you are spending your time.

(3) If you quit dedicating extra time to a sales rep, what would happen? Back at the office, I began probing the rep’s sales and activity records for the past three years, and cross-referencing them with the sales manager’s vacation and travel schedule. I bet you already know what I found. When the sales manager was not there, the rep’s activity levels dropped nearly in half — and the rep rarely sold any deals when the manager was not there. While this was disappointing to the company’s owner, it was what I expected to find by this time.

The manager was simply doing much of the work for the rep. If, after some length of time under your tutelage, a sales rep can function independently, you have invested your time. If not, you have spent it.

In the review meeting with the company owner and the sales manager, I gave my analysis of the situation (pretty much as above, but with specifics included). I was asked by the sales manager if the salesperson should be put on a PIP — a performance improvement plan (i.e., probation). www.offi cetechnol ogymag.com | J a n u a ry 2016 | 37

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you may find easily coachable moments “That’s up to you,” I said to the business that will produce success — and if you imowner. “But your sales manager should Your top reps are the prove a top rep once, he will always want to definitely be put on a PIP.” Both jaws ones who always want work with you. The reason is simple: Your dropped. “Here’s why. You [the sales manto improve, sell more top reps are the ones who always want to ager] have told me that you’ve spent at least and produce more. improve, sell more and produce more. If four hours per week over the past three If you can help them you can help them do it, that is a good inyears with this person. That’s more than vestment of your time.

600 hours of your time. You’ve done this do it, that is a good To truly start investing your time rather not to improve the salesperson’s skills or investment of your time. than spending it, try this one simple guideperformance — he hasn’t changed — but to line: Apportion your coaching (and make it save yourself from having to make a transition, perhaps because you like him so much. That’s an incred- coaching, not selling) time evenly to all your mature reps, top ible misuse of time and resources, considering that you have to bottom. Granted, new and ramping reps take more time — seven other reps who do not receive that level of attention. You as they should — but if you divide yourself equally among your should be put on a PIP, and then how you handle improving mature reps, you will find out that your time is probably better invested with your top people. n your own performance is up to you.”

Troy Harrison is the author of “Sell Like You Mean It!” and “The Harsh? Maybe. But the truth is that the sales manager had Pocket Sales Manager.” He is a speaker, consultant and sales gotten emotionally involved to a high degree and had abdicatnavigator who helps companies build more profitable and ed his sales management duties in favor of basically being a productive sales forces with his cutting-edge part-time, uncommissioned sales rep. Sales managers do this sales training and methodologies. For every day without realizing it. If this is you, stop. information on booking speaking/training But what about the other part of the objection noted above engagements, consulting or to sign up for — that your top reps just want to be left alone and not messed Harrison’s weekly e-zine, call (913) 645-3603 or with? Maybe that is true in some cases. However, rarely does email troy@troyharrison.com. a strong relationship and time spent with a top rep fail to proVisit www.troyharrison.com. duce dividends. If you get out and work with your top people,

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