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26
The Sales Team
Dealers address hiring, onboarding & retaining reps by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine
Are you seeking ways to improve your sales rep hiring, onboarding and retention practices? If so, perhaps the details shared in this article will provide guidance.
Entry-Level Sales Success
A model for building a summer intern BDR team by Jon Dunkelberger Ricoh USA Inc.
How can you break the cycle of progress and setbacks in growing your sales organization? Develop some of your future field sales professionals before you hire them into their territories.
Selling Commodity Products
Finding ways to build value in your sales process by Derek Shebby Modern Sales Training
If you are fighting the commodity battle in your business, then you need to remember that there are plenty of ways to build value in your sales process.
Selling Managed IT Services?
If so, you had better be ISO 27001 compliant by Dale Stein Technology Assurance Group (TAG)
If you are selling cybersecurity, you must now be ISO 27001 compliant or you risk not having the right processes and protocols to protect your customers the proper way.
Q&A: Karl Boissonneault
28
Xerox leader shares vision for the future by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine
Recently, Office Technology magazine interviewed Karl Boissonneault, president of North America Channels at Xerox Corp. This article includes six of the questions asked and his responses.
FEATURE ARTICLES
Q&A: Mark Spears
A brief look at the Odoo-powered Noetics ERP by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine
Office Technology asked Mark Spears of Noetics to provide a look at his company’s product.
DEALERS HELPING DEALERS
Hiring Sales Reps
What resources dealers use to find talent
Compiled by Elizabeth Marvel Office Technology Magazine
This feature includes a question from and answers submitted by BTA dealer members.
Let’s Talk About Tariffs What is their impact & how can you mitigate it? by Greg Goldberg BTA General Counsel
Legal Perspective takes a look at U.S. tariff policy and its impact on the dealer channel.
PRINCIPAL ISSUES
Konica Minolta Training
Making a strategic investment in dealer education by Laura Blackmer Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Konica Minolta recognizes that welltrained partners are essential for our mutual success.
Less Hassle. More Hustle.
The New WorkForce® Enterprise AM Series.
Powered by PrecisionCore®, this marvel has less imaging parts than typical laser printers which can result in fewer slowdowns, breakdowns, and office meltdowns.
Survey Results Show Dealer Hiring Details
AExecutive 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
Laura Blackmer, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. www.kmbs.konicaminolta.us
Jon Dunkelberger, Ricoh USA Inc. www.ricoh-usa.com
s an “editorial supplement” to the cover story in this issue of Office Technology, I sent a quick survey to Business Technology Association (BTA) dealer members focused on sales rep hiring, onboarding and retention. I received 49 completed surveys. Do the results reflect your practices?
(1) What is your single-most-effective source of new sales rep hires?
n Online services such as Indeed, etc.: 21 (42.86%)
n Recruiting firms: 4 (8.16%)
n LinkedIn: 4 (8.16%)
n Employee referrals: 15 (30.61%)
n Other: 5 (10.20%)
(2) Which of the following best describes your expectations regarding hiring sales reps in the past two years?
n It has been very difficult to find good candidates: 36 (73.47%)
n It is becoming somewhat easier to find good candidates: 5 (10.20%)
n We have been very pleased with our success in hiring good candidates: 4 (8.16%)
n Other: 4 (8.16%) Sample comment: I always say if you are successful in the big leagues 30% of the time, you are an all-star, and I would say ending up with a successful person in sales 30% of the time would qualify as an all-star.
(3) In the past two years, have you had any sales rep candidates fail to show up for a scheduled interview?
n Yes: 40 (81.63%)
n No: 9 (18.37%)
(4) Which of the following best describes your interview process?
n Sales rep candidates have one or two interviews with one or two people at our dealership: 20 (40.82%)
n Sales rep candidates have two or more interviews with two or more people at our dealership: 28 (57.14%)
n Other: 1 (2.04%)
(5) As part of the interviewing process, do you require candidates to complete any sort of assessment test?
n Yes: 26 (53.06%)
n No: 23 (46.94%)
n Comments: DISC profiles; Wexley; Predictive Index, both profile and cognitive; PXT Select; Chally; Culture Index.
(6) Which best describes your sales rep onboarding process?
n It needs improvement: 14 (28.57%)
n It essentially only involves the hiring sales manager providing training, ridealong opportunities, etc.: 10 (20.41%)
n It is very comprehensive and involves multiple people (not just sales management) in training/guiding new sales rep hires: 25 (51.02%)
(7) At what point are new sales reps making sales calls solo in the field?
n Within about two weeks: 18 (36.73%)
n At 30 days: 14 (28.57%)
n 30 to 50 days: 13 (26.53%)
n Other: 4 (8.16%) Comments: It depends on the person; in about three days, call reluctance is the single-most-common reason reps fail; depends on experience in the field.
(8) What do you believe is the primary key to retaining good sales reps?
n The right compensation plan: 13 (26.53%)
n The right company culture: 22 (44.90%)
n Sales-rep team-building efforts: 2 (4.08%)
n Other: 12 (24.49%). Comments: Big, fat client bases to ensure success; a good manager supporting them and owner supporting the manager; good training and getting their buy-in to the culture of the company; lead generation systems, good comp plan, team effort. n
Greg Goldberg, BTA General Counsel Business Technology Association
Derek Shebby, Modern Sales Training www.modernsalestraining.com
Dale Stein, Technology Assurance Group (TAG) www.tagnational.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: (847) 922-0945
Valerie Briseno Marketing Director valerie@bta.org
Brian Smith Membership Sales Representative brian@bta.org
Brooke Barker Administrative Assistant brooke@bta.org
Photo Credits: Adobe Stock. Cover created by Bruce Quade, Brand X Studio. ©2025 by the Business Technology Association. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of published material. However, the publisher assumes no liability for errors in articles nor are opinions expressed necessarily those of the publisher.
FLASHBACK
THE
LOUELLA FERNANDES
DAVE FARRELL
KEITH O’BRIEN
CHRIS DANCE
BTA: Looking Future Forward to 2025-26
O2024-2025 Board of Directors
President
Adam Gregory Advanced Business Solutions LLC St. Augustine, Florida adam@goabsinc.com
President-Elect
Debra Dennis CopyPro Inc. Greenville, North Carolina ddennis@copypro.net
Vice President
n June 30, my tenure as the Business Technology Association’s (BTA’s) national president will come to an end, and I will pass the torch to 202425 BTA President-Elect Debra Dennis. I know she will do an amazing job as president and continue BTA’s legacy of “Dealers Helping Dealers” with a future-forward vision. I would like to thank BTA’s staff members and the rest of BTA’s volunteers (both my fellow national board members and those within each district) for all their hard work in the last year. BTA’s volunteers help plan the future of our association, so if you are interested in helping to guide BTA, email BTA Executive Director Brent Hoskins at brent@bta.org.
With all of this said, I thought I’d give you a quick review of the last year and some of the accomplishments that have pushed BTA future forward.
Last July, Bob Goldberg retired as BTA general counsel and turned the reigns over to his son, Greg Goldberg. I was pleased to oversee this transition and am looking forward to seeing Greg grow into his father’s shoes as general counsel.
During my year as president, BTA created and released the BTA Members App (www. bta.org/BTAApp), giving members access to information about the association and their member benefits, and a way to network with their fellow dealers. The app also serves as a show guide during BTA’s events, giving attendees the event schedule, information on the speakers and sponsors, and more. I encourage you to download the app today and use it to enhance your membership and connect with your fellow member dealers. We also made some significant changes
to BTA’s events this year. First, we heard the requests of our dealer and vendor members and transitioned from holding four events in the U.S. each year to two — one in the east and one in the west. Our first event this year, Spring Break, was held in March in Orlando, Florida. The second and final event of the year, the 2025 BTA National Conference, is coming up later this month in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico (To register for the conference, visit www.bta.org/National25).
We also started bringing more notable keynote speakers to BTA events. The Spring Break keynoter, Alison Levine, is famous for her mountaineering feats, including climbing Mt. Everest and completing the Adventure Grand Slam. And the national conference keynoter, Pro Football Hall of Fame Running Back Emmitt Smith, needs no introduction. During the conference, Emmitt will sit down with Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America President and CEO Mike Marusic for a “fireside chat.” This is just the beginning of the evolution of BTA’s event speaker lineups, so keep an eye on www.bta.org/BTA Events for more information as it is released.
Another event-related accomplishment from this year was the creation of the e-automate Elevate best practices event, which was held prior to Spring Break. The event included a variety of sessions on e-automate topics ranging from product functionality to common concerns and troubleshooting best practices, as well as a Q&A panel with the session leaders. This event also led to the creation of the e-automate Elevate Dealers Helping Dealers Discussion Group, which you can join by emailing Brent at brent@bta.org.
It has been a year of great change and I hope to see that continue as BTA evolves for the future. Thank you for allowing me to serve as president. n
— Adam Gregory
Mike Boyle BASE Technologies Inc. Bethel, Connecticut mboyle@baseinc.com
Immediate Past President
Don Risser DCS Technologies Corp. Franklin, Ohio don.risser@dcs-tech.com
BTA East Joe Dellaposta Doing Better Business Hagerstown, Maryland jvd@doingbetterbusiness.com
Chip Denlinger DCS Technologies Corp. Franklin, Ohio chip.denlinger@dcs-tech.com
BTA Mid-America
Greg Quirk JQ Office Equipment Omaha, Nebraska gquirk@jqoffice.com
Brett Blake Corporate Business Systems LLC Madison, Wisconsin bblake@corpbussystems.com
BTA Southeast Mike Hicks
Electronic Business Machines Inc. Lexington, Kentucky mhicks@ebmky.com
Blake Renegar Kelly Office Solutions Winston-Salem, North Carolina tbrenegar@kellyofficesolutions.com
BTA West Kevin Marshall Copy Link Inc. Chula Vista, California kevin@copylink.net
Scott Reynolds Imagine Technology Group LLC Chandler, Arizona sreynolds@itgarizona.com
Ex-Officio/General Counsel
Greg Goldberg
Barta | Goldberg West Hollywood, California ggoldberg@bartagoldberg.com
The Sales Team
Dealers address hiring, onboarding & retaining reps
by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine
Are you seeking ways to improve your sales rep hiring, onboarding and retention practices? If so, perhaps the details shared in these three Business Technology Association (BTA) member dealership profiles will provide guidance that can help you achieve greater success in growing your sales team.
Adams Remco
Founded in 1972, Adams Remco, based in South Bend, Indiana, has around 118 employees working from 11 offices in three states — Indiana, Michigan and Florida. The dealership offers Ricoh, Toshiba, Lexmark and Brother imaging products, as well as managed IT services.
With 30 sales reps across the 11 offices, how does Kennedy Cross, Adam Remco’s director of business development, characterize the current environment for hiring new reps? “It’s been a struggle,” he says. “Half the time people don’t show up for their interviews. Indeed [the employment website] has fallen by the wayside, as have other similar websites. In interviews that do come together [from such websites], the applicant basically wants to be a customer service rep where he or she sits down and works a book of business from a desk at home.”
Where is Adams Remco finding success today in hiring reps? “Primarily through our clients, our internal referral program and internships,” Cross says. “I started an internship program at the end of last year. Today, we put interns in all of our branches where we have sales managers. That has allowed us to hire a couple of people in sales.”
There are seven colleges in the area of the dealership’s headquarters, Cross says. “I reached out to all of them to recruit salespeople, marketing people, etc.,” he says, noting that the effort evolved into the current internship program. “We’ve pulled a few employees out of a community college who were working people looking to change the focus of their jobs.”
Cross emphasizes that the best sales rep candidates are individuals who have the ability to comfortably talk to others from the first encounter and clearly possess common sense. “In the interview, if the candidate cannot answer common-
sense questions — ‘How would you handle this?’ ‘How would you handle that?’ — that makes me nervous, because I’m thinking, ‘How are you going to be able to handle yourself when you are in front of a client?’”
Actually, at Adams Remco, the primary interviewer is not Cross, but instead the sales manager “who is going to be growing, grooming and supporting that person,” he says. “I trust his or her judgment. I do ask for a Teams call with the candidate where I normally ask only a few questions. If I see anything as a red flag, I’ll share that with the manager, weighing in with my recommendation in terms of what to do or not do with a potential candidate.”
Once a rep is hired, he or she “spends every day [for at least 30 days] riding along with other reps — learning about our company, the territory and our products,” Cross says. Within or at the end of the 30 days, the rep takes part in Adams Remco’s week-long onboarding program along with all other new hires, offered every other month. “For the first two days, all of the departments present to the employees. I want our employees to know exactly what we do as a company. For the next three days, we split the employees into their respective departments. For sales hires, this includes in-person or virtual meetings with our manufacturers, leasing partners and software partners. We also cover prospecting, telephone scripts, cold-call scripts and things of that nature.”
With 38 years of experience in the industry, Cross acknowledges that efforts to ensure sales reps are content in order to retain them long term have evolved. “I was raised in sales; I mean, ‘you’re here to sell,’” he says. “Your ‘team building’ was your commission check. Your ‘having fun’ was selling more. That’s not society these days. So, we are doing things like Top Golf, pizza, bringing in food — that’s what people are expecting. It’s also important to show everyone that we are here to support them. You have to say to every hire: ‘If you need help, just call me. We’ll jump in a car and go to the account. We’ll knock on doors.’ That’s what our industry requires today.”
Metro Sales Inc.
Founded in 1969, Metro Sales (MSI), based in Burnsville, Minnesota, has nine branches across the state and in parts of Wisconsin. In recent years, the dealership has expanded its offerings to include managed IT services, DocuWare and other software products, a ramped-up focus on production print and an MPS program, in part by way of selling HP products.
“It’s also important to show everyone that we are here to support them. You have to say to every hire: ‘If you need help, just call me.’ ... That’s what our industry requires today.“
Today, MSI has around 285 employees. “We have 76 individuals in our sales department, including nine full-time sales managers, three selling managers and 55 sales reps,” says Tony Gruenke, general sales manager. “In addition, we have specialists dedicated to each of our solution categories to support our clients.”
Where does MSI find new reps? In recent years “we have found some really good candidates through our employee referral program — family, friends, someone the employee knew in college, etc.,” Gruenke says. “Our robust referral program compensates our employees well.”
While MSI has also found reps through LinkedIn, Indeed, etc., it rarely hires reps from within the industry, says Gruenke. “Some of our better hires previously worked in other businessto-business roles at such companies as Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Cintas, so they understand what it takes to be successful,” he says. “They have no industry experience, but they have the passion and the drive that it takes.”
In the interview process, Gruenke says MSI determines whether sales rep applicants are a good fit for the dealership, in part, by way of questions based on the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method. “That would be: ‘Tell me about an issue that came up with a customer. What did you do? What was the result?’” he explains. “So, you are looking at whether the candidate can speak to it, but also demonstrate a history of having the skills that we are seeking.”
Gruenke acknowledges that is a “pretty tough market right now” in terms of finding sales reps. “The biggest thing is, if you have a good candidate, you have got to move quickly,” he says, advising fellow dealers. “You don’t want to skip anything and you want to make sure the person is thoroughly vetted, but if two or three weeks go by, the candidate is probably going to get an offer from somebody else. So, try to make the offer as quickly as possible to qualified candidates.”
In terms of the onboarding for new hires, MSI is currently transitioning its process, Gruenke says, noting that, traditionally, new reps would learn the CRM, etc., do ride-alongs with
senior reps and attend a training class team taught by sales managers. “After they graduated from the training class, the manager would work closely with a new rep for the first 90 days, going on most of the rep’s appointments, being involved with processing paperwork ... [Eventually] the manager would take a step back, but still go with the rep [for a period of time] on bigger appointments or as needed, while also doing weekly one-on-ones to offer coaching.”
— Kennedy Cross Adams Remco
Recently, however, MSI has hired a sales trainer “who is going to work alongside the manager to support that rep for the first 12 months,” Gruenke says. “Currently, the trainer is building a curriculum, identifying benchmarks and KPIs, and identifying the knowledge the rep should have at one month, two months, three, four, etc. — what the rep should be accomplishing during the first year.”
What does Gruenke see as the best means of retaining a rep long term? “Obviously, compensation is part of it, but I would say even before compensation is the company culture,” he says. “We did a company-wide study a couple of years ago, asking employees: ‘Why do you stay at Metro Sales?’ The number-one response: ‘I have friends at work.’ Number two: ‘My supervisor values me.’ Number three: ‘Compensation.’ So, it is important to create an environment where people get along, but also where employees feel valued.”
Systel Business Equipment
Founded in 1981, Systel Business Equipment, based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, has nine additional branches in the state, as well as two branches in South Carolina and one in Georgia. The dealership also covers parts of Tennessee and Virginia. With about 250 employees, Systel’s primary brands include Ricoh, Konica Minolta, HP, Lexmark and Brother. Beyond imaging devices, the dealership’s portfolio includes managed IT, unified communications and document management. The sales team is comprised of approximately 60 individuals, including two executives, six sales managers, 40 sales reps, four new business development reps and several specialists. “Our down-the-street reps can sell everything,” says Jacqueline Smith, vice president of marketing and business development. “The only distinction we make is we assign the reps a primary brand to sell, either Ricoh or Konica Minolta.”
The most “reliable source of quality sales rep candidates” at Systel is LinkedIn, Smith says. “However, we do find success with other sources, such as Indeed, job fairs at local colleges
and referrals,” she says. “We have also had success using a niche recruiter focusing on athletes coming out of college [Athletes to Careers].”
Systel sales managers put value on office technology industry experience, “but if the candidate has jumped from competitor to competitor, the value diminishes,” Smith says. “And while industry experience can be of value, more importantly, we seek candidates who would be good fits with the company culture, are motivated and possess key qualities; the best candidates have strong work ethics, the grit to overcome rejection, backgrounds in sports, strong math skills and a willingness to learn.”
“Some of our better hires previously worked in other business-to-business roles ... They have no industry experience, but they have the passion and the drive that it takes.”
— Tony Gruenke Metro Sales Inc.
is not easy but can be very rewarding,” Smith says. “That’s the litmus test to see who can get to the next step — a sales aptitude test [by way of John Wiley & Sons (Wiley)].”
What is discovered about the candidate from the test will guide the sales manager with any resulting second interview, Smith says. “This second interview also involves the vice president of sales or a tenured rep within the hiring branch seeking to determine whether the candidate would be a good fit for that group of employees,” she says. “The most important thing at Systel is team chemistry. If the group gets along well as a team, then everybody’s ship rises with the tide.”
How do Systel’s sales managers determine if candidates have what it takes? “In the first interview, the sales manager sets the expectations for the job, making sure candidates know it
Once sales rep candidates are hired, they attend Systel University, a customized training program focused on the dealership’s customer engagement and sales processes,
Smith says, noting that the program is built on a platform developed by the business consulting firm On the Ball. “The reps spend a lot of time learning about Systel, our culture and our story,” she says. “They are taught by our sales management team, not just one voice. We want them to get the best guidance from all of our managers.”
“ ... Most reps begin working independently within the first month ... The managers feel real learning happens in the field; they encourage early exposure to revenuegenerating activities.“
— Jacqueline Smith Systel Business Equipment
In addition to attending the classroom training program, new reps do ride-alongs with sales managers and a variety of different reps “so they get exposure to different selling strategies,” Smith says. “Some of our sales managers aim for 90 days of shadowing and support. However, most reps begin working independently within the first month ... The managers feel real learning happens in the field; they encourage early exposure to revenue-generating activities.”
In terms of sales rep retention, Systel has found that “two things are the most important — compensation and autonomy,” Smith says. “We want them to know their earning potential is uncapped ... And we want them to treat their territories like they are their own businesses. So, they can achieve that uncapped income through the autonomy in their territories ... Plus, we don’t micromanage. That’s what drives people away. For that reason, we give them the flexibility to manage their own territories.” 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.
Entry-Level Sales Success
A model for building a summer intern BDR team
by: Jon Dunkelberger, Ricoh USA Inc.
How can you break the consuming cycle of progress and setbacks in growing your sales organization? This solution may surprise you: develop some of your future field sales professionals before you hire them into their field sales territories. We began exploring this answer in two previous articles. In the March 2025 issue of Office Technology (“Your Sales Team’s Evolution: Expanding your base & increasing net-new revenue”), I introduced you to the business development rep (BDR) team as a new component of your sales organization. In the September 2024 issue (“At a University Near You: Shaping the future of your sales organization”), I shared how to source the reps for this future team.
Here is a quick review of why you should form a BDR team and how to do it:
n Grow net-new business — Generate outbound, sales-qualified leads for your tenured sales reps. BDRs are partial-process sales professionals and their output is booked introductory meetings with targeted, net-new prospects.
n Recruiting, hiring and development — BDRs are the “bench” you build for your field sales team. The BDR team’s organizational output is new sales professionals who are prepared to progress to their own field territories with a higher-than-typical probability of reaching productivity quickly and succeeding in their roles.
n Organizational evolution — Establish the next generation of your sales organization and your company with future leaders who have bought into your culture, demonstrated the right strengths and made the commitments you seek.
In discussing this strategy with our Ricoh dealer partners, there is an increasing level of interest in this approach, but, understandably, there are questions and concerns:
n Are we equipped to make this organizational change and can we get it right?
n Can recent graduates or aspiring reps with no experience perform in professional B2B sales roles?
Fortunately, there is a way for you to start your BDR team that presents lower risk for both you and the recent grads. As a small-scale, manageable investment of both money and time, a summer intern BDR team gives you a foundational opportunity to test the method and, perhaps, get some quick wins. Here is a basic model to get started:
n The team — The team should be made up of four rising-senior college students with sales “experience,” which can include a combination of formal sales classes, participation in sales clubs, experience in sales competitions, and prior marketing or sales internship experience.
n The teaming — Include the intern BDRs as part of your field sales team, seat them with your existing team members, have them participate in your weekly call blitzes, expect CRM utilization and include them in the prospect relationships they initiate.
n The comp plan — Our Ricoh comp plan is based on 24 hours per week at $20 to $25 an hour with a bonus for sales-
BadgePass has completely changed our business and exceeded the revenue goals that we expected. I highly recommend the BadgePass team if you are exploring the photo ID market at your dealership.
John Pecnik - Sales Manager and Vice President
Dowling Douglas Company BTA Member
qualified leads. For example, we will bonus $100 for an introductory meeting that is booked with an agenda and objectives, and initial discovery questions answered to confirm the prospect’s interest in what we offer.
Ricoh is in its third year of evolving its summer intern BDR program to generate leads for its dealers. We at Ricoh are far from experts, but we are now positioned to share lessons we have learned. Because many of Ricoh’s BDR summer interns fall within Gen Z, to support our approach, I am incorporating an article from Franklin Covey: “Managing Gen Z at Work: 9 Strategies And Tips for Today’s Leaders.”
As the father of two Gen Zers, I know they do not like the label. “True Gen” is a more appropriate term you can use because we know that Gen Z values open communication.
As the father of two Gen Zers, I know they do not like the label. “True Gen” is a more appropriate term you can use because we know that Gen Z values open communication. To prepare for this open communication, let’s address our concerns about True Gens directly. Franklin Covey shares that 40% of managers find Gen Zers unprepared to work and 45% say they are the most difficult generation of employees to work with. Ironically, 75% of managers also said that they do not understand what Gen Zers need in the workplace. “Concerns about Gen Z’s work ethic often stem from misunderstanding. They (Gen Zers) measure effort by results — not hours — and are motivated by autonomy, purpose and impact.”
Gen Zers are coming whether we are ready for them or not — they will make up 30% of the workforce by 2030. Thus, it is important to keep this data in mind when building out a sales program that will be comprised of at least some members of Gen Z. Do not wait until then. You can learn from those interns that are Gen Z and partner with university sales programs to understand their motivations and expectations. As Robin Sharma said, “Change is hard at first, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end.”
Here are the big lessons we learned from our 2024 intern team that we are now applying to our approach in 2025:
n Use a hybrid work model — Bring them on-site. Gen Z really wants the power of proximity with the flexibility of hybrid. We are going from fully remote to two or three days in the office each week.
n Hire in multiples — Hire at least two interns at once, but ideally four. Schedule time for them to work with you and your sales team members, work together as an intern team and work individually on their own. I have learned to never underestimate how much interns will accomplish by collaborating as a group without my involvement.
n Hire with a head start — Hire interns from specific sales programs that prepare students with the skills and experience you want. We are sourcing from multiple programs
this summer, most notably the James Madison University College of Business and the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. You can find a guide for your approach in my September article. The Sales Education Foundation (SEF; https://salesfoundation. org) can be a great resource as well.
n Narrow is better — Pick one product for the interns to learn and prospect with. You can add another as they progress, but fight the urge to expand quickly.
Give them a specific product or service to make it more real for them. This summer, Ricoh is focusing on its new SD series IMCs. The interns can see them, touch them and experience the tangible user benefit of high-speed, AI-enhanced scanning.
Next, align each intern with a specific, experienced, field sales rep mentor who can help schedule their introductory meetings. Have them work together to make it easy for the intern to “sell” the intro meetings. Have them set up shared calendar availability, agree on scheduling objectives, understand meeting agendas and objectives, and provide plenty of feedback.
n Reward and recognition — We are going to advance our approach to reward with a $100 bonus for meetings booked and campaign-based contests with small activitybased milestone bonuses. Our goal is to make it more about the recognition. Franklin Covey states that 78% of Gen Zers want to receive recognition at least a few times a month from their managers or supervisors, and 83% want to feel more appreciated at work.
n Communication will be key — Sharing vision and working on specifics will give them a sense of connection. We will ask our interns to bring something new to us from lessons learned in their classes. For instance, they could extend our social media prospecting strategy by creating short, personalized videos — a common assignment in their marketing classes.
n Give them a win — We have been working on a list of motivators to use in our recruiting and their development, and ways to help our interns with their utmost concern — getting a great job at graduation:
(1) Through their intern responsibilities, they will beef up their online profiles. Our interns will look great on LinkedIn when they finish their summers with us.
(2) If they do well as interns, Ricoh or our dealer partners can make contingent offers to go full-time at graduation to avoid multiple, daunting interview processes.
(3) In showing them the path to full-time BDR positions and beyond — to field sales roles with their own territories — we are establishing a progression with purpose.
Are you starting to see it? Hire your interns from last summer for full-time BDR positions at graduation and, at the same time, hire four new interns. Now you have built a BDR team and the foundation of a future new-business field team in a year.
Are you starting to see it?
Hire your interns from last summer for full-time BDR positions at graduation and, at the same time, hire four new interns.
And how about this next-level idea: Assign a developing sales manager candidate to lead the intern BDR team and progress from partial-process inside sales to full-process field sales along with the team.
But it is June and you are about a year from hiring your first batch of BDR interns, so you can file this article and pull it out in about six months, right? Wrong. You have work to do, but it is very manageable and this is the perfect time to get started:
n Make a project plan. What will be needed over the next year to get this program started and who is going to do it? A good starting point will be onboarding and training — start planning that now.
n Make a budget. Based on the sample plan I gave you earlier for four interns, base compensation will be $24,000. Fully burden it with bonuses for meetings booked, incidentals, taxes, etc. You should plan for $50,000.
n Get started with your university sales program. Summer is a great time to make first contact, but be patient waiting for return calls. Use the wait time to do your online research of the program. When you make contact, discuss what it is planning for the students over the next academic year and start collaborating. The university may already be partnering with a company in another tech sector that has a BDR team approach. You can benefit from its lessons learned.
n You can start making offers to intern candidates next January — or even sooner. Your intern recruiting should not be limited to one university. Candidates who live in your area could be participating in sales programs anywhere in the country. SEF offers a national listing of programs.
n Create a job description and post it on Handshake. Use the “Managing Gen Z at Work” article I mentioned earlier as a guide to write a job description that will attract the True Gens you want. There are thought-leading companies in other industries doing this successfully. Read their postings and take lessons from them. Test it out with a True Gen. We all have access to them. I get truthful coaching from my sons (I just have to suffer through the, “OK Boomer, that’s dumb ... ” that they lead with).
n Get the whole team involved. Use your marketing team members for the campaigns, your admin staff members for prospect lists, the engagement process and tracking, sales reps to team and mentor, and management team members to establish training plans and a formal onboarding process.
Have fun with this. It is a dynamic, progressive challenge. Consider these words from former President John F. Kennedy: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” n
Jon Dunkelberger serves as region business director for Ricoh’s Dealer Division, where he is focused on helping dealers develop their sales organizations and grow their businesses. Dunkelberger is committed to the development of the next generation of sales professionals and has taught sales strategy as an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business. He can be reached at jon.dunkelberger@ricoh-usa.com. Visit www.ricoh-usa.com.
Selling Commodity Products
Finding ways to build value in your sales process
by: Derek Shebby, Modern Sales Training
Can you build value when selling a candle? Absolutely. Let me explain: My family recently moved into a new home and, shortly after moving in, we invited all of our neighbors over for a get-together. It was around the holiday season, so some neighbors brought us “welcome-to-theneighborhood” gifts. One of them was a candle.
Now, I am not a candle connoisseur. My wife is the one who typically buys the candles for the house. Me? I couldn’t tell you the difference between the types of candles on the market. A candle is just a candle.
However, this candle was different. It was inside a small blue box, maybe 3 inches to 4 inches high, with a fancy emblem on the front and the name “diptyque” written on it.
Inside the box was a candle with a gold lid and a small, 2-by-2-inch mini paper booklet describing the contents. All of the pages inside were in other languages, from French to Chinese. Somewhere in the middle of the booklet, I found the one English page I could decipher. This is what it said:
“Diptyque candles are the product of luxury craftsmanship. Fine, rare and precious, the raw materials that compose each perfume are selected with the utmost care. Because each fragrance concentrate reacts to heat in a different way, meticulous care is taken to strike the right balance between the concentrate, the wax and the wick. To achieve a perfect diffusion of the perfume, each candle benefits from a unique blend of high-quality waxes, with wick material and diameter selected for optimal combustion. It takes two days to make each candle and eight separate processes, most of which are still done by hand. A range of accessories has been specially designed to care for the candles and ensure they are enjoyed throughout their lives: wick trimmer, snuffer, stands, lid and candleholders.”
I could not help but think this might be the most luxurious candle I had ever heard of. This candle sounded expensive. Why was I feeling that way after reading this passage? As a salesperson, I found myself appreciating the tactics that Diptyque strategically used to build value around something as commoditized as a candle. As someone who is
always looking for practical ways to build value in products, this made me want to dive in further on what worked on me here and how I could systemize it to apply it to other industries (like our beloved office technology space).
What stood out to me was the detailed, step-bystep story taken to describe how the candle was made. Every line in the booklet explained the process the maker went through to reach perfection and the resulting luxury product. This particular part of the passage — “it takes two days to make each candle and eight separate processes, most of which are still done by hand” — blew me away. This was not just a candle; this was a one-of-a-kind gift. No wonder it is priced at the premium level that it is today.
How much do you think this candle should cost? $25? $50? $100? $200? After all, we are just talking about a candle here.
If you managed to resist going to the Diptyque website to look these candles up, I will spoil the price for you. The candle is $76, and it is also the most inexpensive candle option on their website. It makes sense that it is $76 — after all, it should be. You get what you pay for.
So how could we follow a similar process to build value in the products that we sell? If we take the case of Diptyque candles, then we need to ask ourselves if our salespeople can clearly talk about the process, care and passion that goes into making the technology we are providing our customers. Do they understand the step-by-step care that is put into the manufacturing process or the amount of time our engineers put into solving real problems our customers are facing? Because being able to explain that leads to value.
We could do the same thing with the solutions we provide, from VoIP to PaperCut to water solutions. Why were they made? What were they made for? What level of care was taken to design them to solve the exact problems being faced by our customers? How skilled are our salespeople at explaining this in a way that builds value?
We could do the same thing for our MPS or MITS programs. A lot of companies out there provide similar programs. What makes our programs different? Maybe there is an opportunity
to be better at explaining the step-by-step process we go through to provide exceptional customer service. The level of detail should be covered and spelled out to showcase the passion our program has to better serve our customers.
In all cases, there is a story about our product, our solutions and our programs that gets lost in the sale. Our prospects rarely hear about it, and that is a mistake. We are missing out on an
If you are fighting that commodity battle in your business ... then you need to remember ... There are plenty of ways to build value in your sales process.
Imaging Systems in 2009. During his tenure, Shebby oversaw the performance and development of hundreds of salespeople and sales leaders across the state. Specializing in the entire sales process, he helped grow MRC from $40 million to more than $100 million in annual revenue (30 to 500 employees).
Since 2020, Shebby has coached dealership sales managers, vice presidents and presidents to sales growth and profitability
•
EBITDA
• Achieve an 85% close on your MSP deals
Selling Managed IT Services?
If so, you had better be ISO 27001 compliant
by: Dale Stein, Technology Assurance Group (TAG)
If you are selling cybersecurity, you must now be ISO 27001 compliant or you risk not having the right processes and protocols to protect your customers the proper way, and your competitors that become ISO 27001 compliant before you will take your accounts. As you know, cybersecurity is the greatest threat to your business and your customers’ businesses, and it is extraordinarily critical to prove your security worth.
Why Office Technology Dealers Must Become ISO 27001 Compliant Before Their Competitors
Most IT and office technology companies have a hodgepodge approach to cybersecurity. They go to the “shopping aisle” at an IT industry trade show and pick solutions that sound good or have the best pitches — without plans or systems. ISO 27001’s purpose is to outline a standard approach to creating an information security management system. How do you continually identify risks to your internal network and take advantage of opportunities to continuously improve? You build a system that constantly requires you to pay attention to your security stance as a whole, including what processes and tools you have in place to control your security, rather than just selecting the product that is the shiniest. As a result, you will become an elite company by adopting globally recognized standards, protocols and processes.
ISO 27001 gives you an array of benefits beyond making you a better managed IT services provider. You have the unique opportunity to secure a competitive advantage, justify higher prices for your services and attract more customers because of your technical authority.
So here’s the blunt truth (for a second time): If you are not ISO 27001 compliant, you are going to lose deals to managed IT service providers that are.
What is ISO 27001?
ISO 27001 is a global standard for information security. Getting compliant means you have adopted the most recognized
and trusted security framework on the planet. It is more than just a certificate; it is a signal to clients that your business takes cybersecurity seriously and operates at a higher standard than your competitors.
ISO compliance acts as a credibility multiplier. It turns your claims of “strong security,” “good practices” and “we take your data seriously” into evidential proof. That is a game changer during the sales process. Instead of promising customers that you are secure, you can show them you have been audited, tested and verified — by a global authority.
Imagine being asked in a discovery meeting, “What’s your cybersecurity framework?” Would you rather: (a) launch into a rambling explanation about firewalls, antivirus, etc., and the fact that “we’re very careful,” or (b) confidently answer: “We’re ISO 27001 compliant — a globally recognized cybersecurity standard audited annually. Here is what we have done to achieve it, what we are doing to maintain it and what it means for your business.” That level of assurance builds trust quickly — and that trust leads to closed deals.
Industries Are Requiring ISO 27001
Financial, health care, manufacturing, legal and telecommunications, to name a few, are industries that are requiring their managed IT services providers to be ISO 27001 compliant. Even for smaller customers, ISO 27001 compliance serves as a differentiator. It makes your business look bigger, more professional and more prepared than 95% of the other MSPs out there.
But Isn’t ISO Certification Expensive?
Normally, yes. Getting ISO 27001 compliant independently can cost $10,000 to $20,000, not to mention hundreds of hours of internal labor. It is a months-long process of audits, paperwork, process realignment and ongoing compliance. This is why it is a competitive advantage.
But here is where it gets interesting: Technology Assurance Group (TAG) has completely changed the game for its
members and the industry. If you are part of TAG, you can become ISO 27001 compliant for just $100 a month. Let that sink in.
TAG has leveraged its collective buying power and created a proprietary transaction specifically to benefit IT providers like office technology dealerships and traditional managed IT service providers. It is fast, affordable and already structured to meet the needs of your business. There are no outside consultants and no bloated certification firms. Just real, actionable support and the ISO standard badge to back it up.
ISO Is How You Rise Above
In a market flooded with competitors, having ISO 27001 is like bringing a tactical nuke to a water balloon fight. It is the ultimate sales asset.
There are no legal requirements or certifications needed to become a managed IT service provider. Literally anyone with a laptop and some Google skills can start calling himself (or herself) an “IT expert.” That is terrifying for customers. So when you walk in the door with ISO 27001 compliance,
you are saying: “We hold ourselves to a higher standard — not because we have to, but because our clients deserve it.” It is a message that lands hard.
Secure the Sale, Secure the Client
In a market flooded with competitors, having ISO 27001 is like bringing a tactical nuke to a water balloon fight. It is the ultimate sales asset. It does not just help you win more business — it helps you win the right business. Security-conscious verticals? ISO checks the compliance box. Savvy buyers comparing MSPs? ISO earns their trust more quickly than anything else. If you are selling managed IT services — or plan to — you cannot afford not to become compliant. n Dale Stein is co-founder of Technology Assurance Group (TAG), and managing partner and president of TAG’s MTSP, i-NETT. He can be reached at dales@tagnational.com. Visit ww.tagnational.com.
CELEBRATING PEOPLE MAKING A
Q&A: Karl Boissonneault
Xerox leader shares vision for the future
by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine
Recently, Office Technology magazine interviewed Karl Boissonneault, president of North America Channels at Xerox Corp. He is responsible for growth strategies and programs related to Xerox’s network of channel partners. Previously, he was senior vice president for the North American Channels and SMB business.
Boissonneault has more than 20 years of experience in sales and marketing in the technology industry and 10 years in senior leadership roles. He joined Xerox in 2014 leading the Canadian Eastern and Central Agent Operations.
The following are six of the questions asked of Boissonneault and his responses.
OT: During the Xerox Global Partner Summit in March, there was an emphasis on the “reinvention of Xerox.” What changes are underway at Xerox?
Boissonneault: The first is getting to a point where about 30% or more of our total revenue is not related to print directly — being able to capture new total addressable markets beyond print, with those being IT services and digital services. And then, within print, declaring again that it’s at the core of our strategy.
Within print, we also want to see a shift in how we go to market. We are investing in our channels business to have it deliver more of our print business. Right now, we are much more of a direct-focused company. We believe our best shot at grabbing share, which is really the game, is through our partner community.
We are also “rewiring” the company, making sure that our back-office systems are streamlined. That’s not just about an ERP; it’s about the processes, the people, everything — the tools that we have to make us a much more efficient company in order to support some of these new offerings, such as digital services and IT services, which come with things like licensing software renewals — things for
which our current systems are not necessarily designed.
We’re also making sure we have the relevant offerings that the economic buyer wants to buy. That is, making sure that our product portfolio remains up to date and that everything we’re bringing to market continues to provide more value to end users and, obviously, to our partners as well.
OT: Xerox has sold direct and through agents against the independent dealer channel for many years. What is Xerox doing to ease the concerns among dealers in terms of Xerox’s long history of selling against them?
Boissonneault: What we’re doing right now is working to redefine the rules of engagement or principles of engagement — ensuring that they are much more neutral. I think we could agree that, historically, they were much more direct focused. We’re not looking to bring them to be completely indirect focused, but to make them more neutral so that, ultimately, we want to let end users decide who they want to buy from. Historically, we would reserve accounts for specific routes to market. We’re trying to move away from that while also protecting price points and not engaging in a spiral where, ultimately, we’re just bringing prices down.
OT: How will Xerox manage territories that have Xerox direct, Global locations, agents, dealers and, with the acquisition of Lexmark, any legacy Lexmark dealers?
Boissonneault: We’re going to let people compete. Right now, we have our direct sales force, which is mostly what we call Xerox Business Solutions. We do have some enterprise reps as well, who are focused on the enterprise segments, so think of the Fortune 500 companies. Most of our agents have now become dealers, which means they’re no longer restricted to selling in specific territories because, like any
dealer, they can sell where they want.
The name of the game is to make sure that we grab more market share. Again, what we don’t want to do is have that become a price war. So, obviously, whether it be through different tier certifications or different schemes that we have around our partner programs, those may or may not provide some of our partners preferred pricing, volume pricing or things like that to position them based on how they want to go to market. We truly believe that having them partner with us in bringing some of our differentiated offerings is a great way for them to not just win more business, but also be able to get more wallet share with the end user. If you think about it, all of those routes to market do have different value propositions for end users, which really comes back to what I said earlier — ultimately, the end user will decide.
We truly believe that having them partner with us ... is a great way for them to not just win more business, but also be able to get more wallet share with the end user.
leadership team would look like once the deal closes, which includes bringing two individuals from Lexmark’s current senior management team on to our team. This opens up new doors for us. It helps us accelerate our A4 growth strategy. It helps us penetrate new markets. It gets us back to the manufacturer table. The work continues; the regulatory work is mostly done. We’re pushing through to get to the point where we can close a deal at some point in Q3.
OT: If you owned and managed an independent office technology dealership, what would you primarily be focused on today to optimize your dealership’s ongoing level of success?
OT: Xerox acquired ITsavvy in 2024. Will the resulting offerings through Xerox be rolled out to your dealers to resell to their customers?
Boissonneault: We are very excited about the acquisition of ITsavvy. The integration is actually ahead of schedule. It’s going really well. ITsavvy will become Xerox IT Solutions. That’s how we’re going to reference it going forward.
The answer is: “Absolutely.” In fact, we are in the final stages of launching our first offering through the channels. That will be a Microsoft cloud service provider platform, which will be available either in a storefront model or in a broker model for our partners to leverage. Then we have two other offerings that we’re finalizing that we want to bring to market in either late Q2 or early Q3. We will not be providing hardware for them to sell because that’s not the purpose. What we’re looking to do is to have specific offerings that they can use. Many dealers have an offering in IT services, right? The reality though is they source portions from various companies, based on what they want to gather in their portfolios. We’re going to be one more vendor for them to be able to buy from or lean on when it comes to providing these value-added services to their clients. But the answer is definitely yes, we’re bringing offerings to our channel partners.
OT: What can you share at this time about the status of Xerox’s acquisition of Lexmark?
Boissonneault: It is progressing the way we expected. As we speak, we have a group of people from Xerox working alongside a group of people from Lexmark and about 10 or so different integration work streams to be able to come up with one-day, 100-day and 365-day plans once we close. We recently announced what the proposed executive committee
Boissonneault: There are a number of things, based on the observations I see from traveling quite a bit. First and foremost, you need to have a strategy on how you go to market and bring to your end users your digital transformation platform, which includes print, scanning — things with which we are all very familiar. In addition, you’ve got to have the right talent, the right people, the right software programs and partnerships to really position yourself as a trusted business advisor when it comes to digital transformation. End users want to hear how we can help them transform their businesses to be future-proofed, which implies things like AI, robotic process automation and all the current technology trends that people want to hear about.
That leads me to the second piece, which is that you need to start instilling a learning culture in your company. Technology is moving at such a rapid rate. We don’t have the luxury to just be able to surf on what we’ve known for 20 years. We need to continue to adapt and learn. That’s one of the reasons why we’re excited to launch our Learning Central, now opened up to our partners, which has a ton of knowledge for them to leverage for themselves and for their sales teams to stay ahead of the technology curve.
The third thing I would say is people need to think about succession planning. There is a new generation coming into this business. There is an opportunity for a business strategy or business plan to be developed alongside the next generation to help encompass the previous two items I shared in terms of the strategy going forward. How do we bring this new talent or new learnings into our company to make sure we’re positioning ourselves as trusted business advisors for our end users going forward? n
Brent Hoskins, executive director of the Business Technology Association, is editor of Office Technology magazine. He can be reached at brent@bta.org or (816) 303-4040.
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Q&A: Mark Spears
A brief look at the Odoo-powered Noetics ERP
by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine
Recently, Office Technology magazine asked Mark Spears, CEO and co-founder of Noetics, to provide a look at his company’s product, Noetics. The information he shared may provide some welcome details to those dealers with minimal awareness of the company, but a desire to explore alternatives to their current ERPs.
Spears has more than 30 years of experience in the office technology industry. His journey began in 1991 at Minolta Business Systems. He later worked as a regional director of dealer sales at Ricoh. After his tenure at Ricoh, he worked at HP Indigo, and then as founder and president of Amplified Solutions.
The following are the questions Office Technology asked of Spears and his responses.
OT: What led to the development of the Noetics ERP?
Spears: Noetics was developed to address a long-standing gap in the office technology channel; the lack of a modern, industry-specific ERP platform that combines CRM, field service, leasing, billing, DCA and MPS reporting into one cohesive system. Most dealerships today rely on outdated, siloed software that limits efficiency and growth. We have spent considerable time mapping the day-to-day workflows of dealers and built Noetics from the ground up using real-world dealership input, our industry experience, pilot programs and iterative deployments to ensure it works seamlessly for this industry.
OT: Why was Odoo selected as the platform for Noetics? What about its functionality do you think makes it a particularly good fit for the office technology industry?
Spears: With more than 13 million users, Odoo was chosen for its flexibility, modular architecture and open API framework. It provides a powerful core that we could
innovate on in order to meet the unique needs of dealers — especially around leasing, MPS, managed services and field dispatch. Its scalability and ability to centralize CRM, billing, inventory, marketing and service in one cloud-native solution made it the ideal foundation for a modern dealership ERP.
OT: What can you share about the conversion time and cost from another ERP to Noetics? How difficult is the conversion?
Spears: The conversion time depends on a variety of factors, including the dealership’s size, its current platforms and needs. We use a structured onboarding approach with phases for discovery, configuration, training and go-live. Costs vary, but they are typically far lower than traditional ERP systems due to our prebuilt industry modules.
While conversion has its challenges, we mitigate them with tools for data import, strong project management and experienced consultants who have transitioned dealers from a variety of platforms. The conversion can take from 90 days to several months. Before go-live, we ensure a stable environment that meets the dealer’s expectations.
OT: Does Noetics handle all company financials and run all financial reports that an office technology dealership would need?
Spears: Yes. Noetics includes full accounting — general ledger (GL), accounts receivable (AR), accounts payable (AP), bank reconciliation, fixed assets and more. It supports multilocation, multientity reporting and can handle lease pass-throughs, commissions, sales tax (including Avalara integration) and detailed profitability analysis by contract, customer or rep. Financial dashboards are built in, and custom reports can be added as needed, without the need to place a help-desk ticket.
OT: How does Noetics incorporate managed IT services into its solution?
Spears: Noetics includes modules for help desk, service-level-agreement (SLA) tracking, time-based ticketing, project management and contract billing — all tailored for managed IT. Whether you are doing block-of-time support, MSP packages or reactive tickets, Noetics can track, bill and report on IT services seamlessly alongside your print and equipment contracts. That being said, Noetics also integrates with a variety of popular platforms dealers are currently using.
By unifying data, automating repetitive tasks and providing real-time visibility across departments, Noetics helps eliminate inefficiencies ...
OT: Do you provide a mobile app for fieldbased services?
Spears: Yes. Noetics includes a mobile app for iOS and Android that field technicians use for service calls, part usage, meter reads, signatures, time tracking and photos. It syncs back to the central database in real time, giving dispatch and service managers full visibility.
OT: How can the use of Noetics help a dealership increase its sales and profitability?
Spears: By unifying data, automating repetitive tasks and providing real-time visibility across departments, Noetics helps eliminate inefficiencies and bottlenecks. Sales reps benefit from automated quoting, CRM tracking and commission reporting. Service departments operate with tighter SLAs and predictive dispatch. Finance teams close faster and collect more quickly. Ultimately, that means higher margins, faster deals and better customer retention. These soft cost savings, combined with more profitable payment processing methods, all create a unique and more profitable platform.
OT: You currently have around 15 vendor partners and 10 integrations. What can you share about these partnerships and what they mean to the users of Noetics?
Spears: Our vendor relationships allow Noetics users to automate everything from lease approvals to DCA monitoring to part sourcing. These integrations are built to reduce double entry, shorten transaction cycles and deliver true automation — from supply shipping to billing to service alerts.
OT: Please provide an overview of the training and support that Noetics can provide dealers.
Spears: Every deployment includes a combination of
virtual training, train-the-trainer workshops and on-demand video libraries. After go-live, we offer support with base monthly hours included via our help-desk portal and offer an SLA with each project.
OT: What can you share about the e-commerce capabilities of the Noetics ERP?
Spears: Noetics supports full e-commerce with integrated inventory, pricing and checkout — which is ideal for dealers selling supplies, services, promotional items, furniture or even commercial printing online. We also enable portals for customer reorders, service requests and account management. n Brent Hoskins, executive director of the Business Technology Association, is editor of Office Technology magazine. He can be reached at brent@bta.org or (816) 303-4040.
DEALERS HELPING DEALERS
Hiring Sales Reps
What resources dealers use to find talent
Compiled by: Elizabeth Marvel, Office Technology Magazine
Following is a question submitted by a dealer member as part of BTA’s Dealers Helping Dealers resource and many of the answers received. These answers and others can be found in the members-only section of the BTA website. Visit www.bta. org/DealersHelpingDealers. You will need your username and password to access this member resource.
What resources do you use to hire sales reps? Do you try to hire experienced or inexperienced reps?
“We use SevenStep, referrals and Indeed to recruit business development executives.”
Edith DeCourcy, CFO
Seminole Office Solutions Inc., Longwood, Florida
“Current staff, peer groups, pastors. Look for a youth pastor or associate pastor getting ready to leave. Cigar lounges are, oddly enough, very good, too.”
Tim Stanley, owner TDS IT, Lowell, Arkansas
“Right now we are using headhunters. We are hiring outside the industry. We use the DISC assessment and hire both experienced and inexperienced reps.”
Chip Miceli, CEO Pulse Technology, Schaumburg, Illinois
“We hire both experienced and inexperienced reps. We use Indeed and Job Target.”
Kim Valenta, vice president Offix, Gainesville, Virginia
“We’ve hired both and have better results from inexperienced reps.”
Sam Stone, president Stone’s Office Equipment, Richmond, Virginia
“Good luck. We’ve had some success with hiring and training new employees and training them into sales roles. It is a different world than it was 20 or 30 years ago.”
Jeffrey Foley, COO Apollo Office Systems, Alvin, Texas
“Indeed and local schools. We typically try to hire inexperienced reps, but experienced reps aren’t out of the question.”
Jeffrey Taylor, president Kingsport Imaging Systems Inc. Kingsport, Tennessee
“We use a service called Workwolf. An ex-copier salesperson developed it. It helps filter out all the wasted time spent on searching through résumés. We try to hire people with outside sales experience who are not necessarily from our industry.”
Chap Breard, owner MOEbiz, Monroe, Louisiana
“We look for character before experience. We have Bamboo HR that places job openings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter.”
Nick Lioce, president
The Lioce Group, Huntsville, Alabama
“Online ads through Indeed and LinkedIn, and then test through PathShare at Great America. Our best success has been when we hired experienced reps from outside the industry.”
Michael DelBorrello, owner
Cyan Sky Copier Technologies, Schnecksville, Pennsylvania
“We hire both types. We use college campus websites as well as internal referrals from employees.”
Peter Napolitano, sales executive United Business Systems, Buffalo, New York
“We do use recruiters, however we interview their applicants much more deeply and are far less willing to take a risk of hiring them due to the fees. Even with a guarantee, I have found recruiters tend to not replace very quickly when an applicant does not work out. We really incent our employees to help us find applicants. We will hire experienced people under the right circumstances. We like people out of college who we can mold. Prospective hires really are everywhere; we just have to keep our eyes open wherever we are interacting with people.”
Tim Renegar, owner
Kelly Office Solutions, Winston-Salem, North Carolina n Elizabeth Marvel is associate editor of Office Technology magazine. She can be reached at (816) 303-4060 or elizabeth@bta.org.
Let’s Talk About Tariffs
What is their impact & how can you mitigate it?
Trade policy in the United States has shifted dramatically under the second Trump administration. Through a series of executive orders, President Donald Trump has deployed a dizzying array of tariffs on imported goods, causing wide-ranging repercussions. This time around, the president has broad ambitions, escalating the reach and size of tariffs on foreign products. It remains to be seen whether these actions will yield a series of promised trade deals or ease the short-term pain affecting U.S. consumers and businesses. This month, Legal Perspective takes a closer look at U.S. tariff policy and its impact on the dealer channel.
A Brief History of the Trump Tariffs
During the first Trump administration, the U.S. imposed significant tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, specifically targeting Chinese technology, electronics and machinery. The stated purpose of the tariffs was to counter what the administration deemed unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft. In turn, many businesses saw price hikes on imported goods — including electronics and office equipment like printers, copier/MFPs and networking hardware. Between Trump’s terms in office, the Biden administration maintained many of Trump’s initial tariffs, but took an arguably more measured and multilateral approach.
President Trump returned to office determined to expand the tariff policies of his first term. He implemented baseline tariffs on all imported products (10%); tariffs on specific commodities that compete with core U.S. industries (e.g., steel, aluminum, automobiles; at 25%); so-called “reciprocal” tariffs on products imported from approximately 90 countries (in varying amounts); and unilateral tariffs on most Chinese imports (up to 145% or more). Global financial markets — most notably the U.S. stock and bond markets — reacted unfavorably to the new tariffs, resulting in 90-day pauses of both the “reciprocal” tariffs and the tariffs on certain Chinese products.
Current Status of U.S. Tariffs on Foreign Imports
As of May 2025, the Trump administration announced additional tariffs on a broad range of imported goods, including semiconductors, lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicle components and telecommunications equipment. These new tariffs, ranging from 15% to 25%, affect key markets (notably China, South Korea and parts of the European Union). Products like MFPs, network
by: Greg Goldberg, BTA General Counsel
servers and wireless routers are now either directly impacted or indirectly affected through the rising costs of components and parts.
How the Tariffs Impact the Industry
The effect of the tariffs is likely to be felt by the vast majority of BTA members. Manufacturers including Canon, Epson, HP, Ricoh and Sharp have already begun communicating to U.S. distributors and dealers about potential price increases. While many OEMs have yet to publish formal price lists, the expectation within the channel is that increases of 6% to 20% could materialize over the coming months. These price increases are largely driven by cost pressures tied to tariffs, supply chain realignments and currency volatility. As a result, affected BTA members should prepare for rising acquisition costs that will reduce profit margins.
What BTA Members Can Do: Consider a Tariff Surcharge
To mitigate the impact of cost increases, it may be prudent to introduce a temporary “tariff surcharge” or “tariff adjustment fee” on certain products. A fee of this nature can help preserve margins while transparently addressing the realworld impact of government trade policies. When implementing a surcharge, customers should receive advanced written notice that is clear and unambiguous, including:
n The reason for the increase: Clearly state that the surcharge is a direct response to new federal tariffs that have increased equipment and supply costs.
n The temporary nature of the change: Emphasize that the price increase is temporary and will be reevaluated or eliminated based on future policy changes.
n The effective date: Provide customers reasonable lead time — ideally 30 days — to prepare for the change and note when it will go into effect.
Stay Informed
Tariffs are an evolving issue and the landscape can shift quickly depending on trade negotiations and policy decisions. BTA members are encouraged to reach out with questions. n
Greg Goldberg, partner at Barta | Goldberg, is general counsel for the Business Technology Association. He can be reached at ggoldberg@ bartagoldberg.com or (847) 922-0945.
BTA HIGHLIGHTS
BTA would like to welcome the following new members to the association:
Dealer Members
Future Print Services, Reno, NV
GMSS, Albuquerque, NM
Office Concepts FE, Warminster, PA
Office Enterprises Inc., Weston, WI
Print Image Solutions, Omaha, NE
For full contact information of these new members, visit www.bta.org.
BTA Webinars
The Business Technology Association (BTA) offers its members webinars in two series.
Building My Business Webinars are designed to help dealers improve the management of their companies, take full advantage of market opportunities and, ultimately, improve their bottom lines. An example of a recent Building My Business webinar: “Crafting an Origin Story That Builds Value & Differentiation,” presented by Derek Shebby of Modern Sales Training. Diversifying My Business Webinars assist dealers who are seeking to add new products and services to their companies. A recent example: “Unlocking ROI With NextGen Technology,” presented by Anibal Tamacas of Oberon NextGen.
For more information, visit www.bta.org/BuildingMyBusiness and www.bta.org/ DiversifyingMyBusiness.
For information on BTA member benefits, visit www.bta.org/MemberBenefits.
For the benefit of its dealer members, each month BTA features two of its vendor members.
HID provides RFID and mobile authentication for secure print, supporting almost all transponder technologies. Its OMNIKEY readers and modules enable users to authenticate at printers using credentials stored on various form factors like cards, mobile phones or wearables. Working with all OEM printer manufacturers, HID technologies are compatible with major print management software, including PaperCut, uniFLOW, MyQ and more. HID powers trusted identities and delivers seamless, secure print authentication that integrates into existing infrastructure across any organization. www.hidglobal.com
360Connect helps business buyers find reputable local suppliers for their business needs. Its online service simplifies the B2B purchasing process, allowing buyers to save time and money by receiving free, no-obligation quotes and buying advice from qualified suppliers. 360Connect also provides suppliers with warm leads, and ensures they are high quality and tailored to their specific needs. If you have unsold inventory or are looking to grow your business, 360Connect can help. Whether you are a buyer or a supplier, the company is focused on your success. www.360connect.com
A full list of BTA vendor members can be found online at www.bta.org.
PRINCIPAL ISSUES
Konica Minolta Training
Making a strategic investment in dealer education
by: Laura Blackmer, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A.
Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of article submissions from BTA-member OEMs providing a look at their current dealer training programs.
One of Konica Minolta’s top priorities for our dealer channel has always been providing outstanding service and working to make it easy for dealers (and customers) to do business with us. We place significant importance on training for our dealers, recognizing that well-trained partners are essential for our mutual success. Through a comprehensive portfolio of training courses, we aim to ensure our dealers develop the necessary knowledge and skills to support their customers at the highest levels possible. Training programs are designed not only to enhance our dealers’ expertise, but to help them earn certifications that build trust and confidence among their customers.
By investing in continuous education and skill development, Konica Minolta fosters a collaborative environment where dealer partners can thrive, innovate and drive business growth. Here is an overview of some of our signature training programs.
Technical Training
Konica Minolta‘s Technical Education department provides courses for more than 330 dealerships within the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. In addition to developing training materials for our products and solutions, we offer in-person classes at four Regional Training Centers throughout the U.S. These provide extensive hands-on experiences, preparing students to successfully support customers’ investments. The team also offers several virtual classes and web-based training (WBT), saving dealers time and expense on travel.
Since January 2024, we have trained 730 dealer technicians at our centers, 571 technicians virtually and logged 22,714 WBT course completions. Konica Minolta also provides a suggested learning path for new service technicians based on their needs for office or production print products. The programs include “Outward,” a worldwide certification program that builds the foundation for an employee to set a path for professional development.
Following completion of these courses, we provide training on office and production print foundations, office and production print engines, peripherals, Konica Minolta, Fiery and CREO controllers. We have had great success with our Authorized Training Partner program, which enables trained and certified instructors to conduct courses at their locations using Konica Minolta curriculum.
Enhanced Training Programs
We believe in fully empowering our sales forces through education, prioritizing the needs and feedback of our dealer community. In response to requests from our Dealer Advisory Committee, we recently announced a revamped training initiative aimed at enhancing product knowledge and streamlining the adoption of our sales support tools and resources.
Addressing Core Concerns
Konica Minolta dealer partners expressed the need for improved training on core product knowledge and better navigation of the resource material available in our dealer portal. They emphasized the importance of centralizing these critical resources to help their sales representatives quickly become proficient at proposing and selling our products and solutions. To meet these needs, we launched the new “Sales Training for Dealers” collection in our Learning Management System (LMS) in October 2024. This central repository offers focused training specifically designed for dealer partners.
Product-Knowledge Training
Specific product-knowledge training emphasizes our core offering, the bizhub One i-Series MFPs. Multiple training formats are available, including:
n Live virtual-instructor-led sessions
n Online e-learning curriculum tailored to dealers
n Video training for key tools such as the Product Configurator and Product Collateral Generator
Training content highlights include:
n A complete system overview with a focus on competitive differentiation and customer benefits
n Intelligent i-Options available
n Security options
n Cloud applications via the Konica Minolta Marketplace
One of our most recently launched offerings, the remote service platform bizhub vCare, is another benefit for dealers working with Konica Minolta. vCare takes a remote-first approach to providing proactive service, integrating into the dealer’s ERP and eliminating the need to contact anyone for support. vCare provides extensive data, monitoring product health, status and service needs. The platform completed 45,000 remote firmware updates in the first six months of 2024, leveraging the technology to save time and money on service calls, further enhancing the overall experience with us. This robust solution is reinforced through training opportunities for dealers that include:
By offering comprehensive technical and sales training programs, we hope to ensure that our dealers are wellequipped to support their customers effectively.
n Hands-on demonstrations and discussions within several of our Technical Training courses that help familiarize technicians with vCare
n Virtual, hands-on, interactive courses for dealer technicians to learn, implement and maintain vCare for their customers
Tools & Resources Training
Konica Minolta has streamlined its training on tools and resources into three main areas of focus:
n Using the Product Reference Material tool
n Leveraging the Dealer Co-Branded Material tool within the Dealer Marketing Studio
n Utilizing the Product Configurator tool
n Training to effectively demonstrate the benefits of utilizing vCare for fleet management and assist technicians with navigation at dealer offices
Additional training and resources are also included within the collection, although the primary focus remains on delivering the specific support dealers have requested. We are committed to continuous improvement and ensuring our dealer partners have the essential training and resources to thrive in their sales efforts.
Konica Minolta’s unwavering commitment to training and education for our dealer partners is a cornerstone of our business strategy. By offering comprehensive technical and sales training programs, we hope to ensure that our dealers are well-equipped to support their customers effectively. Through initiatives like our Authorized Training Partner program and the introduction of advanced tools like bizhub vCare, Konica Minolta empowers our dealer network to maintain high standards of service and support. As a result, we continue to build long-term opportunities and trust within our dealer community, driving mutual success and customer satisfaction. n Blackmer, president of dealer sales at Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc., is responsible for the sales and management of its extensive dealer network that represents and sells award-winning products and managed IT services. Her extensive experience includes 19 years in management and executive positions with Hewlett-Packard Company, Intermec Corp. and Sharp. In December 2017, Blackmer joined the executive team at Konica Minolta. She has been awarded “Best Female Executive” eight times at the Frank Awards, The Cannata Report’s annual awards that highlight excellence in business technology. Blackmer has ranked on Tigerpaw Software’s Top 100 Influencers in the managed print industry list two years in a row. She has also been named to CRN’s prestigious Women of the Channel list seven times, is a five-time Channel Chief and two-time CRN Inclusive Channel Leader. Blackmer can be reached at lblackmer@kmbs.konicaminolta.us. Visit www.kmbs.konicaminolta.us.
ADVERTISER INDEX
38 • American Fidelity (800) 843-5059 / www.bta.org/Insurance
17 • BadgePass
www.badgepass.com
39 • BPO Media
www.workflowotg.com / www.theimagingchannel.com
33 • BTA Member Referral Program (800) 843-5059 / www.bta.org/Refer
20 • Business Equipment Quota Index (800) 843-5059 / www.bta.org/BEQI
24 • Crexendo (833) 744-2500 / www.crexendo.com/partners
15 • Distribution Management (800) 729-9300 / www.distributionmgmt.com
14 • DocuWare
https://start.docuware.com
29 • ECI Software Solutions
www.ecisolutions.com
31 • eGoldFax
www.egoldfax.com
27 • ENX Magazine (818) 505-0022 / www.enxmag.com
5 • Epson
https://epson.com/business-inkjet-printers
21 • FMD Distribution (201) 997-8100 / www.fmddistribution.com
2 • FP Mailing Solutions www.fp-usa.com
40 • GreatAmerica Financial Services www.greatamerica.com
9 • Hytec (800) 883-1001 / www.hytecrepair.com
19 • Konica Minolta
https://kmbs.konicaminolta.us/about
23 • Moving Office Equipment (877) 759-0518 / www.moetrans.com
3 • MyQ (941) 932-6203 / www.myq-solution.com
7 • PaperCut
www.papercut.com
31 • SalesChain (203) 262-1611 / www.saleschain.com
11 • Sharp
https://business.sharpusa.com
25 • Technology Assurance Group (858) 946-2112 / www.tagnational.com
13 • Toshiba https://business.toshiba.com/become-a-dealer
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