October 2009 Office Technology

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CONTENTS Volume 16 No. 4 G

FEATURE ARTICLES 10

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2009 Software Buyer’s Guide Helping you find the right vendor partners

COURTS & CAPITOLS Severance Agreements Present a properly prepared release to employees

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Compiled by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine

by Robert C. Goldberg BTA General Counsel

Although there is a seemingly endless number of independent software vendors (ISVs) whose products work to further enhance the use of MFPs, dealers are generally advised to select and market only a few of these products. Become the local expert and source for the software products that best serve the needs of your customer base. To help dealers better understand the capabilities of the various software products now available, Office Technology invited a number of vendors to submit brief overviews of their products.

Employee reductions and terminations have been an unfortunate result of the current economic downturn. Even in good times it is important to review your employees and determine their contribution and value to the company.

PRINCIPAL ISSUES A Buyer’s Market The timing is right to make an acquisition

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by Chip Miceli Des Plaines Office Equipment

Running on Biodiesel Atlanta dealership adopts eco-friendly approach

Despite the current sluggish economy, that old adage, “You have to spend money to make money,” could be right on the money for office technology dealers by way of the acquisition of other companies.

by Elizabeth Marvel Office Technology Magazine

Imagine running your dealership’s vehicle fleet without having to buy a cent of traditional gasoline. One Atlanta, Ga.-based dealership, BTA member Gordon Document Products, is doing just that. As the price of gasoline rose, John Gordon, president of the dealership, began looking for solutions to this ever-growing problem. And thanks to his son, Spencer, Gordon found a solution — biodiesel fuel.

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MPS STRATEGIES Are You Pursuing MPS? If not, time may be running out to enter the space

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by Tom Callinan Strategy Development

I believe it is a lot more fun to get into a growth industry than it is to enter a mature industry. Today, MPS is a growth industry, but that will not last. Now is the time to launch a well-conceived MPS strategy or to fix what you have already launched.

Sharp’s Align ’09 Manufacturer hosts national dealer meeting

by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine

At its recent national dealer meeting, with the theme “Align ’09,” the comments of Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) officials focused, in part, on the company’s recent strides along with an emphasis on the importance of more dealers pursuing the A4 opportunity. The meeting, which drew approximately 800 attendees, was held Aug. 31-Sept. 3 at the Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center near Washington, D.C. 4 | www.of ficetechnologymag.com | October 2009

DEPARTMENTS Business Technology Association

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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

Dealer Data Reveals Interesting Numbers had the privilege of attending the recent Office Docum ent Strat eg y C onference, held Sept. 30Oct. 1 in Boston, hosted

by InfoTrend s (www. infotrend s.com), th e market research firm. There were many great sessions presented by InfoTrends analysts and several guest speakers. Of particular interest to me was a session titled “Office Document Technology — Current State of the Independent Dealers.” The session was presented by Jon Reardon, a group director with InfoTrends.

In his presentation, Jon shared some recently gath ered information from InfoTrends’ database regarding 1,504 independent dealerships from across the United States, representing 2,750 physical locations.

It is with Jon’s permission that I share some of that information in this space. You may find that it includes a few surprises.

I Number of hardware brands actively promoted: single brand only, 33.1 percent; two to three brands, 41.8 percent; four to five brands, 18.7 percent; six to seven brands, 5.3 percent; and eight or more brands, 1.1 percent.

I Number of dealership main office/ branch locations: 1,131 have one to four locations; 321 have two to five locations; 42 have six to nine locations; seven have 10-14 locations; and three have 15-plus locations.

I 7.2 percent of the 1,504 dealerships actively promote managed print services (MPS); 16.1 percent of all 2,750 physical locations represented by the dealerships promote MPS. (Note: In a conversation with Jon, he emphasized that these numbers

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indicate that the dealerships that are larger in size [i.e., those with multiple locations] are those that are more often actively promoting MPS, hence 7.2 percent of the discrete dealerships promoting MPS represent 16.1 percent of all the 2,750 locations. This same connection to dealership size would be true with the numbers listed below.)

I 11.1 percent of the dealerships actively promote that they provide customers with assessment/consulting services; 20.8 percent of all locations represented by the dealerships do so.

I 2.9 percent of the dealerships actively promote that they use device remote monitoring products; 5.4 percent of all locations represented by the dealerships promote that they use remote monitoring.

I 11.4 percent of the dealerships actively promote that they offer document management products; 22.4 percent of all locations represented by the dealerships promote such products.

I 5.2 percent of the dealerships actively promote that they are providing market solutions vertically, such as a promoting a focus on the healthcare industry or government; 13 percent of all locations represented by the dealerships do so.

Do you see any surprises? For example, would you have expected that only 7.2 percent of the 1,504 U.S. dealerships from across the United States in InfoTrends’ database are actively promoting that they offer MPS to their customers? I suppose my question reveals my surprise at this particularly low percentage. It would be interesting to see how this number changes in the coming year. In any case, thanks again, Jon, for sharing your database information. I — 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 Tom Callinan, Strategy Development www.strategydevelopment.org Robert C. Goldberg, General Counsel Business Technology Association Chip Miceli, Des Plaines Office Equipment www.dpoe.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 ©2009 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

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2009-2010 Board of Directors

Join Me in Honoring BTA’s Ronelle Ingram s a long-time resident of the New O rl eans area , I always enjoy a good bowl of gumbo. What makes gumbo special, of course, is not any one ingredient but the sum of all of its ingredients. Beyond the shrimp or sausage, you usually find celery, onions and green peppers. Most gumbos also use two distinctive ingredients to thicken and flavor them: roux and either okra or filé powder.

In some ways, the Business Technology Association (BTA) is like a gumbo. It has always taken the full “ingredients” to make it special. Start with our Dealer, Vendor and Service Associate members. Add to that our hard-working, knowledgeable staff. Pour in the champions and supporters of BTA like our general counsel, Bob Goldberg. And, top it off with the “magical” ingredient that truly makes BTA the special organization that it is today — our volunteers. These are the men and women who have given of their time and knowledge to lead BTA. Recently, at the BTA East “Grand Slam” event in White Plains, N.Y., I had the opportunity to share this analogy with the attendees. I did so, in part, to recognize an individual who is a part of that volunteer ingredient, someone who has truly distinguished herself among her peers — my predecessor, Ronelle Ingram, who served as 2008-09 national president of BTA. While you will recall Ronelle’s service as national president, you probably have also seen her among the presenters at district or national BTA events. There is also a good chance that you or someone in your dealership has attended the association’s “FIX: Cost

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Management for Service Workshop,” for which Ronelle has served as an instructor since 1983, and as the sole instructor since 1999. In fact, she has taught or co-taught more than 125 FIX workshops over the past 26 years.

Given Ronelle’s commitment to helping others, it came as no surprise when I heard that she wanted no money spent on a gift for her as our way of thanking her for her year of service in the national presidency. That leads me to a second topic that is near and dear to my heart — the BTA Scholarship Foundation.

Perhaps you are not fully familiar with this member benefit. Each year, the association awards $1,000 or $1,500 scholarships to a number of the sons and daughters of full-time employees of member dealerships. These scholarships are awarded based on independent, objective evaluations of the applications. For the current 2009-2010 school year, the association awarded 21 scholarships.

Given her desire to help others, I announced in White Plains a $1,000 contribution to the BTA Scholarship Foundation by BTA for a scholarship to be presented for the 2010-2011 school year in Ronelle’s honor. I was also the first to make a personal contribution to this cause. Will you join me in honoring Ronelle? Ideally, we will be able to create a perpetual scholarship in her honor.

You may send your tax deductible contribution to: BTA Scholarship Foundation, Business Technology Association, 12411 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64145.

Incidentally, you can see photos of many of the recent BTA scholarship winners on the association’s Web site, www.bta.org.

Click on “Member Benefits” and then “BTA Scholarship Foundation” in the left-hand column of the home page. I — Bill James

President Bill James WJS Enterprises Inc. 3315 Ridgelake Drive Metairie, LA 70002 bjames@wjsenterprises.com President-Elect Rock Janecek Burtronics Business Systems Inc. 216 S. Arrowhead Ave. San Bernardino, CA 92408 rjanecek@burtronics.com Vice President Tom Ouellette Budget Document Technology 251 Goddard Road Lewiston, ME 04240 touellette@bdtme.com BTA East Todd J. Fitzsimons Network Imaging LLC 122 Spring St. Southington, CT 06489 tjfitzsimons@networkimaging.biz BTA Mid-America Ron Hulett U.S. Business Systems Inc. 3221 Southview Drive Elkhart, IN 46514 ron.hulett@usbus.com BTA Southeast Terry Chapman Business Electronics Corp.

219 Oxmoor Circle Birmingham, AL 35209 tchapman@businesselectronics.com BTA West Lokke Patrick Docutxt Corp.

11110 E. Artesia Blvd., Ste. B Cerritos, CA 90703 lokke@docutxt.com Ex-Officio/Immediate Past President Ronelle Ingram Steven Enterprises Inc. 17952 Sky Park Circle, Ste. E Irvine, CA 92614 ronellei@msn.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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2009 Software Buyer’s Guide Helping you find the right vendor partners Compiled by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

lthough there is a seemingly endless number of independent software vendors (ISVs) whose products work to further enhance the use of MFPs, dealers are generally advised to select and market only a few of these products. Become the local expert and source for the software products that best serve the needs of your customer base.

To help dealers better understand the capabilities of the various software products now available, Office Technology invited a number of vendors to submit brief overviews of their products.

Most offer software for the enduser’s use. Some offer software for use within the dealership. Perhaps it is time to further enhance your product offerings or use a new software product to improve your internal processes.

A

A2iA www.a2ia.com A2iA is a cursive extraction and recognition software company proven to reduce data-entry costs and improve automation. For nearly 20 years, A2iA’s proprietary toolkits have automatically processed, structured and unstructured documents in the payment, mail and forms processing markets. A2iA’s toolkits are available in versions for 23 countries and six languages.

ABBYY www.abbyy.com ABBYY is a provider of document recognition, data capture and language software. Its products include the 10 | w w w . o f f i c e t e c h n o l o g y m a g . c o m | O c t o b e r 2 0 0 9

FineReader line of OCR applications, FlexiCapture line of data capture solutions, Lingvo dictionary software and development tools. The company licenses and OEMs its solutions to industry leaders including Canon, EMC/Captiva, Epson, Fujitsu, Fuji Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Panasonic, Samsung E l e ctroni c s, To shi b a , Xerox and more.

American PrintWare Inc. www.apwi.com APWI has been servicing the network and high-volume print market for more than a decade, offering a broad range of software products and custom engineered solutions that manage a broad array of printing needs.

APWI products effectively manage print networks, lowering end-user cost, increasing employee productivity and increasing dealer revenues. It provides free technical support to its authorized dealer partners.

Apago Inc. www.apagoinc.com Apago Inc. is an innovative software technology company changing how people use and profit from electronic documents. Consumers and businesses of all sizes use Apago’s workflow tools to transform, optimize and automate electronic documents for print-on-demand, publishing, rich media and archiving. The company provides retail products, custom development, OEM solutions and consulting services to industry leaders, including Hallmark Cards, Crane &

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Co., Hewlett-Packard, Bondi Digital, MOD-PAC Corp., OneVision and Pindar.

Artsyl Technologies www.artsyltech.com Artsyl Technologies™ develops a full range of document capture software that reduces the cost of processing forms as well as the storage, search and retrieval of documents for customer service and regulatory compliance. Artsyl’s SimpleCapture and docAlpha applications integrate with a wide range of scanners, MFPs and fax servers.

Bull Valley Software www.bullvalleysoftware.com Scalable for organizations of any size, DocumentLOK from Bull Valley Software combines secure document and content management, compliance management and business process management in one application, and integrates with virtually any Windows or Web-based application to provide immediate, single-click access to documents and electronic content from within an organization’s primary business application(s).

ColumbiaSoft www.documentlocator.com ColumbiaSoft is a provider of enterprise document management solutions deeply integrated with Microsoft Windows and Office applications. Users can capture, manage and share electronic and paper documents, e-mail and faxes to improve efficiency and collaboration, and reduce risk by meeting higher standards of compliance and business continuity.

Compass Sales Solutions www.compasscontact.net Compass Sales Solutions offers advanced sales-force automation, solution selling and fleet management software systems, along with in-depth consultative services provided by industry-recognized experts. Designed from a sales perspective, Compass merges the abilities to manage your prospective database, complete detailed TCO analysis, price service contracts, generate thorough, professional proposals and sales paperwork, all at the touch of a button. Compass offers complete integration with your ERP and Outlook.

Computhink www.computhink.com Located in Chicago, Ill., Computhink Inc. provides document management/content management solutions for secure information sharing and compliance, targeting small and medium-sized organizations. Computhink’s ViewWise® streamlines business processes, improves customer service, reduces costs and ensures compliance.

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Digital Gateway www.digitalgateway.com Digital Gateway is a leader in dealer management software. Its flagship product, e-automate, empowers dealers to more profitably manage common business processes like sales, service, accounting, commissions, inventory and more.

The recent release of e-automate Managed Print Suite provides a complete end-to-end MPS solution that gives dealers every tool and integration needed to gain and maintain pages under contract. Digital Gateway’s e-automate system gives dealers the visibility, connectivity and automation tools to give independence back to independent dealers. docSTAR www.docstar.com docSTAR has delivered document management products for the past 13 years. Eclipse by docSTAR leverages MFP sales, delivering competitive advantage and builds an impressive recurring revenue engine. docSTAR 3ten is the latest version of docSTAR with redesigned workflows, an intuitive user experience and enhanced OCR capabilities. docSTAR’s comprehensive reseller success plan helps resellers quickly add document management to their existing offerings.

DocuLex www.doculex.com In c or p orat ed in 1996, Wint er Haven , Fl a .-based DocuLex creates non-proprietary enterprise content management software. Through an extensive worldwide reseller channel, the company offers network-enabled document capture and image processing software for use with multifunctional copiers/MFPs, production scanners, facsimile and wide format units. DocuLex also provides browser-based document and content management programs for collaboration, e-mail archiving and compliance, knowledge management, workflow and records retention, offered as Archive Studio. Archive Studio is easy-to-use, productive electronic document management software for any business environment seeking secure instant document access.

DocuWare www.docuware.com DocuWare’s integrated document management solutions help you improve customer service, increase productivity w hile controlling costs and increase cash f low by automating daily business processes through electronically managing and sharing documents, regardless of their format or source. Whether personnel are at headquarters, across town or across the globe, instant access to information is

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easy and secure via the Web. DocuWare, available in 15 languages, is known for easy installation, integration, administration and usage, as well as an exceptionally low total cost of ownership.

ECi www.ecisolutions.com For more than 25 years, ECi has specialized in dealer management software solutions that fuel the efficiency and profitability of office equipment dealers. Whether your dealership is managing toner usage, tracking meter clicks or wanting to operate a profitable service department, ECi has the right solution for you. Fifty of Office Dealer magazine’s Elite Dealers use ECi software. eCopy www.ecopy.com eCopy is a provider of document imaging software that easily integrates paper-bound information into existing business processes and applications. Office workers can use eCopy ShareScan® and eCopy PaperWorks™ and their MFPs or scanners to quickly incorporate paper documents into their existing electronic workflows. emFAST Inc. www.emfast.com emFAST Inc. is an industry pioneer in network fax communication. Its FACSys® fax messaging suite of products ranges from easy-to-install appliances through enterpriseclass fax messaging software. FACSys® fully integrates into areas requiring communication capabilities including MFPs, business process workflows and major ECM and resource planning systems.

Equitrac www.equitrac.com Equitrac Office® is an intelligent print management and document cost control software solution that enables companies to minimize printing expenses and maximize efficiency from every printer, copier or MFD (multifunction device) while eliminating waste and boosting their bottom lines. Equitrac Office tracking and reporting capabilities give organizations the information they need to understand their true output expense and make informed print management decisions.

FabSoft www.fabsoft.com FabSoft’s Reform streamlines workflow by automating the output, capture and distribution of documents. Reform will capture scanned images, print streams or user data from any operating system, application or device. Reform 14 | w w w . o f f i c e t e c h n o l o g y m a g . c o m | O c t o b e r 2 0 0 9

enhances the capture information and intelligently distributes to printers, fax, e-mail and archive systems.

Falcon Technology Solutions www.efalcontech.com Falcon Technology offers the Soaring suite of SQL serverbased sales and business management software designed specifically for the office equipment industry. With more than 7,000 users, Soaring Sales is a leading sales force automation program in the copier industry. Soaring Business Management is a complete ERP software program encompassing accounting, dispatch and field service, inventory management, contract management, managed print services and online tools.

FMAudit www.fmaudit.com FMAudit provides software technology to enable dealers to profitably compete in managed print services. Today, FMAudit helps more than 900 dealers manage more than 2.5 million devices monthly. FMAudit’s software is easy to deploy and maintain, collects data from both networked and local devices, integrates with e-automate, OMD and La Crosse for automated meter billing, and provides consumable level monitoring, service alert filtering and complete TCO analysis.

Hyland Software www.onbase.com One of the largest independent software vendors in the world of enterprise content management (ECM), Hyland Software is the developer of OnBase. A suite of document management and content management solutions, OnBase has a proven record of solving problems resulting from time consuming, costly and error-plagued manual tasks.

InfoDynamics www.infodynamics.com InfoDynamics is the author of a line of document-centric applications for organizations of every size. The company has been creating powerful, robust and user-friendly document management systems since 1989. Intact SMART is featurerich and includes broad scanning support, barcode and zone recognition, application integration, advanced searching in and out of Intact SMART, version control and much more.

Intact SMART can work with desktop scanners and has MFP control panel integration as well. It is directly tied in with the top accounting systems for small to mid-enterprise. Customers can view their documents and relationships directly from their accounting system and have the full functionality of a complete document management system.

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KnowledgeLake Inc. www.knowledgelake.com KnowledgeLake Inc. develops document imaging, document capture and workflow products and solutions for Microsoft SharePoint. KnowledgeLake extends the electronic content management (ECM) capabilities of SharePoint, enabling businesses to reduce mailing costs, streamline operations and achieve regulatory compliance using familiar Microsoft products that most businesses already own and use.

Laserfiche www.laserfiche.com Laserfiche ® creates enterprise content management (ECM) solutions that help organizations run smarter. Since 1987, more than 27,000 organizations worldwide — including government agencies and Fortune 1,000 companies — have used Laserfiche software to streamline documents, records and business process management.

Laserfiche provides central control over information infrastructure, including standards, security and auditing, while offering flexibility to business units. Laserfiche is built upon Microsoft technologies to simplify system administration. It supports Microsoft SQL and Oracle platforms and features a seamless integration with Microsoft Office applications and a two-way integration with SharePoint.

Meadows Publishing Solutions www.meadowsps.com The DesignMerge Professional Bundle is a suite software module for Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress that provides sophisticated variable data printing and data publishing features. The software works within the application for ease of use and is compatible with most popular VDP output formats. Used by professionals worldwide, it simplifies marketing personalization for both the novice and expert.

Miracle Service www.miracleservice.com Optimize your service operation with this complete dealer software solution. Features include: service calls and technician scheduling; service contracts; inventory; meter billing; preventative maintenance; management reporting; QuickBooks and other accounting integration; print management integration; Web and wireless access; and a whole lot more. It is easy to use, flexible and affordable.

MWA Intelligence Inc. www.mwaintel.com MWA Intelligence Inc. (MWAi) delivers enterprise-class and leading-edge M2M (machine-to-machine) and M2P (machine-to-people) solutions. The enterprise class solution 16 | w w w . o f f i c e t e c h n o l o g y m a g . c o m | O c t o b e r 2 0 0 9

is designed to manage a fleet of imaging devices whether they are networked, locally connected or un-connected. The MWAi solution automates meter collection, consumables, and service alerts. MWAi also offers an integrated pre-sale managed print service (MPS) tool for easy auditing of enduser networks. MWAi literally connects the people who service and sell the assets with the actual machines and ERP systems. Solutions include: Intelligent Service Management, Intelligent Managed Print Services, IntelliDashboard and Intelligent Device Management. nQueue Billback www.nqueue.com nQueue Billback provides software-based information accountability, expense management and cost recovery solutions to more than 30 percent of the 250 largest law firms in the United States and five of the top 10 globally. The company assists firms by enhancing the automation and processing of any operational and administrative expenses on an extremely powerful platform.

Objectif Lune www.objectiflune.com Objectif Lune creates software solutions to help organizations develop, maintain and renew their business by maximizing the value of their documents. Driven by a passion for creativity and innovation, Objectif Lune’s state-of-the-art solutions help create new business by adding the power of personalization to promotional documents and they increase revenues gained from existing customer bases by simplifying and optimizing the creation, production and delivery of high quality targeted business documents.

Omtool Ltd. www.omtool.com Omtool Ltd. is a provider of document capture and handling solutions that simplify the integration of paper and electronic documents into enterprise information management systems. Its flagship product, AccuRoute®, streamlines document capture, conversion compression and communication processes, and is accessible from any desktop computer or network-enabled scanning device (including MFPs).

Pharos Systems www.pharos.com Pharos Blueprint Enterprise is a solution for managing print and copy that enables companies to save money, reduce waste and easily secure devices and documents. It incorporates discovery, tracking and accounting technology that provides a complete picture of print/copy across the enterprise down to the user level. Blueprint is integrated

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with more than 125 multifunction printers from leading equipment manufacturers.

Print Audit www.printaudit.com Print Audit develops print management solutions that enable office equipment dealers to sell more hardware and increase their post-sales revenue. Last year, Print Audit redirected half a billion pages from high-cost printers to lowcost MFPs and, to date, the company has helped dealers sell more than $450 million in additional hardware.

PrintFleet Inc. www.printfleet.com PrintFleet is an independent software vendor specializing in the development of print management software solutions, training and support programs for dealers and distributors in the imaging industry. More than 1,000 dealers use PrintFleet software and support services to manage more than 800,000 devices and 2.5 billion monthly page counts worldwide.

PrintMIB LLC www.printmib.com PrintMIB LLC is a provider for managed print services that provides precise data collection from printers, digital copiers and MFPs. PrintMIB collects and reports its data to a USB key or server-based software database. Data can be merged into backend software or a total cost of ownership calculator.

Prism Software www.prismsoftware.com Prism Software is a one-stop shop for electronic document software solutions. Prism’s products are richly featured, highly competitive and low cost. Prism’s four advanced software products are: DocSystem for printing and document workflow; DocRecord for document management; DocForm for variable data communications; and DocTransform for print and data stream transformation.

Red Cheetah www.redcheetah.com Red Cheetah is a full e-commerce solution and a complete wholesaler-enabled ordering system designed exclusively for

Unique solutions for dictation, transcription and speech recognition.

Healthcare and Legal markets.

Good dealer margins, marketing support, service contracts.

Call Today for Dealership Opportunities.

800-878-7828 x 167 www.Dolbey.com/dealer

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the office products and technology consumables industry.

Red Cheetah’s Savanna Suite combines the sleek e-commerce of Outpost with the robust backend functionality of Home Range to bring dealerships a powerful, easy-to-use system.

Ribstone Systems Inc. www.ribstoneusa.com Ribstone Systems Inc. is a copier-based scanning and printing software provider with solutions tailored for the legal profession. Sold with Canon, Xerox, Konica Minolta and Ricoh copiers, Ribstone has advanced document workflow for this market with intuitive solutions at a reasonable price.

Rochester Software Associates www.rocsoft.com Since 1986, Rochester Software Associates (RSA) has enhanced the print workflow of thousands of enterprises.

RSA delivers on the promise of convergence and an automated print center through electronic and hardcopy job submission (WebCRD, QDirect.SCAN), legacy datastream transform (M.I.S. Print, IPDSPrint, RDOPrint), enterprise output management (QDirect) and legal solutions (BatesPrint, CDPrint).

Sagem-Interstar www.sagem-interstar.com Sagem-Interstar Inc. provides advanced fax server solutions for IP networks. Its scalable XMediusFAX™ T.38 Fax over IP (FoIP) solutions leverage IP telephony and unified communications (UC) systems to enhance productivity, collaboration and ROI by integrating fax on the desktops of enterprise and service provider sites worldwide.

SalesChain www.saleschain.com SalesChain is a provider of sales management software for office equipment dealers. Its Sales Dispatch workflow automation programs help dealers to increase customer retention, improve leased asset upgrade ratios and customer base growth by targeting competitor displacement.

SalesChain is the preferred partner for Digital Gateway and ECi OMD and La Crosse. Its industry experience and dedication to customer support and sales rep training delivers fundamental value for dealers across the country, including premier dealers like Gordon Flesch, Northern Business (Mass.) and Blue Technologies (Ohio).

Solimar Systems Inc. www.solimarsystems.com Solimar Systems Inc. is a developer of enterprise output management solutions for digital document creation, production and distribution environments. Installed in thousands of 18 | w w w . o f f i c e t e c h n o l o g y m a g . c o m | O c t o b e r 2 0 0 9

worldwide sites, including nearly 40 percent of the Fortune 100, Solimar solutions offer integrated connectivity, datastream transforms, print optimizations, document re-engineering/repurposing and sophisticated print queue management with secure Web-based document presentment, distribution and tracking.

Square 9 Softworks www.square-9.com Square 9 Softworks is a developer of software solutions for the office equipment industry, including the SmartSearch Content Management Suite. Square 9 Softworks designs solutions built on the .NET platform using open architecture and cutting-edge technologies. With solutions that are affordable, powerful and easy to use and support, Square 9 helps dealers to win more of the document management opportunities they compete in.

Technesis www.technesis.com Technesis Print Control System is a single solution delivering three value propositions: automated print assessments, rules-based messaging promoting efficient printing and cost accounting for MFPs and plotters. Technesis has API/embedded solutions for Xerox, Ricoh, HP, Canon, KIP and Océ output devices.

Westbrook Technologies Inc. www.westbrooktech.com Serving more than 13,600 customers worldwide, Westbrook Technologies’ Fortis document management software provides lifecycle management for paper and electronic documents from capture, indexing and archiving to Webbased retrieval and automated purging. With Fortis, your organization gets fully searchable documents and images, automated workflow and effortless integration with other business applications.

Xythos Software www.xythos.com Xythos Software is a subsidiary of Blackboard Inc. and a leading developer of document management and collaboration software. Its online services and products are licensed to millions of users at commercial, education and government organizations around the world for managing and sharing content throughout its lifecycle.

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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Running on Biodiesel Atlanta dealership adopts eco-friendly approach by: Elizabeth Marvel, Office Technology Magazine

magine running your dealership’s vehicle fleet without having to buy a cent of traditional gasoline. One Atlanta, Ga.-based dealership, BTA member Gordon Document Products, is doing just that. As the price of gasoline rose, John Gordon, president of the dealership, began looking for solutions to this ever-growing problem. And thanks to the knowledge and encouragement of his son, Spencer, Gordon found a solution — biodiesel fuel. “ Well, I first heard about it [biodiesel] when I sent Spencer to college,” says Gordon. “I found out he became a tree hugger and he started talking to me about this new concept called ‘biodiesel.’ I tried to be polite, but I gently told him that I didn’t have the time or inclination to get involved in biodiesel and he just kept harping on me to read about it.

So, begrudgingly, I went on the Internet and I looked up the term ‘biodiesel’ and found a wealth of information. And then, my disinterest suddenly turned to interest, which then turned to intrigue. And the rest is history.”

Gordon now fuels his five-vehicle fleet (two delivery trucks, two passenger vehicles and a pickup truck) with biodiesel created by Perfect Circle Renewable Energy LLC, the biodiesel processing company he and his son founded two years ago.

Biodiesel is defined by the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) as “a domestic, renewable fuel for diesel engines derived from natural oils like soybean oil.” Gordon adds to this definition, saying that biodiesel is usually created from not only soybeans, but from rapeseed oil and waste vegetable oil.

“Biodiesel burns 75 percent cleaner than fossil fuel, helps reduce our dependance on foreign oil and extends the life of engines because it has better lubricating qualities,” he says.

“Any diesel engine will accept biodiesel and run better on it than with regular diesel fuel. The diesel engine was originally designed to run on cottonseed oil, and so it’s really back to the future now that we’re producing a fuel that runs on waste vegetable oil. It requires no conversion, and there are only benefits both to the engine and the environment.” The only

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Staff members of Gordon Document Products stand in front of their biodiesel vehicle fleet. From left: Vincent Smith, deliveries, Chris Benton, director of service, John Gordon, president and partner, Perfect Circle Renewable Energy LLC, Spencer Gordon, partner, Perfect Circle, and Helen Gordon. downside he has found is that it is difficult to find affordable, adequate supplies of “feed stock,” the raw vegetable oil that is used to create biodiesel.

“For the most part, restaurants give it (waste vegetable oil) to us for free because they need to get rid of it,” says Gordon. “For the large producers, we pay them a nominal amount. But the real cost (of creating biodiesel) is in the pickup and the infrastructure, and then your distribution back to the end users.”

So how is Gordon’s biodiesel made? First, waste vegetable oil is collected from local restaurants and it is then taken back to Perfect Circle’s plant for processing. The process of creating biodiesel from vegetable oil involves several steps and chemical reactions to refine the oil and rid it of impurities so that it can be used in vehicles with diesel engines. It takes about six to eight hours to refine one batch (200 gallons) of biodiesel, and the company can make two batches a day, on average. Gordon then uses the biodiesel in his vehicle fleet, as well as sells the surplus to local consumers at

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the pump price for traditional diesel fuel. biodiesel] has made a difference in the “None of us are While the use of biodiesel has not yet way people think about ecology and conhelped Gordon’s dealership save money, servation in our company.” going to be able to he says that once the initial costs for And while Gordon has not always solve the problem creating the infrastructure of Perfect been a champion of green initiatives, he individually, but Circle are paid for, the dealership should now finds that small changes in bewe can all contribute save a significant amount on fuel costs. havior can make a difference. incrementally and In addition to the use of biodiesel, the “I encourage fellow members of BTA have an impact.” dealership has also adopted other enviand other dealers to look for ways they ronmentally friendly habits. Gordon can become part of the solution,” says finds that the use of biodiesel in his fleet has helped to set an Gordon. “None of us are going to be able to solve the example for the rest of the dealership. “We’re into recycling problem individually, but we can all contribute incremenand conservation,” says Gordon. “I’ve noticed that our tally and have an impact. I think we can all reduce our conemployees turn lights out and turn the air conditioning off sumption [of gasoline] and thereby drive before they leave. We have various efforts to recapture car- down the price of foreign supplies of fuel tridges and dispose of them in an environmentally friendly and oil.”

Elizabeth Marvel is associate editor manner, and we also utilize an equipment recycler that of Office Technology magazine. reclaims equipment and assures an environmentally friendly She can be reached at elizabeth@bta.org. disposal of the remaining parts of the machine. It [the use of

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Sharp’s Align ‘09 Manufacturer hosts national dealer meeting by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

t its recent national dealer meeting, with the theme “Align ’09,” the comments of Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) officials focused, in part, on the company’s recent strides along with an emphasis on the importance of more dealers pursuing the A4 opportunity. The meeting, which drew approximately 800 attendees beyond Sharp staff and related support, was held Aug. 31-Sept. 3 at the Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center near Washington, D.C. “What does ‘Align ’09’ mean?” asked SIICA President Ed McLaughlin, as the meeting’s opening General Session got underway. “When we first came up with the name, I started to look at the definition of the word ‘align’ — ‘to set things in order, to line things up.’ In short, it is to utilize all of the tools available to you … We have become more aligned within our factory, become more in tune with the things we need to do, and have started listening more and more to end users and looking at the market to help create the products that we have today. This is all part of that alignment.”

Hiroshi Kataoka, deputy group general manager of the Business Solutions Group of Sharp Electronics Corp., SIICA’s parent company, emphasized the significance of Sharp’s alignment as well. “The first step was with factory alignment,” he said. “Six years ago, we moved from a traditional narrow focus with factories focused on low-end products, high-end products, supplies and software to a combined factory with a unified direction and strategy to share knowledge and technology across all products.”

The result, said Kataoka, were such strides as Sharp’s reentry into higher-speed segments, enhancements to Scan2 (allowing a two-sided document to be scanned in a single pass), improved product security features and the launch of OSA (the company’s Open System Architecture development platform).

“An additional benefit was our improved understanding of the market and a closer relationship with our partners in the U.S. market,” he said. “We were making better and better products,

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Clockwise from top: The Product Showcase, decorated with Washington, D.C., landmarks, featured Sharp’s new and previewed MFPs and printers; SIICA President Ed McLaughlin; and Hiroshi Kataoka, deputy group general manager of the Business Solutions Group of Sharp Electronics Corp., SIICA’s parent company. and the market acceptance was getting stronger and stronger.

That gave us the confidence to take some bold steps.”

One of those bold steps was the launch of the company’s Frontier A4 product line. “The Frontier line clearly challenges the status quo for a copier manufacturer, but it represents a clear understanding of where the next opportunity lies,” said Kataoka. “Capturing clicks is the key for our business and the Frontier line enables Sharp dealers to do it like no other manufacturer can. The alignment of an A3 line and A4 line designed

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for ease of use and ease of support, with can assist dealers with their managed “Five years ago, there common capabilities, is unprecedented print services (MPS) initiatives. “We are in our industry. We are very pleased to see the only traditional copier company that were not any products such strong market acceptance.” is fully committed to a full line of A4 in the 31-ppm-and-up Given that strong market acceptance, products,” he said. “You need to get on area that were A4 McLaughlin encouraged more Sharp board and take advantage. We have specific. Today, that dealers to embrace the Frontier line. “I found that d eal ers w ho have ful ly represents 25 percent am both excited and pleased with the adopted the A4 philosophy … are outof all placements ... “ results of A4, but I would be dishonest performing everybody else by 5 percent. with you if I told you I am completely It doesn’t take money and profit out of happy,” he said. “There are a lot of dealers who have bought your pocket. It puts money into your pocket.”

A4, but we are really not as into A4 as we could be. This is the During the meeting, Sharp displayed a number of its time to jump on board with this product.” products in the event’s Product Showcase, including preMcLaughlin cited industry statistics that reveal the size of the views of four new A4 Frontier products — a 40 ppm color A4 opportunity. One slide he shared revealed that the market for printer and a 40 ppm monochrome printer, coming in the A4 31-page per minute (ppm)-plus monochrome and color first quarter of 2010, and two Scan Pro models (one color, devices grew 535 percent between 2005 and 2008. “Five years one monochrome), concept scanning-centric devices that ago, there were not any products in the 31-ppm-and-up area may be released in the second quarter of 2010, depending on that were A4 specific,” he added. “Today, that represents 25 market and dealer demand.

Brent Hoskins, executive director of the Business Technology percent of all placements across all segments. It is astonishing.”

Association, is editor of Office Technology magazine.

A4 is not about placing units, but it is about capturing He can be reached at brent@bta.org. pages, said McLaughlin, noting that the product category

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COURTS & CAPITOLS

Severance Agreements Present a properly prepared release to employees by: Robert C. Goldberg, General Counsel for the Business Technology Association

mployee reductions and terminations have been an unfortunate result of the current economic downturn.

Even in good times it is important to review your employees and determine their contribution and value to the company. Pay plans for salespeople can reward results, however, technicians are dependent upon product performance or lack thereof. Most companies, regardless of the number of technicians they employ, find themselves with the need of less than an additional full-time technician. In difficult economic times, this need can be avoided by authorizing overtime for other technicians. However, will you be ready when the economy recovers or your supplier releases a product with numerous issues?

Since economic problems are current, many dealers may wish to terminate that additional technician and worry about future needs tomorrow. Normally, the safest bet is to let the last technician hired go. Unfortunately, a formula such as this may retain a less skilled worker. So what should a dealer do?

An employer’s decision to terminate or lay off a certain employee, while retaining others, may lead the discharged worker to believe that he (or she) was discriminated against based upon age, race, sex, national origin, religion or disability.

To minimize the risk of potential litigation, many employers offer departing employees money or benefits in exchange for a release or waiver of liability for all claims connected with the employment relationship. Federal claims are possible under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Title VII of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Equal Pay Act. There are state statutes to consider as well.

A severance agreement is a legal contract that must be supported by consideration. The consideration must be something more than unearned vacation pay or pension benefits that the employee was already entitled to. The employee is giving up the right to sue and must receive something of value for this promise. Entering the agreement must be knowing and voluntary. For this reason, the employee should be advised to seek counsel and have a period of time to consider the agreement. Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the employee must be given at least 21 days to consider the offer and seven days to revoke an acceptance after it is made.

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It must be noted that although an employee may be giving up his rights to bring an action, it does not prohibit an employee from filing a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and testifying in those proceedings.

The release cannot include claims that may arise after it is signed. As an example, an employee over 40 years of age is told there is a reduction in force due to the economy. One week after his departure, an employee under 40 is hired for the position. A release will not cover this event, as it took place after it was signed. Additionally, this conduct may constitute fraud if the company had always intended to fill the position and merely stated the termination was a result of the economy.

With the payment of any severance benefit, a release is essential. Presenting a properly prepared release is even more important to assure claims have been waived as legally required. The last thing a dealer wants to do is to provide the retainer fee for the attorney about to sue him.

Robert C. Goldberg is general counsel for the Business Technology Association.

He can be reached at robert.goldberg@sfnr.com.

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BTA HIGHLIGHTS The following new members joined BTA during the month of August:

Dealer Members American Business Equipment/Columbus, Columbus, GA Automated Office Systems Inc., Billings, MT Copy R Office Solutions, Burbank, CA Digitech Office Machines, Lafayette, LA Docutek Imaging Solutions Inc., Deerfield Beach, FL Electronic Office Systems, Fairfield, NJ Impact Office Products, Beltsville, MD Kelley Imaging Systems Inc., Kent, WA Marimon Business Systems Inc., Houston, TX MBG Office Systems, Macon, GA United Business Systems, Fairfield, NJ Service Associate Members ManagedPrintMarketing.com, London, Ontario, Canada Relevant Automation Corp., Raleigh, NC For full contact information of these new members, visit www.bta.org.

BTA’s ‘Building My Business’ Webinars Free to BTA members, the “Building My Business” Webinar Series is designed to help dealers improve the management of their companies, take full advantage of market opportunities and, ultimately, improve their bottom lines. For more information on upcoming hour-long webinars or to register for a webinar, visit www.bta.org/BuildingMyBusiness.

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

For the benefit of its dealer members, each month, BTA features two of its Vendor or Service Associate members in this space.

BTA Vendor Associate member Square 9 Softworks is a developer of business-centric software solutions including the SmartSearch Content Management Suite. Located in New Haven, Conn., Square 9 is dedicated to making content management available to organizations of all sizes. The company designs solutions built on open architecture and technologies that drive efficiency and productivity across all business applications.

Through decades of experience, Square 9 has acquired a thorough understanding of document-driven business processes. www.square-9.com BTA Vendor Associate member Azerty has been in business for more than 25 years and is a leading printer imaging technology distributor.

The company is a division of United Stationers Supply Co. Azerty’s mission is to provide its customers value in their efforts through a robust menu of services including: a comprehensive managed print services solution, nationwide next-day delivery, access to the largest imaging and printer portfolio, a dedicated selling team and a host of other key tools. www.azerty.com A full list of BTA Vendor and Service Associate members can be found online at www.bta.org.

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

A Buyer’s Market The timing is right to make an acquisition by: Chip Miceli, Des Plaines Office Equipment

espite the current sluggish economy, that old adage, “You have to spend money to make money,” could be right on the money for office technology dealers by way of the acquisition of other companies.

While today’s challenging financial landscape may have many dealership owners shaking their heads in bewilderment over the notion of an acquisition, the potential for increased opportunity can be great — particularly if the acquisition is an area competitor with a significant client list. Heads of successful companies recognize that times of recession open up a “bargain hunting” field. That may sound opportunistic and with good reason — it is! The future success of many small to mid-sized businesses will be determined by the long-term decisions they make today. It may seem counterintuitive to spend money while suffering an anemic economy, but those who do are more likely to come out winners in the future.

Although sometimes the answer to increased business is the addition of a new product line, that route can be costly and does not always increase market share. But acquiring companies ultimately produces gains in market share, through the elimination of competition through consolidation.

It is unfortunate that a number of struggling office technology companies exist; it is a sign of the times when industry publications must devote space to businesses that have filed for bankruptcy, laid off their staff and are looking to sell off their customer bases and remaining equipment to the highest, or sometimes any, bidder. But one company’s misfortune can prove to be another’s bounty. Being at the right place at the right time can ultimately lead to paying the right price. And, beyond the price of the acquisition may come the added benefit in the opportunity to add some solid talent to your company, particularly if you bring the former owner or management team on board.

That timing alignment can also result in a quick sale turnaround. However, companies interested in acquisitions should be aware that the typical time between expressed interest and signing on the dotted line is closer to four months.

But there is more to a good deal than timing and price; an acquisition must harmonize with your company’s business strategy and plans for the future.

Regardless of how quick an acquisition proves to be, a

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“bargain” is only a bargain if the product line fits into your business model. For example, managed print services (MPS) are a strong focus of many office technology dealerships and from where a significant portion of revenue is derived. Companies prepared to make one or more acquisitions would be well served to consider for-sale businesses with MPS programs in place, as MPS represents a steady stream of revenue and might nearly pay for the acquisition through annuity business alone.

While a sound MPS program or another significant element may make an acquisition appealing, it should not be the sole appeal for acquirement. When it comes to which dealerships to target for potential acquisition, it is best to keep an open mind — and to know your competition. Dealerships that are openly struggling and have put out feelers for buyers are obvious choices, but it could also be that your most zealous competitor has an interest in selling. You may be surprised with the outcome of a conversation with competition; they may be looking to expand their territory or perhaps are interested in an exit strategy — either scenario could work in your favor as a potential buyer.

Be aware, however, that sometimes things are not as they seem. You may have the chance to buy a company that previously held a solid reputation, but hard times might have altered that good standing. Your association with a company that has hit the skids reputation-wise will not be to your advantage. And if the potential seller is unable or unwilling to

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To register for ProFinance or get more information on pricing and quantity discounts, visit www.bta.org or call BTA at (800) 843-5059.

Instructors John Hanson and John Hey of Strategic Business Associates take a holistic approach to the redirection of your business — from sales rep compensation and projecting service revenues to inventory management and an action plan for implementation — with the short-term goal of achieving a minimum of 14% operating income. You can achieve these results by monitoring 24 key benchmarks and making strategic shifts as discussed in the program.

Upcoming ProFinance course: November 11-12, 2009

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Start planning for improved profitability today! Send all of your strategic decision makers to ProFinance — it’s an investment in your company that will help you relieve the end-of-the-month crunch.

ProFinance is designed for owners and executive-level staff who make the critical business decisions that impact your company’s success. Some OEMs reimburse for ProFinance tuition through advertising co-op or professional development funds. Check with your OEM.

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supply comprehensive financial informayears of a company’s financial records — tion, walk away from the deal swiftly. that includes working capital, inventory, You will also need to Once you have determined that you receivables, capital expenditures, debt take a number of other have the finances and resources to handle and cash flow. elements into account, an acquisition, it is imperative to thorYou will also need to take a number of perhaps the most oughly examine the company’s financial other elements into account, perhaps the important being statements, client base, industry standing most important being customer stability customer stability and and employees. and payment histories. If you find that a payment histories.

With the list of sellers on the long side handful of customers comprise a large these days, you will likely want to consider portion of the customer base, it is vital to several potential companies before deciding on a purchase. It speak with them directly and gauge whether they intend to can be challenging to conduct the due diligence on more than continue doing business with you, as the new owner of the one prospective acquisition at a time, but the research will be acquired company. well worth it in the end. Ultimately, you want to acquire a Legal issues must also be addressed when heading toward company whose reputation, business model and product line an acquisition. Become familiar with any contracts, leases, best fits your own. trademarks, licensing, permits and all other documents that The due diligence of an acquisition can be intimidating, but might have a bearing on the sale. You should also be aware of without it you will not have a clear picture of what you are any pending litigation against the company. acquiring. Fiscal experts recommend examining three to five Another important aspect is the cultural dynamic. It will be a much easier road if the management style of the company you are looking to acquire matches with that of your business.

Remember, you are not just acquiring a business — you are also attaining people whose careers and livelihood will now be dependent on you and your company.

Once an acquisition has been made, the need for a smooth transition is fundamental and it all comes down to constant and honest communication between all parties. If possible, sit down with each and every employee in the acquired company, listen to their input, both positive and negative, and be honest about their place post-sale. Data indicates that roughly 20 percent of employees are either let go or leave of their own accord following an acquisition, but if you have the need and they have the desire to stay, the strength of increased personnel could boost your company ’s performance and standing within the industry.

An acquisition can prove to be a valuable strategic move, representing immediate increases in your company’s overall sales volume and the addition of new product lines and implementation of additional programs. With today’s increase in the number of companies interested in selling, now may be the best time to make this investment in your company’s future.

Chip Miceli is president of Des Plaines Office Equipment (DPOE), based in Chicago. DPOE is a leader in the field of print management and has acquired three companies in the past three years. Miceli can be reached at chip@dpoe.com. Visit www.dpoe.com.

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MPS STRATEGIES

Are You Pursuing MPS? If not, time may be running out to enter the space by: Tom Callinan, Strategy Development

here is a little sensationalism in this article’s headline and subhead. Let’s face it, if you wanted to start a copier/MFP dealership today, you could. With year-on-year units sold declining by 200,000 per year in 2008 and 2009, it may not be the best use of your capital, but you could start that dealership. And for years to come you will be able to start a managed print services (MPS)focused dealership or decide that it is time for you to seriously offer an MPS solution.

I believe it is a lot more fun to get into a growth industry than it is to enter a mature industry. Today, MPS is a growth industry, but that will not last. The primary reason it will not last is because MPS resellers are not selling anything new — they are simply taking the revenue from other businesses.

Just a short year ago, the consultants at Strategy Development rarely ran into a situation in which one of our clients was in a competitive MPS sale. Today, not a day goes by without a competitive MPS opportunity. I am not suggesting that they are all competitive — that is far from the case — but at least one per day is against a competitor.

The good news is that many companies “selling” MPS are simply using it as a talking point, but they are muddying up the waters with prospects. I am not sure it is their fault, as there is still a good amount of misinformation about MPS in the industry.

Now is the time to launch a well-conceived MPS strategy or to take a step back and fix what you have already launched, even if that requires a complete overhaul. The goal is to be effective at growing a highly profitable new revenue stream and not to simply update your Web site with an MPS click through with the same five bullets that your competitor has on its Web site.

How do you know if you are doing okay with your MPS strategy? The best litmus test is by measuring either how many devices you have under management or what you are billing per month in CPP on printers. Sure, you will sell equipment and software into accounts, but measuring what you control under contract is the clearest snapshot of success.

A single MPS specialist at the end of his (or her) first year should be billing approximately $25,000 per month in net new CPP revenue. At the end of his second year, he should be billing $65,000 per month; this is pure aftermarket — service

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and supplies — and does not include equipment or software. If you measure devices, figure an average of $25 per device per month — so 1,000 devices at the end of year one. This is for a single MPS specialist; if you invest in two or three, your results should reflect a multiple of these figures.

So, at this point you understand you need to get serious about MPS, that you will run into competitive situations and you have some guidelines of what success looks like. How do you achieve success? That is simple. Start with a well-conceived plan and execute that plan. What will you need to include in the plan?

Your financial commitment to the new strategy.

Sales resources; Strategy Development recommends a company starts with at least two MPS specialists. If you start with one and he does not make it, you are virtually starting over again.

Proper selection of specialists. You want conceptual sales professionals who can handle a complex sale.

Training for your sales specialists, leadership, administration (operations) and service personnel.

An income statement that sets milestones and clearly demonstrates ramped up revenue, margins, expenses and contribution. You will also want a cash-flow statement that shows you the required cash investments.

Vendors; you can learn more about vendors in the BTA MPS Service & Operations Workshop or you can develop a checklist on your own.

Service training on multiple printer lines.

Now is the time to put the plan together, so do not delay. If you are well trained and focused on driving growth, you will crush those competitors that simply use MPS as a talking point.

But time is running out because eventually they, too, will be forced to learn — or maybe they will simply disappear.

Tom Callinan is the founding principal of Strategy Development, a consulting and advanced sales training firm that developed and delivers the BTA MPS Sales Workshop and BTA MPS Service & Operations Workshop to help dealers enter the lucrative MPS space. He can be reached at callinan@strategydevelopment.org or (610) 527.3317.

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