Last week, we led off our Elite Dealer challenges overview with a focus on how they have dealt with the evolved needs of their clients. But the one obstacle that was impossible to overcome was the rash of end-users who went out of business, and our dealer panel had its share of vanishing customers.
Take Sims Business Systems, for example. The Tempe, Arizona-based dealer saw many of its clients explore different avenues to create revenue, using process automation tools for work-from-home employees. Sadly, some clients closed their doors, and the great unknown behind the action plans of those who kept the lights on made it challenging for Sims to grow or even maintain its revenue.
The task was clear for Sims: to have purposeful and transparent conversations on the team, department and managerial levels to track day-to-day activities and formulate novel and creative ideas. The mission was to “fail forward” with these ideas and accept the realities of the market.
“We talked a lot in our sales department of controlling what we can control,” the dealer reported. “We can control our attitudes, our efforts, and our preparation. We talked about if we were consistent day in and day out, we would be in a place where someone like me is answering a question like this. So, we overcame these challenges with teamwork and applying our identity as a family-owned company on a granular level.”
United Office Systems of Marietta, Georgia, also had its share of clients that went out of business, while others downsized their organization. As a counter, United Office Systems turned its attention to offering different solutions.
“We focused on selling new technologies such as VoIP phone systems to current clients and net-new prospects to help them improve their businesses,” the company wrote.
Watching long-term clients struggle throughout the pandemic, only to either downsize or exit the business altogether was a sad reality for Advanced Imaging Solutions of Minnetonka, Minnesota. That prompted the dealer to be even more sensitive to being mindful of clients’ cost-containment initiatives.
“We put together a team of senior staff at AIS to help clients work through options to help reduce costs and strategize on different solutions,” AIS reported.
Outreach Initiatives
Touching base with clients has become an arduous task in the aftermath of the pandemic. Modern Office Methods (MOM) of Cincinnati has noted two characteristics about client team members: they’re difficult to meet in person, and their stress levels are through the roof. Utilizing virtual meeting tools such as Google Meet and Microsoft Teams has been critical, as the dealer seeks to be more flexible to client needs.
“We also hear from clients who are struggling to make it through this changing environment,” MOM reported. “We are being proactive and asking what we can do to help and trying to be flexible and come up with creative ideas in order to help them meet their business initiatives while still providing award-winning services.”
Not being able to be front and center with clients is a challenge echoed by Marco of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Generally, salespeople reap better results with in-person meetings, and during the pandemic, clients have been less likely to make bold moves—opting to maintain the status quo. Still, backed by the dealer’s technology expertise and its deep understanding of security/cybersecurity, Marco found ways to be productive virtually.
“Marco’s team of IT and security experts offered guidance and advice on how their clients could keep their business data safe and secure, as well as educate their employees on best practices,” Marco wrote.
“Marco’s adoption of key security solutions and services during the work-from-home surge allowed team members to resonate with decision-makers who had concerns making such a huge change with their IT environments. IdentifyIT – Marco’s ongoing security assessment and data collection tool – allows clients to establish a baseline of their security front, determines goals for improving their security risk tolerance score, and provides data for accurate risk assessment and overall recommendation.”
Adapting its marketing and technical services strategies to meet the needs of post-shutdown businesses and the resulting hybrid work culture was the primary challenge for Image Matters of Knoxville, Tennessee. Radical changes within the business environment dictated a novel approach to client acquisitions, communications and client support.
“To address these changes, Image Matters expedited a three-year IT infrastructure investment plan to better accommodate the needs of our remote workers, communication with prospects/clients via video conferencing and other digital media, as well as expanding our capabilities and efficiencies in providing remote technical services and IT support,” the dealer wrote.
Internal Changes
The pandemic has furnished a reflective period for many businesses, and ABM of Fort Wayne, Indiana, leveraged the Entrepreneurial Operating System framework to revisit its core values and purpose. In the process, ABM reorganized its departments to align them with the direction of the company.
“The challenges with these changes are ongoing, but everyone in our company has been very engaging and excited about the positive transition,” the dealer reported.
Creating regional superpowers has presented a tall task for companies that fly under the Visual Edge IT flag, including the Southwest Region that comprises Benchmark Business Solutions, TLC Office Systems and Zeno Imaging. Unifying three brands located in three different markets was made easier by the parent company furnishing resources on the local and national levels.
“Connecting with customers and prospects personally via helpful content has helped establish the Southwest Region as the industry leader in document technology, and our new endeavor into managed IT services,” the company wrote.
