Marc Spring isn’t pulling any punches. He feels there are certain realities that have been brought about by the pandemic, and in order to thrive in its aftermath, dealers need to equip themselves with not only the tools to make it happen but also the perspective to accept that a new path is necessary. That’s why Spring, the founder and chief business officer for the ITEX Imaging & Technology Education Exposition, believes this year’s 20th-anniversary show—slated for the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas Nov. 9-10—represents a critical turning point (and opportunity) for the dealer community.
In this installment of Two-Minute Drill, Spring discusses the decision-making process behind hosting ITEX as a live event, the show’s critical partnership with Keypoint Intelligence, as well as a peek into the educational tracks that will be offered during the two-day event.
One of the premises of this year’s show is the aftermath of COVID and its impact on the industry. Can you provide a little perspective about that?
Spring: COVID has forever changed the landscape of almost every market, and it was a huge wake-up call for the office equipment industry. Almost everyone experienced hardware sales and print volume declines as offices closed last year. With office equipment dealers reporting losses of up to 60% of hardware and supplies revenue, print was decimated. Even as we see offices re-open, the office environment will have a different future as opposed to where it was pre-pandemic. For traditional print dealers to survive, they have to accept that those pages are never coming back and pivot their perspective to evolve with this new landscape.
Why do you feel that it is essential for ITEX to be a live event?
Spring: We worked with Keypoint Intelligence to survey hundreds of dealers and vendors to get their take and found that they are tired of Zoom meetings. I mean, how long can you sit through a Zoom meeting? It is easy for people to get distracted by what’s happing around the office, putting out fires, etc., and meeting with other dealers over a cup of coffee to discuss business is more powerful than a Zoom meeting. We did not speak to a single vendor who found virtual meetings to be worth the investment, so a live event made sense.
This is a pivotal moment for our industry. Being away from the office allows dealers to focus on making the right decisions for their businesses when they get back. To speak with other dealers about their struggles and successes and learn how to apply strategies that have worked instead of figuring it out on their own.
You mentioned working with Keypoint Intelligence to determine that this year’s ITEX should be a live event. How else are they involved with this year’s show?
Spring: We are excited about our partnership with Keypoint Intelligence, the industry’s most trusted resource for unbiased information and analysis, who will spearhead this year’s education lineup. They’ve done an immense amount of research on the effects of COVID on the industry and are primed to help dealers by presenting their findings at this year’s show.
Can you tell us how the conference is structured?
Spring: The first day (Nov. 9) is a pre-show event that will highlight over $100,000 worth of research and analysis on the effects of COVID in the office technology space, with insight on what’s ahead. Keypoint will also be presenting the State of the Industry.
Day two (Nov. 10) includes four distinct education tracks for owners and sales and service managers, emphasizing looking at the future and what’s ahead. The team at Keypoint will go into depth about the traditional A3 and A4 environment and printed pages while also envisioning the future of print and technologies that dealers should consider. Specifically, the tracks are Future Technologies, Future Solutions & Services, and The Dealership of the Future, with multiple courses offered in each track lead by industry experts and dealers.
Of course, after attending any of the education courses, attendees can meet with exhibitors on the show floor who will provide opportunities for new partnerships and growth.
What’s the takeaway of attending ITEX this year? What can dealers expect to accomplish by coming to the show?
Spring: Dealers will walk away with over $100,000 of research and analysis on the effects of COVID and how to position their dealerships for success. Our vendor-neutral tracks are structured for owners, sales and service managers, and we will offer a ton of networking opportunities. Come out to ITEX – it’s going to be a great show!
ITEX will be held on Nov. 9-10 at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Click here to register for the event or visit here for more information.
