This week we present another group of 2013 Elite Dealers. When these awards were first presented by that other publication I worked for in 1988, the dealers honored as Elite Dealers that sold office technology could best be described as copier dealers. Today, most of our Elite Dealers are much more than copier dealers, selling an array of services and solutions in addition to hardware. It’s an inevitable path if you want to stay in business, especially in the major markets these days.
I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. I’m just saying the Elite Dealer profiles I’m running over the next few weeks underscore how the industry has changed since 1988. Plenty of dealers have figured that out and so have the OEMs even if they can’t help themselves and still push their dealers to move boxes. Not saying that’s wrong, just saying that’s old school, like 1988.
As you read these profiles you’ll see how the industry has changed and how the profile of what was once a copier dealer has changed. They may look the same, but brother, they aren’t just selling the same old, same old that they were selling in 1988. Take Impact Networking in Waukegan, IL, one of the Elite Dealers we’re profiling this week. They, like many other dealerships have re-positioned themselves as a Total Document Solutions Provider. Don’t think for a second that’s a fancy name for a copier dealer or some marketing mumbo jumbo. It’s what they do and what so many of our Elite Dealers are doing today.
Thanks for reading.
