How to Prepare for and Thrive After a Layoff

How to Sell Copiers in the Age of Wuhan

#ArcDrive - rSX Takes on Ransomware

Ransomware is attacking you, your kids, your parents, your company and your clients.

I am not making this up...

“Ransomware Attacks Double in 2019…” – McAFee

“Ransomware costs businesses more than $75 billion per year.” – Datto

“75% of companies infected with ransomware were running up-to-date endpoint protection…” – Sophos

But what is the standard approach?  Defend against infection, and back-up completely.  Once a ransomware strikes, it is all about recovery and remediation - all good and prudent but not very proactive, wouldn't you agree?  This means your daily back-up must be impeccable - when was the last time you tested your recovery plan?  Is BDR just another acronym?

Regardless, the statistics tell another story - average ransom demand went for $48,000.00 to $133,000. (Source: Sophos).  The average number of days impacted by ransomware is 16.

New to Copier Sales: How to Sell Solutions

What, exactly is a solution? According to Merriam-Webster, it is “an action or process of solving a problem” Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

In the land of copier sales, duplexing (the ability to place images on both sides of a sheet of paper) was once considered a solution. Indeed, the times were much simpler.

Today, the phrase “solution selling” is as old as the hills — some say obsolete. But as with most opinions, it depends on who you ask and how you define solutions. Solutions are less about the “how” and more about the result, but when selling hardware, we tend to get caught up in the how. We talk about how long we’ve been in business, how toner is applied to paper, how much more can be saved with our lease and how fast our device spits out paper.

All true, but excruciatingly boring and out of date.

#ArcDrive - rSX Anti-Ransomware PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

March 12, 2020

Contact Greg Walters

262-370-4193 or greg@grwalters.com

Oconomowoc Technology Team Brings the Most Innovative and Secure Anti-Ransomware Protection to the Copier Industry with ArcDrive - rSX.

Oconomowoc, Wi. – Greg Walters, Inc. announces a new ransomware defense system embedded on all ArcDrive systems.

“Ransomware Attacks Double in 2019…” – McAFee

“Ransomware costs businesses more than $75 billion per year.” – Datto

“75% of companies infected with ransomware were running up-to-date endpoint protection…” – Sophos

“Ransomware is a threat to all of us, but for small and medium-sized companies, a ransomware attack is especially gruesome as it can destroy the business”, says Greg Walters, President, Greg Walters, Inc., “this is why Team ArcDrive is releasing ArcDrive - rSX.”

Most anti-ransomware programs rely on back-up files and remediation, ArcDrive - rSX takes a more aggressive posture.

Communist Red China & #Lexmark

Chinese and American

"State Governments' Failure to Scrutinize the Purchase of Lenovo and Lexmark Equipment Jeopardizes Data Security"

A report released from embargo on February 24, 2020, "Stealing From States: China's Power Play in IT Contracts" unearths scathing facts around Lexmark, the US military, Communist Red China, and state/federal contracts.

Lexmark doesn't want you reading the report - and for good reason.  You will be shocked to learn the degree to which Lexmark has been challenged in the past over security issues, and why being connected to or owned by a Chinese company is worthy of high concern. For instance, in 2016 the Chinese Communist Party passed the China Internet Security Law. This law requires any company headquartered in China, to keep data in-country and allow Chinese authorities to 'spot-check' on the data at any time.

"A Chinese military unit has been inserting tiny microchips into computer servers used by companies including Apple and Amazon that give China unprecedented backdoor access to computers and data, according to a new Bloomberg report."

So much for data security.

New to Copier Sales: B2B People Still Use Email. No, Really. They Do.

Instant message and chat are some of the most common modes of communication today. It’s true. Back in the old days, we had a phone, the Yellow Pages and the U.S. Postal Service to reach out to prospects. Sending out around 10 letters a week, each letter was typed on a typewriter and mailed. When we graduated to PCs and laser printers, we doubled our letters per week to 20! And for important prospects, we would FedEx an approach letter.

When we sent out a bulk mailing — which was hundreds of pieces — a good response rate was 1%, with an almost incalculable close rate. Today, with the proper software, marketing departments reach thousands of email boxes an hour and achieve a “click-through” rate of 3%.

Unfortunately, the saturation of marketing email has led many to either ignore their inbox or become experts at filtering out spam. Yet, everyone uses...read the rest here.

New to Copier Sales: How to Conduct a Meeting

If there is one constant in the copier world, it is the long, unending string of meetings you’ll attend, plan and conduct.

More than once I’ve heard it said: “If our company could sell meetings, we’d never run out.”

As experienced as we all are with attending and conducting meetings, it amazes me how often customer-facing get-togethers are unguided and formless.

I’m not sure why more time isn’t given to instruction on basic meeting structure and etiquette.

As a new copier rep, you’re expected to conduct sales appointments and closing meetings. All meetings have unique goals and objectives, and your dealership may have a standard meeting format. I’ve been on the receiving end of many copier, document management and managed print services sales presentations, and all have the same the broad structure of introduction(s), discussion, proposal, then close.

But the same structure doesn’t necessarily equal the same quality. The following...

Read the rest here.

Business and Bourbon with Greg - ArcDrive

• 

Join me for the first “Business and Bourbon with Greg” at Vino, Etc. in Oconomowoc, Wi. on January 8th, 2020. Sampling starts at 6:30 and intermixed business conversations until 7:30.

We’ll drink bourbon and casually converse about your business and the application of technology. Specifically, I will introduce my latest project, “ArcDrive for the SMB”. ArcDrive is a computer solution designed to help businesses cross the digital divide.

New to Copier Sales: How to Talk with Prospects

The first year of appointments presents many challenges to the new copier rep, not the least of which is building knowledge and confidence. There are many aspects of sales to remember when meeting prospects for the first time, including building rapport, qualifying, informing, establishing trust and moving to the next step. But beyond all the sales techniques and training, when you’re meeting across a desk, coffee table or board room the best thing you can do is have a conversation. A simple, human to human conversation.

New to Copier Sales: What is Document Management?

By now you know a copier is more than a copier — and a connected copier is capable of doing so much more.

In the early days, copiers simply copied. Output was the name of the game — that was it! Today our machines capture, ingest and scan almost as much — and in some cases more — than they produce. For you, the new copier rep, this may seem obvious. Document management has represented the future of the industry for over two decades.

Document management is a big subject, and I’ll try to explain it in general terms to help you understand the overall landscape. If your dealer has an application for document management, you will be trained in some manner on how to use and sell that specific solution.

New to Copier Sales: How to Conduct an Assessment

The assessment is a foundational piece of the sales process and all dealers, resellers, manufacturers have a method, even if it is ad-hoc. I am not suggesting you substitute my outline below for your dealer’s approach; I’m simply relaying some of the steps I’ve seen performed by successful selling professionals around the globe.

Needs assessment versus sales assessment

There are two broad types of assessments: An assessment determining solution requirements and an assessment geared to reveal the likelihood of a sale.

911 - 18 Years Later

For as long as I can remember, I've played this video on 9/11.  Super Bowl 2002, months after the attack, our country was numb and jumpy.

Well before self-loathing Americans started calling our movements in the middle-east "invasion" and "occupation", patriotism was on every street corner.

I remember that night; I remember seeing it live.  I can't tell you the football teams playing, but I can say it was one of the deepest, moving TV moments, ever.

U2 - that Irish rock band, stood on the world stage, honoring the greatest country on earth and her fallen citizens.  Names float to the sky, as the rousing "Where the Streets Have No Name" beats on.  The song, second of the half-time set,  was written about a place without class stigma, where the distinction between religions and income is no more; a World Without Sin?

Bono ends the tune exposing the Stars and Stripes - Triumph.

Here we are, 15 years later - The Twin Towers, replaced by that defiant Freedom Tower, slip deeper into the fog with each passing 911.  The threat remains the same, if not more pronounced.

Do you honestly feel safer now than you did that faithful day of empty skies, September 12, 2001?

Day of cogitation: What have we learned?

On this day of reflection, consider not only the ones who've helped you see who you are, but remember the hearts you've "imprinted"; son's, daughters, mothers, fathers, friends, lovers and ex-lovers, customers and co-workers.

Be gratified knowing you've changed somebody's life for the better - we all have.

Take time to remember those on the 98th floor, at 8:47 AM, sipping a Starbucks, considering a sales forecast or the regret of not saying "I love you, I always will..." on that morning, 14 years ago.

"I want to run

I want to hide

I want to tear down the walls

That hold me inside

I wanna reach out

And touch the flame

Where the streets have no name..."

I recommend going to YouTube and watch, the stupid #NFL won't let it be viewed anywhere else.  What a world we have become.

The Next Level in Selling: "The Converged".

"The convergence of human and machine, the biological and mechanical, is the result of a confluence of innovation, technology, and social flows destined from the beginning. This motion is unstoppable. Unstoppable. In addition to the high-thinking, man/machine convergence, we’re starting to see the impact of all things converging.

Consider the way connectivity, manufacturing, software development, business, society, and, yes, even managed print have converged into a borderless, almost transparent solution."

I postulated this idea back in 2013 over at the Imaging Channel,

Today, I'm promoting the idea of "The Converged Professional. (CP)

Who is a CP?

Team #ArcDrive to be at BTA Grand Slam, New York City as guests of InkCycle.

In what can only be described as the greatest personal appearance in the history of mankind, the folks who bring you #ArcDrive will be attending the Grand Slam event in New York city. That’s right, live and in person.

See the latest #ArcDrive devices. Wonder at the marvel that is #ArcDrive - RTS. Be amazed and stupefied as our crack team of workflow experts demonstrate how #ArcDrive - SCN and #ArcDrive - SX solve real-world problems for you and your SMB clients. Revel in the simple sophistication that is the #ArcDrive managed print services platform.

Talk with the creator of #ArcDrive as he shares his vision of the industry, OEMs, software conglomerates, the death of the copier, the rise of managed services and why ‘edge’ and ‘fog’ computing and the IoT is the future.

Caution: You will not find ‘booth-babes’, raffles, pens, beer-coozies, #ArcDrive frisbees, stress balls or swag of any type - I doubt we’ll even dole out ‘slicks’. Just relevant conversations and low-pressure, attraction-selling.

Be ready to join the #ArcDriveMovement.

Questions?

 Email us at interested@thearcdrive.com

New to Copier Sales: Who Do You Read?

 

I remember one of the first MPS training sessions I sat in on, back in 2007. It was conducted by Steven Power. He admitted to taking his “how to sell copiers” material and molding the curriculum into “how to sell MPS.” Truthfully— and to his credit — the class could have been applied to ANY industry and type of B2B sales.

Which is why I paid attention and remember it to this day.

Since then, I’ve been a party to hundreds of different sales classes, seminars, and symposiums.

#ArcDrive Does Not Do Trials. You Shouldn't Either.

Something has been on my mind for a week or so regarding sales. (go figure)

The Free Trial.

Do you send a fully configured copier to a prospect as a trial? The practice was common back in the day and carried a close rate in the high nineties. I don't hear about trials all that much anymore - I mean, who hasn't seen how a copier works?

The other day, we had a request for a 'trial version' of #ArcDrive.

We won't do trials, we don't do trials. Why would you ask for one when the investment is less than 0.001 percent of your total revenue - why are you hesitating?

I know why.

New to Copier Sales: What is Convergence?

There are probably a few terms you hear thrown around these days in the copier industry: “Transformation,” “digitization” and “disruption” are common ones. Another one you’re probably starting to hear a lot more of is “convergence.”

Convergence has a few definitions, but the one most applicable to our industry is “the merging of distinct technologies, industries, or devices into a unified whole.”

Impressive.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 1, 2019
Contact Greg Walters
262-370-4193 or greg@grwalters.com

Greg Walters, Inc. announces ArcDrive – RTS

Easily manage stand-alone output devices and support paper to digital workflows in a remote office/retail locations.

Oconomowoc, Wi. – Adding to the ArcDrive armada, Greg Walters, Inc. announces ArcDrive – RTS.

ArcDrive – RTS is a small device that connects, non-networked devices that support remote indexing and scanning.

Many organizations have remote offices or retail locations that may not be connected to a wide area network. Managing output devices and converting local documents into indexed, digital files from these locations can be costly and hardware intense.

The ArcDrive - RTS payload carries three components:
1. ArcDrive Browser Based Indexing (BBI) allows indexing with barcodes prior to scanning
2. ArcDrive On Demand Sync Folder (ODSF)
3. ArcDrive Data Collection Agent (DCA)

“ArcDrive - RTS brings innovation to the imaging channel by making it easier to monitor remote, stand-alone locations,” said Greg Walters, “ArcDrive - RTS is a front end for document capture and indexing. This is a great solution for remote office or retail locations.”

The ArcDrive models:

ArcDrive
Precision designed appliance supporting advance capture, and managed print services.

ArcDrive – SX
Precision designed appliance with advance capture, on-prem or cloud repository intelligent document workflow, and managed print services.

ArcDrive - RTS
Manage satellite offices, printers, and provide remote capture and indexing.

ArcDrive is easy to use, affordable and establishes providers as an integral part of their customers' business process.

Visit TheArcDrive.com or reach out directly at greg@grwalters.com.

MPSA webinar, "MPS What Went Wrong?"

I just attended the MPSA webinar, "MPS What Went Wrong?"

Gleaned Tidbits:

1. Comp plans helped kill MpS. It is more difficult to sell MpS when working within a copier-based comp plan. Why don't reps receive residuals on MpS contracts? If you say, "they'll stop selling..." you've got a hiring problem as well as an ineffective compensation plan.

2. Although there is a global decline in output, the panelists, are not seeing a big decrease in the SMB. Actually, some SMBs increase output with new MpS engagements.

3. Not much has changed since 2011. This is my personal observation. Although the panel consisted of some of the brightest minds in MpS, the subject matter was a product of some sort of time loop. We could have and may have, hosted an identical webinar back in 2012. What does this mean? It could reflect new players in the MpS realm or it could mean that few folks jumped on the MpS train back in 2009, or MpS is still elusive.

What is my big take-away????? 

greg@grwalters.com

#ArcDrive: Thirty Day Report

TeamArcDrive.

#ArcDrive has been alive for a month, launching June 6, 2019.

We planned on measuring interest after the first 30 days to gauge moving forward or if nobody responded, scraping the idea completely.

We did not expect to sell any units in the first 30 days for two reasons:

1. We didn't know if the concept of #ArcDrive would resonate
2. We did not have logo-plates designed or manufactured(no, really. We didn't want any #ArcDrives to go out without proper logo's)

The good news is, interest is going through the roof.  But as you all know, 'interest' doesn't pay the internet bill, does it?

Some interesting process innovations, realizations, and milestones in the first 30 days of existence:

• We've sold units.  
• Team ArcDrive is solidified and growing.  
• Thirty days ago, our innovation path included adding to the #ArcDrive payload in Q1, 2020.  Instead, we're adding to the solution stack in Q4, 2019.
• Interested dealers are nudging us into "up-scoping" #ArcDrive - so we've added an entire EDM module while maintaining affordability.
• We've come to realize that our offering is a new category in the internet of things realm in both the 'fog' and 'edge' computing layer. (Google it)
• Validation of #ArcDrive's supporting belief that "the big are getting bigger, pricing the independent dealers out of SMB advance capture/EDM solutions.' (Ricoh/DocuWare)
• Validation that dealers and their sales team are comfortable talking about business solutions that reside on the physical plane, not the ethereal.

I guess I could go on...but I won't

Email me.

Let me get the team together so we can discuss how defiant #ArcDrive will help you "Protect your Base, Establish Income Streams and Increase Monthly Recurring Revenue."

Enjoy.

Training: Let It Begin Here

#ImagingChannel, wanna talk about sales training? I know you do...

#ArcDrive sales training is not about the product, our sales training is about solving business problems.  Yes, I know that's what you tell the new copier salespeople but you still expect 2-15 units sales a month.

I know you've heard about solution selling for years; your OEM wants you to sell his equipment so he trains you about his embedded apps and calls it a 'solution' - but the great, big machine with tiny app's is not a solution, it is a boat anchor.

When the big document management companies train your sales team, is it a product show? - "this is how you index a document...this is how a workflow is designed...see how easy it is for us to read a hot folder..." or a "how to solve business problems" show?

Don't get me started on Managed print Services sales training - the mission and vision were lost back in 2010. ( https://lnkd.in/gaByXsG )

Because #ArcDrive converges multiple disciplines, our sales training process is not about "keystrokes" it is about selling answers to real business problems.

Owners, do you understand? Do you have the eyes to see the #ArcDrive difference?

It's right there.

#Ricoh/DocuWare: Another Reason for ArcDrive

I've been kicking around ideas for a response to the Ricoh/DocuWare situation which is similar to the DEX/Staples maneuver, which is like the PrintFleet/FMAudit/PrintAudit/ECi thing, which smells like the Kyocera/DataBank(OnBase) that reminds me of the Ricoh/Ikon and HP/Samsung spectacles.

Lot's of copiers dying out there.

I know dealers that sell DocuWare, but are HUGE KM providers. Huh, how's it feel knowing your DocuWare clients woke up one morning as Ricoh customers? Yeah, hurry up and become a Ricoh reseller. Really?

Is your prospect an OnBase candidate? No problem, just forward the company name, and contact information over to your OEM, they'll qualify, design a solution, present, close and send your pittance. Congratulations, you are now a sales force for your OEM. Resistance is futile.

Do you like your DCA? How are those Windows updates working for you? And didn't somebody, somewhere say, "nothing will change".  How's that rate increase feel? No biggie, just switch to one of the other DCA's.  Oh...yeah...nevermind.

#ArcDrive: Interview on P4P Hotel with Art Post

Art Post was one of the first people out on the internet, writing and posting content around copiers and copier sales.

His site, P4P Hotel is an industry standard.

It is always fun to catch up with Art and talk about the old days.

I am thankful for his friendship over the years and honored by his interest and this interview.

###

If you follow industry press releases like me then you're aware that the King of MPS aka Greg Walters recently released his Arc Drive. Yes, I was curious as to what is the Arc Drive and what does it do?

A few nights ago Greg and chatted about Arc Drive and below is how our chat went.

Art: Hey Greg, okay first question for you, where the heck is Oconomowoc, Wisconsin?

Greg: It’s in between Madison and Milwaukee in lake country. A quaint town, there are 12 bars within a square mile or so. I occasionally write about the town, https://ocondomowoc.com/

Art: Is an Indian word that’s used for your town?

Greg: Yes, that’s right.

Art: Do you know what that translates to in English, I’m betting it means land of managed print, right?

Read the rest, here.

Eddie Murphy - 1982

Would this be as funny today?

#ArcDrive Event June 18, 10Am - 11AM Pacific Time.

Learn more about ArcDrive.

"ArcDirve: The ultimate sophistication"

ArcDrive is affordable, simple to sell, easy to install and a breeze to use.

ArcDrive helps dealers defend their base, add streams of income and enhance repeatable revenue.

ArcDrive is the convergence of managed print services, advance capture, and intelligent workflow tools, embedded in a secure appliance.

#ArcDrive, seven days after introduction. What's the word, so far?

So far, the word is positive.

We’ve conducted multiple demonstrations (an average of three per day since the rollout).

We’ve had interest from all over the country and across the globe (Dublin, South Africa, and Namibia).

Although not all meetings and discussions were perfect, overall feedback is very impressive. Just like you, I ask a few assessment questions at the beginning of a discussion.

This is a sample of what dealers are saying at the very beginning of our meetings:

Become #ArcDriveCrazy

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently 

-- they're not fond of rules... 

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them 

-- because they change things... 

they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, 

-- are the ones who do."

Be an ArcDrive Crazy.