Access Systems
Waukee, IA
www.accesssystems.com
Year Founded: 1986
President/Owner: Shane Sloan
Number of Employees: 220
Primary Vendors: Sharp, Ricoh, Toshiba, Lexmark, HP, Dell, Lenovo
Primary Solutions Offerings: Square 9, PaperCut, Microsoft, VMware, SonicWall, Datto, Ubiquiti Networks
Primary Leasing Partners: GreatAmerica, DLL, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$50-$55 million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: Access Cloud Communications Solutions, document management, print solutions
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: For the sixth consecutive year, Access Systems was named an Iowa Top Workplace.
Why We Consider Access Systems Elite:
- Territory expansion. In March, Access Systems expanded into South Dakota, and in August, the company branched into LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and Rochester, Minnesota. This complemented a dynamic team in Northwest Iowa offering managed print and IT services.
- Pivotal wins. Access Systems reaped a pair of significant net-new wins during the past year. One deal was for a large school district and included a facilities management contract; the other a large credit union, with the entire process—from introduction to assessment and solution—entirely conducted virtually.
- Service demand. The pandemic triggered an increase in demand for IT services and cloud communications. Having a diverse portfolio of technology services has provided a more stable foundation to navigate the pandemic.
- Culture priority. Access Systems introduced the Culture Ambassador program in 2019 and identified its guiding principles: integrity, dedication, generosity, kindness and playful. In 2020, the company created a “job description” and elevated the ambassador role to a leadership position within the organization. Each branch has representation and a voice.
All Copy Products
Denver, CO
www.allcopyproducts.com
www.verticomm.com
Year Founded: 1975
President/Owner: Brad Knepper
Number of Employees: 353
Primary Vendors: Konica Minolta, Canon, Sharp, HP, Muratec, Océ, KIP, Kyocera
Primary Solutions Offerings: Sharp, Promethean, Industry Weapon, Verkada
Primary Leasing Partners: GreatAmerica, DLL, U.S. Bank, Canon Financial Services
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$91.7 million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: VoIP (44%), copiers (5%)
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: In an effort to serve the remote needs of clients, All Copy Products added offerings such as hosted phones, security cameras, temperature-scanning kiosks and hand sanitizer.
Why We Consider All Copy Products (ACP) Elite:
- Cost assurance. The dealer is utilizing a One Rate program for clicks, providing more flexibility with existing clients, thereby fostering more renewals based on historical data. The result is less time and resources expended on tracking clicks while providing greater cost savings for customers.
- Top takedown. ACP reeled in the business of Colorado’s second-largest school district, an agreement that featured more than 600 new units. The deal supplanted a long-standing previous relationship with another manufacturer.
- Paid ads. During the last two years, ACP has benefitted greatly from using Google ads. Keyword costs are low, and the cost per acquisition allowed for a higher return on investment. One of the benefits of PPC campaigns is the ability to build a unique buyer’s journey based on the exact phrase and keywords for which clients are searching.
- Corporate caring. Topping the charitable endeavors ACP employs is a charity golf tournament that benefits Denver-based nonprofit Warren Village. The event has raised more than $100,000 during the past five years. The dealer also works with Food For Thought, a local charity that packs lunch bags for children at 38 schools to take home, providing needed nourishment over the weekends. ACP and its employees donate enough money each month to support an entire school’s worth of meals.
Centric Business Systems
Owings Mills, MD
www.centricbiz.com
Year Founded: 1990
President/Owner: Alex Richard “Rick” Bastinelli
Number of Employees: 215
Primary Vendors: Sharp, Ricoh, HP, Kyocera
Primary Solutions Offerings: M-Files, Square 9, ACDI, TroyRX
Primary Leasing Partners: DLL, U.S. Bank
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$63 million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: Production print/digital press technology (10%)
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: The dealer recently completed construction of a 35,000-square-foot custom distribution center, combining two existing warehouses into a single state-of-the-art facility.
Why We Consider Centric Business Systems Elite:
- Educational insight. The dealer uses bi-weekly blogs to help clients gain more information regarding products, services and solutions. In addition to product details, the blogs provide insight as to how they function and outline the key benefits of implementation. The information is also shared in social media and email marketing campaigns.
- Vertical takedown. Centric’s health care team secured a contract with a regional health network, a deal that included 700 A3 and A4 placements in a number of locations. The contract included solutions for prescription printing, cloud-based faxing, user tracking and cost recovery.
- Site relaunch. Centric is putting the finishing touches on a website refresh with more-detailed descriptions of products and services, along with a huge library of resources including case studies, infographics and cut sheets. This benefits end-user access to on-demand information while providing additional search engine optimization organically.
- Employee focus. In an effort to get continuous feedback regarding the employee experience at Centric, the dealer conducts an annual employee survey. This provides valuable insight by identifying how Centric is excelling and how it can improve. The dealer then devises action plans and initiatives to address areas of need. Centric also creates delta teams and focus groups in which employees work together to identify opportunities for development and ways to improve processes.
Copiers Northwest, Inc.
Seattle, WA
www.copiersnw.com
Year Founded: 1986
President/Owner: Mark Petrie (CEO), Gregg Petrie (president)
Number of Employees: 200+
Primary Vendors: Canon, Sharp, HP, Nextiva
Primary Solutions Offerings: Canon, PaperCut, Laserfiche, PRISMA Suite, PSIGEN, XMedius, Kofax
Primary Leasing Partners: Wells Fargo, Canon Financial Services, DLL, GreatAmerica, U.S. Bank
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$50+ million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: Production equipment
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: After the pandemic hit, Copiers Northwest was able to sell or lease more than $500,000 worth of temperature-scanning kiosks in just a few months.
Why We Consider Copiers Northwest Elite:
- Pandemic response. When Washington and Oregon were among the first states to enact stay-at-home directives, Copiers Northwest mobilized to offer some of the nation’s earliest promotional packages for businesses in need of printers and other office technology products for home offices. In addition, the dealer provides Evolved Office campaigns that allow its salespeople to have ongoing communication with their customers and prospects.
- Schooling competition. Among the biggest wins for Copiers Northwest was a school district in eastern Washington. The deal included six high-volume, production-level machines for the district’s print shop, in addition to satisfying all of their printer and MFP needs.
- Employee attractions. The dealer offers a matching 401K along with a profit-sharing program for employees. Sales, service and admin are all eligible for Copiers Northwest’s annual President’s Club trip, and an employee bonus program features criteria that improve the dealer’s overall performance.
- Foundational relationships. Backed by premium relationships with Canon, Sharp and HP, Copiers Northwest ensures customers receive the best possible solution for client needs. This enables the dealer to receive value-added marketing support that ultimately benefits customers.
EO Johnson Business Technologies
Wausau, WI
www.eojohnson.com
www.locknetmanagedit.com
Year Founded: 1957
President/Owner: Mary Jo Johnson (owner/CEO), Dave Greene (president)
Number of Employees: 285
Primary Vendors: Canon, HP, Ricoh, Lanier, Océ, Standard Horizon, Duplo, Samsung, RISO, Cisco, Fortinet, Nimble, Dell, PSI, Zebra
Primary Solutions Offerings: EFI, Fabsoft, Fusion Pro, MBM, MSI, Kofax, Objectif Lune, PaperCut, ECI Software, PSIGEN, RFIDeas, Square 9, StorageCraft, ESET, Datto, Microsoft, VMWare, Autotask, Zixcorp, Barracuda, Stratozen, Qualys, Tenable, KnowBe4, Symantec, Cisco, Cloudamize, ID Agent
Primary Leasing Partners: In-house leasing through GreatAmerica
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$60-$65 million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: Document scanning (99%), production (27%), Locknet managed IT (10%), solutions (19%)
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: EO Johnson implemented a business continuity plan at the onset of the pandemic. Within hours, its Locknet Support Center team was sent home to work remotely—a flawless process, as the dealer had ramped up testing of its capabilities, capacity and contingencies. There was no lapse in support, as all calls were answered and resolved efficiently.
Why We Consider EO Johnson Business Technologies Elite:
- Product expansion. Backed by the January acquisition of print finishing gear specialist Standard Dynamics, EO Johnson extended its production print division to include additional finishing equipment, supplies, service and expertise. As a result, the dealer is now the sole Standard Horizon authorized dealer in much of the Midwest.
- Key wins. EO Johnson enjoyed much contractual success, including a large technical college in Wisconsin that called for 166 machines with MPS, to the tune of $350,000 in hardware spending. Two large school district pacts resulted in $385,000 in hardware spend, while the Locknet managed IT arm netted renewals totaling more than $900,000 and $755,000 in new projects.
- Website upgrade. EO Johnson is currently redesigning its website to be more robust, enhancing content and navigation while adding informational and self-help videos. The site, which was due to launch in Q4 2020, will help visitors gain quick access to information more efficiently.
- Employee enticements. Fostering a family atmosphere that has resulted in low turnover, EO Johnson offers competitive compensation and benefit packages. The dealer recently enhanced its offerings in areas such as paid paternity leave, service anniversary awards, 401K match and schedule flexibility. High-performing non-sales employees can now qualify for the annual sales incentive trip, and a new total rewards compensation program was rolled out to attract, retain, motivate and engage employees.
Kelley Connect
Kent, WA
www.kelleyconnect.com
Year Founded: 1974
President/Owner: Aric Manion
Number of Employees: 277
Primary Vendors: Toshiba, Xerox, HP, Ricoh, Lexmark, Pitney Bowes, Kyocera, Mutoh
Primary Solutions Offerings: Datto, Microsoft, Sophos, Mitel, Cisco, Rhombus, DocuWare, Abbyy, Hyland, Objectif Lune, Treeno, PaperCut
Primary Leasing Partners: GreatAmerica, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, LEAF, CIT, DLL
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$60-$65 million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: Achieved 20% growth in 2019
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Rebranding from Kelley Imaging Systems to Kelley Connect reflects the message of connecting with a partner that will enable customers to run more efficiently and profitably.
Why We Consider Kelley Connect Elite:
- Subject experts. One of the top value propositions touted by the dealer is its ability to provide subject matter experts in areas of IT, print, graphics, solutions and distribution. This provides customers and prospects more advanced conversations and reduces the chances of a discussion based solely on price.
- Client testimonials. While the words of a satisfied client make for good marketing fodder, sharing customer success stories in internal emails enables Kelley Connect team members to understand and appreciate the valuable contributions they make, from the warehouse to the sales floor. Every week, the executive team shares a story about how the team has improved client efficiency and overall performance.
- Beyond products. In addition to showing customers how they can lower their costs and increase efficiencies, the company provides guidance on how they can increase their revenues. This includes improving marketing through digital or direct mail, trans-promotional marketing when invoicing/billing, or responding more quickly to client requests through the use of Kelley Connect’s data entry and digital automation solutions.
- Charitable endeavors. Kelley Connect partners with a large number of non-profit organizations providing direct and in-kind services to promote their mission. Employees are given one PTO day per quarter to do volunteer work, while each branch selects a local charity to support in their own market via donations or fundraising activities.
LDI Color ToolBox
Jericho, NY
www.myLDI.com
Year Founded: 1999
President/Owner: Jerry Blaine (president and CEO)
Number of Employees: 300
Primary Vendors: Canon, Xerox, HP, Sharp, Toshiba, RISO, Océ, Brother, EFI, Samsung
Primary Solutions Offerings: Kofax, Canon, PaperCut, nQueue, MaxxVault, Digital Storefront, ECI Software, Zoom
Primary Leasing Partners: Canon Financial Services, DLL, LEAF, U.S. Bank
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$70-$80 million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: MNS, Pro AV
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: LDI Color ToolBox celebrated its 20th anniversary on course to having the best year in its history. The company prided itself on being able to sustain its business and the majority of its staff during the pandemic.
Why We Consider LDI Color ToolBox Elite:
- Timely pivot. Given the evolving needs of its client base, LDI delivered on the products and technology solutions necessary for conducting remote business. Included in this endeavor was the means for safe and secure reopening/reimagining strategies for clients.
- UCaaS expansion. The dealer’s timely investment in acquiring a telecom company and expanding its offerings in communication and collaboration was fortuitous. As a sidelight, LDI has been using nurturing campaigns to furnish prospects and clients with the ability to get information and detail in their search for innovative technologies.
- Partner leverage. Backed by high-level relationships with its manufacturers, LDI is able to stretch the boundaries on technologies it offers to the customer base. Boutique in its approach, the dealer creates customizations to solve the business challenges clients face each day.
- Corporate caring. The dealer uses its state-of-the-art equipment to assist with in-kind donations of production print. For example, a COVID-19 information booklet was printed and distributed at food banks in several underserved communities. LDI’s management and staff are active on the boards of non-profit organizations and provide countless hours of community service.
Les Olson Company
Salt Lake City, UT
www.lesolson.com
Year Founded: 1956
President/Owner: James Olson (CEO)
Number of Employees: 270
Primary Vendors: Sharp, HP, Fujitsu, Formax, RISO, Dell
Primary Solutions Offerings: DocuWare, Sophos, PaperCut, Objectif Lune, Goldfax, Drive Image, Microsoft, Google, ECI Software, PrinterLogic
Primary Leasing Partners: REVCO (internal leasing), U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, GE Capital, DLL
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$50+ million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: Managed IT services (65%), software solutions (14%)
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Les Olson Company takes pride in how it responded to the COVID-19 crisis. The company formulated a plan that was mindful of the health and safety of both its customers and employees.
Why We Consider Les Olson Company Elite:
- Cost certainty. Les Olson Company’s contracts for managed IT Services provide a low fixed monthly rate for all the services clients require, ensuring customers can avoid incurring unexpected costs. Meanwhile, the dealer’s competitors employ a pay-per incident model that ultimately costs customers too much.
- Top takedown. One of the biggest wins for Les Olson Company was a contract with the College of Southern Nevada, a deal which included more than $300,000 in equipment and service.
- Industry recognition. OEM partner Sharp bestowed the dealer with a trio of performance-based awards in 2019: the AAA Platinum Service Provider, Hyakuman Kai Elite and the Master Tech National Champion. A repeat ENX Magazine Elite Dealer, Les Olson Company was also named a DocuWare Grand Demo Champion.
- Charitable support. The company’s annual Food and Funds Drive raises more than $60,000 annually for the Utah Food Bank and 3 Square Food Bank in Nevada. Les Olson Company also supports Primary Children’s Hospital by raising more than $50,000 per year. The Special Olympics reaps $15,000-plus every year due to the dealer’s support as well.
Modern Office Methods (MOM)
Cincinnati, OH
www.momnet.com
www.fullservice.net
Year Founded: 1957
President/Owner: Kevin McCarthy
Number of Employees: 225
Primary Vendors: Ricoh/Lanier, Canon, HP
Primary Solutions Offerings: Canon, Ricoh, HP, PaperCut, Kofax, Ademero, Objectif Line, OpenText, Panasonic, EFI
Primary Leasing Partners: U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, DLL
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$50-$55 million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: MPS (25%), production print services (20%), MNS
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Backed by a strong financial position and a well-established, diverse book of business, Modern Office Methods was able to avoid any layoffs or furloughs due to COVID-19.
Why We Consider Modern Office Methods (MOM) Elite:
- Marketing mavens. With hosted events off the table for the time being, MOM turned its attention to targeted marketing campaigns through its CRM. The dealer segmented its list of nearly 12,000 emails into 72 segments, broken down by sales rep, vertical, client/prospect, etc. This allowed the dealer and its new business development team to send highly targeted messaging based on consumer needs.
- Contractual success. Even amid the pandemic, Modern Office Methods was able to secure the largest contract in company history. The client, the fifth-largest Catholic health care network in the U.S., signed on to a deal that has the potential to include 18,000 devices—with 6,000 MFDs and 10,000 printers through the dealer’s MPS program. The deal also includes full managed services on all print assets for the account.
- Project pivot. With the pandemic bringing an end to the dealer’s longstanding “Teacher of the Week” program, MOM shifted its focus. In tandem with the Cincinnati Business Courier and Columbus Business First publications, the dealer produced a print and digital ad campaign focused on printer security. MOM hopes to resume the “Teacher of the Week” program in the not-too-distant future.
- Employee enticements. Cultivating a family feeling is the priority for MOM, and the dealer has used functions such as casual/fun Fridays, carnival days, community involvement projects, corporate days at Kings Island, Cincinnati Reds baseball games and cookouts to achieve it. Promoting wellness through the Live Well-Work Well committee also supports employees in their efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
PERRY proTECH
Lima, OH
www.perryprotech.com
Year Founded: 1965
President/Owner: Barry Clark (CEO), Pat Summers (president)
Number of Employees: 272
Primary Vendors: Konica Minolta, Ricoh, Lexmark, HP, Gallagher, Avigilon, Hanwha
Primary Solutions Offerings: Access Control, PaperCut, Prism, Kofax, SchoolGate Guardian, Microsoft
Primary Leasing Partners: U.S. Bank, GreatAmerica, Wells Fargo
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$75-$85 million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: Net-new business (68%), production (150%), managed IT (21%)
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: The company purchased 15.5 acres on which to build a new 60,000-square-foot headquarters in Lima, Ohio, capping a seven-year mission to upgrade all its facilities.
Why We Consider PERRY proTECH Elite:
- Consolidating resources. The dealer merged its imaging and IT customer care center/help desk centers, providing customers one number to call for all their needs. PERRY proTECH clients appreciate the dealer’s ability to resolve 30% of imaging service calls and 93% of IT service calls within 10 minutes on the first call.
- IT deal. The dealer procured an agreement with a large, multistate assisted living/nursing home system for a large IT hardware refresh and ongoing managed IT solutions.
- Best defense. PERRY proTECH launched an online security awareness training program that enables its customer base to teach employees how to recognize cybersecurity threats and avoid attempts to compromise company information.
- Helping hands. The dealer and its employees provide donations to organizations including United Way, Toys for Tots and area food banks. PERRY proTECH provides Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner for Wounded Warriors, and is a major sponsor of the Lima/Allen County Rotary Scholarship Program.
Prosource
Cincinnati, OH
www.totalprosource.com
Year Founded: 1985
President/Owner: Brad Cates (president and CEO), Ben Russert (owner)
Number of Employees: 215
Primary Vendors: Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Lexmark, Xerox, Toshiba, HP
Primary Solutions Offerings: Hyland, PaperCut, Kofax, Microsoft, Datto, Blackpoint Cyber, OpenText
Primary Leasing Partners: U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, DLL
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$50-$55 million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: MPS (10%), managed IT (12%)
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Prosource was able to achieve and maintain a Net Promoter Score of over 94.
Why We Consider Prosource Elite:
- New website. Prosource embarked on this project with three goals: building brand awareness as a technology leader, driving business through lead generation and improving the digital customer experience. It also sought to establish its employer brand and support efforts to build the best possible team and talent. The new site features industry-specific content that speaks to customer problems and needs across vertical markets, customer testimonials to demonstrate how its solutions have helped real-world businesses, and a careers hub to showcase its culture and attract talent.
- Educational excellence. The dealer renewed its agreement with the third-largest school district in Ohio, which sees 400 copiers and 950 printers under contract, packaged with software and MPS.
- Workplace excellence. Prosource was named a Cincinnati Top Workplace by the Cincinnati Enquirer, based on feedback provided by employees during an anonymous, third-party survey. Team members ranked the dealer particularly strong in enabling associates to work to their full potential, and scored high marks in operating with strong values.
- Corporate citizenry. The firm’s dedication to giving back to the communities it serves is exemplified through its Impact Day initiative. Prosource sponsors and encourages team members to volunteer their time and talents to support an organization of their choice—creating an opportunity for every team member to give back in a personal, meaningful way.
Systel Business Equipment
Fayetteville, NC
www.systeloa.com
www.systelprinting.com
Year Founded: 1981
President/Owner: Keith Allison (CEO)
Number of Employees: 250
Primary Vendors: Ricoh, Konica Minolta, HP, Lexmark, Panasonic
Primary Solutions Offerings: Square 9, PaperCut, RightFax, Kofax, Ricoh, EveryOne Print, XMedius, Objectif Lune
Primary Leasing Partners: DLL, U.S. Bank, in-house leasing
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$62 million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: Production (100%), solutions
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: Systel Business Equipment created and implemented a training program for its sales team that enables it to better understand and consult on business processes.
Why We Consider Systel Business Equipment Elite:
- Production prowess. Systel bolstered its in-house printing division by adding the Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1 inkjet press, staking its claim as the only dealer in the world that has the machine on-premises.
- Military might. The dealer secured an agreement with a large military base in North Carolina. It included more than 800 A3 devices while working on a tight delivery schedule that needed to be managed around deployments occurring at that time. Systel integrated CAC cards on every unit across the base.
- Top honors. Among the awards and honors captured by Systel during the past two years: the 2019 Ricoh Family Group Circle of Excellence Certified Dealership, 2020 Ricoh Circle of Excellence Prestige “Elite” Dealer Certification, 2019 HP Premier Partner and Qualified Supplies Partner, and a spot on Grant Thornton’s 2019 North Carolina Top 125.
- Giving back. Systel partners with more than 15 hospitals across the state of North Carolina and actively invests in their programs and initiatives. This year, the dealer catered lunch to several hospital units on multiple occasions as a thank you for their tireless efforts in the fight against COVID-19.
United Business Technologies
Gaithersburg, MD
www.ubti.com
Year Founded: 1978
President/Owner: Armen Manoogian (CEO), Stu Wise (president/COO)
Number of Employees: 75-100
Primary Vendors: Canon, HP, Toshiba
Primary Solutions Offerings: Canon, PaperCut, Printer Logic, EFI, Kofax, ECI Software, ImageWare Remote, PrismaSync
Primary Leasing Partners: Canon Financial Services, CIT
Approximate Yearly Revenue:
$50 million
Fastest-Growing Business Segments: MPS (10%)
Biggest Accomplishment of the Past Year: United Business Technologies added more than $6 million in new hardware sales over the previous year despite the pandemic.
Why We Consider United Business Technologies (UBT) Elite:
- Marketing initiatives. The dealer is leveraging LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator to reach out to potential customers through InMail Messages. UBT also added a chat feature to its website to provide immediate answers and information for clients and prospects, and tapped HP’s Prospect Hunter for targeted lead generation.
- Top takedown. UBT secured a 10-year, multimillion-dollar contract with the Securities and Exchange Commission for MPS, hardware and a suite of software solutions geared toward enhancing productivity.
- Employee enticements. Prior to the pandemic, UBT offered employee perks such as President’s Club trips, a crab feast picnic, annual holiday parties and the Administrative PowerUp Awards. During the COVID-19 period, Team meetings, happy hours and a “work fairy” have provided a bonding experience.
- Community spirit. Through its Blessings in a Backpack initiative with a local school, UBT provides daily lunches. The dealer also supports the SafeSpot Children’s Advocacy Center.
