On the heels of last week’s look into how dealers took potential managed print services program implementation disasters, this week we’ve charted the measures dealers put into place to ensure the implementation process is a positive one.
As is the case with any project, there is always the opportunity for error/oversight. Everyone can appreciate the value of setting expectations and ensuring that all relevant stakeholders are participating in the process. Yet, we still stumble.
The process isn’t perfect because, well, people aren’t perfect. But seeing the project through to its successful completion, warts and all, goes a long way toward telling customers that regardless of who is at fault, your dealership/service provider organization will carry the ball across the goal line. In the end, it’s all that matters, and people remember your resilience long after they’ve forgotten your corporate motto.
Fortunately for Pulse Technology, the Schaumburg, Illinois-based dealer hasn’t suffered through a bad experience in quite a while; easily tracing back to earlier in its Des Plaines Office Equipment (DPOE) days. But even as DPOE, the dealership had established a time-tested, well-developed approach that mitigated potential negative fallout, according to CEO Chip Miceli.
“We undertake a full-scale assessment with our customers, rather than simply taking a statement such as ‘we need 20 printers and six copiers’ as the beginning and end of our due diligence,” Miceli said. “We walk around the customer’s facility, talk to the people with printers, and assess how efficiently their system is working. Do they print to their copiers? Do they have the right equipment in the right place in their system? What else might they need? Our thorough deep dive generally results in very few issues, if any.”
Time Out
Dan Larkin, director of managed print services for Marco, believes a successful implementation begins and ends with communication. And when all best practices are being observed, there’s still no harm in regrouping, when appropriate.
“An MPS implementation requires active participation from multiple parties operating within a timeline to achieve a desired outcome,” Larkin said. “We use professional project managers, statements of work, and regular touch-base calls with stakeholders to ensure a successful MPS implementation. As simple as it may sound, calling a ‘time out’ during an implementation is one way to ensure all stakeholders are aligned to achieve a successful outcome.”
In the end, according to Larry Weiss, president of New York City-based Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office, customer satisfaction rules the day. It certainly helps when that philosophy permeates the entire organization.
“I believe Atlantic personnel, more than most competitive organizations, believe in providing our clients—current and future—an excellent customer experience,” he said. “From our technicians to our helpdesk and from our sales reps to our procurement team, each person for their part knows that the customer’s satisfaction is paramount. This desire for excellence is part of our company culture and a message that we convey countless times.”
