ITEX 2015: Copierville is a Fireball

"Everything dies baby that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back" - BS

"Mr. Worldwide to infinity
You know the roof on fire..." - Pit

This year's ITEX show was one of the more interesting versions.   Fewer attendees?  I don't know the numbers, but maybe.

Was business conducted?  Yes.  Was the location right?  Yes.  Did the sessions stir thought and impart ideas? Yes.

Was it obvious that Managed print services as an offering, is waning. Yup.

This time around, I was fortunate to help the good people at ITEX  document the show through video.  If you were there, you probably some guy walking around with a mic and a video guys in tow - asking all the 'tough' questions.

I talked with many and worked the floor an entire day - booth to booth, person to person - and in those travels, I was able to glean some interesting thoughts and hear directly how some in the industry feel the niche is transforming.

Change is constant, here are some of my observations

1. Less toner focus but the big guys are marketing.
2. IT services providers are solid with an entire row dedicated to managed services
3. New Hardware announcements and products were on parade but it just doesn't matter and that's a good thing.  Consumers of devices care less about logo's and ink versus toner than we.  

Conclusion:

The ubiquity of Managed print services is about as exciting as wallpaper.

If you're truly ready to venture out into the IT realm, Mps is your gateway. Connectivity, conversations with IT departments and relieving them of a headache issue, are all part and parcel of a visionary Mps.

Companies like PrintFleet(Artificial Intelligence), Print Audit(Per Seat billing), MWAi(real, copier based accounting systems) and AVG(flexible, proven, managed services offering) offers opportunities beyond the pubescent toner and machine management.

There are dealers making the visionary decisions and moving beyond OEM, MPS, and quotas

"We love the show, this is our second time and we are definitely coming back next year..."

Every show attracts criticism - it is a tradition. This year, the negative observations say less about show content, venue and PowerHours and more about the niche.  Our relatively small industry is contracting not expanding - the most revered and longest running conference(Itex) is reflecting these changes, not projecting: another Sign.

Itex will be back next year at the same venue, but will copiers survive beyond 2016? Sure, of course.  At this very moment, somebody, somewhere is manufacturing and selling buggy whips.