News Bytes

BTA Southeast to Host Winter Break Feb. 14-15 in Orlando

Jan. 14, 2014 – On Feb. 14-15, 2014, the Business Technology Association’s (BTA; www.bta.org) Southeast district will host its annual Winter Break event at the Walt Disney World Swan in Orlando, Fla. The event will provide the opportunity for dealers to learn from experts, network with fellow dealers, and gather new ideas and strategies. The event will feature a keynote presentation by Mason Olds, vice president and general manager of sales, Business Imaging Solutions Group, Canon U.S.A. Inc. There will also be five additional educational sessions presented by industry leaders, as well as a dealer panel on how to spark transformation in your business.

Dealers will be able to participate in networking events that will allow them to connect with their peers, including a welcoming reception on Feb. 14, and a trip to the Epcot theme park on Feb. 15. In addition, there will be time to visit with 30-plus exhibiting sponsors, many of which will hold drawings for great prizes during the event. Dealer attendees can also enter on site for a chance to win one of five $100 American Express gift cards from BTA Southeast and be entered into the BTA District Event Sweepstakes.

Winter Break begins at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 14, with an opportunity for dealer registrants to meet in groups of three with exhibiting sponsors until noon (and earn up to $120 cash back). Then, the schedule continues with opening comments and Olds’ keynote presentation, “The Future for Dealers & Vendors in a Highly Connected Society.” Two educational sessions will follow, with a break between sessions that will give attendees time to visit exhibitor tables. Following the educational sessions, a welcoming reception will be held from 5 until 7 p.m., giving attendees time to network with peers and visit with exhibiting sponsors.

Breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, followed by opening comments, educational sessions and lunch. After lunch, the final educational session and dealer panel will be held, followed by closing comments and prize drawings. Breaks will be held during the day to give attendees time to network with peers and exhibiting sponsors. From 4 to 9 p.m., the event will wrap up with a trip to the Epcot theme park.

In addition to the keynote presentation, the Winter Break educational sessions will be: “Identifying Your Vertical Market Opportunities,” with David Ramos of InfoTrends; “Customer-Centered Engagement Model — A Key to Services Growth,” with Jim Heffernan of Insights 53 LLC; “A’s Hire A’s, B’s Hire C’s,” with Ronelle Ingram, a hands-on working service professional with 40 years of experience, and Rock Janecek of Burtronics Business Systems Inc.; “How to Turbocharge Your Sales Leadership,” with Steve Waterhouse of Predictive Results; “Making the Leap to MPS,” with Mike Lecak of Collaborative Consultant Group; and “Disrupt — How to Spark Transformation in Your Business,” a dealer panel moderated by Ramos.

FIX: Cost Management for Service 2.0 will be the front-runner workshop to the Winter Break event. On Feb. 13, Ingram and Janecek will present BTA’s popular service workshop. Attendees to FIX will receive free registration to Winter Break. For more information, visit www.bta.org/FIX.

BTA member registration (with Epcot ticket) for Winter Break is $199, which includes the keynote session, educational sessions and dealer panel, Friday welcoming reception, and Saturday breakfast and lunch. BTA member registration without an Epcot ticket is $169. Non-member registration with an Epcot ticket is $249. Non-member registration without an Epcot ticket is $219.

For more information, including full session descriptions and the registration form for the event, visit www.bta.org/BTASoutheastEvent.

BEI Services Adds Full Automation to AIM for Overstock Parts Network

Jan.  13th, 2014 – BEI Services Inc. has announced the completion of their integrated user interface for the Overstock Parts Network (OPN).  BEI’s Advanced Inventory Management (AIM) product, released earlier this year gives dealers a quick view and understanding of their inventory, specifically their aged and obsolete parts inventory.  The OPN integration allows dealers to login to AIM at anytime to view obsolete inventory the OPN would like to purchase, as well as parts the OPN has in stock that the dealership is currently using based on company usage statistics, that can be purchased at significantly discounted prices.  Users will also receive email notifications containing a link to the AIM site where both aged parts purchase offers and a suggested parts list of current parts that the OPN has in stock can be viewed.

To watch a brief video demonstration on the new integration visit: www.beiservices.com/AIM-OPN

Joining the Overstock Parts Network is free of charge and access to the AIM product is included for dealers sending their data to BEI Services monthly to process.  For information about joining the rapidly growing network, e-mail sales@beiservices.com.

Print Audit Premier Dealers Earn a Total of $2 Million in Additional Recurring Monthly Revenue

Jan. 14, 2014 – Print Audit’s Premier program, which grew to 260 members world-wide in 2013, is now helping its dealers earn a combined total of nearly $2 million in additional recurring monthly revenue.  A key reason for this growth has been Print Audit’s brand promise of helping Premier dealers Win New Customers, Keep Current Customers and Build Recurring Revenue.  Print Audit is now publishing Premier statistics on an ongoing basis in order to prove that it is delivering on these promises.

Premier is a subscription program that gives office equipment dealers virtually unlimited access to all of Print Audit’s products for one low monthly price. Premier is innovative in that it greatly increases office equipment dealers’ profit margins on print management solution sales. With the program, dealers can charge their customers for Print Audit’s software under a per page or device model, while only paying a fixed cost to Print Audit. This means that the dealer’s profits go up with every customer they sell to.

Below are key statistics related to the Premier program’s performance to date. These numbers are gathered automatically via the Print Audit Premier portal which allows dealers to track their Return on Investment and manage customer licensing for products such as Print Audit 6 and Print Audit Secure.  Premier Brand Promise Statistics:

• Win New Customers – Premier dealers have added a total of 718 new print management customers to the system.

• Keep Current Customers – 97% of customers that dealers have added to Premier are still active in the system.

• Build Recurring Revenue – Premier dealers are generating a total of $1,992,547 in additional recurring monthly revenue, based on the software’s suggested retail value.

One example of a dealer experiencing success with the Premier program is Dove Data Products.  Greg Brisco, District Manager for Dove Data, stated that “so far the functionalities of the Premier program have helped us win the business of 6 customers, which I estimate will equal an increase in revenue of about $3,700,000 per year for us.”

A case study with Dove Data Products can be viewed at the following URL:

www.printaudit.com/downloads/pdf/Dove_Data_Products_Premier_Case_Study.pdf

For more information about Premier, please visit:www.printaudit.com/premier

MaxxVault LLC Offers MaxxDocs Small Business Edition to Global Audience

Jan. 13, 2014 – MaxxVault has announced that MaxxDocs Small Business Edition, the free document management software, is now available to any organization worldwide and has removed previous restrictions making it available only to nonprofits, small business, and institutions of education in the US and Canada.

MaxxDocs SB is a fully-functional EDMS system with a 10K document repository and ready for use by 5 named users. Now, any company can try the solution without any upfront financial commitment. The MaxxDocs security and repository features are built on the same software platform as MaxxVault’s Enterprise software product. MaxxDocs SB works with TWAIN and Kofax compatible scanners as well as any networked copier that can scan to a network folder. MaxxDocs can also be used to store your Microsoft Office Documents and important emails.  Import and securely store thousands and thousands of documents in any folder structure desired. Index documents with user defined fields; add notes, stamps and highlights to documents as well.

For a full list of features see www.maxxdocs.com/Assets/MaxxDocs-SB-Features.pdf.

MaxxDocs.com has been updated so that visitors worldwide can download the software, install on up to five networked workstations and start using all of its features at no cost. Simply fill out the small, eight-question software request form. The software download is about 1GB in size and comes with an installation guide; product overviews and feature list are available along with pricing for upgrades, expansions and enhancements. The system is completely scalable as MaxxVault offers the purchase of additional user seats, repository expansions, and feature add-ons such as full-text search, a barcode reader, or connectors for MFPs.

To download or learn more about MaxxDocs software, visit www.maxxdocs.com.

MaxxVault Masters Club Winners Announced for 2014

Jan. 13, 2014 – MaxxVault has announced the Masters Club members for 2014. The MaxxVault Masters Club is an award recognizing elite dealer performance over the past year. The Masters Club is awarded to only five MaxxVault resellers who demonstrated a successful relationship with MaxxVault and had an outstanding year, both in revenue growth and developing new market opportunities for the MaxxVault portfolio of products.

The Masters Club members for 2014 include:

• Sharp Business Systems North Carolina
• Documation
• EMR Technologies
• LDI Color Toolbox
• Spectrum Imaging

According to MaxxVault, these five Platinum-level resellers have become strong MaxxVault partners, creating a winning combination of hardware, software and expertise for customers nationwide in need of integrated business technology solutions.

Sharp Business Systems of North Carolina Wins MaxxVault’s 2013 Dealer of the Year Award and Joins the Masters Club for 2014

Jan. 13, 2014 – MaxxVault has announced that Platinum Partner Sharp Business Systems of North Carolina has won the MaxxVault Dealer of the Year Award 2013. This award is given in recognition of the Partner that has generated the most revenue opportunity amongst their peers. A MaxxVault Platinum partner since 2010, the success of Sharp Business Systems North Carolina is their ability to provide business hardware and software solutions that enhance productivity, security, and reliability while reducing costs. MaxxVault solutions have enabled Sharp Business Systems North Carolina to fulfill this mission with all of their clients, no matter the size or industry. In addition to this award, Sharp Business Systems of North Carolina is also a member of the MaxxVault Masters Club, an award recognizing Elite Dealer Performance over the year. The Masters Club is awarded to MaxxVault partners who demonstrated an outstanding year, both in revenue growth and in developing new market opportunities for the MaxxVault broad portfolio of products.

BTA’s Newly Revamped FIX: Cost Management for Service 2.0 Scheduled for Feb. 13

Jan. 9, 2014 – On Feb. 13 in Orlando, Fla., the Business Technology Association (BTA) will present FIX: Cost Management for Service 2.0 as a front-runner to the Winter Break district event (www.bta.org/BTASoutheastEvent), hosted by BTA Southeast. Attendees to the workshop will receive free registration to Winter Break.

Successful BTA dealers use their service departments to maintain profit margins as new equipment sales margins decline. FIX, BTA’s popular service workshop, teaches owners, service managers, service supervisors, controllers, sales managers and dispatch/office managers how to compute the cost of a service labor hour (service burden rate) and improve their overall service department profitability.

Workshop instructors Ronelle Ingram and Rock Janecek will cover first-call completion and proven management and customer service programs to improve morale within the service department. Those struggling with MPS and IT issues can learn new management skills to help transition their staffs to the realities of solution-based servicing. This is a highly interactive, energetic classroom experience. Come prepared to learn in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

Attendees will learn:

• How to determine the actual costs of a service hour; items to consider with costing MPS, CPC, document management, etc.; and vehicle operations
• The importance of first-call completion
• How to generate 50-percent-plus service department profitability
• How to establish profitable “markup-method” pricing for prepaid field service, solution-based servicing and overtime
• How to compute cost-per-click for equipment usage
• How to implement new service compensation programs
• How to manage staff operations with profit-making opportunities, improved teamwork and a proven customer-relations program
• How to maintain a winning service team by learning how to deal with high gas prices and how to create competitive compensation plans

Attendees will take home: Excel software that will enable them to calculate their own cost of the service hour (service burden rate); a workshop manual for reference; sample prepaid service agreements; service department worksheets and action plan templates; and cost/price spreadsheet templates (Excel) with formulas.

BTA member tuition for the FIX: Cost Management for Service workshop is $495. Non-member tuition is $925 and includes a one-year BTA dealer membership. For more information or to register for the workshop, visit www.bta.org/FIX or call (800) 843-5059.

MWA Promotes Jay Zamboni to Engineering Manager

Jan. 9, 2014 – MWA Intelligence (MWAi)  has announced that Jay Zamboni has been promoted to Engineering Manager. As Engineering Manager, Jay will coordinate, design, and engineer efforts on the FORZA platform as well as continually enhance existing and growing MWAi software applications.

With over 20 years of industry experience, 15 of which spent at MWAi, Jay brings a unique skill set that enhances MWAi’s current core product as well as builds-out and supports the FORZA product. MWAi FORZA with SAP Business One is the all-inclusive business intelligence platform that has been developed specifically for the Imaging Channel.

MWA Announces FORZA Architect

Jan. 8, 2014 – MWA Intelligence (MWAi has announced Jeff Campbell as its FORZA Architect. MWAi FORZA with SAP Business One is the all-inclusive business intelligence platform that has been developed specifically for the imaging channel. With over five years of SAP Business One experience working with small to mid-sized companies in a variety of industries including manufacturing, distribution, and service market verticals, Jeff brings a wealth of knowledge and proficiency to the MWAi team. Jeff is a certified SAP Business One Consultant and SAP Business One Developer, which he earned while running his own SAP Valued Added Reseller business. Prior to Jeff’s involvement with SAP Business One, he worked as a Software Engineer at Fortune 500 companies, developing software and supporting documentation.

Independent Stationers Announces New Affiliate Program with NSSEA

Jan. 8, 2014 — Independent Stationers, the independent dealer group for the office products industry and the National School Supply and Equipment Association (NSSEA), the leading trade association for the educational products marketplace, has announced an affiliation program designed to let NSSEA members participate in the recently awarded U.S. Communities School Supply program awarded to Independent Stationers. Independent Stationers members benefit as well through the progressive education afforded by NSSEA in this unique opportunity.

Epson Adds Wireless Scanning to Professional Sheetfed Document Scanner Portfolio

Jan. 7, 2014 – Epson America has expanded its lineup of professional-grade scanners with the WorkForce DS-560, its first wireless sheetfed scanner.  The WorkForce DS-560 enables businesses to increase productivity and efficiency with Wi-Fi connectivity offering point-to-point scanning directly to smartphones, tablets, PCs, or Macs. It also includes a range of features such as fast scan speeds, one-pass double-sided scanning and a robust software package.

A step-up from the recently introduced WorkForce DS-510, the WorkForce DS-560 document scanner offers a wide range of features that allow employees to be productive. In addition to its ability to scan to popular cloud services, the WorkForce DS-560 allows users to scan directly to a mobile device, ideal for employees working remotely or in the field yet requiring instant access to critical documents. For increased flexibility, users can upload scans to their cloud service of choice, such as Google Docs or Evernote, directly from their mobile device.

The WorkForce DS-560 delivers scan speeds of up to 26 ppm/52 ipm at 300 dpi, and can scan both sides of one sheet in just one pass, as well as a stack of up to 50 pages with its built-in Automatic Document Feeder (ADF). It is also equipped with ultrasonic double-feed detection technology, which senses if more than a single page has been fed, and automatically stops the feeding to avoid missing pages or jamming.

The WorkForce DS-560 allows for seamless integration into third-party software, including custom content management systems, with the availability of TWAIN and ISIS drivers. Businesses can also leverage networking capabilities using an optional network module (sold separately) to support up to 100 workstations with full scanner functionality.

The WorkForce DS-560 is easily integratable into nearly any workplace with both TWAIN and ISIS drivers available, making it compatible with most existing office software.

560 ($449 MSRP) will be available in March.

Ervin Equipment Finance Adds to Office Imaging Team 

 Jan. 7, 2014 – Ervin Equipment Finance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Ann Arbor, has announced the hiring of Fred Crivlare as Relationship Manager to expand its office imaging finance market team.  Crivlare brings over 20 years of experience in the copier space to Ervin. His background includes nine years with Wells Fargo and seven years with Key Equipment Finance. He most recently was employed by EverBank in their equipment finance division.

sd|University to Hold Advanced Enterprise Selling Skills Workshop in February 2014

Jan. 6, 2014 – sd|University, the advanced training division of Strategy Development, is conducting their specially designed Advanced Enterprise Selling Skills (AESS) Workshop on February 12-13. It will be held at the Hyatt Place Orlando Airport Northwest.

The Advanced Enterprise Selling Skills workshop, an intensive, two-day program designed by Strategy Development consultants, will be taught by Tom Callinan. “Our industry is changing. Gone are the days of selling based on brand loyalty and feature sets,” stated Callinan. “Today’s environment demands a higher skill set. Strategy Development has created the Advanced Enterprise Selling Skills workshop to develop top-flight sales professionals. Whether you are just starting in the business or are a seasoned industry vet, this workshop will help you garner new skills and raise your game in 2014.”

The AESS workshop will empower your sales force to penetrate new accounts and develop additional business into existing accounts. Some of the topics covered include:

• Time and territory management
• Business acumen and decision-maker motivation
• Prospecting
• Questioning and listening skills
• Initial sales call and presentation skills
• Proposal writing fundamentals
• Proficiency in negotiation
• Account planning and customer retention
• How to maintain and expand customer relationships

For more details please visit www.strategydevelopment.com/aess. If you are an sd|University member company, this class is part of the portfolio of educational experiences your sales and management team should attend. If you are not enrolled in the tuition program, you can still attend Strategy Development’s award-winning education by enrolling for the individual classes. This award-winning training—receiving the highest accolades over the last six years—is available at the lowest individual class investment in the industry.

All sd|University classes can also be held at your location for larger groups. For more information on sd|University and how the tuition program works and how it stacks up against the competition please visit us at www.sd-university.com. Remember, you can still register for individual classes as well.

For more information or to register for the SD AESS classes, please visit www.strategydevelopment.com/events or contact Tom Callinan at callinan@strategydevelopment.com or at (610) 527-3317.

sd|University to Hold MPS Sales Workshop in February 2014

Dec. 27, 2013 – sd|University, the advanced training division of Strategy Development, is conducting their MPS Sales training in Orlando, FL on February 10-11, 2014. The class will be held at the Hyatt Place Orlando Airport Northwest.  The two-day class, MPS Sales Workshop, will be taught by Tom Callinan and will cover the MPS sales process for both small, fewer than 25 devices, and mid-sized, 50 – 250 devices, companies. MPS sales teams will learn how to:

• Approach the proper contact level and present a value proposition based on company size
• Get an appointment at the correct level
• Identify the areas of pain associated with the print environment based on company size
• Conduct an effective and efficient assessment to support the business case for change
• Price a transaction, both outsourced and equipment led
• Present a winning proposal

For more details visit www.strategydevelopment.com/mpsfundamentals.

If you are an sd|University member company, this class is part of the portfolio of educational experiences your sales and management team should attend. If you are not enrolled in the tuition program, you can still attend Strategy Development’s award-winning education by enrolling for the individual classes. This award-winning training—receiving the highest accolades over the last six years—is available at the lowest individual class investment in the industry.

All sd|University classes can also be held at your location for larger groups. For more information on sd|University and how the tuition program works and how it stacks up against the competition please visit us at www.sd-university.com. Remember, you can still register for individual classes as well.

For more information or to register for the SD MPS class, please visit www.strategydevelopment.com/events or contact Tom Callinan at callinan@strategydevelopment.com or at (610) 527-3317.

Bay Copy Updates Website with Specialized Features

Dec. 30, 2013 – Bay Copy (www.baycopy.com) has revamped its Website with a new design featuring contemporary graphics and an extensive product and service catalog. The new Website was designed by Dealer Marketing Systems, known for the design and maintenance of many of the top independent office automation dealers in the country.  The site includes updated information about Bay Copy’s exclusive seven-year guarantee and the company’s Managed Print Services programs.  The new Website offers customers the capability to log service and supply requests on-line. The site is mobile responsive, making it simple to access from all mobile devices.

Toshiba’s e-STUDIO Products Honored as Innovative Product of the Year by Better Buys for Business

Dec. 30, 2013 —For a second consecutive year, Toshiba America Business Solutions has won Better Buys for Business’ coveted Innovative Product of the Year within the color copier segment. This year, the e-STUDIO 5055C series of multifunction products were recognized for delivering premium security and eco features at an affordable price. Better Buys for Business presents its annual Innovative Product of the Year to the best products within a specific product category. All of Better Buys for Business’ Editor’s Choice monthly award winners were considered for this honor. To ensure its independence, Better Buys for Business accepts no advertising.