There is no (Artificial) Intelligence in Office Technology Today.
Is Artificial Intelligence helping copier dealers increase sales, decrease costs and grow profits? Today? Right now?
No.
Here's the deal:
Everyone is looking for that ‘Killer AI App” – they are
looking at it wrong.
Everyone thinks AI is a great tool for marketing – they are
thinking wrong.
Everyone is biased toward AI regulations – their bias is
misplaced.
There isn’t going to be an “AI Killer AP” because Artificial
Intelligence IS the killer app.
Sure, Ai can generate reams of well structure, grammatically correct, and coherent copy - much like any newspaper up until 1988 - for a fraction of the human cost. And yes, branded images, logos, videos and voice overs are a few clicks away from fruition. But in the end, organic writing will prevail as Ai will level the playing field, making us all the best writers and artists, money can buy.*
We are in the explorer phase of the journey, like da Gamma, Columbus and Luis and Clark. Regulation, guidelines and laws will need to wait until the pioneers and settlers arrive. For now, we are making up behaviors as we go. Any attempt to reign in the fury will only frustrate and irritate our efforts, and stifle innovation. Besides, rules and regs on Ai at this point will not work they will only separate the sheep from the rebels - possibly turning heroes into pariahs.
On LinkedIn of all places, a post went on about making 'climate deniers' criminal based an article written by, Steven Day at commondreams.org:
"If you’re a reasonably young person who is opposing measures to address climate change for reasons of financial or political gain, be afraid. Be very afraid.
Largely out of public view, there is a growing advocacy for treating certain forms of climate change denial as a crime."
Is the author threatening? a Criminal act? Like purchasing a gas burning car, or the wrong type of lightbulbs? Or how about saying out loud, "I'm not convinced that climate change is my fault. Why don't these climate crimes apply in China, India or Africa?"
State of Fear?
We should fear the enforcing body that would inflict these laws. It would be a
"centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition..."
And then there is this, also from the article:
"No one would argue that every MAGA loudmouth shouting in a tavern that climate change is a hoax should be hauled to The Hague for trial."
REALLY? Political, much?
"...climate change denial as a crime..." wow.
Bill of Rights? Constitution? This could be one of the most dangerous opinions to ever hit the press in the last decade.
So of course, I asked the Ai in the Sky to write an essay on making climate deniers criminals utilizing the sourced article as research.
Did you know that back in 2009, the term 'managed print services' was met with outright disdain? Dealers and OEMs would exclaim, 'Shrink the fleet to reduce costs? That's heresy in a world built on selling copiers!' Fast forward to today, and we're on the cusp of another paradigm and the most significant shift—this time, powered by Artificial Intelligence.
As Andrew Ng, co-founder of Google Brain and a leading voice in AI, puts it, 'AI is the new electricity.' Just as electricity transformed numerous industries over a century ago, AI is poised to do the same today.
So, is AI merely the new MpS, or is it something far more transformative?
Mckinsey: $4.4T of value added world-wide annually
80% of all jobs are subject to being enhanced by Generative AI
In just the last year, a staggering 400 AI start-ups have emerged, gobbling up an eye-watering $24.6 billion in investment. Source: Visual Capitalist
__________
For the last six months,I've been using Artificial Intelligence (AI)in the form of a Large Language Model (LLM) every single day - cutting edge. More like bleeding edge.
Sidebar: AI will first eliminate Purchasing Agents.
Greg's Words:
One day, much sooner than you can imagine, your past prospects will incorporate an AI Agent to help them, "...optimize their existing business processes and workflows..."
One day, much sooner than you can imagine, your past prospects will build their own "...trusted advisor..."
One day, much sooner than you can imagine, your prospects will revel in experiencing sales without ever speaking to or meeting with You.
One day, much sooner than you can imagine, organizations that build technology solutions, hardware, software, consulting and advisory services will incorporate an AI Agent to communicate and manage, "...the customer experience and selling journey..."
One day, much sooner than you can imagine, providers of IT and Office Technology will have a team of AI Selling Professionals who work 24/7, never get sick, never get emotional, and exceed quota, every single month.
Over time, quotas will go the way of the typewriter.
Out with the old, in with the AI: Copier sales just got a techy upgrade
In the ever-evolving world of copier sales, the digital age and AI are reshaping how we approach our prospects. Dive into how these changes are impacting the industry and what it means for the future of sales.
Executive Bullet Points:
The digital age has transformed prospects from passive recipients to active participants, conducting their own product assessments.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing copier sales, offering real-time insights, and enhancing sales strategies.
Modern sales training must evolve, focusing on experiential selling and leveraging AI to meet the needs of informed customers
- by James T. Kirk, Captain of Starship Enterprise
Navigate the Universe of Copier Sales - Propel Your Sales Career to Stellar Heights
Stardate 9678.3.
Over a glass of Saurian brandy in the lounge of the starship Enterprise, I found myself engaged in lively discourse with a few dealers and sales personnel about the current trajectory of sales and trading across this vast quadrant of space.
"...they(your prospects) entrusted me with the responsibility to generate a scope document, examine vendor proposals, participate in sales conferences, provide feedback on candidates, and oversee the implementation of the chosen solution..."
It was like a temporal loop - similar conversations had taken place light years before.
For more than a decade, I have been heralding change, echoing through the cosmos to dealers and original equipment manufacturers about the course ahead. It isn't about creating patterns of light on a page, or the latest software from the Daystrom Institute. The route to successful selling lies in the wisdom of our ancestors:
AI: Because who doesn't love a side of existential dread with their efficiency?
Greg's Words
I'm sure you're not as immersed as I am in the whole AI/ChatGPT thing. I'm also confident my friends, family, and some colleagues are getting sick of me talking about AI, Nvidia, Microsoft, OpenAI, Musk, the commercial real estate bubble, dying cities, the fear of covid, digitized workflow, and artificial intelligence.
So be it.
I talk with business owners, end-users, and OEMs in many different industries - from manufacturing to CBE - and I've noticed a dichotomy in AI knowledge; either somebody knows a great deal or absolutely nothing about how AI helps companies reduce costs, grow sales and increase profits.
And that's okay.
Sure, with a bit of study, the current AI can help marketing, service, and sales digest and create proposals and correspondence, interface with customers, and produce expert-level, acumen-based content for your professional sales team. All of this impacts the cost side of the equation.
It is too early for an Office Technology provider to bring anything to market besides knowledge and advice gleaned from using AI. As far as a resellable service, or MRR SaaS model, there are no SKUs and very few experts. Yet, at the current pace of innovation, it won't be long.
Some of the "fog" around an AI-based product to Office Technology includes ethical questions we typically haven't had to face.
It would be normally prudent to suggest that bringing AI to your existing copier customers is five years away. From the historic view, you would be correct to think this, but this isn't normal, we aren't normal, we left Normalville about four years ago. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few AI systems in beta or ready to sell by year's end; say Q1, 2024.
The clock is running, and time is the fire we all burn in, for now, feast upon a conglomeration of articles about AI, languages, and the end of the world.
Enjoy.
Executive Summary:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making tremendous strides in streamlining global communication and enhancing productivity in sectors like manufacturing, bringing forth unparalleled time-saving benefits.
As we embrace AI's advancements, we're also faced with significant ethical concerns, notably regarding AI datasets and accountability, as well as the chilling possibility of a 'runaway AI' scenario.
Recognizing and balancing these dual aspects of AI – its transformative potential and its ethical and existential risks – is important as we navigate the era of AI.
"ADTs (Automated Decision Tools) are making impactful decisions now,” said Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan.
Greg's Words
Hold the phone. "Full Stop"(I hate that phrase). Pump the breaks. The Assemblymember is referring to artificial Intelligence tools and is worried that these tools will produce outcomes that are "...equitable for all.”
This is one reason why I am calling for AI Anαrchy
Who are the arbitrators of 'equitable'? Hiding behind the therory of AI bias, or what the bill calls, "Algorithmic discrimination", these lawmakers are actually forcing a bias that may not have been in existence in the first place.
This is just the beginning. AI is evolving by the hour and it doesn't care about legislation. What is important, and has always been central to technological advances, is how we humans utilize this new tool.
It is up to us and history tells a story - from Fire to Nukes. Time will tell.
Check out this quick summary of the Bloomberg story.
Key highlights:
California introduces a sweeping bill to monitor AI usage by employers and industries.
The legislation targets discrimination in various sectors, including employment, education, and healthcare.
Businesses are concerned about potential compliance issues and financial penalties, fearing a chilling effect on innovation.
ChatGPT: Putting the 'Artificial' in 'Artificially Intelligent Salespeople
Greg' Words
I cannot stress enough how important AI, and specifically today, how important it is that you as a salesperson needs to get to know AI tools and start using each one that becomes available. When used correctly, you will discover benefits beyond comprehension. The one caution I have is to notice when your peers get to the same level as you in AI experience. When they do, shift and pivot in another direction.
Today, we can use ChatGPT to compose emails based on our input, put together proposals with the data we supply, and research everything from a specific company, niche, industry, or economic region. What had once taken us weeks, can be done in hours, the hourly task now finishes in seconds. That is the reality today, who knows what is over the horizon.
We've put together a work that discusses the existing state of ChatGPT in the world of sales for you to digest.
Are you a copier salesperson looking to boost your sales and enhance your client engagement?
Join us for an exclusive online session on Thursday, April 6 at 11:00 AM EST, where we will reveal how to harness the power of ChatGPT to revolutionize your copier, document management, and IT services sales strategy. Discover how this advanced AI tool can help you craft personalized and compelling content, generate insightful findings documents, and proposals, and create engaging email campaigns that will captivate your prospects and clients.
If "Where there is Mystery there is Margin" is your catchphrase, you deserve what's coming.
I just read a blood-curdling article that was not intended for our industry. The story was not penned by one of our beloved industry writers or curators. It wasn't birthed by any resident bloviator or hired shrill.
By all accounts, the tome is innocuous, if not boring. There exists between the ink or pixels, an ominous report for those of us residing in the realm of fire and static, of paper and notions; "The End is Near."
Through the haze that is the fear of Covid, the desperation of supply chains, and the illumination of a purpose beyond the cubicle, copiers prevailed. Even with the fall of private equity, commercial real estate, and an unhealthy dose of self-loathing, dealers remained. They stood.
That was then, this is now.
No degree of strategy, tactics, or blind luck will save us now. Artificial intelligence will render the document's annihilation - and with it, an industry.
"Microsoft’s new Copilot will change Office documents forever"
should scare the shit out of every single person in the Office Technology Realm. OEMs from NJ to Japan are quaking or swimming the sweet River of Bliss.
The Event Horizon is passed, Gravity has us all now. It's a matter of hours.
The office imaging industry is facing new challenges due to global supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic. However, the return to office work and the hybrid work model has helped restore some of the lost page volumes and created new hardware placement opportunities.
To remain successful, printing industry dealers must explore ways to offset declining print volume and look for new hardware placement opportunities. They should offer a broad portfolio of reliable, low-maintenance print solutions that cater to end users' needs, ranging from entry-level to light-production-level devices. End users value a good experience with their print and copy devices, as well as reliability and low maintenance requirements.
In this document, we will discuss a proposed MPS S1 Engagement and its benefits. This engagement aims to improve the current printing infrastructure and bring cost savings to the organization.
"What's old is new." A statement uttered by countless generations before and leagues to come. For me, and I am sure many timeline-compatriots, today's world seems eerily reminiscent. Certainly not identical, and more than nostalgic.
More like a Renaissance.
Managed Print Services is still alive and experiencing a bump. Partly due to some pent-up demand and a reduction of IT resources.
The demand is provisional. I still believe pivoting into IT services is possible, not strictly because of an existing print-centric relationship as much as the supporting infrastructure of MPS practices is a solid foundation for the transition.
Sales and marketing will shift demographics and talk tracks, but needs assessments and proposals are parallel paths. But again, the demand for IT services has a shelf life.
Consolidation runs rampant, and the larger, establishments remain overconfident in their temporary position.
"What's old is new." A statement uttered by countless generations before and leagues to come. For me, and I am sure many timeline-compatriots, today's world seems eerily reminiscent. Certainly not identical, and more than nostalgic. More like a Renaissance.
Managed Print Services is still alive and experiencing a bump. Partly due to some pent-up demand and a reduction of IT resources.
The demand is provisional. I still believe pivoting into IT services is possible, not strictly because of an existing print-centric relationship as much as the supporting infrastructure of MPS practices is a solid foundation for the transition.
Sales and marketing will shift demographics and talk tracks, but needs assessments and proposals are parallel paths. But again, the demand for IT services has a shelf life.
Consolidation runs rampant, and the larger, establishments remain overconfident in their temporary position.
Smaller, more agile companies bite at their ankles, stirring up turbulence and poised to disrupt the onetime disruptors.
On a more celestial stage, the Webb telescope released stunning photos of our both crowded and sparse galactic neighborhood. The pictures are sure to give a great perspective.
The DOTC Office Technology Partnership Ecosystem continues to grow as we welcome All Associates to the realm. These guys have been measuring office output usage and Running Up That Hill, since the 80s.
The plan was that, once COVID-19 receded, employees would return to the office, their printers, copiers, coffee machines, and cubicles.
But will they print? Will they copy? Will they return to habits of the past? It really doesn’t matter. Print will happen and your clients are exploring cost-reducing processes and offerings – managed print services can be your vehicle for higher revenues.
Selling MPS and copiers is nothing new. There are thousands of articles and dozens of tools in the market designed to help you find prospects, build a total cost of operation, generate proposals, and close deals.
I’m not going to regurgitate facts and processes a decade old. However, in the new way of selling that is post-COVID-19, I point out one important view: now is the time to expand from transactional selling to experiential selling.
This is a big shift, and it starts between your ears.
Xerox shareholders to receive a $2.5 billion special cash dividend, or approximately $9.80 per share1, and 49.9% of the combined company; Fujifilm to own 50.1%
Combined company to deliver at least $1.7 billion in total cost savings, with $1.2 billion to be achieved by 2020
Accelerates path to revenue growth through global reach, industry-leading scale and enhanced innovation capabilities
Well-positioned to lead in growing business areas such as high-speed inkjet, industrial print and workplace solutions, while leveraging Fujifilm's extensive technologies
Combined company will have enhanced financial flexibility for future growth investments and capital returns
Combined company will have dual headquarters in Norwalk, CT, U.S. and Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and will maintain the iconic “Xerox” and “Fuji Xerox” brands within its respective operating regions
FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation (“Fujifilm”) (TSE: 4901) and Xerox Corporation (“Xerox”) (NYSE: XRX) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine Xerox and their longstanding Fuji Xerox joint venture.
Recent market data for the global hardcopy peripherals (HCP) market saw a 10.6 percent yearly decline, though MPS growth has continued across the world. HP shows an 18.6% decline in unit shipments, Y/Y. - IDC, 2016
It doesn't need to be said, does it? The office environment has been moving away from print for the past decade. I know it, the OEMs know it, and in your heart, you know it too.
Managed print services is a trailing indicator, 'growth' is a statistic anomaly - expanding in a shrinking pool - there are no new clicks.
You want to survive and thrive in the technology industry. It's easier to sell copiers and implement a managed print services practice than it is to bring a managed services practice but the IT world represents growth and opportunity.
What should you do?
"...Come With Me Now..."
Years ago, I preached the coming of managed print services as the wave of the future.
Then, I saw managed print services as an on-ramp to business process/workflow optimization, teaching simple, workflow analysis embedded in the standard assessment.
Next, evangelizing managed services as the new frontier for copier/printer providers, I recommended third-parties like Collabrance and Continuum.
Today, I've come full circle and looking at managed print services basics. The tools I've seen, and I've seen or worked with almost all of them - are impressive.
Here are some of my observations:
Heavy - cumbersome to use, demand time from MpS practitioner
Print-data, intense - print only, some end-user, but no outside asset data
Sales static - the 'map' and client data remain in the sales silo, or not easily transportable into contracts or service
The Tool 'does the thinking for you' - plug the data in and out comes a current and recommended state in a 300 page Word doc
I see lots of TCO tools, column reports, graphs, and dashboards and I think we can do better. I'm looking at how I conduct assessments and the tools I would use in the field. Additionally, I'm taking a holistic view - I'd like to know how the fleet is performing in terms of service calls and profitability.
Finally, I'd like to be in a position to offer my clients an engagement that includes ANY asset type.
With this in mind, we've designed a tool that:
Collects data from multiple databases: DCA, service desk, dispatch, accounting system
Helps you easily conduct assessments and present mapped proposals
Enables you to create, and doesn't do the thinking for you
Point #1 Real management software displays ANY asset; printers, copiers, desktops, laptops, phones, projectors, oxygen bottles. But more impactful, is our ability to draw together related, yet disconnected data. For instance, we show the number of service calls placed on an asset, the install date, the number of toners delivered, revenue and profit generated; for the universal MIF, client fleet, or individual asset.
The solution must work within your managed print services ecosystem - the 'map' not only supports new sales, but integrates through sales to service to management to ownership; salespeople engage and asses, service utilizes mapping, and management looks into real-time financial information with the tap of a screen.
Point #2
With or without a DCA/Thumb drive, a practitioner conducts interviews and records findings. Manual entry of device data(manufacturer, model, volumes, etc.) is achieved through the use of the onboard survey tool. Machine data files may be uploaded or directly integrated, but is not necessary.
Point #3
Some existing systems deliver everything from a prospect's total cost of operation to a final proposal in Word leaving the "specialist" with nothing more to do than email the proposal or deliver pie.
I cannot tell you how often I’m asked for an ‘assessment’ or ‘mps contract’ sample. I’ve conducted assessments on paper, laptops, and in my head but I still use a basic outline of questions.
“We interviewed 25 employees and 62% of them responded that service calls are not being completed within 72 hours. 87% felt ordering toner required three to four hours to complete.”
Atlas - MpS. Assessment Logic*
We’ve incorporated a survey function that can be administered for each asset. In the case of a non-integrated - no DCA software - simple machine data collected on one screen. This isn't a data dump, the questions included collect relevant information you need to create a compelling proposal. I’ve also included basic workflow questions and sales related queries.
Once the survey is completed, the data is attached to that specific asset - the answers can be used as analysis. For instance, “We interviewed 25 employees and 62% of them responded that service calls are not being completed within 72 hours. 87% felt ordering toner required three to four hours to complete.” could be one of your compelling arguments for change.
Atlas - MpS. Contract Completion*
The sales and service teams rarely communicate but an integral part of a great customer experience is the effortless transition from proposing to implementing. One important issue is to correctly communicate data proposed, like existing device serial numbers, location, point of contact, beginning meter reads, CPI, etc. The information is captured during the assessment and proposal stage - why not simply populate a .PDF of your engagement?
Why not have the digital version of your contract available for signature immediately after the presentation? Atlas - Mps has this capability to complete your contract. Print it if you like, or have your client digitally sign right then and there. Email the completed form to your contracts department and have the account set up before you get back to the office. Ring that bell.
Atlas - MpS. Print Policy Framework*
Ultimately, a fully engaged, high level managed print services engagement results in a Print Policy.
Atlas - MpS, will create the blank Print Policy template and present data to support the generation of content.
Once the print policy is in place, Atlas - MpS helps you managed the engagement against the goals set forth in the policy. The information is real time, specific data points are monitored and statused as either “in or out of policy”.
No more quarterly reviews - review the fleet and goals of the program at any time.
One More thing…
Atlas is adept at integrating disparate databases and managing IT assets. Once you begin to utilize Atlas - MpS, the door opens into the IT realm. We’re not suggesting you invest in a data center, or engage with a third party to provide help desk, end-point monitoring services. We suggest talking with your IT contacts about “Asset Lifecycle Management”. You help track their IT assets, manage technology upgrades and equipment refresh with Atlas all for a monthly subscription. We can help you.
Atlas - MpS is different, simple and dynamic, helping managed print practitioners solidify their position in imaging, while opening opportunities outside of print.
Not such an odd question, considering the low barriers to entry provided by today's social networks. Indeed, relative to a decade past, the platforms available for connecting - Tinder, Plentyof Fish, Match, the scandalous Ashley Madison, and even LinkedIn - are ever-expanding.
Barcode scanners made checkout faster, and today's 'dating' apps get more people hooked up, quicker.
These tools suck the 'art' out of the introduction, pairings are built on the assessment of a witty sentence and attractive photo. We've commoditized the foundational stages of relationship building. I can't help but wonder if this results in hollow, unfulfilling, short-term espousals.
Similar to personal relationships, print services engagements begin with an introduction and assessment. The success of every managed print service agreement depends on correctly assessing the current state.
Yes, MpS is coming back. I know dozens of successful MpS practices engaging clients, supporting MpS, and making a profit today; it isn't that we've completely abandoned the idea. But, I'm observing that we've left MpS to pursue the latest shiny object, managed services. I'm not deriding that effort - worthy is the quest away of print. And no, clients haven't fallen prey to our hypnotic social media or cold call campaigns - they've heard the "30% savings" mantra and see through the "optimized fleet" scheme. What I see is that we've come full circle. MpS programs, benchmarks, best practices, and philosophies have been rooted and everyone has logged their "10,000 hours. Today, we've got programs and associations: CompTia's Managed Print Services community, Xerox PagePack, Canon MDS, Ricoh MDS, HP MPS, Toshiba Encompass, Lexmark MPS, Sharp MPS, Muratec MPS, Kyocera MDS, Okidata MPS and the grand daddy of them all, your Managed Print Services Association. Today's software, unavailable in 2008, reads devices and spits out proposals in the blink of an eye.
Like cities in the dark, MpS programs dot the landscape: Supplies Network, Digitec, LMI, Clover, Synnex and more provide sales training, assessment/TCO tools, and automatic toner fulfillment. These managed print services pillars are proven, standardized and in place. In other words, managed print services is the status quo. The establishment is MpS.
Consider the following: MpS is part of a stale and complacent offering. Is there anything staler than copiers, printers, and paper? No. There is nothing more old-fashioned than marks on paper. Don't believe me? Ask your customers. The providers are not in touch with customers. While we've been promoting OEM-specific solutions and telling prospects about our 14 new models, businesses have been shifting from copying to scanning, relieving themselves of those big, nasty A3 copiers, and going paperless - without our help. Think I'm wrong? Check Xerox's earnings for the past 3 years; review HP's numbers for the same period and feel for those Lexmark CxOs, crash-coursing Mandarin. They all lost touch years ago. These shinny offerings are wedged into old business models. I've had paying clients tell me, "...if it(managed services) doesn't fit into the 'blah, blah, blah', copier dealer business model, it will never work..." Indeed, even successful managed print services practices utilize yesteryear's example; contractual services tied to equipment placements. What once was our strength, is now our greatest weakness. "Complacent, out of touch, old business models"- I challenge you to google, "How to Recognize an Industry Ready for Disruption" - you'll find that we are sitting on the bubble. The niche is primed for major turbulence; bigger than experienced at the beginning of MpS, and separate from current consolidations(OEM/Dealer). I suggest that you and I are on the cusp of a Revelation and Revolution. The MpS 'third day'. Resurrection. This time, the MpS revolution will be carried forward by in-the-field, MpS practitioners, free of stifling processes and discombobulated compensation plans... This time, executives who've forgotten how to sell, aren't fashioning a strategy designed to secure more self space, create equipmentquotas then calling it 'managed print services'...
This time, we help our clients move away from ink, away from printers, away from copiers, without the promise of 30% savings...
Who's coming with me? This moment will be the moment of "....something real and fun and inspiring in this God-forsaken business and we will do it, together..."
