Like the swallows return to San Juan Capistrano or people complaining about Oscar nomination snubs, there are a few things we can count on every year. Here at ENX Magazine, we’ve done our part to bring continuity to your lives, be it through the Difference Makers program each spring or the Elite Dealers catalog to put a ribbon on the year’s end.
For the past few years, our annual trends and predictions issue (the print edition and subsequent newsletter articles) concludes with the unveiling of the “sleeper trends,” which asks our panelists to take a deep dive into those developments that may be farther out on the horizon, yet still bear watching as we embark on a new year. It’s a fun exercise in speculation, tracking some of the wider developments (such as electric vehicles and AI) that are evolving and projecting how they might ultimately present themselves for our intents and purposes.
Socrates once uttered, “I only know that I know nothing.” Not that we would ever win an argument with a Greek philosopher, but every now and then it’s good to take your clairvoyance out for a spin. Sleeper trends are only predictions that put you out on a limb, but thankfully, there’s no accountability here. One could say that robot technicians are in the future, addressing the industry’s age-old problem of age-old techs. But how far down the line is it—one year, three years, 20 years? No one knows for sure, which is how we can get away with bold statements.
Anyway, we have a lot of ground to cover. Thank you to all who participated in this fun little exercise. If you offered a wildly speculative “sleeper trend” that comes true 10 years from now, you can search for your prediction on our website, and use it to brag about your prescient industry knowledge and perspective. If it doesn’t come true…no one will remember or care, right? Without further ado:
Sean Bell, president, Solutions YES
“I’m concerned with our industries dependence on China. If we had different product lines, I’d be concerned with representing manufacturers that aren’t strong financially.”
Bob Madaio, vice president, marketing, Sharp
“A worldwide trend that is still waking up in our industry is AI. Of course, AI is transforming technology in areas such as cybersecurity, marketing, technology development, etc., but there’s an opportunity that the early work to use AI to speed or improve machine servicing might offer a path forward for a service community that has more folks near retirement than near college graduation. Having self-diagnosis and problem solving on machines, or AI-assisted service calls, offers an opportunity to dramatically change the service landscape in our industry, a change that might be just what the ‘service tech’ ordered.”
Patrick Layton, vice president of managed IT, Impact Networking
“AI, and governance around AI is the challenge. Use cases are finally starting to be vetted out where you can implement AI and get a return on your investment. Tying in with our earlier point, AI is part of managed digital transformation (MDX). Less than 22% of businesses have a true digital transformation plan. I think you will continue to see that grow because businesses will be forced into it.
“Also, A/V technology is just now getting to a point where it can be managed and the provider can know when the technology is not working, like other network technology. With previous A/V technology, we had to wait to be told a product wasn’t working. With the return to the office, most companies are upgrading their A/V.”
Laura Blackmer, president, dealer sales, Konica Minolta
“More training will be necessary to develop the seller of the future. We have figured out the millennials, now come the Gen Zs, and we are probably not ready for them in the workplace. It will be about leveraging technology in order to better support Gen Z and the way they expect to work, i.e., Gen Z will not expect to have to perform many of the tasks handled manually today that AI can actually do for them.
“From a product standpoint, the packaging market will continue to explode, with the print so easily available off the shelf. It’s environmentally friendly and will change the way retailers operate when it comes to offering product. Many dealers might not yet realize the huge opportunity this presents for them moving forward.”
Dan Larkin, solutions sales director, Marco
“Along with helping customers meet their own print security requirements, most dealers are probably aware they’re going to have to work harder to meet vendor due diligence requirements moving forward.
“Proving that you’re safe to do business with won’t just impact your ability to win new business, it will also be critical in keeping existing customers. And while this trend has been ramping up for some time, expect it to dramatically accelerate in coming years.”
Fernando Maroniene, senior director of product marketing, Brother International
“Dealers should keep a close eye on their own productivity, which is often overlooked. By reducing complexity and easing workflows for a seamless customer experience, dealers will make their operations leaner and more efficient. Additionally, as print volumes decline, dealers may have trouble keeping up with the changing market needs, so dealers should continuously invest in new technologies, processes, and people, for an optimal transformation, especially as digital transformation continues to be a focus in the new year.”
Carter Hertzberg, president, Nauticon Office Solutions
“One word (well two letters actually): AI. I’m not smart enough to know what the consequences will be, but I will dedicate some time in 2024 working to understand the opportunities and threats that AI and associated products/services present to our industry.”
Steven Sauer, CRO, Toshiba
“Ambient computing/wearables. There will be opportunities for OEMs to improve how users authenticate with MFPs through phones, smart watches etc. They can provide greater security and convenience. May not be a revolutionary change but a potential improvement in user experience.”
Chip Miceli, CEO, Pulse Technology
“Robotics will be big and may be a true sleeper trend. While many dealerships may not think they have the need for robotics at this point, we are all looking for ways to expand our offerings. One of our new offerings within our Office Product Division over our ecommerce site is janitorial products. We have found a strong demand for the products. I just returned from a conference which featured janitorial products, and was very impressed with the robotic products on display. One of them can be programmed to clean floors at night, and can recharge itself and restock with soap and water without needing human assistance. These machines may become part of our offering for our office supply clients, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Robotics could play a big role in many aspects of the work we do in this industry, including taking over some of the day to day functions now requiring human assistance. Imagine robots able to move around equipment, and fold, sort, stuff and seal mailing envelopes. With robotics taking over some of the functions that humans do, it will free up their time to concentrate on bigger tasks. 2024 may be the year that robotics first becomes part of the office technology industry, but in the years afterward it may well become mainstream.”
Jennifer Healy, senior director, marketing strategy, communications, programs and enablement, dealer and partner channel, Ricoh USA
“First, as digital print production demand grows in industries, such as state and local governments, dealers need to invest in resources or partner with their manufacturer to address this anticipated demand. Finally, we will see a big shift in the workforce in the industry and with our customers. We need to effectively engage with the future workforce who prioritize diversity, purpose driven work, sustainability potential impact, and healthy corporate culture in their jobs. This new workforce will drive new buying behaviors inside businesses as well as assist with the way we go to market inside our companies.”
Ray Belanger, president, Bay Copy
“There will be a stronger focus on environmental issues as relates to our industry. We’ve seen some of this on the West Coast. But with millennials getting into our industry, climate and the environment will be key issues and we may see dealerships emphasizing conservation particularly where MPS and other services are involved.”
Mitch Leahy, vice president and managing director of sales, GreatAmerica Financial Services
“Dealers have expressed concern about upgrading contracts with lower contracted base service included. Time will reveal the long-term impact on channel service revenues. Though the impact on hardware revenue may be positive, impacts to future recurring revenue and overall business valuation should be monitored. Net-new business will likely take high priority in 2024-25 as a result. Additionally, dealers will continue to work smarter using data analytics to make more informed decisions in all areas of their business.”
Jay Cartisano, president, Prosource
“Artificial intelligence is certainly not a sleeper trend; however, I don’t think that we as an industry have fully figured out how to effectively incorporate AI into our businesses. How can we use AI to support our efforts and bring even better value to our customers through our products and service offerings? There will be consequences down the road, so we need to be preparing now.”
