Elite Dealers 2014: $10-$24.9 Million

ASI Business Solutions

Dallas, TX

www.asibiz.com

Year Founded: 1989

Principal/President/CEO: Ken Copeland, President & Owner; Scott Wiggins, Executive Vice President & Owner

Number of Employees: 64

Primary Vendors: Lanier (Ricoh), Lexmark, HP, FP Mailing Solutions, MBM

Primary Solutions Offerings: Document Management, Managed Services

Primary Supplies Vendors: Lanier/Ricoh, Supplies Network

Primary Leasing Partners: GreatAmerica, US Bank

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $13-$15 million

Fastest Growing Segments of ASI’s Business: MPS and Managed Network Services

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Transitioning the organization into a “Managed Services Provider” model. While this is an ongoing investment in resources, technology and people, the dealership feels it is the best way to ensure it remains a competitive, healthy organization, and brings ongoing value to our customers.

5 Reasons We Consider ASI Elite:

1. Beyond being a one-stop office technology provider to its customers, ASI differentiates itself via its culture. The dealership has embraced the 212° SERVICE philosophy that promotes 10 Rules for Creating a Service Culture. 212° Service teaches that “life is like a game of tennis. The player who serves well seldom loses.” Unlike other dealerships when talking about creating a service culture, most focus on “customer service,” but 212° Service defines a service culture a little differently. In addition to serving customers, it is also about serving each other.

2. In January of 2013, ASI introduced TRACTION, an Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), a holistic, self-sustaining system that addresses the six aspects of its business. With the use of the VTO (Vision Traction Organizer), leadership is able to communicate to the organization Core Values, Core Focus, Revenue Targets, Marketing Strategy, Rocks (Goals) and Issues.

3. ASI’s FREEDOM Program, a new spirit and commitment behind its approach to earning a new customer’s trust and confidence. The FREEDOM Program was developed for “First Time ASI Customers” to assist in the important decision process when considering a new technology partner. This is the dealership’s commitment to provide the customer with the best of breed in technology, service, and support so much so that it is willing to offer them the FREEDOM to cancel their contract obligation after six months. The goals are simple: minimizing risk, providing the customer with the ultimate experience in flexibility and peace of mind for its document management systems, and to be the only source customers will ever need to align imaging technology solutions with their unique business needs.

4. Its BDE Program represents a team of marketing professionals that data mine important market information and arms its field sales managers with the appropriate landscape of the opportunity. This team generates over 10,000 outbound calls per month that result in approximately 75 new customer opportunities per month.

5. Its six Core Values (servant leadership, ambition, accountability, relationships, operational excellence, inspiration, a set of essential and timeless guiding principles. These Core Values define ASI’s culture, attract people to the organization and the principles in which ASI hires, terminates, rewards and recognizes its employees.

Coordinated Business Systems, Ltd.

Burnsville, MN

www.coordinated.com

Year Founded: 1983

Principal/President/CEO: Jim Oricchio

Number of Employees: 85

Primary Vendors: Kyocera, Sharp, Lexmark, HP, Avaya

Primary Solutions Offerings: Square 9, Managed Network Services, Sharp Hypass, Papercut, DMS Link, OjectifLune

Primary Supplies Vendors: Arlington, Synnex, KDA, Sharp, West Point, Laser Fax, OES Solutions Muratec, Oki Data, Ingram Micro

Primary Leasing Partners: US Bank, GreatAmerica

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $17 million

Fastest Growing Segments of Coordinated’s Business: MPS (80% growth), A4 (Growth over 1,000%), Light Production Color

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Coordinated was chosen by Major League Baseball to be the official supplier of office technology for the 2014 MLB All Star Game.

5 Reasons We Consider Coordinated Elite:

1. Its 99% customer retention rate.

2. Its success with digital marketing. Besides e-mail marketing, which it has used for years, it has devoted more attention to its website and its SEO management. The dealership has also expanded its use of Google banner ads to help promote events and bring prospects to its Website. Over the last couple years Coordinated has moved heavily into the social media arena with Facebook, Linkedin, Google+, YouTube, and Twitter.

3. The family environment. Every morning Owner Jim Oricchio starts his day by walking around the office saying good morning to everyone and asking them how they are and how their families are doing. The employees and their families are part of Jim and his wife Donna’s extended family. Donna buys a gift for all of the employees’ children each Christmas and for the summer picnic. Jim and Donna’s generosity to the community carries through to the people who work for them with the continued support for the LLS Light the Night Walk and volunteering in the community.

4. Its growth in MPS and A4.

5. Its recognition by Kyocera as an Elite Premier Dealer 1994-2013 and as a Kyocera Service Excellence Solutions Provider 1990-2013.

Corporate Business Systems (CBS)

Springfield, MO

www.corporatebusinesssystems.com

Year Founded: 1993

Principal/President/CEO: Tyson Johns, President; James Quesenberry, Owner

Number of Employees: 72

Primary Vendors: Ricoh, Kyocera Mita, HP, Cisco, Dell, NEC

Primary Solutions Offerings: Square 9

Primary Supplies Vendors: Ricoh, Kyocera Mita, Supplies Network, Parts Now, NewEgg

Primary Leasing Partners: US Bank, Wells Fargo, Everbank

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $15 million

Fastest Growing Segments of CBS’s Business: Hardware grew 18% last year and an additional 22% through the first nine months of this year. IT Professional Services has doubled the last two years.

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Closing two MPS deals with each placing more than 500 systems under contract, both net new and one an emerging market for the dealership.

5 Reasons We Consider Corporate Business Systems Elite:

1. It lives and breathes its purpose statement “Enhancing our community by providing solutions today that make your tomorrow better.” By focusing on solutions the dealership no longer makes sales but creates partnerships so that at the end of the day its customers realize the dealership is the only option when it comes to total environment offerings under one umbrella.

2. The growth of its IT Professional Services business during the past two years.

3. It currently offers 3-tier color through Kyocera Mita.

4. Its focus on social media networking (Facebook and Twitter) and customer events, including a March Madness event, quarterly cookouts, and an iPhone filmed CBS Ice Bucket Challenge.

5. Its recognition from Ricoh with a Service Excellence Award and by Kyocera with a Customer Service Solution Provider Award.

Des Plaines Office Equipment (DPOE)

Elk Grove Village, IL

www.dpoe.com

Year Founded: 1955

Principal/President/CEO: Chip Miceli

Number of Employees: 84

Primary Vendors: Sharp, Oki Data, HP, InfoDynamics, Konica Minolta, Toshiba (telephone systems)

Primary Solutions Offerings: MPS, Managed Network Services (IT), telephone systems, video boards for conference use, Social Media Services, Archiving Solutions

Primary Supplies Vendors: Sharp, Oki Data, Kyocera, Toshiba

Primary Leasing Partners: GreatAmerica

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $15-$20 million

Fastest Growing Segments of DPOE’s Business: Managed Network Services and MPS; the Video Conferencing Board, a nine-panel display that can be used by businesses to broadcast simultaneous messages and/or for video conferencing with other individuals throughout the United States and the world; records archiving

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: A major contract for MPS with Maine Township(governmental entity), on the heels of a major contract with Easter Seals of Chicago has allowed DPOE to break into the municipal market.

5 Reasons We Consider DPOE Elite:

1. DPOE runs a NOC (Network Operations Center) at its Elk Grove Village headquarters, which they designed and constructed themselves. This enables them to do remote monitoring of networks anywhere in the U.S. The Center is staffed by a director and three IT personnel, and serves as a showroom and operations center for the company’s expanded IT services.

2. DPOE has initiated a “Speakers Bureau” where a representative of DPOE will address a business association, individual company, or civic organization such as a Chamber of Commerce to talk about Managed Print Services and its importance to the business owner.

3. Its aggressive campaign to instruct business owners on the issue of information security as it relates to the office copier/MFP. The company has offered free seminars on the topic, includes this in its Speakers Bureau topics, and has promoted the importance of the topic through guest editorials in the local media.

4. The dealership was an early industry adopter as a Fleetview Beta Test Site, enabling clients with locations in multiple markets to have automatic monitoring of the work status of their equipment done constantly, and problems corrected before they interrupt workflow.

5. DPOE is an industry leader recognized within and outside of the office imaging industry. DPOE President Chip Miceli is a founder and President of the Select Dealer Group, a trade association dedicated to sharing industry best practices. The company has achieved the ranking of an HP SVIP Elite. DPOE is one of only 130 HP dealers nationally to achieve this designation.

Eakes Office Solutions

Grand Island, NE

www.eakes.com

Year Founded: 1945

Principal/President/CEO: Mark Miller

Number of Employees: 225

Primary Vendors: Sharp, HP, Muratec

Primary Solutions Offerings: Square 9, Gold Fax, Papercut, MPS

Primary Supplies Vendors: Sharp, HP

Primary Leasing Partners: Local Finance Partner

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $15-$20 million

Fastest Growing Segments of Eakes’ Business: Managed Print Services (15% per year), Software Solutions (26% per year)

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Eakes added a second Solutions Specialist to better serve its growing markets. This added to the marketing staff, allowing Eakes to educate more customers about the various software solutions it offers.

5 Reasons We Consider Eakes Elite:

1. Its focus on software solutions and its growth in that segment.

2. Its support staff which excels in everything from installation and implementation to education and ongoing service. Customers can count on Eakes to provide a well-trained technical team to assist with their document management. In addition, Eakes’ 40 Service Engineers average 18 years in the industry, which provides them with vast knowledge and experience.

3. Eakes’ four-step process to provide Customer CARE (Consult, Analyze, Recommend, Execute) for its MPS solution-based program.

4. Its emphasis on its employees and ensuring there is a balance between each employee’s work and personal life. Notable programs that assist with this mission include BTO (Borrowed Time Off), which gives employees flex time to meet the demands of their personal life; HR Monthly Training, a back-to-basics approach for happily coexisting while working together; and a Video Newsletter featuring short snippets of what is occurring at Eakes that are sent out to the employees every two weeks. All departments participate in creating the different videos to keep it inclusive and informative.

5. The Culture Club, a group of employees that have organized to specifically look for ways to attract and retain more great employees.

EGP, Inc.

Orlando, FL

www.egp.com

Year Founded: 1967

Principal/President/CEO: Doug Dupree

Number of Employees: 90

Primary Vendors: Kyocera, Lanier, MBM

Primary Solutions Offerings: MPS, wide-format printing, and software, including scanning systems, document storage, network security, cloud services, network device management, and cost control solutions

Primary Supplies Vendors: ACM, Digitek, LMI

Primary Leasing Partners: US Bank, GE Capital, CIT, GreatAmerica

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $10-$15 million

Fastest Growing Segments of EGP’s Business: MPS and Managed Network Services

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Offering its customers increased solutions for their business such as cloud technology and advance document applications.

5 Reasons We Consider EGP Elite:

1. For more than 47 years EGP has been dedicated to service excellence. It strives to provide customers with the highest level of service in an ethical and professional manner and offer award-winning products and solutions.

2. It consistently meets its goal of providing the right solution for customers by using a variety of programs such as MPS, Rental programs, Total CPC Management programs, and network support solutions.

3. EGP consistently earns Kyocera Service Awards for Outstanding Customer Service, Total Document Solutions Provider, and Premier Dealer.

4. The dealership and its employees give back to the community through its continued support of non-profit and charitable organizations as well as sponsorship of community events.

5. Its growing emphasis on traditional and emerging solutions, which now provides added value to customers and prospects.

 

Fisher’s Technology

Boise, ID

www.fisherstech.com

Year Founded: 1936

Principal/President/CEO: Chris Taylor

Number of Employees: 89

Primary Vendors: Canon, Konica Minolta, Lanier, KIP

Primary Solutions Offerings: Laserfiche, DocuWare, Parascript, LincDoc, xMedius, ABBYY

Primary Supplies Vendors: Canon, Konica Minolta, Ricoh, Lasermasters

Primary Leasing Partners: GreatAmerica, US Bank, EverBank, GE Capital

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $18+ million

Fastest Growing Segments of Fisher’s Business: Managed IT Services, software solutions and Professional Services, IT Services, Production, Facilities Management

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Successful expansion into Managed IT Services. Fisher’s acquired three small managed IT companies in the last 18 months with the significant accomplishment of identifying how to build a differentiated offering supported by culture, process, and infrastructure.

5 Reasons We Consider Fisher’s Elite:

1. Its aforementioned expansion into Managed IT Services.

2. Its work culture. Fisher’s has been awarded Best Place to Work in Idaho for the last six years straight. This is because it has a culture of doing what is right for the customer at all costs and of having fun doing it. Team members love its culture and are an integral part of the dealership’s continuous improvement.

3. Boise State Football Tailgate: Fisher’s hosts a tailgate event for every home Boise State Football game. This is a great way to thank current customers and help potential customers get to know Fisher’s. The dealership provides free drinks and food for over 500 guests. This event is an example of making its customers extremely happy and having fun, while giving back to the local community.

4. The Men of Fisher’s Calendar. This calendar showcases Fisher’s customers and service technicians/engineers in the customers’ environment. It’s a fun and unique way to capture the fun relationships the dealership has with its customers as well as highlighting the product and services both offer.

5. Humble Pies. If a problem creates a poor customer experience, Fisher’s delivers a fresh pie to the customer with a card.

 

Imaging Office Systems, Inc. (IOS)

Columbia City, IN

www.imagingoffice.com

Year Founded: 1973

Principal/President/CEO: Brian Kopack, President; Gary Gushard, Owner

Number of Employees: 123

Primary Vendors: Canon, Fujitsu, E-image

Primary Solutions Offerings: Hyland, Upland, Psigen, EMC

Primary Supplies Vendors: Canon, Fujitsu

Primary Leasing Partners: Canon Financial

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $12 million

Fastest Growing Segments of IOS’s Business: Professional Services (Up 28% since 2010, Document Imaging Systems (Up 45% since 2010), Hardware (Up 56% since 2010)

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Thoroughly integrating its polyphonic approach and offerings to document management by having high end imaging (Hyland) and a cloud offering (fileBound) both with pull-through hardware and Professional Services against a backdrop offering of both high-volume scanning and Scan On Demand Box Storage. The dealership now has a perfected model that addresses the four pillars of content management: software and hardware; high-volume scanning services; Professional Services and Consulting; and Hardcopy Box storage with modern scan-on-demand retrieval request fulfillment.

5 Reasons We Consider Imaging Office Systems Elite:

1. The dealership began offering a box storage model that is entirely based on scan-on-demand. Its years of experience in providing large-volume scanning (5,000,000 pages a month) provides the expertise in scanning, indexing and document preparation to allow this. The benefit to the client is a significant reduction in retrieval costs, boxes never leave once received, and file integrity is far better because the boxes are not bounced back and forth to the client.

2. IOS has expanded its service capabilities, including Professional Services for integration, workflow design and legacy system conversions to where it is now offering this to similar or even quasi competitors who do not have these technical capabilities.

3. IOS has refined its marketing and messaging to be able to explain all of what it does by referencing the “why” of what it does. Rather than telling customers what the dealership does, sales reps explain why they do it. Everything done at IOS is governed by a simple philosophy that it is the idea that matters.

4. The longevity of its staff. Almost one third of IOS’ current full time employees have at least 15 years of service, underscoring the dealership’s nurturing and rewarding work environment. This is in part due to IOS having a strong ethos of promoting from within. IOS prefers to grow its own technical resources and its scanning facility is an excellent incubator.

5. The trust customers have in the dealership. Clients do business with IOS because they trust IOS to identify what must occur to improve the client’s world. If it is not a good fit sales reps are honest about that. Additionally, in its Professional Services projects such as workflow, installation and integration, IOS quotes a flat rate not to exceed dollar amount so the dealership assumes all the risk.

 

Integrated Office Technology (IOTEC)

Santa Fe Springs, CA

www.iotecdigital.com

Year Founded: 2001

Principal/President/CEO: Bob Zieman, Doug Lu, Dana Ruf

Number of Employees: 72

Primary Vendors: Toshiba, Konica Minolta, HP, Lexmark

Primary Solutions Offerings: Square 9, Prism, Managed Print Services, Managed IT Services

Primary Supplies Vendors: Supplies Network, MSE, IDS, Parts Now

Primary Leasing Partners: GE Capital, US Bank, Leaf, DLL

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $15-$20 million

Fastest Growing Segments of IOTEC’s Business: During the past three years print production has grown at 15% per year over the previous year.

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Establishing a dedicated software division. Having this dedicated team has provided more opportunities to engage customers.

5 Reasons We Consider IOTEC Elite:

1. The establishment and early successes of its new software division, particularly selling document management.

2. Its initiative of going back to the basics and focusing on lead generation. Within the last couple of months IOTEC started using a lead generation company and has seen positive results. The leads have been from businesses who are truly interested in leasing and purchasing equipment.

3. An environment where every employee feels valued. Each month IOTEC has a day where employees enjoy a catered lunch and have their car washed for free.

4. Its charitable endeavors. IOTEC gives money each year to multiple inner city schools within the Los Angeles County to not only help the schools run but to also allow the children to attend who would not otherwise be able to do so. For eight years IOTEC has been the main sponsor for “Hook the Cure,” which benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This event has raised more than $3 million dollars for the Foundation to help find a cure. True to IOTEC’s tradition, it also supports and encourages employees to participate in philanthropic endeavors that are important to them.

5. IOTEC is a 2014 Konica Minolta Pro-Tech Service Award winner and last year was acknowledged with a “Top Performer” award at Konica Minolta’s annual dealer conference.

 

Kelley Imaging Systems

Kent, WA

www.kelleyimaging.com

Year Founded: 1974

Principal/President/CEO: Aric Manion

Number of Employees: 85

Primary Vendors: Toshiba, Pitney Bowes, Sharp, Lexmark, Muratec, Kyocera

Primary Solutions Offerings: DocuWare, Square 9, ReRite, PaperCut, Adobe Lean Print, Satori, Flex Systems

Primary Supplies Vendors: Toshiba, Supplies Network

Primary Leasing Partners: GreatAmerica, US Bank, Everbank

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $20.5 million

Fastest Growing Segments of Kelley’s Business: Managed Print Services (up 34%), Managed Network Services (up 64%), Major Account Sales and Mailing Equipment and Solutions (up 63%)

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: The integration of expanded solutions and products into its offerings without garbling the message of what the core business is. As these solutions become more and more prominent in Kelley’s annual revenues, having the right people and processes in place to smartly grow those revenues is important not only to the dealership, but more importantly its customers. Kelley has been, and will continue to be, aware that if you’re going to expand your offerings, you do not want to degrade your quality.

5 Reasons We Consider Kelley Elite:

1. The dealership grew 25% from 2013 to 2014.

2. Kelley invested in automated marketing software that ensures its customers and prospects are reminded of their value all year round. The dealership has developed unique marketing campaigns that target specific client types, whether they are a current customer or a prospect. In addition to this tool, Kelley uses social media to provide clients and followers with interesting factoids on current technology issues, tips on ensuring network security, cloud solutions, etc.

3. This year Kelley has concentrated on building out its document solutions business to not only provide software, but for training and supporting its customers on the need to improve their business processes.

4. Since becoming an authorized Pitney Bowes dealership Kelley has started offering other solutions in document distribution that has allowed it to offer clients significant savings in how they communicate with their customers. It now offers dedicated mailroom solutions to back office transaction processing.

5. It was named one of Washington’s Top Corporate Philanthropists for 2013-2014. The program honors 75 companies that make the expanded Corporate Philanthropist lists based on cash giving to charities. Kelley was also named Toshiba Certified Innovation Dealer for the West Coast. This award demonstrates the dealership’s commitment to innovation and leadership in the industry, as well as its ability to provide exceptional customer service.

 

KOMAX Business Systems

South Charleston, WV

www.komaxwv.com

Year Founded: 1999

Principal/President/CEO: Becky Offutt & Bob Maxwell

Number of Employees: 45

Primary Vendors: Konica Minolta, Muratec, and KIP & Canon Wide Format Printers

Primary Solutions Offerings: bizhub Secure, PageScope Mobile, DocRecord, Ademero, NSi, Dispatcher Phoenix, eCopy

Primary Supplies Vendors: Konica Minolta, Muratec

Primary Leasing Partners: DLL, US Bank, Konica Minolta Premier, Marlin Leasing

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $10+ million

Fastest Growing Segments of KOMAX’s Business: Government Sales (a sole source contract with the State of West Virginia accounts for huge growth—about 65% growth in equipment sales overall); Managed Print Services (this area of business continues to grow with contracts in legal, banking, and higher education. In 2014 KOMAX realized a 25% increase in MPS); Production Print (a specialized production print specialist and a dedicated production support team with Fiery certifications and extensive training accounted for a 35% increase in production placements in the past three years).

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Its continuing education emphasis and proven ability to change with a changing industry. Through the first seven months of 2014, 80% of KOMAX’s technicians have participated in manufacturer’s continuing education.

5 Reasons We Consider KOMAX Elite:

1. Its emphasis on customer care. KOMAX leaves no stone unturned when it comes to customer care, starting with a dedicated customer support representative who accompanies deliveries, trains customers in all aspects of the equipment and provides ongoing support. Her only job is to support KOMAX customers. In addition, KOMAX has taken customer support to new levels with a collection of How-To videos accessible on their website, including How-To change supplies, load paper, clear jams, basic scanning/copying functions, and features.

2. Its success selling production print and MPS.

3. The creative ways it educates customers about technology that can benefit their business such as combining technology with a baseball game. KOMAX goes all out to make it fun with events that include technology education and new product showcases with good food, drinks and box seating at the ballpark.

4. It’s a great place to work. Every month drawings are held for gift certificates, cash, vacation days, TVs, concert tickets, iPads, and even resort vacations. Anyone who has not called in sick in the past month is eligible to win. This program has greatly reduced unplanned absences and makes coming to work on the first of the month exciting.

5. The way the dealership gives back to the community. It participates in many community events to benefit West Virginia. KOMAX sponsors an annual golf tournament for Make a Wish Foundation. To date, KOMAX has sponsored wishes for more than 20 West Virginia Children. Each year the KOMAX employees, as a group, get together to make sure that Christmas is special for local families in need.

Meritech, Inc.

Cleveland, OH

www.meritechin.com

Year Founded: 1978

Principal/President/CEO: Dennis Bednar

Number of Employees: 100

Primary Vendors: Kyocera, Konica Minolta, Muratec, HP, Dell, Panasonic

Primary Solutions Offerings: Barracuda, Psigen, Sentry File, iDatix, Sagemcom, PaperCut, Managed Network Services, Managed Print Services, Document Management, Web Design, Business Consulting, Cloud Services, Data Backup, and Disaster Recovery

Primary Supplies Vendors: MSE, DSC

Primary Leasing Partners: US Bank, DLL

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $20 million

Fastest Growing Segments of Meritech’s Business: Managed Network Services (including Cloud Services), Managed IT Services, Network Consulting Projects

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: As its managed service offerings have grown, it was important that Meritech employ and empower the right talent who were aligned with Meritech’s mission, vision, and core values. Meritech’s management team evaluated current processes, identified areas of improvement, and came up with an enhanced re-design of the complete interview process, on- boarding, and training program. The improvements included a uniform evaluation process, a step-by- step playbook, sales tools and resources, and ongoing learning.

5 Reasons We Consider Meritech Elite:

1. The way Meritech has branded its Managed Service offerings (M Doc, M Print, M Network, M Support), marketing the entire line as M Services.

2. Its consultative sales process, called the Meritech Experience, which provides a step-by-step approach for building customized solutions tailored to fit its partners’ needs. As a result, Meritech is considered its community’s elite managed services provider.

3. Meritech values its employees and provides opportunities for growth, advancement, and leadership. We appreciate the way the dealership has become a forward-thinking company that embraces and drives change in order to promote growth and learning. Meritech provides multiple avenues for employees to provide suggestions, feedback, and get involved in implementing change. Top performers are recognized by their colleagues through its monthly “MVP” program.

4. It is a valued member of the community and consistently does its part from donating to local charities, to participating in local fundraising and community events, to sponsoring events to support different causes.

5. It has been acknowledged by Konica Minolta as a Pro-Tech Award Winner for 20 consecutive years, as a Konica Minolta (COSE) Circle of Service Excellence for 10 years, as a Konica Minolta Authorized Training Center for over 21 Years, and as a Kyocera Premier Dealer for 11 years straight. It is also the recipient of a Kyocera Total Document Solutions Provider award.

 

Northern Business Machines

Burlington, MA

www.nbminc.com

Year Founded: 1985

Principal/President/CEO: William Tracia

Number of Employees: 80

Primary Vendors: Sharp, Konica Minolta, HP, KIP, OKI

Primary Solutions Offerings: MPS, Managed IT, Document Management, Cost Recovery

Primary Supplies Vendors: Synnex, NSA, Densigraphics, Katun

Primary Leasing Partners: CIT, Great America, GE Capital

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $20 million

Fastest Growing Segments of Northern Business Machines’ Business: Managed Print Services and Managed IT. The dealership now has 90+ MPS customers. It signed its first MPS agreement in 2008 and has added 25 Managed IT clients since offering that service in late 2011.

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: 2013 revenue was highest in company’s history.

5 Reasons We Consider Northern Business Machines Elite:

1. Offering free IT and printer assessments has been NBM’s most successful marketing strategy, with a high percentage of companies that engage the dealership for an assessment ultimately turning into clients.

2. The dealership’s ability to engage customers. Larger clients tend to work with NBM on copier- based MFPs and MPS. Smaller companies are able to leverage its services for MFP contracts along with outsourced IT.

3. As most of the distribution in its market moves through branch offices of manufacturers, NBM excels at leveraging its greatest strength—remaining a locally owned, privately held dealership with a 29-year track record of providing exceptional products and services to clients.

4. NBM has been recognized as a Sharp Hyakuman Kai Elite and Premier Service Dealer and is among the top eight Sharp dealers in the country in wholesale revenue. It is also an Elite HP Partner.

5. Because NBM is still a small company, individual achievement is recognized. Any employee that has been with us for 10 years or longer automatically becomes a member of NBM’s President’s Club. They are given a watch to commemorate their achievement at the annual President’s Club dinner. Employees at 15, 20 and 25 years are also recognized and receive gifts. Last year, more than 35 percent of NBM’s employees were President’s Club members.

OFFIX

Gainesville, VA

www.offix.com

Year Founded: 1999

Principal/President/CEO: Stephen Valenta

Number of Employees: 446

Primary Vendors: Canon, Sharp, Konica Minolta, Samsung, Océ, KIP, HP, FP Mailing Systems, Secap, MBM

Primary Solutions Offerings: MPS

Supplies Vendors: Canon, Sharp, Konica Minolta, KIP, FP, Collins Distributing, Supplies Network, Digitek, DCS

Primary Leasing Partners: Canon Financial Services, GE Capital, DLL, Everbank

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $10-$15 million

Fastest Growing Segments of Offix’s Business:  Wide Format (approximately 200% growth), MPS (approximately 50% growth), Mailing equipment (approximately 100% growth), Color MFPs (approximately 20% growth)

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Celebrating 15 years of Offix being in business and providing high quality products and exceptional service.

5 Reasons We Consider Offix Elite: 

1. It has a 94.5 percent customer retention rate.
2. Its Service Smart^TM Guarantee list with multiple guarantees, proving its clients’ happiness is Offix’s number one priority. Guarantees include: 15 month equipment and/or money back guarantee; 36 month lease upgrade guarantee; Guaranteed certified technicians; Service response time guarantee; 95% uptime guarantee; Free delivery, installation and training – guaranteed; Free maintenance contract for any laser printer; Referral program guarantee; Loaner equipment guarantee; Lifetime performance guarantee.
3. Its success in vertical marketing to real estate companies, mortgage companies, title companies, car dealerships, law firms, CPA firms, and private schools.
4. The Free Offix Managed Print Evaluations it offers. Offix works directly with customers to devise a strategy that allows the customer to control and manage the costs of their print environment, maximizing productivity so they can focus on core competencies.
5. It’s community involvement and corporate citizenship. Offix participates in the Save-A-Child program through CASA by providing financial support for at least two children again this year. CASA is a non-profit organization that works with the court system to provide advocates to abused and neglected children. In addition, the Offix staff has worked together to help many causes over the years, including raising over $5,000 in cash and Christmas gifts for Acts Turn Points, a local abused women’s shelter.

ProCopy Office Solutions

Tempe, AZ

www.procopyoffice.com

Year Founded: 2000

Principal/President/CEO: Mike McGuirk, President; Tim Stevenson, Founder & CEO

Number of Employees: 47

Primary Vendors: Canon, Ricoh

Primary Solutions Offerings: Managed Print Services, Managed Network Services, Facilities Management

Primary Supplies Vendors: Canon, Ricoh

Primary Leasing Partners: US Bank, Everbank

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $15-$16 million

Fastest Growing Segments of ProCopy’s Business: ProCopy launched Managed IT Services under the name ProCopy IT in January and it has quickly passed Managed Print as the dealership’s fastest growing segment. Its Tucson branch has grown over 400 percent since opening in 2011, and Prescott, which opened in 2012, has grown over 600 percent. Both locations started out as one-man operations supported from the main office in Tempe to five employees where they now do most of the business functions locally, consistent with the dealership’s message of “local still matters.”

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Growing revenue while increasing operating income above the industry benchmark.

5 Reasons We Consider ProCopy Elite:

1. The successful launch of its Managed IT business with a modest investment into that segment of the business.

2. The productivity ProCopy gets from its people—almost 60% higher revenue per employee over the industry model.

3. Recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest growing businesses in the U.S. for the past two years.

4. The ProCopy Foundation, started in 2010, has recently passed $100,000 level in dollars raised for causes such as the Boys & Girls Club, Child Crises Center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, The 100 Club, and Phoenix Children’s Hospital. In addition ProCopy has started a scholarship at Arizona State University specifically for the office imaging industry.

5. The rapid growth of its branch locations (see above).

 

Rhyme

Portage, WI

www.rhymebiz.com

Year Founded: 1945

Principal/President/CEO: Mike Steinhoff

Number of Employees: 70

Primary Vendors: Sharp, Kyocera, Lexmark, HP

Primary Solutions Offerings: Document Management, PaperCut, Infodynamics, MPS, Managed IT

Primary Supplies Vendors: United Stationers

Primary Leasing Partners: GreatAmerica

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $10-$15 million

Fastest Growing Segments of Rhyme’s Business: Managed IT services

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: In the past year Rhyme reached Sharp Hyakuman Kai Elite status and is in the Top 10 Sharp Dealers in the United States out of over 500 dealers.

5 Reasons We Consider Rhyme Elite:

1. Its ability to meet the IT services needs of its customers.

2. Despite being a modest-sized dealership, it has been able to find the resources to acquire companies that have been around since the 1800s. Having been founded in 1945, Rhyme’s rich history is a key element of its marketing strategy.

3. Its internal work culture. Employees participate in many events outside of work that bring them closer together. Rhyme also offers employees many opportunities for advancement internally, which makes the dealership a great place for someone looking to grow their career and grow as a person. It also provides its employees with a high level of training that helps them reach their goals and career aspirations.

4. It’s an award-winning dealership and besides achieving Sharp Hyakuman Kai Elite status, it has been honored as a Prestige Dealer by GreatAmerica, a Platinum Level Service Provider by Sharp, and an MVP by National Joint Powers Alliance.

5. It is a good corporate citizen and donates to and sponsors hundreds of different local non- profits throughout Wisconsin, including American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs, United Way, YMCAs, YWCAs, and many more.

 

Stargel Office Solutions

Houston, TX

www.stargel.com

Year Founded: 1987

Principal/President/CEO: Jack Stargel

Number of Employees: 98

Primary Vendors: Toshiba, HP, Lexmark, Océ, KIP

Primary Solutions Offerings: Docuware, Perceptive, PaperCut, Toshiba Digital Signage

Primary Supplies Vendors: Toshiba, HP, Lexmark, Supplies Network, Tech Data, LMI

Primary Leasing Partners: GreatAmerica, GE Capital

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $25 million

Fastest Growing Segments of Stargel’s Business: MPS (18%), MNS (68%), Digital Signage (Over $300K in first 6 months of sales)

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Continued growth of its Star Managed Services division which encompasses MPS, MNS, software and digital signage offerings.

5 Reasons We Consider Stargel Elite:

1. The Customer for Life Program that guarantees a 90-minute onsite response time, or for every minute Stargel is late it discounts the customer’s service bill 1% per minute up to 100% of the bill for that month.

2. The ability to continuously provide after hours, preventative maintenance at no additional charge to the customer to minimize disruptions to business operations.

3. Recipient of the Toshiba Promaster Award 13 times, a Toshiba Dealer of the Year, a Toshiba Market Leader 11 times, GE Distinguished Dealer Award the past five years, the GreatAmerica Distinguished Dealer Award the last four years, and a DocuWare Diamond Club Member.

4. A family atmosphere with great benefits and fair pay, plus a tenured staff within all departments; Stargel’s managers average more than 15 years with the dealership.

5. With two dedicated full-time onsite technician trainers Stargel guarantees that its technicians are the best trained and most professional in the Houston area. New technicians spend an average of 120 days in training before they work on a copier in the field.

 

Stratix Systems

Wyomissing, PA

www.stratixsystems.com

Year Founded: 1970

Principal/President/CEO: Brent Simone

Number of Employees: 70

Primary Vendors: Ricoh, Riso, Fujitsu, Dell, WatchGuard, Datto

Primary Solutions Offerings: Managed Network Services, Managed Backup and Disaster Recovery, Managed E-mail and Hosting, MPS, Electronic Document Management

Primary Supplies Vendors: Ricoh, TST/Impreso, International Laser Group, Samsung, Riso

Primary Leasing Partners: GreatAmerica, DLL, EverBank, GE Capital

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $10-$15 million

Fastest Growing Segments of Stratix Systems’ Business: IT Support and Managed Services and Electronic Document Management

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: In early 2014, Stratix Systems completed work on a new “nerve center” for its Proactive: Managed Services and Help Desk. Its advanced Network Operations Center (NOC) is the foundation for delivering industry-leading Proactive: Managed Services and Help Desk support. Staffed by a team of certified systems and network engineers, the NOC is a controlled environment with rigorous support procedures that allows it to take a highly proactive approach to client support and technical service.

5 Reasons We Consider Stratix Systems Elite:

1. The steps it took to ensure it can offer high-quality products, solutions, and support on the same level as specialized VARs. Although a developing trend for dealerships, Stratix Systems has taken this evolution a step further with proper business structure, appropriate and experienced leadership, measurable metrics, and focused messaging. This approach has helped the dealership work closer and deeper with its existing client base, adding value to their solution(s) as they look to Stratix as a single, go-to technology partner, as well as uncovered opportunities for new business that was not previously available to the dealership. As a result, Stratix Systems has steadily increased revenue from its traditional equipment offerings, but also tapped into previously unavailable revenue streams from its newer lines-of-business.

2. While still showing strong growth in its traditional printing and imaging disciplines, Stratix has developed and grown two other lines of business—IT Support and Managed Services and Electronic Document Management. The IT Support and Managed Services and Electronic Document Management groups have been set up as standalone business units with appropriate leadership, separate P&Ls, growth initiatives and marketing strategies. As the dealership looks into the future, having three independent, but complementary disciplines helps the organization manage and measure success individually and as a whole.

3. In the spirit of the company’s three core ideals—Client Service, Technical Excellence and Innovation—Stratix continues to focus on and invest in its people, best practices, and technology in order to create and deliver scalable, cost-effective technology solutions that work.

4. Its approach to keeping customers satisfied by assigning a dedicated four-person team to each client in order to develop a deep knowledge of their businesses and support those critical processes as if Stratix were the client’s own employees. Each team consists of an Account Executive, Client Care Representative, Network / Systems Engineer, and Field Service Technician.

5. Its commitment to building and growing its IT services business and its success in doing so via becoming Microsoft Partner Silver Certified, Dell PartnerDirect Preferred Certified, Datto PartnerPlus Elite Certified, as well as its achievements in service excellence with honors from Ricoh and BEI Pros Elite.

 

Woodhull USA

Springboro, OH

www.woodhullusa.com

Year Founded: 2000

Principal/President/CEO: Susie Woodhull

Number of Employees: 62

Primary Vendors: Ricoh

Primary Solutions Offerings: Square 9, PaperCut, Nuance eCopy and Equitrac, RightFax, Document Mall, MPS, Commercial Imaging

Primary Supplies Vendors: Ricoh, Supplies Network

Primary Leasing Partners: US Bank, GreatAmerica

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $15 million

Fastest Growing Segments of Woodhull USA’s Business: MPS revenue has grown by more than 200% during the last three years.

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Completely modernizing its IT and network infrastructure, bringing to it the latest technology, including its back office system and software upgrades. Additionally, eAutomate software is integrated with Woodhull’s vendors so that now many of basic functions such as purchasing and accounts payable are automated, allowing its Customer Care associates to spend more time servicing customers.

5 Reasons We Consider Woodhull USA Elite:

1. The enormous growth of its MPS business.

2. Its intense focus on training and educating its employees, ensuring that Woodhull has a professional and knowledgeable team that exhibits confidence when dealing with customers.

3. Its confirmation by Ricoh as a Ricoh Certified Printing Professional Services Provider through Ricoh’s CHAMPS program.

4. Its work culture, including recognition by The Dayton Business Journal as one of the fastest- growing companies in the Dayton area.

5. Its Customer Appreciation events at Cincinnati Reds and Bengals games as well as at Dayton Dragons and Xavier University basketball games are a great way to reward customers and turn prospects into customers.

 

Word Processing Services, Inc. (WPS)

Hagerstown, MD

www.doingbetterbusiness.com/www.wpssoutions.com

Year Founded: 1973

Principal/President/CEO: Debra Dellaposta, CEO

Number of Employees: 93

Primary Vendors: Savin, Sharp, Lexmark, 3D Systems

Primary Solutions Offerings: MNS, MPS, EDM, Business Process Optimization, 3D Printing

Primary Supplies Vendors: Ricoh, Sharp, Supplies Network, Tech Data

Primary Leasing Partners: GreatAmerica, DLL, Everbank

Approximate Yearly Revenues: $19 million

Fastest Growing Segments of WPS’s Business: MPS revenue for the last 12 months increased by more than 125% and Managed Network Services has grown by more than 140%.

Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: The successful integration of its most recent acquisition.

5 Reasons We Consider WPS Elite:

1. WPS’s Business Process Optimization program. The dealership believes that applying expensive technology to a broken process only provides a customer with a more expensive broken process. By taking the time to understand its customers, their people, and the way they are currently conducting business WPS is able to help them remove bottlenecks and unnecessary redundancies. Then it can apply technology to further enhance efficiencies and quality.

2. The increase in its MPS and Managed Network Services business during the past 12 months.

3. A customer retention rate of more than 90 percent over its 40-year history.

4. Working with a professional service company, WPS executed a strategic plan that provides executive education, coaching, and technology services, starting with determining a large, long- term, 10-year goal that its entire senior management team agreed upon. In order to work towards that goal, WPS determined where it needed to be in 3 years, 1 year, quarterly, monthly, and even daily so that it could manage to those goals. It then implemented Key Performance Indicators that are monitored and managed. Some of these are reviewed as often as daily, while others can be monthly, quarterly, and annually.

5. The company culture and the core principles that WPS actively shares and reinforces with employees throughout the organization on a daily basis. These include solutions driven, trustworthy, professionally exciting, fiscal responsibility, and community/environmental responsibility.