Preston Woolfolk
Co-President
DOCUmation
He may still be on the smiling side of 30 years of age, but one might argue that Preston Woolfolk is an old soul. The co-president of DOCUmation has logged a lot of industry miles in a relatively short period of time, but perhaps the true reason for his “old soul” moniker probably lies in his and the company’s role as a provision for the 130 employees that bring life to the company.
It’s not that Woolfolk lacks a passion or the drive to make DOCUmation a regional or national powerhouse. He is just mindful of the role his San Antonio, TX-based firm plays in the lives of its employees.
“I really enjoy our company purpose of being the provision for our employees,” said Woolfolk, a 2018 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “With 130 employees, that means we roughly impact 520 people (figuring for a family of four). It’s not just a job, it’s truly the ability to take care of generations and provide a future for them.”
Woolfolk represents the third generation of a family that has been a part of the industry since 1956. In fact, Woolfolk notes that his grandfather, Lou Scantland, is credited with opening the first independent copier dealership and creating the cost-per-copy model.
Woolfolk’s industry indoctrination began in his early years, working summers in the DOCUmation warehouse. He made perhaps his greatest impact during his early 20s, when in 2011 he led the dealership’s charge into managed IT. At the age of 28, he became co-president of DOCUmation, working alongside his brother, Hunter, in the leadership role.
Growth Spike
DOCUmation enjoyed a 16 percent growth in sales during Woolfolk’s first year in the captain’s chair, while its IT division scored a 25 percent increase to almost $3 million in sales. He credits Scantland and his own father, Scott, for providing the blueprint for success.
“My grandfather has always said, ‘Sell as much as you can, manage your expenses and take care of our employees. They’re the easiest three things to do to be successful,’” Woolfolk noted. “My father is more sales-oriented and he’s always been able to impart a laser-like focus into ‘selling your way out of the problem.’ He’s the best reminder to focus sales first and everything else is taken care of.”
Woolfolk credits DOCUmation’s leadership team in leading the company through a difficult transition in 2017 and 2018. Like the co-president himself, the team kept its focus on taking care of their employees while logging a heavy workload to ensure a smooth transition.
Pivoting to 2019, the dealer’s main goals are to continue expanding its footprint in the Lone Star State while growing its IT and software business. “We want to be well diversified by 2022 and make sure we are continuously viewed as a technology company,” Woolfolk said.
Service Excellence
Woolfolk has spoken during a number of industry conferences on the challenges dealers are confronted with in transitioning from a traditional copier dealership to a business technology provider. Keeping pace with the evolving needs of the customer remains a high priority for Woolfolk.
“I believe we can continuously provide better service,” he added. “We have a large customer base and that is always hard to keep up with the changes in their companies. Our goal is to take customer care to the next level.”
Away from the office, Woolfolk enjoys the snow and going snowboarding, although he lives at least 12 hours from the mountains. Preston and his wife, Julie, are the parents of two boys, Kit and Finn.
