April News Bytes

Following are the big and small news stories for the month of April.

ECi FMAudit Announces New Professional Services Offering 

April 25, 2013 – ECi Software Solutions (www.ECiSolutions.com), a provider of industry specific information technology solutions, has announced that its MPS data collection software, FMAudit, has added a new offering: FMAudit Professional Services. With over 3.6 million devices monitored by more than 126,000 FMAudit Onsite software installations, Professional Services (PS) provides strategic partnerships for both the dealer and reseller communities. Adding PS to a dealer’s portfolio will allow them to focus on core business objectives and solutions. FMAudit Professional Services is designed to assist a newly created MPS provider with established processes to jump-start their business practices. For experienced MPS providers, losing resources and retraining are major issues. The PS program will help these dealers establish best practices to help stabilize resources and strengthen the services provided.

For more information on FMAudit and its suite of services, visit www.ecisolutions.com.

BTA Tackles Patent Trolls Issue, Releases Educational Pamphlet 

April 22, 2013 — In light of recent e-mails and phone calls from so called “patent trolls” to office technology dealership customers, the Business Technology Association (BTA) has prepared an educational pamphlet and flyer for dealers to share with customers. The pamphlet provides details on the claims made by patrol trolls regarding the use of the scanning functionality of an MFP and the options end users can consider in response to any letter or communication received.

In the past few months, many dealers have received a phone call or e-mail from one of their customers who is being advised by letter that his (or her) company is violating numerous patents by scanning a document, sending it over a network and e-mailing it to others. The letters are from law firms and others (Project Paperless, HeaPle LLC or any of a number of shell entities) claiming rights under what are commonly known as the “Laurence Klein” patents.

The letters allege the need for license fee payments. Sent by or on behalf of various licensing agents, the patent trolls seek fees based upon employee count. Fees demanded vary, but the average is $1,000. Patent trolls are entities that seek to enforce a patent, but neither make a product nor perform a service. Their sole purpose is to enforce a patent that, often, they did not originally file.

BTA’s end-user educational pamphlet and informational flyer can be distributed by dealers and shared with customers as invoice stuffers and otherwise. The pamphlet is similar in nature to the one prepared by BTA for distribution several years ago, when the industry was facing the issue of data security related to the use of an MFP’s hard drive.

BTA members can customize the pamphlet to include their dealership’s company logo and contact information. Non-members can also download a generic pamphlet for their use. To order or download your pamphlet and flyer, visit www.bta.org/PatentTrolls.

Walters & Shutwell Signs Joint Venture Agreement with Hendrix Business Systems

April 22, 2013 – Walters & Shutwell Inc. has announced that it has signed a joint venture agreement with Hendrix Business Systems, Inc. to jointly operate a managed services company named Hendrix Managed Services. The new company will provide state-of-the-art, managed IT services to SMB and large organizations looking to reduce IT costs, enhance the end-user experience and focus on their day-to-day business.

Combining Hendrix’s customer service reputation, the solid performance and flexibility of Canon technology and more than 40 years of providing specialized business solutions knowledge of Walters & Shutwell Inc., Hendrix Managed Services will bring a portfolio of premier managed services to the Charlotte area.

“Technological advancements are changing the way we work and the way business gets done. The cloud, BYOD and paperless business processes present concerns and opportunities for companies of all sizes,” says Greg Walters, President, Walters & Shutwell Inc., “This joint venture, Hendrix Managed Services, will build upon Hendrix’s excellent reputation and solid managed print services practice to provide a complete IT services portfolio for the Charlotte metropolitan area.”

According to a press announcement, this is a great opportunity for existing Hendrix Business Systems clients to take advantage of services typically available to large, global enterprises. Help desk, remote monitoring, NOC, backup, disaster recovery and cloud services are now affordable options for nearly every business.

DocuWare and Artsyl Technologies Partner to Better Business Processes 

April 18, 2013 – DocuWare, a provider of document management solutions, announces an alliance with Artsyl Technologies, a document and data capture ISV, as a Preferred Vendor for Authorized DocuWare Partners (ADPs) in 2013.  In conjunction with its annual community conference, DocuWorld 2013, DocuWare is proud to announce that Artsyl Technologies, selected as a Preferred Vendor to its resellers, will host a training session for the over 400 expected attendees.

Jeff Moore, Chief Sales Officer of Artsyl Technologies, Inc., says “Partnering with DocuWare is a natural next step in what has been a long and productive relationship.” Moore goes on to say “The tight integration of these two very powerful platforms combined with the network of ADPs across the Americas will make for a formidable technology partnership. We look forward to solving complex customer business process problems and winning a lot of business together with DocuWare and the ADP community.”

The combination of Artsyl’s docAlpha Advanced Capture Platform for automated document and data capture with DocuWare Version 6 will make for a powerful solution enabling Authorized DocuWare Partners (ADPs) to win business in the areas of Invoice Automation, Purchase Order Automation, Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management, Financial Services Automation and more, according to a DocuWare press release.

The training session on Automating Accounts Payable Invoice Processing with docAlpha, conducted by Moore, will show DocuWare Partners and customers alike how docAlpha can cut labor costs, reduce data-entry errors and provide more visibility in the AP process. During this deep dive into docAlpha’s features and functionality Artsyl will show how simple it is to work with docAlpha as well as demonstrate amazing features such as their new definition design wizard and integration with the latest version of DocuWare.

The Artsyl training session will take place on Friday, May 10 from 3-6 pm. The DocuWorld conference and all related workshops will be held at the Hyatt Regency Dallas beginning May 8^th through the 10^th. Artsyl Technologies will also be an exhibitor at the show’s Technology Pavilion.

IBPI Elects New Board Members and Officers 

April 19, 2013 – International Business Products Inc. (IBPI) welcomed two new Board members yesterday—Chip Miceli (Des Plaines Office Equipment, IL) and Tom Ouellette (Budget Document Technology, ME). In addition, the Board elected Mark Grice (CopyFax, FL) as President, Dale Fowler (Zeno Office Solutions, TX) as Vice-President, and Greg Walker (East Texas Copy Systems, TX) as Secretary/Treasurer. The IBPI Board of Directors is comprised of 9 member dealers of the buying group, and provides guidance for the industry’s largest group of independent copier and printer dealers.

In addition, at the IBPI Annual Meeting, rebate checks were distributed to nearly every member of the 337 dealer buying group. Nearly 130 member dealers of IBPI turned out for the Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with the ITEX Show in Las Vegas.

Toshiba Injects a Splash of Color into Smaller Offices with Latest e-STUDIO Series 

April 17, 2013—Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. has introduced its e-STUDIO287cs/347cs/407cs series of multifunction printers (MFPs). Coupling new color feature tools with next generation e-BRIDGE technology, Toshiba’s latest MFPs present small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs) with the vibrant print quality and performance levels typically reserved for enterprise environments, according to the company.

By incorporating premier functionality within its compact and durable design, Toshiba’s latest MFPs offer the rich feature-set found in the company’s other robust, e-STUDIO models, yet at a fraction of the cost. As a result of its premium print quality and up to 42-ppm speed, Toshiba’s latest MFPs produce– in short order – more eye-catching brochures, fliers and presentations likely to impress SMB’s current and future clients, according to a Toshiba press announcement. The inclusion of Toshiba’s latest e-BRIDGE technology, seamlessly allows users to manage, capture and deliver documents at the swipe of a hand via one-touch function keys on the devices’ nine-inch, tiltable touch control display. This technology also offers all of the benefits associated with cloud and mobile printing.

As a result of its smaller footprint and lightweight design, Toshiba’s latest e-STUDIO line is ideal for SMB environments with limited space and its quiet operation is sure to please all office staff. Moreover, since users may easily replace the MFP’s fuser unit, transfer belt and drum unit, routine maintenance may be handled by almost anyone.

To ease information security concerns, the new e-STUDIO line includes the world’s first Self-Encrypting Drive featuring Toshiba’s unique Wipe Technology and suite of security features providing an elite level of data protection. Should anyone steal and try to install an e-STUDIO hard disk drive (HDD) into another device, its data will automatically erase. For even greater energy savings, Toshiba offers its Encompass Analysis providing users with a comprehensive understanding of their print-related eco footprint while providing solutions to help them reduce environmental impact.

Toshiba’s e-STUDIO287cs/347cs/407cs series is currently available through authorized Toshiba dealers at an MSRP range of $2,899 to $4,499.

Toshiba Partners with Supplies Network
April 17, 2013—Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. has expanded its domestic distributor channel by partnering with leading IT supplies wholesaler and managed print services company, Supplies Network. Supplies Network will provide the e-STUDIO^™ multifunction products (MFPs) to Toshiba’s Business Products Center partners and authorized dealers. Under terms of the agreement, Supplies Network also offers related accessories and pre-and-post sale support to the office product dealers. Toshiba Business Products Centers are smaller, independent businesses – which complement the company’s larger Toshiba Business Solutions and authorized independent dealer networks. Through its partnership with Supplies Network, these smaller office product companies may now sell high-performance MFPs while providing a more comprehensive array of imaging solutions to its clientele.

Konica Minolta bizhub 4700P Series Offers Maximum Power in Minimum Space  

April 17, 2013 – Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta) has announced  the launch of the bizhub 4700P/4000P/3300P series of Monochrome Printers that combine maximum power with a compact design. Going beyond conventional desktop printers, the bizhub 4700P/4000P/3300P series is ideal for executive suites and small businesses with growing workloads as well as healthcare practices of all sizes.

This new series offers up to 50 ppm output in high-resolution B&W, fast warm-up/first-copy times, and 2,300-sheet maximum paper capacity, all in a compact, desktop-size design. In addition, the bizhub 4700P/4000P/3300P series can handle paper sizes up to 8-1/2” x 14” and weights from 16 lb. bond to 43 lb. cover stock. Along with 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution monochrome image quality, this series includes Konica Minolta’s standard print drivers, with a familiar interface for both Windows and Macintosh environments. Improvements in operating efficiency in the bizhub 4700P/4000P/3300P series helps reduce costs, including a special Eco-mode that minimizes power consumption, toner and paper use. In addition, a “hibernation” setting offers power consumption of as little as 1W of power when the printer is not in use.

For healthcare practices, the bizhub® 4700P/4000P/3300P Series offers seamless integration with the TypeHaus FormJet Prescription Secure solution to allow healthcare professionals to print patient prescriptions without the need for costly prescription forms, but with the security requirements mandated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Nuance Powers New Xerox ConnectKey Share to Cloud Solution 

April 16, 2013 – Nuance Communications, Inc., a provider of speech and imaging solutions, has  announced the Nuance Scan to Cloud server-less capture, conversion and document routing technology is powering the Xerox ConnectKey Share to Cloud solution. Nuance software enables users of the Xerox Extensible Interface Platform (EIP)-enabled multifunction printers (MFPs) to route scanned documents to a multitude of today’s most popular cloud services, including Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft SharePoint Online, Google Docs and Drive, Evernote, Dropbox, and Salesforce.com. Further, Xerox ConnectKey Share to Cloud leverages Nuance OmniPage OCR to provide industry-leading accuracy to convert scanned documents into editable formats such as Searchable PDF, Microsoft Word and Excel, and more.

The Nuance contribution to Xerox ConnectKey Share to Cloud builds on the close partnership between the two companies. Recently, Nuance was named the 2012 Xerox Office Partner of the Year, based on Nuance’s outstanding on-going integration activity with the latest Xerox product and software developer kit offerings. In providing the award, Xerox recognized Nuance for the company’s focus on global market and product portfolio expansion, excellent sales and marketing support, and its participation in several successful global sales opportunities.

Kodak to Sell Imaging Division to Brother Ltd. For $210M

April 15, 2013 – Eastman Kodak Co. (EKDKQ) has agreed to sell document-imaging assets to Japanese office-equipment company Brother Industries Ltd. for approximately $210 million. Any deal requires approval from the judge overseeing Rochester, New York-based Kodak’s bankruptcy case, the companies said in statements today. Nagoya, Japan-based Brother’s bid also assumes about $67 million of customer prepayment liabilities.

Kodak is selling businesses to shrink and fund its shift into commercial printing and packaging after seeking Chapter 11 protection in January 2012. CEO Antonio Perez in December sold some of Kodak’s digital-imaging patents for about $525 million, and is also looking for buyers for its consumer-film and photo-kiosks divisions and shuttering its consumer inkjet-printer unit. The deal would add Kodak scanners, image-capture software and technical services to Brother’s printers and fax machines. An auction with Brother as initial bidder, will be run after sales procedures are approved later this month, according to Kodak.

Supplies Network Announces Strategic Partnership with Compass Sales Solutions

April 11, 2013 – Supplies Network has announced a partnership with Compass Sales Solutions. This partnership offers mutual Supplies Network and Compass Sherpa customers the unique advantage to automatically import their consumables and costs into Compass’s new and enhanced Compass Sherpa MPS Price Book. No longer will the Compass administrator have to manually update and maintain their backend MPS price tables, as they can import all of their consumable supplies and costs directly from Supplies Network in just a few clicks. This not only helps the Compass administrator to always have current pricing loaded, but assures that their sales representatives always have the most accurate, complete, and competitive pricing available in the Printer Pricer tool to propose their MPS solutions, according to a Supplies Network press release. Through this real-time import, customers will also have access to qualified OEM price discounts as well. Along with this new functionality, customers will also find an enhanced interface that will allow an unprecedented web experience allowing the web to seamlessly share content between communities and applications.

Supplies Network customers interested in learning more should contact Sarah Custer, MPS Solutions Manager at (800) 775-5056 or custers@suppliesnetwork.com for more information.

Compass Sales Solutions Announces Strategic Partnership with SalesScoreKeeper

April 15, 2013 – Compass Sales Solutions has announced a new alliance with SalesScoreKeeper, a software design company specializing in the automation of the commission process to further enhance the Compass Sherpa product adding the feature of Commission Automation for their mutual customer base.

By using a new application in the Compass Sherpa Financials area, users can click a button and submit closed sales into the SalesScoreKeeper software and watch their deal flow through the commission process. In addition, SalesScoreKeeper can automate and keep track of annuities based (MPS) payment plans, even when tied to quota performance, as well as provide status information on incentive trips, office sales stack ranking and potential bonus by achieving reachable targets. And the advanced reporting features get you the information you need when you need it.

To learn more about the partnership and how to take advantage of Compass Sherpa and SalesScoreKeeper, contact sales@compasscontact.net.

Supplies Network Announces Strategic Partnership with Compass Sales Solutions

April 11, 2013 – Supplies Network has announced a partnership with Compass Sales Solutions. This partnership offers mutual Supplies Network and Compass Sherpa customers the unique advantage to automatically import their consumables and costs into Compass’s new and enhanced Compass Sherpa MPS Price Book. No longer will the Compass administrator have to manually update and maintain their backend MPS price tables, as they can import all of their consumable supplies and costs directly from Supplies Network in just a few clicks. This not only helps the Compass administrator to always have current pricing loaded, but assures that their sales representatives always have the most accurate, complete, and competitive pricing available in the Printer Pricer tool to propose their MPS solutions, according to a Supplies Network press release. Through this real-time import, customers will also have access to qualified OEM price discounts as well. Along with this new functionality, customers will also find an enhanced interface that will allow an unprecedented web experience allowing the web to seamlessly share content between communities and applications.

Supplies Network customers interested in learning more should contact Sarah Custer, MPS Solutions Manager at (800) 775-5056 or custers@suppliesnetwork.com for more information.

Muratec launches the MFX-3510 and MFX-3530

Muratec America, Inc. has announced the availability of two new A4 monochomre MFPs, the MFX-3510 and MFX-3530. The two new devices feature 37 ppm simplex output, 10 ppm duplex output, 80-sheet automatic document feeder, legal-size platen glass, 10/100 BaseT Ethernet port, local USB port, direct USB host port (print from/scan to USB flash drives), 512MB memory, 33.6 Kbps fax modem, and 600 x 600 dpi color scanner.

The MFX-3530 comes with a standard 80-sheet duplexing automatic document feeder (DADF) that enables two-sided color scanning in a single path. The MFX-3510 features a 5-line LCD display and one-touch fax / scan access from the control panel, while the MFX-3530 offers a 5.8-inch monochrome touch screen that can be fully customized to each user’s preference. Both units feature the “My MFP” mode, which enables each user to customize a single screen with the features they use most often, regardless of the mode in which the feature normally resides.

Both models ship with a standard paper capacity of 600 sheets, consisting of (1) 500-sheet paper cassette that can handle up to legal-size paper, as well as a 100-sheet multipurpose bypass tray that can handle letterhead, transparencies, envelopes and various other media. An additional 500-sheet paper cassette can be added to the MFX-3510 to bring the total paper capacity to 1,100-sheets. The MFX-3530 supports up to (3) additional paper cassettes for a maximum paper capacity of 2,100-sheets.

Muratec also offers a MFX-3530X model which includes the base unit, (3) additional paper cassettes and a small paper cassette.

Both units feature a 250-sheet output tray and can be outfitted with an optional 2-bin output tray to separate copy, fax and print job. The 2-bin tray can hold up to 150-sheets and is attached to the outside of the machine to offer easy access to documents. The MFX-3530 also supports

The MFX-3510 features an MSRP of $3,495. The MFX-3530 features an MSRP of $3,995, while the MFX-3530X features an MSRP of $5,895.

West Point Products Receives CompTIA Managed Print Trustmark

April 11, 2013 – West Point Products has announced that it has received the CompTIA Managed

Print Trustmark for its use of industry-accepted best practices of quality managed print service delivery and a high level of customer service in its Axess MPS suite of products and services.

First launched in 2009 and rooted in the company’s Axess MPS remote monitoring software, West Point Products’ Axess MPS has grown into the most complete suite of MPS products and services in the industry, according to the company. In the past year, the company has supplemented its remote monitoring capabilities with the Axess TCO Calculator and Proposal Generator, the Axess SalesPro training tool, technical support and service dispatch, and most recently Axess Express, a turn-key program targeted at dealers approaching the MPS market for the first time. In its short history, and due to its flexibility and ease of use, Axess has reportedly become one of the largest third-party MPS platforms in the industry.

The Trustmark was developed through the CompTIA Managed Print Services Community, which focuses on the creation of training and educational resources to improve the managed print services industry. The group was created to provide networking opportunities among thought leaders, develop managed print services specific programs and tools, and generate member-driven initiatives.

MWA Intelligence Announces Formation of Strategic SAP Business Unit

April 11, 2013 – MWA Intelligence (MWAi), an SAP Gold Partner and provider of enterprise-class Machine to Machine (M2M) and Machine to People (M2P) solutions has announced the formation of a Strategic SAP Business Unit in response to the overwhelming acceptance and support for the SAP Business One solution in the Imaging Channel.

The creation of the SAP Business Unit represents MWAi’s continued and growing commitment to providing the finest technology, support and partnering support for the Imaging Channel and its growing services offerings. MWAi is focused on the growth of our M2M business and Field Service/Mobile solutions while expanding upon the company’s existing SAP Business One offering that was launched in December, 2012. This is the next logical step in our SAP Business One growth and the SBU infrastructure will ensure high-quality delivery and continuous enhancement of the MWAi Services Platform enabled by SAP Business One. In addition, the SAP SBU brings further clarity to our significant investment in the growth of our team, as well as well as organizational clarity of purpose, mission and the individual responsibility.

“The creation of the new SAP Business Unit is a direct response to a dynamic marketplace and our ability to serve the needs of the dealers in the Imaging Channel with the best technology and support in the world,” says Michael T. Stramaglio, CEO and President of MWA Intelligence. “The dealers businesses are expanding and growing into new markets and opportunities, and it is our goal to encourage revenue and customer growth with new technologies and business models, providing the dealers with real time, actionable data the likes of which the industry has never seen before.”

The establishment of this business unit brings three important changes. First, the new organization will be led at the corporate level and will be interacting on a daily basis with SAP management, as well as our many other Technology United Partners. Second, the scope will expand beyond the MWAi Intelligent Service and Workforce solutions to address customer needs more broadly with a solution that empowers dealers to run their entire business with a single, Imaging Channel specific solution. And third, it will separate planning, development, sales and support of the current MWAi solutions to ensure continued development and evolution in the solutions that MWAi has been providing to the Imaging Channel for over twenty years.

The newly formed MWAi SAP Business Unit will deliver Office Technology and Imaging Channel businesses the ability to make smart decisions, improve future performance, and achieve long-term success with little financial or strategic risk. The all-encompassing MWAi Services Platform enabled by SAP Business One provides a complete, integrated business management solution that offers transparency and instant visibility into operations. The solution helps companies to better unify, manage and control their entire business across financials, sales, customers and operations while eliminating redundant data entries and errors at the same time. The solution not only provides immediate results in operating efficiency and real-time business decisions, but also comes with an affordable price tag. The affordable SAP Business One application is designed for those businesses that recognize the importance of leveraging business software as an integral component of their business growth strategy.

Katun Color Toners Produce 25-Billion Pages

April 9, 2013 – Katun Corporation, a provider of OEM-compatible supplies for office imaging equipment, has announced the achievement of a significant milestone: 25-billion color pages have been produced using Katun and Media Sciences brand color toners. The announcement kicked off of a customer appreciation campaign which was launched with a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal. In the ad, Katun President and CEO Todd Mavis thanked customers, suppliers and employees for their pivotal contributions in helping the company reach this important achievement. Katun anticipates reaching two other milestones in 2013, including $3 billion in customer savings and one trillion pages produced (combining color and monochrome output).

According to Mavis, “we estimate that the office imaging equipment our dealers and distributors sell and service worldwide  have produced more than 25 billion color pages using Katun® and Media Sciences® toners. This is a significant achievement, and we want to publicly acknowledge the people responsible for helping us reach this important milestone.”

All Covered Acquires IT Services Practice of United Computer Sales and Service

April 9, 2013 – All Covered, a division of Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., has announced that United Computer Sales and Service, a leading provider of IT, security and compliance services headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, has joined All Covered. With the addition of United Computer, All Covered significantly expands its vertical expertise and brings on board a talented group of IT Services professionals that understand the technology demands facing financial services and local government organizations.

“United Computer’s expertise in helping financial institutions and municipal governments meet today’s IT, security and compliance challenges align with Konica Minolta’s current growth strategy to expand its EnvisionIT services and solutions portfolio into these key vertical markets,” says Todd Croteau, president of All Covered. “United Computer’s employees are experts in their field, holding multiple certifications in IT, audit, security, governance and risk management. Their in-depth knowledge provides us with a competitive advantage and allows us to provide comprehensive IT Services and solutions designed for a customer’s specific industry requirements.”

Konica Minolta’s EnvisionIT portfolio of solutions assists customers in “envisioning” how they can work smarter and more efficiently with integrated workflow solutions designed and supported by Konica Minolta. This consists of Managed Print Services, IT Services, integrated vertical solutions, professional services, hardware and support under a single platform.

Servicing the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland markets, United Computer has been providing quality services and integrated solutions since 1983. The IT Services provided by United Computer include remote call center support, software and data communications, network design and implementation, disaster recovery, as well as a suite of IT security, audit and compliance services.

Compass Sales Solutions Announces New Features to be Released at ITEX 2013!

April, 8, 2013 – Compass Sales Solutions, a provider of sales opportunity management software, has announced the list of new features and enhancements they will be showing at ITEX in Las Vegas, NV April 16-18 at booth #609.

Newly released enhancements include:

• Sherpa Navigator – A data mining tool that allows dealers to quickly and easily mine their Sherpa and ERP databases for critical information that otherwise might go unnoticed.  Throughout Compass Sherpa and your ERP system you can virtually combine any available fields to uncover opportunities by pulling data, or custom lists, of customer information.  You can then export these lists to Excel and create customized frequently used lists and assign them to Compass Sherpa users.
• TCO Updater – Compass Sherpa has almost 7,000 devices loaded into its TCO calculator allowing you to do accurate assessments on printers and MFPs.  We continually update this with current costs for consumables as well and speeds, introduction dates, and other equipment data.  Now you can update your TCO list at anytime using the user friendly TCO Updater tool.
• Outlook Integration – With the newly enhanced Microsoft Outlook integration, not only can you send emails, contact and calendar appointments through Compass into Outlook, but you can have Sherpa automatically send emails and updated calendar appointments into Outlook without having to do a thing.
• SalesScoreKeeper Module – We are happy to be partnered with SalesScoreKeeper, a software design and development company specializing in automation of the commission process for business-to-business sales companies. Now submit your closed sales directly through Compass Sherpa and let SalesScoreKeeper do the work on your Commissions.
• Evolved Office Module – Customize proposals to show exactly the information you want with Evolved Office.   Configure and price out your equipment through Compass Sherpa and the Evolved Office tool will allow you to choose images, specs, and other equipment information to add into your proposal, specific to your solution.
• Supplies Network Import – Mutual Customers can now do a live import their MPS supply pricing directly from Supplies Network, as well as import from Excel.  Keep your MPS pricing up to date quickly and easily and put more profit into your MPS sales.
• SherpaWeb – SherpaWeb is an entirely Web-based product of Compass Sherpa.  Starting with CRM, Compass is developing the same look and feel of the Compass Sherpa you use in the office, but entirely Web based.
• Design Reports – Now Compass can create custom TCO reports, MPS and Executive Summary proposals and other reports for our customers, customized with not only your logo, but company information and anything else that will make you stand out from the competition.

MPSA Announces Three New Categories for 2013 MPSA Leadership Awards

March 18, 2013 – The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) has announced three new categories for its upcoming 2013 MPSA Leadership Awards. This means that this year, there is a total of 10 categories of excellence in which various companies involved in MPS may be nominated and awarded – up from seven categories last year.

The 2013 MPSA Leadership Awards categories are as follows (new categories are underlined):

• Best MPS Innovation
• Direct Managed Print Services Provider
• Direct Managed Print Services Plus Provider
• Independent Managed Print Services Provider
• Independent Managed Print Services Plus Provider
• Managed Print Services Infrastructure Provider
• Professional Services Provider
• End User (Buyer of MPS)
• Software Provider
• Regional Managed Print Services Provider

One exciting new award category – “Best MPS Innovation” – was added to highlight advances made in MPS this past year. “We wanted something to create some splash about new innovations in this industry, and we wanted to recognize those who are leading the industry with new ideas,” says MPSA President Greg Walters.

In order to allow organizations providing core MPS services as well as those that go beyond traditional MPS to be recognized, the MPSA divided the Direct and Indirect (now called “Independent”) MPS Provider categories into four distinct categories with two levels each. There is one level for organizations that provide core MPS services and then a “Plus” level for those that go beyond MPS into areas such as document management and workflow. MPSA Standards Committee Chair Ron Alphin said this new structure helps recognize areas where the industry has evolved: “This will allow the wide range of organizations that provide MPS services – from core to more advanced services – to be recognized equally by the MPSA.”

Finally, the category formerly known as “Independent MSP” was further clarified this year, and the name was changed to “Managed Print Services Infrastructure Provider.”

The nomination and voting periods for the MPSA Leadership Awards will open on April 2, 2013, through the MPSA website (www.yourmpsa.org). The MPSA Awards reception (and board meeting) will be co-located with CompTIA ChannelCon, taking place at the Peabody Orlando Hotel in Orlando, Florida, July 29-31. Both MPSA board meeting and awards reception attendance includes a free CompTIA ChannelCon registration, which can be obtained by visiting http://www.CompTIA.org/channelcon and using the MPSA’s priority registration code, which will be announced shortly; it is recommended that MPSA members wait for the code to take advantage of this special offer. Additional information about nomination processes and voting is forthcoming.

Xerox’s New Program Rewards Customers for Purchasing Genuine Supplies

April 8, 2013 – Xerox’s new loyalty program that lets customers redeem points for gift cards, downloadable music, movies, books, travel, Xerox equipment and more when purchasing genuine Xerox supplies. According to a Xerox press announcement, Genuine Xerox Rewards – with more than three million items to choose from – is the first of its kind for this industry. Beyond the opportunity to enjoy the program’s rewards package, the program validates the authenticity of the products, letting customers know they are purchasing genuine supplies, not counterfeit items.

The program rewards customers using authentic Xerox solid ink and toner products for their desktop single and multifunction printers. Customers immediately earn 1,000 points for enrolling in the program, one point for every dollar spent on Xerox supplies and an additional 100 points for each eligible device registered.

Recognizing the different supply needs and purchasing requirements of customers, Genuine Xerox Rewards offers the following:

• Points can be accumulated no      matter how supplies are purchased, including from Xerox partners,      resellers, retail stores or eCommerce websites.
• Incentives can be redeemed with      even small point balances.
• Rewards can be directed as      gifts to family and friends or as charitable donations.
• Extra points can be garnered      when customers participate in other activities on the rewards Website.
• Points do not expire as long as      users remain active in the program.

For more information about Genuine Xerox Rewards, visit www.xerox.com/rewards.

EverBank Commercial Finance Bolsters Sales Team with Addition of Jody Salino

April 2, 2013 – EverBank Commercial Finance, Inc. has announced Jody Salino has joined EverBank Commercial Finance as the Office Products Sales Director for the firm’s Western region. Salino will report directly to Fred Carollo, general manager of Office Products at EverBank Commercial Finance. He will be based in California.

A 20-year veteran of the office products sector, Salino joins EverBank Commercial Finance from De Lage Landen (DLL) Financial Services, where he most recently served as director of sales for the firm’s Middle Market Office Technology group. During his time as Director, Salino was responsible for implementing the firm’s Middle Market growth strategy, a sales strategy that led to precipitous growth for the group. Prior to his tenure with DLL, Salino also spent time at Cisco Systems Capital, where he served as U.S. sales and marketing manager.

Nuance Offers MPS Webinar

April 3, 2013 – A free Webinar series organized by Nuance Communications, Inc., a leading provider of speech and imaging solutions, and The Imaging Channel will examine how providers can develop and bring to market MPS strategies that improve customer retention, differentiate them from competitors and increase profits.

In total, there are three planned Webinars directed to MPS providers looking to develop profitable MPS business models. The initial session – called “Productivity: The Real MPS Value Proposition” – takes place on April 11, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. ET. To register and to view the entire series, please visit: http://bit.ly/WTtejj.

The expert presenter in the Webinar series is Robert Palmer, an independent market analyst and consultant. With more than 20 years of experience in the printing industry, Palmer has covered technology and business sectors for prominent market research firms such as Lyra Research and InfoTrends. He was managing editor for the Hard Copy Observer for six years and more recently served as director of office document services for Photizo Group.

“With reducing expenses a top business priority, organizations of all sizes are moving toward managed print services as a means to reduce output costs. This webinar series will explore strategies for MPS engagements that can help service providers meet their customer demands while increasing contract revenues and avoiding the commoditization of MPS,” said Mr. Palmer.

TROY Group names Supplies Network Distributor of the Year

March 28, 2013 – TROY Group, a provider of on-demand security printing solutions, has named Supplies Network as TROY Distributor of the Year. Supplies Network experienced the highest sales growth rate of any TROY distribution partner in 2012, showcasing an outstanding, industry-leading partner program. Supplies Network is the largest privately owned wholesaler of IT consumables in the U.S. The TROY line of printers and toners offers a variety of options for any business that requires a secure printing environment. TROY MICR printers and TROY MICR toner are available for small to medium sized businesses and large, multi-location enterprise printing applications.

FlexPrint, Inc. Sponsors La Frontera Arizona’s Inaugural “Extreme EMPACT” Event

March 28, 2013 – FlexPrint Inc., a provider of managed print and IT solutions, has announced that they were a key sponsor of the 2013 Extreme EMPACT Celebration held last month inside the FlexPrint Club at US Airways Center. This was a spectacular event that helped raise awareness for the importance of creating a mentally healthy community, highlighting what each of us can do as parents, siblings, friends and co-workers to fight depression, end loneliness and prevent suicide. In addition, information about how the staff of La Frontera-EMPACT SPC work tirelessly each day to help and support those in crisis and who have lost a loved one to suicide was provided to attendees. Over 700 La Frontera employees and 40 VIP Guests attended the event and enjoyed a Phoenix Suns game afterwards.

Supplies Network Launches Training Video Services for Managed Print Portal

March 26, 2013 – Supplies Network, a provider of MPS, hardware, and IT consumables has announced their new exclusive training video series for MyPrinterManager.com. MyPrinterManager.com is Supplies Network’s online portal where, with the click of a button, dealers can view everything they need to know about their customer’s print environment. This portal gives dealers the ability to utilize features like the Dealer Customer Dashboard, a sales funnel tool listing details and status on all active contracts and prospect opportunities, view all devices under management with current supply levels and tracking of upcoming and previous shipments as well as manage service tickets and CPI invoicing. The site also provides a highly functional on-demand Executive Summary Report; an exclusive feature that facilitates customer reviews, allowing dealers to input actionable data and reporting about their customer’s print environment.

This online portal now offers training videos specifically for dealers to educate and refresh their knowledge of the services and reports provided on MyPrinterManager.com. These educational videos allow seamless, on-demand training for any current dealers as well as any new sales representatives. Along with the educational videos developed for dealers, Supplies Network also created versions of the videos targeted toward their customers. These videos can be uploaded to the dealer’s website and/or emailed to their customers. To learn more about MyPrinterManager.com, call a Supplies Network MPS Solutions Advisor at (800) 775-5056.