October 2012 Office Technology

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CONTENTS Volume 19 • No. 4

FEATURE ARTICLES 10

2012 Software Buyer’s Guide A resource to help you select the right partners

COURTS & CAPITOLS Mobile Devices & Accidents A written policy & training are paramount

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by Robert C. Goldberg BTA General Counsel

Compiled by Brent Hoskins Office Technology Magazine

Today, there is a dizzying number of independent software vendors (ISVs) whose products further enhance the use of MFPs. To help dealers better understand the capabilities of some of the software available, Office Technology magazine invited a number of ISVs to submit brief overviews of their products. Most offer software for the end-user’s use. Some offer software for use within the dealership.

Perhaps it is time to enhance your product offerings or use new software to improve your internal processes.

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The BTA website contains a sample policy statement for employee use of mobile devices while operating a vehicle. As many states and cities pass legislation to regulate the use of mobile devices, it is essential that every dealership has a written policy in place.

P R I N C I PA L I S S U E S Today’s Talent Three trends shaping industry employment

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‘Should I or Shouldn’t I?’ Your questions regarding MPS need to be addressed

by Jessica R. Crowley Copier Careers

Copier Careers’ job is to connect qualified candidates with copier industry employers. From this vantage point, the company is able to spot patterns and identify trends as they are emerging. Here are three current trends we see at Copier Careers that are the most likely to impact office technology industry careers.

by Mike Lecak Supplies Network

Over the last five years, we have all heard the numbers. Managed print services (MPS) is a $14.5 billion industry that is headed to $25 or $30 billion, depending on who you listen to.

We also hear that everyone is overpaying or mismanaging their output fleets if they are attempting to do MPS on their own. Questions regarding MPS are endless and the answers seem to be endless as well. Ask a question and you will generally get an answer — but is it the right one? It depends.

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STMC-Certified Cartridges A means to strengthen your MPS program

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by Tricia Judge International ITC

The advent of managed print services (MPS) has made aftermarket toners popular in order to keep costs down. They also offer the customer an environmental benefit. So how do you know that your remanufactured cartridge supplier is selling cartridges that are not only a bargain, but are also high quality?

Mobile Printing It is key to growing your managed services profits

by Christopher D. Bennett Success Assured Seminars

Corporations and workgroups are incorporating mobile devices into their field operations. One report predicts that, within just three years, mobile Internet use will surpass PC Internet use. For those in the copier/MFP business, we not only have to be in touch with which devices our customers are using, but we also have to know how they plan to integrate these devices into their workflows so we can capture and help customers control and manage impressions that can result from their use.

D E PA R T M E N T S 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

4 | w w w. o f f i c e t e c h n o l o g y m ag.com | October 2012

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S PAGE

Have You Attended a BTA District Event?

A

s I write this, I am only a few days away from departing for the Oct. 2-3 Grand Slam event, hosted

by BTA East in Rye Brook, N.Y. This will be the fifth consecutive year the district has hosted an event in New York. Every indication is that it will be another great event. Some preliminary work is already underway on the 2013 event in the BTA East district. Will Grand Slam return to New York for a sixth year or be moved to another East Coast destination? Stay tuned.

Next will be the Oct. 26-27 Fall Colors Retreat in Waynesville, N.C., hosted by BTA Southeast. I am looking forward to that event as well. This will be the seventh year that I have attended. If you have not attended in the past, I encourage you to give it some thought. It is truly a one-of-a-kind event in our industry that includes great educational sessions and plenty of opportunity to network with dealers and exhibitors. But what makes the Fall Colors Retreat especially unique is the setting. The Smoky Mountains area in late October is difficult to beat — perfect fall weather and unbelievable scenery.

There are other traits of the Fall Colors Retreat that make it special. It has been around for many years and has a rich history that is apparent each year. How so? A welcoming, core group of dealers attend every year; they are dedicated to the event’s ongoing success. Plus, there is that Southern hospitality among the attendees that tends to fill the room. By the time you read this, time will likely be short, but if at all possible, I encourage to you register and attend. Visit www.bta.org/BTASoutheastEvent.

Given its long history, dating back to the SEROMDA days, the Fall Colors Retreat was the inspiration, to some degree, for the

other district events the association offers — a second event in BTA Southeast and one each in BTA East, BTA Mid-America and BTA West. Volunteer leadership in the other districts took a close look at the ongoing success of the Waynesville event and essentially said: “We should do that.”

The volunteers in BTA West were the most recent to bring back a district event (many of you will remember the WOMDA days). It only makes sense. Dealers like to have the option to attend an industry event in their regions of the country. Likewise, exhibitors like to visit with prospective dealers on a regional basis. Without the requirement of traveling across the country, travel costs are lowered and the hassle of travel is diminished to some degree. That said, we always have attendees from other parts of the country. The February BTA Southeast event in Orlando, for example, is a great place for those in the Northeast and upper Midwest to take a break from winter.

Coming up is the second BTA West district event under our new format (all educational sessions and exhibit tables in a single ballroom). The district’s 2011 event was a great success. I am confident that this year’s Nov. 15-16 Capture the Magic event at the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas, Nev., will be a great success as well. The five educational sessions will be packed full of guidance that can help you in your dealership. There will also be 30-plus exhibiting companies on hand and a fun concluding event — an evening at the MGM Grand to see Cirque du Soleil’s KÀ show. Want to know more? See the ad on pages 2-3 or visit www.bta.org/BTAWestEvent.

I hope to see you in Waynesville or Las Vegas. Remember, these are events designed and hosted by fellow dealers. They had you in mind throughout the planning process.  — 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 Christopher D. Bennett, Success Assured Seminars www.winfreechicago.com Jessica R. Crowley, Copier Careers www.copiercareers.com Robert C. Goldberg, General Counsel Business Technology Association Tricia Judge, International Imaging Technology Council www.i-itc.com Mike Lecak, Supplies Network www.suppliesnetwork.com

Business Technology Association 12411 Wornall Road Kansas City, MO 64145 (816) 941-3100 www.bta.org Member Services: (800) 505-2821 BTA Legal Hotline: (800) 869-6688 Valerie Briseno Membership Marketing Manager valerie@bta.org Mary Hopkins Database Administrator mary@bta.org Teresa Leerar Bookkeeper teresa@bta.org Brian Smith Membership Sales Representative brian@bta.org Photo Credits: Hemera, iStockphoto. Cover created by Bruce Quade, Brand X Studio. ©2012 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 2012-2013 Board of Directors

27th Annual Awards Program Impressive

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n Sept. 19, I had the privilege to be among the attendees at an impressive office technology industry event. That evening, Frank Cannata hosted his 27th annual award presentation and charity benefit dinner in Belleville, N.J. Frank is president of Marketing Research Consultants LLC and publisher of The Cannata Report.

Some of you may recall that this awards program was once held as a breakfast meeting at the NOMDA conventions. It ultimately transitioned to an evening dinner in the New York City area.

The cocktail reception and dinner made for a truly unique event — a sort of “Who’s Who” in our industry. Present, and accompanied by other members of their management teams, were such industry leaders as Konica Minolta’s Rick Taylor, Ricoh’s Jim Coriddi, Samsung’s Tod Pike, Lexmark’s Mike Johnson, Toshiba’s Larry White and Muratec’s Jim D’Emidio, to name a few.

Of course, there were a number of dealers present as well.

A primary purpose of the dinner was to publicly recognize and honor various manufacturers and individuals for distinguishing themselves among their peers. Most of the awards presented at the banquet were the result of a balloting process of dealers completed by The Cannata Report; 257 dealers submitted completed ballots. Those who subscribe to Frank’s publication can read the detailed balloting results there.

The manufacturers receiving awards: Printer Manufacturer of the Year, Lexmark International; MFP Manufacturer of the Year, Konica Minolta Business Solutions; and First in Class, Toshiba America Business Solutions. Rick Taylor, president and

COO of Konica Minolta, was recognized as the Executive of the Year. In addition, Scott Cullen, editor of The Week In Imaging, was on hand to present his online publication’s Independent Dealer of the Year Award to Bill Fraser, president and CEO of Fraser Advanced Information Systems, West Reading, Pa. I am pleased to note that all of these award recipients are members of BTA and I congratulate each of them on the recognition they received.

The evening also presented a great venue for the industry to honor Canon’s Haruo Murase, known by many dealers for his tenure as president of Canon U.S.A. in the 1990s. Frank noted that Mr. Murase’s career has “positively impacted the North American copier dealer and has enriched us all.”

Both Frank and BTA itself presented Mr. Murase with Lifetime Achievement awards.

I noted that the award presentations were a primary purpose, but the leading benefit of the evening was the charitable giving of those in attendance. The evening ended with Frank announcing that the attendees collectively contributed $80,000 (now up to $82,000) to the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The funds raised will go toward the establishment of the Maryann Ingoglia Memorial Research Endowment to help find a cure for AML Leukemia. Industry veteran Bob Ingoglia was on hand to accept a recognition of the new endowment in memory of his late wife of 43 years.

Charitable giving has been at the heart of the awards program for the past 15 years or so. Frank reports that, to date, nearly $1 million has been raised.

Frank, hats off to you for an enjoyable evening. We honored industry leaders but, more importantly, you once again facilitated an opportunity for our industry to help others in a meaningful way.  — Terry Chapman

President Terry Chapman Business Electronics Corp.

219 Oxmoor Circle, P.O. Box 531066 Birmingham, AL 35253 tchapman@businesselectronics.com President-Elect Todd J. Fitzsimons Network Imaging LLC 122 Spring St., Ste. B3 Southington, CT 06489 tjfitzsimons@ni-ct.com Vice President Ron Hulett U.S. Business Systems Inc. 3221 Southview Drive Elkhart, IN 46514 ron.hulett@usbus.com BTA East Rob Richardson Allied Document Solutions & Services Inc. 200 Church St. Swedesboro, NJ 08085 robr@ads-s.com BTA Mid-America Dave Quint Advanced Systems Inc. 2945 Airport Blvd., P.O. Box 57 Waterloo, IA 50704 dquint@asiowa.com BTA Southeast Debra Dennis CopyPro Inc. 3103 Landmark St. Greenville, NC 27834 ddennis@copypro.net BTA West Mike Ehlers Yost Business Systems 685 E. Anderson Idaho Falls, ID 83401 mike@yostonline.com Ex-Officio/Immediate Past President Tom Ouellette Budget Document Technology 251 Goddard Road, P.O. Box 2322 Lewiston, ME 04240 touellette@bdtme.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

8 | w w w. o f f i c e t e c h n o l o gymag.com | October 2012

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2012 Software Buyer’s Guide A resource to help you select the right partners Compiled by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

T

oday, there is a dizzying number of independent software vendors (ISVs) whose products further enhance the use of MFPs. However, dealers are often advised to select and market only a few of these products. Many recommend that the dealer should then strive to ensure his (or her) dealership becomes the leading, preferred source for the selected software products to best serve the needs of customers.

To help dealers better understand the capabilities of some of the software products available, Office Technology magazine invited a number of ISVs to submit brief overviews of their products. Most offer software for the end-user’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.

Business Intelligence BEI Services www.beiservices.com BEI Services provides a source of unbiased imaging device and technician performance benchmarking. Analyzing millions of service calls on millions of imaging devices every month allows BEI Services to pinpoint opportunities to save money within a dealership’s service operation. The company also provides a successful and widely used performance-based technician compensation program.

Business Process Improvement Drivve www.drivve.com Drivve is a developer of software solutions that streamline and improve document-intensive business processes. Drivve helps its customers realize tangible costs savings by optimizing the entire document life cycle, from image capture and processing, to document management and workflow, to print and output management. The company is a market leader in mobility solutions and cloud-based services, delivered through a best-in-class user experience.

OCM International www.ocmplc.com OCM International offers a product portfolio incorporating a range of professional services and print management software solutions, offering end-to-end output cost management business solutions. The company presents manufacturers, service integrators (SIs) and dealerships with a turnkey solution that will increase efficiency and productivity while reducing internal document production costs by more than 20 percent.

Print Control Software www.roiprintmanager.com Print Control Software Inc., developers of ROI Print Manager, has been creating innovative workflow solutions since 1999 and selling through an established dealer channel. The company’s mission is to provide organizations with software that contextualizes their print environments by providing business intelligence and the best workflow education to their users.

Capture/Forms Recognition Artsyl Technologies www.artsyltech.com Artsyl Technologies develops a full range of document and data capture solutions that reduce the cost of processing forms, helping companies to streamline processes. Artsyl’s flagship product, docAlpha, is a fully automated, distributed data capture, classification, extraction and processing solution with self-learning technology that does not require templates to be created. docAlpha works well in health care, financial services, government and education verticals.

Cost Recovery nQueue Billback www.nqueuebillback.com nQueue Billback provides cost recovery and information accountability tools by doing much more than simply “counting clicks.” The company’s software, branded iA for Information Accountability, captures data related to any business

10 | w w w. o f f i c e t e c h n o l o gymag.com | October 2012

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expense and uses that information to help clients recover, manage and control costs. iA software can be embedded directly into MFPs or reside on tablet computers or terminals.

strengths and talents of three elite companies to provide 1,700-plus dealerships with unmatched technology to compete in today’s marketplace.

PaperCut Software www.papercut-mf.com PaperCut Software is used by more than 50,000 clients across 60 countries and is translated into 20 languages. A leading copy and print management software for educational institutions with installations ranging from small schools to universities, PaperCut tracks and accounts for all staff copying and printing while allowing managed and charged access to devices for student use. PaperCut is easy to use and simple to install on any platform (Windows, Mac, Novell, Linux).

Miracle Service www.miracleservice.com Optimize your dealership with Miracle Service complete dealership management software. Whether it is scheduling technicians, managing meter contracts and inventory, or communicating with the dealership’s team in the field, Miracle Service can make businesses more productive, costefficient and profitable. Easy to use and affordable, Miracle Service has helped thousands of dealers optimize their field services and gain a competitive edge.

Dealership Management Digital Gateway Inc. www.digitalgateway.com Digital Gateway Inc. (DGI), the flagship company of the office equipment division of ECi Software Solutions, is a leading provider of dealer management software solutions for the office equipment industry. Together with OMD Corp. and La Crosse Management Systems Inc., DGI leverages the

Distributed Cloud-Based Imaging gDocScan www.gdocscan.com gDocScan combines the technology and security of Google Drive with ground-based archiving of all images and indexes, creating a secure and fault-tolerant solution. Add in userdefined index fields, index-level security, the ability to view, add notes, email, download or just view a document, and you

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Document Capture & Imaging CAPSYS www.capsystech.com CAPSYS® is a BTA Channel-friendly developer of centralized and distributed data and document scanning capture software that streamlines the process of acquiring documents and information securely and efficiently for case management, ECM and document imaging management systems. CAPSYS CAPTURE is available as an “on-premise” deployment, “on-demand” hosted in Microsoft® Windows Azure data centers or as a pre-configured network appliance.

Nuance Communications Inc. www.nuance.com Nuance eCopy® sets the standard for document capture and workflow solutions. It is the only solution that enables office workers to capture and use information from scanned documents. eCopy empowers workers at their desks, MFPs and scanners to automate paper-to-digital workflows with accurate OCR and secure connections to business systems. The result? Faster, cheaper and more secure business processes.

Document Management ABBYY www.abbyy.com ABBYY is a leader in document recognition, data capture and linguistic technologies and services. With 14 global offices and an R&D team comprising 700 linguistic and software scientists, ABBYY has a track record for innovation, earning it more than 250 awards and partnerships with leading manufacturers of document capture and mobile devices. Its solutions serve more than 30 million individuals worldwide, empowering businesses of every size.

docSTAR www.docstar.com docSTAR™ provides collaborative document management solutions to streamline business processes. More than 6,000 organizations of every size and industry depend on docSTAR. The company’s software, available either on-premise or hosted in the cloud, allows enterprises to gain control over documents, improve retention and increase efficiency. docSTAR integrates with almost any third-party business application, improving departmental effectiveness and profitability.

DocuLex www.doculex.com DocuLex serves more than 1,000 customers with its Archive Studio product suite, which encompasses document capture, indexing, data conversion, security, 100-percent browser access, email archiving, workflow, word processing document control and records retention management. Archive Studio is an easy-to-use, productive content management solution for any business environment seeking secure instant document access. It is available as a server-based product or in the cloud.

DocuWare www.docuware.com Do not leave the door open for the competition to visit your equipment customers — be the one offering document management solutions directly to your customer base.

DocuWare makes the transition to selling solutions easy. It provides tools, training and field support. Generate lucrative revenue with professional services and recurring revenue. DocuWare is Five-Star rated by BLI, ISO 9001 certified and FDA compliant. It is available in 16 languages.

Cabinet www.cabinetpaperless.com Cabinet provides document management and workflow software to a variety of industries. Its user-friendly products streamline user tasks, delivering gains in office/field productivity and bottom-line savings. Cabinet SAFE’s intuitive workflow and scheduling supports secure collaboration with centrally managed and instantly accessible documents.

Products can be installed locally or online in a hosted SaaS configuration and used with a desktop or browser interface.

FileBound www.filebound.com FileBound is a document management solution that can be deployed locally, outsourced as a hosted service or as a network appliance. FileBound provides the paperless solution your customers are looking for and delivers affordable business process automation, enhanced content retrieval and mobile device support. Over the past 10 years, FileBound has been implemented by more than 3,000 customers of all sizes around the world. FileBound is marketed through a channel of authorized resellers. Its reseller program includes ongoing training, marketing and sales support.

Computhink www.computhink.com Computhink’s ViewWise Document Management Solution is easily used and installed, and is priced to target the small- to mid-size business. The company’s Partner Program offers the highest industry margins and focuses solely on partner relationships by offering a program with prequalified leads, MDFs and full support (sales, demo, technical), without channel conflicts.

MaxxVault www.maxxvault.com MaxxVault document management software provides unsurpassed efficiency improvements, regulatory compliance, reduced costs and customer satisfaction. It is an open system that uses the latest technology to provide security, dependability and interoperability with existing systems.

MaxxVault is a Red Herring 2011 Top 100 award winner, a CRN 2011 Top 20 Cloud vendor and a BLI Five-Star solution.

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Notable Solutions www.nsiautostore.com Notable Solutions Inc. (NSi) is a provider of transactional capture and business automation solutions. Its flagship product, NSi AutoStore, captures paper and electronic documents from copiers, scanners, printers, desktops, Web browsers or mobile devices, and routes the information into the appropriate business system based on the document type. As a result, business is done faster with less effort — and less paper.

Enterprise Content Management Solgenia www.solgenia.com Bridging the gap between one’s personal and professional digital experience, Solgenia is a cloud-enabling company that assists organizations in accelerating business benefits to increase productivity, reduce costs and deliver more value to their respective customers. Since 1994, Solgenia has been providing solutions like CRM, document management, BI analytics, unified communications, WAN optimization and a cloud management platform to SMB businesses worldwide.

Square 9 www.square-9.com Square 9® is a developer of business-centric software solutions designed to enhance product diversification within its dealer channel. The company’s flagship product, the SmartSearch Enterprise Content Management Suite, helps resellers drive increased equipment sales through an integrated hardware and software approach that includes variable data printing, workflow and Web forms management.

Square 9 delivers a training program for launching, marketing and expanding any document management initiative.

Fax Document Software DPD International www.goldfax.com DPD International, the maker of GoldFax, offers enterprise fax server solutions at small business prices, allowing end users to easily send and receive faxes from email, Web browsers, desktop applications and MFPs (Sharp, Kyocera, Samsung, Lexmark, Canon, Ricoh, Toshiba, HP, Xerox, etc.), improving productivity and security/compliance, while reducing operational costs. GoldFax integrates with any email or software application, telephone environment and document/content management solution across all industries.

The company offers on-premise, hosted and cloud solutions.

Sagemcom www.xmediusfax.sagemcom.com Sagemcom is a global leader in advanced fax server solutions for IP networks. Its scalable and survivable XMediusFAX™ T.38 Fax over IP (FoIP) solutions leverage IP telephony and UC systems to enhance productivity, collaboration and ROI by integrating fax on the desktops of enterprise and service provider sites worldwide.

Managed Print Technology N-able Technologies www.n-able.com N-able is a global provider of IT management and automation solutions for managed service providers. N-able’s N-central is a leading RMM and MSP service automation platform.

The company has a proven track record of helping MSPs standardize and automate the setup and delivery of IT services to achieve scalability. Thousands of MSPs use N-able solutions to deliver scalable, flexible and profitable managed services.

M2M/M2P Enterprise Management MWA Intelligence Inc. www.mwaintel.com MWA Intelligence Inc. (MWAi), a SAP Business One Partner, delivers enterprise-class and leading-edge M2M (machine-to-machine) solutions to better serve the imaging industry. MWAi’s intelligent service, workforce, assets and GPS solution suites deliver mission-critical information in real time to the hands of customer-facing employees and into companies’ back-end ERP systems, including the powerful SAP Business One solution. The MWAi solution automates all business intelligence management, meter collection, consumables and service alerts, and also offers an integrated pre-sale MPS tool for easy auditing of end-user networks.

Network Monitoring Paessler AG www.paessler.com PRTG Network Monitor is the all-inclusive monitoring solution from Paessler. It includes comprehensive monitoring features, an easy-to-use, intuitive interface and a stateof-the-art monitoring engine. It scales to networks of any size and all of this comes in one license. PRTG assures the availability of network components, and measures traffic and usage. It saves costs by avoiding outages and optimizing connections, workload and quality.

Print Management Barr Systems www.barrsystems.com Barr EOM print management software has all of the critical components dealers need to offer their customers. With Barr EOM, end users can: implement business rules; analyze the contents of documents; send alerts and notifications; print to the corporate cloud; track everything; assign costs; and deploy a single print driver for all PostScript printers.

The company’s software supports mobile printing and manages mixed printer fleets.

ECi/FMAudit www.fmaudit.com FMAudit is a provider of meter, supply and service process automation software for MPS. FMAudit software is easy to deploy and maintain, collects data from both networked and

16 | ­w w w. o f f i c e t e c h n o l o gymag.com | October 2012

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local devices, integrates with e-automate, OMD, DDMS and La Crosse for automated meter billing, and provides supplylevel alert monitoring, service-alert filtering, complete TCO analysis and green reporting.

OptiPrint

www.optiprint.com Diversified Computer Supplies Inc. (DCS) has offered the OptiPrint MPS solution to its partners since 2008. OptiPrint consists of remote monitoring software and an integrated proposal generator software tool. This comprehensive MPS solution has provided DCS partners a cost-effective means to exploit MPS opportunities in the market today while capitalizing on the exceptional software tools at their disposal.

Print Audit www.printaudit.com Print Audit Premier is a new subscription plan that gives office equipment dealers virtually unlimited access to all of Print Audit’s products for one low monthly fee. In addition to powerful remote meter reading and device management tools, Premier provides dealers with a full suite of print management products to help their clients analyze, control and recover their printing costs.

Print Tracker www.printtracker.net Print Tracker is a low-impact, highly secure print management solution that captures information from networked and locally connected imaging devices. Print Tracker is easily deployed and often configured in less than three minutes to send meters and alerts. It includes management tools such as its ePortal, service and meter viewers, and a fully customizable TCO estimator. Print Tracker integrates with most ERP accounting software.

Sales & Marketing Automation Evolved Office www.evolvedoffice.com Evolved Office is a full-service marketing platform that provides office equipment dealers with turnkey and customizable marketing solutions. Created to help generate more leads and close more deals, its targeted marketing solutions include newsletters, videos, flyers, email blasts, sales brochures and complete marketing campaigns — all custom branded with your logo and company information. The software is easy to use and allows you to quickly edit email templates and send them to clients. Each month, Evolved Office delivers new templates with industry-specific content and professionally designed graphics to your account.

Sales Management Compass Sales Solutions www.compasscontact.net Compass Sales Solutions offers an advanced sales-force automation, solution selling and fleet management software system. Designed from a sales perspective, Compass manages your prospect database, provides detailed TCO analysis reports, and generates thorough, professional proposals and sales paperwork. Compass also offers complete integration with your ERP/billing system and Outlook.

Falcon Technology Solutions www.efalcontech.com Falcon markets Soaring, server-based sales management software specifically designed for the office equipment industry. Soaring integrates with industry software such as OMD, e-automate and others, as well as business software such as Outlook, Word and Excel. Soaring’s newest version has a robust MPS analysis/proposal section and a new mobile version designed specifically for tablet/mobile devices.

PrintFleet www.printfleet.com PrintFleet’s print management software solutions range from simple, rapid assessment to advanced, independently hosted print management, offering data collection, data integrity and back-end support. PrintFleet’s software is available in multiple languages and has been used in more than 100 countries. PrintFleet is coupled with sales, technical and marketing support programs.

SalesChain www.saleschain.com SalesChain provides sales management software to office equipment dealers who want to increase core growth and customer retention. Features include: intelligent deal pricing, simplified order documentation and efficient, accurate sales commissions. SalesChain is the preferred partner for Digital Gateway, OMD and La Crosse, and has been delivering value to dealers across the country since 2002.

Solimar Systems www.solimarsystems.com Solimar Systems is a developer of enterprise output management solutions for digital document creation, production and distribution environments. Installed in thousands of sites worldwide, Solimar solutions address integrated connectivity, data-stream transforms, print optimizations, document re-engineering/repurposing and print queue management with secure Web-based document presentment, distribution and tracking.

Supplies Distribution/e-commerce Red Cheetah www.redcheetah.com Red Cheetah offers adaptive, integrated e-commerce solutions for the office products industry. The company is on the leading edge of innovation and technological advances so that its dealers experience better marketing and selling. 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.

18 | ­w w w. o f f i c e t e c h n o l o gymag.com | October 2012

Cover Story Oct 12.indd 5

9/28/12 9:24 AM

The TOTAL

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Schedule a DEMO with FMAudit TODAY! www.ECiSolutions.com/MPS or 800-440-8664 ext. 89172 800-440-8664 Ext. 89172 • fmaudit@ECiSolutions.com • www.fmaudit.com ECi, FMAudit and the ECi Red Box logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of eCommerce Industries, Inc. All rights reserved.

FMAudit ad Jun 12.indd 1

5/14/12 9:41 AM

‘Should I or Shouldn’t I?’ Your questions regarding MPS need to be addressed by: Mike Lecak, Supplies Network

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hen I make a purchase — an item of clothing for example — I typically have some data points I refer to when making my decision: the size, color and the current season. These data points help me get what I need. In doing this, I get to perform my own analysis to make sure my purchase makes sense. Some purchasing mistakes can be expensive and get in the way. So, I ask myself, “Should I or shouldn’t I?” Over the last five years, we have all heard the numbers. Managed print services (MPS) is a $14.5 billion industry that is headed to $25 or $30 billion, depending on who you listen to. We also hear that everyone is overpaying or mismanaging their output fleets if they are attempting to do MPS on their own. IT departments are being asked to do more with fewer resources, people and money.

So, should we outsource?

Questions regarding MPS are endless and the answers seem to be endless as well. Ask a question and you will generally get an answer — but is it the right one? It depends.

And that is just the customer side of the equation.

Now, let’s look at the dealer side. We use the same data points and ask the same questions, but do we get a different viewpoint? I would say so. There is a knowledge gap that needs to be filled.

Are your sales staff members able to fill that gap? Are they armed with the tools and management support to do so?

Can your sales staff members navigate the deep waters of a true MPS assessment? Is the assessment process manual?

If so, does your compensation plan ensure that your reps can perform a true assessment that will bring value to your end-user customer as well as value to your business and, ultimately, your sales staff? Your reps are the drivers; do they have the right vehicles to get to the finish line?

Over the last eight years, (Supplies Network senior vice president) Doug Johnson and I have spent countless hours in front of both the dealer community and customers; we have

had the opportunity to assist dealers in setting up their MPS practices. We have participated in the on-boarding and training of sales staffs, the recruitment of specialists (which is a must; every dealership must have a champion) and the setup of compensation plans designed to drive behavior. We have been able to help dealership principals assess their current cultures and their abilities to accept change.

We have also designed and directed training sessions specifically geared toward the C-level sales process. The single largest challenge for any sales organization is to get into and stay at the right level. MPS is a C-level sale, period. Believing anything else delays and, most of the time, kills the sale. True MPS is a multifaceted decision that involves many players within an organization. The decision to make changes within an organization can only be made from the top. More importantly, the ability to execute and drive those changes down can only happen from above.

Of equal importance is actual customer engagement.

What does this look like in your organization? Have you gone through the vetting process with your reps to identify who are the best candidates for MPS? Does your CRM system allow you to do so? Do the reps who are currently selling MPS understand the intricacies of the process? Or, have you, like most of the organizations we have seen, put your highest producers in charge of the customers they “own” and hope that the relationship they have spent years cultivating will produce the desired result? Do you even know what that result looks like? The people who hear your message and what that message is, as it pertains to MPS, are the keystones to the success you will have.

When we engage with dealers who want to “get into” MPS, we typically ask them what is driving the decision. What we hear most often are: “I am losing customers to other providers” (clearly a defensive move) or “I want to increase my margins and lock in my customer base” (an offensive move).

20 | ­w w w. o f f i c e t e c h n o l o gymag.com | October 2012

Lecak Oct 12.indd 1

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Supplies Wholesalers ad Oct 12.indd 1 SW - BTA Office Ad.indd 1

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not fit with the current state of affairs.

Rarely is this decision a strategic one Whether you are just dipping your that is backed up with infrastructure What we look for and toes in the water with your own MPS designed to drive out costs and enhance really concentrate on is program, or you are outsourcing it to the customer experience. Or, it is done the strategic direction of someone else, there are a few questions without much thought to who is actuthe dealership. Is MPS you should ask yourself and answer: ally going to sell it. Is it a product? Is it a strategic initiative?  Do I, as an owner or sales rep, know a solution? what MPS is and what it represents to What we look for and really concenWill it become the my business? trate on is the strategic direction of the “program de jour”?  Is MPS a strategic initiative or just dealership. Is MPS a strategic initiative? a program?

Will it become the “program de jour”?  Are my sales reps trained to sell the concept or can they Has the leadership team bought into this direction? Is there a sales culture to move from transactional selling to solu- truly execute an MPS engagement?  As an organization, do we sell at the C-level? (A must.) tions-based selling?  Does the current compensation plan reward this type As a dealership principal, how many times have you heard these words from your top, go-to reps when trying to intro- of sale? (This is the single biggest roadblock to a successful duce a new initiative: “I don’t want my best customers to be MPS initiative.)  Do I know my market? the guinea pigs for something new.” We believe this hap Do I have business intelligence that will allow me to pens because leadership has not communicated a strategic direction for these initiatives — that is, why the company is most effectively prospect for the “MPS sweet spot,” and do I moving in this direction. It has no stickiness because it does even know what that “sweet spot” is?

So, should I or shouldn’t I? Am I armed with enough information to make my decision to jump into MPS? The numbers say yes and the time is now. So, be prepared, strategize with your leadership team, prepare your rollout and set your course. Ask yourself the above questions. Once you have answered them, do not worry, because there will be plenty more.  Mike Lecak has been in the industry since 1983. After a successful 15-year career at ComDoc in Pittsburgh, Pa., he joined Toshiba as a district sales manager. After a period of running his own consulting practice, he joined Print Inc. in 2004 to manage sales for the company’s PrintValue Solutions program. His team was responsible for all facets of bringing MPS practices to Print Inc.’s channel partners, including sales, service, training and sales compensation models. In 2009, Lecak joined Konica Minolta to manage its West Region for managed print. He was responsible for the direct branch activity for the West Region, supporting both the sales efforts as well as the solutions teams that executed Konica Minolta’s OPS Program. Lecak joined Supplies Network in January 2011 to take on his current role as director of MPS and the company’s CARBON SiX program.

Visit www.suppliesnetwork.com. Lecak and Doug Johnson will be teaching BTA’s newest MPS workshops as front runners to BTA’s Capture the Magic district event, Nov. 15-16 in Las Vegas, Nev. Attendees to either front-runner workshop receive free registration to Capture the Magic.

Visit www.bta.org/BTAWestFrontRunners for more information or to register.

22 | w w w. o f f i c e t e c h n o l ogymag.com | October 2012

Lecak Oct 12.indd 2

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ESP-BTA-HalfPageAd-August2012.pdf 1 8/27/2012 3:30:41 PM

Niche-ESP ads Oct 12.indd 1

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Mobile Printing It is key to growing your managed services profits by: Christopher D. Bennett, Success Assured Seminars

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orporations and workgroups are quickly incorporating mobile devices into their field operations. One report by International Data Corp. (IDC) projects that, within just three years, mobile Internet use will surpass PC Internet use.

While the initial trend toward mobility in corporations seemed to be the bringyour-own-device (BYOD) policy, industry surveys indicate that many of today’s Fortune 1000 companies are working toward standardizing their manager and field personnel smartphone platforms. Regardless of whether they ultimately choose an Android, iPhone or Windows smartphone, corporate America is putting mobile devices into the hands of its people. These devices are definitely here to stay; however, data security concerns will drive closer management of these smart devices.

Just last month, Apple Inc. won a year-long patent infringement case against Android device manufacturer Samsung Electronics, totaling $1.05 billion. Since then, Apple has filed additional complaints listing infringement of specific utility patents — features like “slide to unlock” — naming newer Samsung products including the Galaxy S III and Note. It seems this fight is far from being over.

Despite its aggressive legal posture, Apple leads the U.S. market in smartphone and tablet placements. According to a recent Fortune magazine article, Apple has captured more than 70 percent of the Fortune 500 tablet market. According to Good Technology’s 2012 Device Activation Report, Android enterprise placements have nearly doubled and smartphone usage outnumbers tablet usage by a ratio of three to one.

Even though Apple’s iOS platform leads the pack, the Android platform is not that far behind. Last year, Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt was quoted as predicting that because of Android’s more open focus, app developers and enterprise decision makers will ultimately adopt Android.

In addition, three Android handset device makers have created corporate sales forces to push adoption of Androids into the enterprise marketplace to thwart Apple’s efforts to continue its dominance — Samsung Electronics (the lead producer of Android devices), HTC and Motorola Mobility. In terms of smartphone platform activations, Android accounted for less than 30 percent of all activations during the most recent quarter, which ended on June 30, 2012. In comparison, Apple quarterly activations represented most of the other 70 percent.

For those in the copier/MFP business, we not only have to be in touch with which devices our enterprise and corporate customers are using, but we also have to be on top of how they plan to integrate these devices into their workflows so we can capture and help customers control and manage any impressions that could result from their use. Another concern is how adopting these devices into our own dealership operations can help make us more profitable and efficient.

Back in 1999, the industry was already concerned that with the growth in popularity of the PDF format among business users and, with the progression of desktop publishing, copier/MFP clicks would be on the decline and that we could actually experience the realization of the paperless office. However, growing industry use of the Internet, the relatively slow adoption of image scanning technology and the tactile preference for proofing our written work on paper resulted in the opposite situation. Over the next several years, businesses printed more from their copier/MFPs than ever. Then we saw an increase in the need for color output throughout the enterprise and, again, we saw a growth in revenues from color printing.

As we complete the current trend toward managed services, BTA Channel dealers are presented with new opportunities to assist IT in reestablishing standards and control of information in the mobile environment.

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Bennett Oct 12.indd 1

9/28/12 11:10 AM

Today, improvements in readability Most copier/MFP manufacturers also due to new screen resolution technolosupport both iOS and Android devices.

When speaking with gies like Apple’s Retina Display, along Xerox offers an app called PrintBack and customers about their with the compact sizes and lightweight its Mobile Print Solution. Konica Minolmobile device integration materials available in smartphone and ta offers its PageScope Mobile app. EFI projects, salespeople tablet devices, allow companies to adopt offers a product called PrintMe. Canon want to be familiar with legitimate paperless business processes. has a smartphone tool that is part of its But it is not always easy to print docuuniFLOW print management software. common enterprise ments from these smartphones and When speaking with customers about applications ... tablets. In 2010, PCWorld magazine pubtheir mobile device integration projects, lished an article entitled, “Will the iPad salespeople want to be familiar with Connect to Anything?” In that article, the author wrote, “ ... common enterprise applications that can lead to increased network printers are quite common. If the iPad could print print volumes. Over the coming months, IT departments to a network printer, one would think Apple would have will be faced with the decision of whether to replace a workmentioned so.” er’s laptop with a tablet device. Between Apple and Android, Printing may not have been a major concern for the de- there are more than 1.4 million apps currently available for signers of tablet and smartphone devices. Workers can work download. The number of apps available that are designed paperlessly if they are forced to. Generally, users know that or suitable for enterprise use is far lower. if they are creating documents on tablet devices, they can When the U.S. Department of Labor launched its timecard move their files to a desktop or laptop and then send the app for the iPhone in 2011, it became apparent that mobile files to their workgroup printers. If that seems too limiting, productivity apps for business were no longer just for managthey may decide to bypass IT completely and use their own ers in the field and bean counters in the back office. BYOD consumer printers to print from their mobile devices, which policies and the need for immediate information and comcreates the risk of security breaches and reduced print munication have allowed employees to work from anywhere. tracking. Or, they can decide that it is easier not to print at There are many uses for mobile device technology where all. Either way, we lose impressions. tablets will replace notebooks. Mobile device apps include Conversely, if MFP pre-sales engineers know to ask how those for sales enablement, field service, unmanned kiosks, the prospect is using or plans to use smart device technolo- meetings and presentations, as well as apps for accelerating gy and to find out about a customer’s in-house mobility apps internal processes like warehouse inventory and shipping. in development, dealers can educate customers on how to As the transition to mobile devices occurs, the need to simplify the process of printing directly from smartphones print portable information will not necessarily disappear. and tablets. That reduces the chance that jobs are printed It is inherent upon BTA Channel dealers to take action to via methods that circumvent the network. ensure that when a user has a desire to print, his (or her) Here is another strategic indicator from the Good Tech- workgroup and its copier/MFPs receive the jobs so they are nology report: The public and manufacturing sectors each printed quickly, efficiently and securely. n increased their market share of enterprise mobile device Christopher D. Bennett, CDIA+, is a field technology and sales activations by 3 percent during the second quarter of this educator in the imaging industry. He has supported the BTA year. During the same period, the report cites that the greatcommunity since 1990 in sales, dealership operations est increase in tablet activations was in financial services, consulting and sales training. Bennett has worked for CalType which accounted for 46 percent of all iPad activations.

Office Systems, OMD Corp. and Canon U.S.A. Inc., where he As we support these industries, our salespeople and preexecuted Canon U.S.A.’s professional sales certification sales engineers will want to know which mobile applicainitiative for CompTIA CDIA+ certification. Today, he provides tions and environments customers are adopting. We know sales training, strategy, accountability and business advice to the current mobile device marketplace offers a mix of indioffice imaging and other sales organizations. vidual apps, dedicated hardware and cloud-based solutions.

Bennett is president and chief sales advisor Most printer manufacturers offer apps in both the Apple of Success Assured Seminars, the Chicago App Store and the Google Play Store that are targeted at conpartner agency of Winfree Business Growth sumers who want to print photos. The most common app for Advisors – Results Guaranteed®. printing documents in the Apple environment is AirPrint.

He can be reached at (312) 283-0110 ext. 7 or For Android there is PrinterShare Mobile Print. HP offers mrresults@winfreechicago.com. ePrint Home & Business for both Android and Apple users.

Visit www.winfreechicago.com. www.officetechnologymag. c o m | O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2 | 25

Bennett Oct 12.indd 2

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

Dealer Members AFAX Business Machines, New York, NY Baton Rouge Duplicating Products - BRDP, Baton Rouge, LA Vendor Associate Members Digitek Computer Products, Dulles, VA ESHA Corporation, East Brunswick, NJ For full contact information of these new members, visit www.bta.org.

BTA’s New MPS Workshops

Taught by Doug Johnson and Mike Lecak of Supplies Network, BTA’s new MPS Workshops will teach you how to set up and manage an MPS business in your dealership. The inaugural workshops will be held Nov. 1415, 2012, as front-runner workshops to the Capture the Magic district event, hosted by BTA West in Las Vegas. The BTA MPS Client Engagement Workshop will take participants through the entire sales cycle for MPS engagements with clients, while the BTA MPS Survival Guide Workshop will show you how to build a solid business plan for MPS that will result in a growing, profitable business. Attendees to either workshop receive free registration to the Capture the Magic district event. Visit www. bta.org/BTAWestFrontRunners for more information or to register.

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

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

BTA Vendor Associate member Supplies Wholesalers is a national wholesale distributor of compatible imaging supplies and accessories, including: ink, toner, ribbons and thermal fax consumables. The company has more than 200,000 compatible toners in stock and it maintains an overall defect rate under 2 percent with ISO9001/14001 certification. Most toners are also STMC certified and all products include a one-year guarantee. The company also offers laptop batteries and AC adapters, computer accessories and flash memory products, including USB drives. www.supplieswholesalers.com BTA Service Associate member PNC Equipment Finance provides equipment financing solutions to clients throughout the United States and Canada.

It helps manufacturers, distributors and vendors grow their businesses by providing their end users with fast and efficient financing options. In addition, PNC works directly with large corporations, middle market companies, small businesses, municipal governments and many types of institutional entities to provide solutions-based financing alternatives for the acquisition of capital equipment and software. www.pnc.com A full list of BTA Vendor and Service Associate members can be found online at www.bta.org.

26 | w w w. o f f i c e t e c h n o l ogymag.com | October 2012

Highlights Oct 12.indd 1

9/28/12 4:51 PM

COURTS & CAPITOLS

Mobile Devices & Accidents A written policy & training are paramount by: Robert C. Goldberg, General Counsel for the Business Technology Association

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he BTA website contains a sample policy statement for employee use of mobile devices while operating a vehicle. The policy is restrictive in the use of mobile devices while driving and it is essential to reduce a dealer’s responsibilities.

As many states and cities pass legislation to regulate the use of mobile devices, it is essential that every dealership has a written policy in place. The Department of Transportation has concluded that distracted driving is epidemic. We have all seen it and noted the danger, however, it is often the other driver who is being reckless while we are using our devices in a safe and prudent manner while driving.

In 2010, at least 3,092 people were killed in distractionrelated crashes and an estimated 416,000 individuals were injured. With damage awards rising significantly, it is best to take precautions.

Adopting a detailed cell phone policy can help protect employers from liability should an employee cause an accident while using an electronic communications device, but such policies do not provide absolute legal protection. An employee engaging in prohibited conduct must be established as not acting on the employer’s behalf to fully avoid liability.

A written policy is insufficient without proper training and violators being held responsible; this means all violators, including owners and managers. Training need not be elaborate, but there should be a periodic review of the policy and discussion of the requirements. This can easily be part of a company meeting with the policy being reviewed at least twice per year.

New employees should be made aware of the policy at induction and it should be reviewed with them. Employees have a habit of ignoring company policies. By emphasizing that the policy is real, it will be enforced and that serious consequences will result for failure to adhere, employee compliance will be achieved at a higher level.

Due to the increased risk, law enforcement officials are placing an added emphasis on enforcement action against individuals who text while driving. Currently, texting while driving is illegal in 39 states and the District of Columbia, with more states being added with each legislative session.

Requiring an employee to file reports, check in with his (or

her) status or give additional information following an end-user visit can expose employers to liability — even with a mobile device policy in place. The courts have concluded that it is foreseeable that an employee would attempt to meet such reporting requirements while leaving a call and driving elsewhere. If a report is required, it should be forbidden for the employee to complete it while driving. Prohibited actions that are deemed to have arisen in the regular course of the employee’s duties renders the dealer responsible as well.

Citations received for using a device while driving will affect the employee’s vehicle insurance rate. Even though the employee is performing company business, the employer should not pay fines for moving violations. It is also acceptable to pass an insurance increase due to an employee violation on to the employee. If the policy is clearly communicated, employees will be more hesitant to risk a fine and insurance penalty.

If an employee is known to be driving while speaking with the dealership on the phone, a written policy will be of little protection. States that allow hands-free operation render this permissible, yet as an employer, a total prohibition may be best. Some employers take a middle ground, allowing the use of hands-free technology if the conditions allow for it and the call is kept brief. Some dealers limit hands-free calls to incoming calls only.

There are now applications available that can disable electronic devices when they are detected in a moving vehicle. If you are issuing company phones or reimbursing employees who use their own phones, such an application on the phone can be a requirement.

It is imperative that the issue of mobile device usage is not ignored. Implement a policy by first discussing it with your employees. Seek their input, share the risks and penalties, and develop a suggested policy that they help create. By making them part of the process, compliance will be easier and greater. n Robert C. Goldberg is general counsel for the Business Technology Association.

He can be reached at robert.goldberg@sfnr.com. www.officetechnologymag. c o m | O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2 | 27

Goldberg Oct 12.indd 1

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

Today’s Talent Three trends shaping industry employment by: Jessica R. Crowley, Copier Careers

F

or nearly 25 years, Copier Careers has been recruiting employees for independent copier dealerships. It has built its proprietary database the old-school way — one person at a time. Currently, Copier Careers has profiles on file for more than 59,000 imaging professionals nationwide. These profiles track everything from technicians’ certifications, to sales reps’ territories and quotas, to managers’ benchmark achievements.

Copier Careers’ job is to connect qualified candidates with copier industry employers, and its employees spend their days talking with everyone from entry-level candidates to dealership principals and gathering data for its annual industry salary surveys. From this vantage point, Copier Careers is able to spot patterns and identify trends as they are emerging. Here are three current trends we see at Copier Careers that are the most likely to impact office technology industry careers: Opportunities Abound Every few years, usually in response to some form of industry consolidation, someone predicts the death of the independent dealership. It happened in the 1990s when IKON and Danka began acquiring dealerships. It happened again a few years later when the OEMs caught the acquisition bug. It is probably happening somewhere right now. But, as history has shown us, it is simply unjustified. If anything, independent dealers are more relevant than ever and new dealerships are being established all the time.

In addition to an uptick in the number of new dealerships, Copier Careers is finding that managed print and managed network service contracts have been very profitable for independent dealers who have embraced the new model. Many independent dealers have found their niche in consultative, solutions-based sales, and they are growing swiftly and creating jobs in their communities.

A Shortage of Professionals Unlike some sectors of the economy, the document imaging industry was not dramatically affected by the recession.

For the most part, people in the office technology industry retained their jobs and employers continued to hire replacements for staff members who quit, retired or were let go.

What they did not do was hire for bench strength. For several

years, dealerships made do with a minimum number of employees and avoided making entry-level hires.

Though necessary at the time, these conservative hiring practices have created a shortage of qualified candidates. Now that the economic outlook has improved, dealerships are eager to hire proven managed print services (MPS) sales reps and service techs with three to five years of experience. Unfortunately, they cannot find what they are looking for. The pool of qualified, MPS-ready sales and service professionals is inadequate to address current demand.

It will take a few years before the situation corrects itself. In the meantime, the small number of people who do have the right qualifications are finding themselves in high demand.

Effective Recruitment Do you want a shot at recruiting one of those rare individuals who have the right mix of experience, talent and technical know-how? Then you should ensure you have the right people managing your sales and service departments. The fact of the matter is, the best talent goes where the opportunity is — and the opportunity now is in managing networks and selling professional services.

Sales reps who are used to selling a full range of solutions are understandably wary of working for a sales manager who has a “pushing boxes” mentality, because they can see they would be leaving money on the table with every sale. Likewise, the best hybrid techs — people with both break/fix and networking skills — do not want to work for a service manager who is reluctant to embrace the new model.

It is a sad truth that the dealerships that most desperately need an influx of young talent are unable to attract it because of old-fashioned thinking in the managerial ranks. To stay relevant and competitive, dealerships need to ensure that the people in charge are actively engaged in their jobs and are willing to accept and embrace the abundance of new opportunities our industry has to offer. n Jessica R. Crowley is director of recruiting for Copier Careers, a recruiting firm dedicated exclusively to helping independent copier dealers find experienced service techs, copier sales reps, managers, controllers, back-office staff, MPS experts and more. Visit www.copiercareers.com.

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PRINCIPAL ISSUES

STMC-Certified Cartridges A means to strengthen your MPS program by: Tricia Judge, International Imaging Technology Council

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he advent of managed print services (MPS) has made aftermarket toners popular in order to keep costs down.

Remanufactured cartridges also offer the customer an environmental benefit. So how do you know that your remanufactured cartridge supplier is selling you cartridges that are not only a bargain, but are also high quality?

For 15 years, the cartridge remanufacturing industry has led the way by initiating the first standardized test method program to certify the quality of its products. Why and how did this revolutionary move to raise the industry’s standards begin, and how can companies participate in the certification process today?

Back in the late 1990s, industry advocates pushed through legislation in several states that gave preference to remanufactured printer cartridges. This should have been a great victory, but it carried a huge risk. The government’s purchasing process relies on the lowest bid. In the absence of product quality specifications, that process is an invitation to purchase junk. All of the purchasing agencies in those states previously had bad experiences with remanufactured cartridges. The legislators understood why remanufacturing was good, but the purchasers’ experiences had been negative.

The industry came together to address the problem and created the Standardized Test Methods Committee (STMC).

This committee adopted uniform test methods and created a guide for their use. STMC-certified companies are allowed to display the STMC logo on their monochrome toner cartridges. STMC subcommittees on color ink and toner continue their work on developing standards for those products.

As of today, more than 250 companies have been certified and are actively using the STMC Guide to evaluate toner cartridges. The International Imaging Technology Council (International ITC), administers the STMC program and issues certificates and logos to trained companies. The logo for each company has a specific number that identifies the remanufacturer. This logo, the industry’s seal of approval, is used in marketing materials and on packaging.

How It All Began Industry leaders addressed the problem at a meeting hosted by the Rochester Institute of Technology’s (RIT) Center for Remanufacturing and Resource Recovery (C3R). C3R is recognized

as a leading center for research in remanufacturing. OEM printer companies have research projects with RIT and the engineers at C3R arranged a meeting with technical experts to help devise an industry quality initiative.

Representatives from more than 40 companies attended that meeting. The companies included vendors, large and small remanufacturers and members from established regional trade associations. After a discussion of ways to achieve industrywide standards, the group voted to form a committee to research and provide uniform industry-wide testing. Thus, the Standardized Test Methods Committee was born.

Dr. John Wyhof, then of Static Control Components, was a key initial STMC member. Wyhof was the chairman of the ASTM F 05 Committee on Business Imaging Products. This committee included representatives from the OEMs, as well as aftermarket representatives. Wyhof had been instrumental in developing and adopting several test methods that looked promising for industry use, including ASTM F 1856, ANSI IT 2.17-1995 and ISTA 1A. Later, this list included ASTM F 2036.

For the first time in the industry’s history, there was agreement on how to measure image density, background, yield and package integrity. Even the OEMs failed to do this. Not one of the OEMs has, to this date, published its test methods.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) once sent me a letter to notify the STMC that it was about to make its test methods on yield public. That letter was dated August 1999. HP has yet to publicly release its test methods and only recently has started using an ISO test method that addresses only yield.

The committee developed a guide for remanufacturers to integrate the test methods into one protocol. The STMC Guide is available free of charge and can be found on the International ITC website (www.i-itc.org). To use the guide, you must purchase the individual test methods from ASTM at www.astm. org and ISTA at www.ista.org. (The ANSI standard is no longer required, because ASTM F 2036 uses the information in that standard to measure image density and background.)

Enter the STMC Trainers To put the guide into practice, the industry held its first training session in Texas a decade ago. Industry members gathered to learn about the standardized methods for evaluating their toner cartridges. A company could become certified if it met www.officetechnologymag. c o m | O c t o b e r 2 0 1 2 | 29

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certain requirements. Then, International the remanufacturing industry is aware of ITC held a meeting in Texas to train others to these test methods and many vendors are The supply chain for become STMC trainers. Those trained volunusing them to evaluate their own products. the remanufacturing teers were qualified to go out and train other The test report is also a great marketing industry is aware of companies. There are now 25 authorized tool, assuming that the test results are posthese test methods and trainers who can train and certify compaitive. But if the cartridges should come up many vendors are using nies. Recently, two new trainers were added short, STMC trainers and the International to the rolls from South Africa and China.

ITC can offer advice about how to correct them to evaluate their The Texas Department of Transportaany deficiencies. own products. tion became the first state agency to reThe success of the aftermarket has quire STMC certification for companies been built upon knowledge and value. The wishing to sell it remanufactured cartridges. Many other or- one very special thing that takes place in our industry is that ganizations have since adopted the same criteria. knowledge is often shared. So utilize this important mark when choosing a partner for your MPS program, and confirm that it Imitation: The Most Sincere Flattery is an International ITC member. It is another indication that The quality standard of the STMC has caught on worldwide, the company intends to be in the industry for a long time. n and the International ITC regularly receives requests for inTricia Judge has served as the executive director of the formation about the program and certification. But popularInternational Imaging Technology Council for 11 years. ity has its dark side. In the last three years, there have been She was the executive editor of Recharger Magazine numerous instances where certificates were improperly used, for five years and managed a private law practice that and, in one case, fraudulently altered. specialized in small business issues for 11 years. Judge received The International ITC takes such matters seriously and has a law degree from Loyola University. Her work has been issued cease-and-desist letters to the parties involved. In one published in Recharger, ENX Magazine, Nevada Lawyer case, legal action was threatened. It is the intent of the InternaMagazine and ASTM Standardization News. tional ITC to protect the reputation of the STMC and its marks.

As the first executive director of the International ITC, Judge has helped The Value of Testing publicize this new association and is a The STMC has trained companies around the world. Even regular speaker on industry issues at HP has stated that its test methods are sound. Transparent industry meetings around the world. quality testing is essential for credibility. The supply chain for Visit www.i-itc.org or call (702) 838-4279.

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