Printers Are Sent From Hell...

A cute little diddy over at The Oatmeal.com about how printers are sent from hell to make our lives bad.

This from an IT guy?

The Death of Print, Predictably, Sooner than We Think

"Book Sellers, defend your lonely forts!" - John Updike, 2006.

Newspapers, except possibly the Wall Street Journal, are not the only organizations facing the same fate as buggy whip manufacturers.

"By the end of 2012, digital books will be 20% to 25% of unit sales, and that's on the conservative side," predicts Mike Shatzkin, chief executive of the Idea Logical Co., publishing consultants. "Add in another 25% of units sold online, and roughly half of all unit sales will be on the Internet."

In his book, "the cult of the amateur", Andrew Keen reflects on the demise of the record store - blaming the internet.

Keen pines about record stores like the Tower Records that spanned three blocks in New York's Greenwich Village or his beloved record store at the corner of Bay and Columbus in San Fransisco. How, ultimately, change came to this world of hidden imports, ad hoc concerts, U2 and Madonna sightings.

Like the music store, book stores, the brick and mortar type, are doomed.

What has all this got to do with Managed Print Services?

If you are seriously asking, leave right now, and never come back to this blog again.


A New Business Model -

This year, publishers agreed to implement an "agency model" for digitally distributed content. The publisher receives 70%, e- book sellers 30%, of the digital price.

Seems publisher can read the writing on the wall - change is a necessity for survival.

The Gorilla in the room, Apple, is poised to rule the publishing channel as it already does the music channel with iTunes.

Consider Barnes and Noble -

In mid-March, Barnes & Noble's named a new CEO.

This new CEO is a veteran of the digital world and is seen as a change agent shaking things up, hiring from e-commerce and technology companies.

His talk track includes the phrase, B&N is "as much a technology company as we are a retail company."

Change or die.

Newspapers are dying, books are changing, retail is evolving - Is it any wonder our little industry, MPS, is considered a $60 Billion market?

Consumers are demanding easier, more portable mechanisms allowing them to read/acquire information and entertainment.

These consumers not only own iPads, DROIDs and netbooks - they have jobs; they work in offices, they interface with paper every day.

How long will it be before they expect to receive the company newsletter, financials, invoices, statements, medical records, mortgage documents, kid's report cards, DMV documents, tax filings, credit card and utility bills, and the latest King novel, etc. on their iPad/Slate/Droid/Kindle?

Change is. This may be "new" to you, to me, to us. But this isn't anything we started, the fire's been burning since the world's been turning, we're just the latest to enjoy.



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Managed Print Services Conference 2010 - After Hours

The 2010 MPS Conference is in the can. The reviews are in, critics silent.

So, after a gruelling day of sitting and absorbing, the sponsored receptions are both a very welcomed break and the best time to get the real work of conferences done; networking.

Personal Note: I was shocked by all the people who came up to me to say "hi" and that they read this tome - I am humbled and honored by all your kind words.

I especially feel for the husbands out there who have had to explain reading DOTC as "work related" and to all in the cubes, afraid managerial eyes will be looking over your shoulder, locked with laser focus on one of the "Girls" - CTRL TAB.

Speaking of the "Girls of DOTC" - as risque and nontraditional as they are, very few complaints have been voiced. As a matter of fact, I get more compliments from women over the pictures than I do men.

Again, thank you all for reading and continue to come back!

Now, on with the "after hours" review.

Day Two, reception:

A gentleman walks up to me, shakes my hand and says he reads my blog, wanted to meet me and he is from Muratec.

I respond, thanks, are you having a good show, and what, exactly does Muratec have regarding MPS.

He answers, "...we do a good deal of Seg 1 and Seg 2...".

Me, gracious as always query,

"...Seg 1 and Seg 2? It has got to be at least 4 years since I heard ANYONE mention Seg 1&2. Is THERE STILL A Seg 1 & 2 around?" - at about this time, I stopped, hoping to avoid the old shoe leather in the mouth phenomena.

No worries - these guys are cool. Lou, Marketing Director, Carl, Senior Director of Technical Support and Jim D'Emidio, President Muratec America, Inc.

So I press, just a bit, and ask, "so...how is it, that you are still selling?" I meant it, I wanted to know.

Still, they took no offense and answered straight away, " we make doing business with us, very easy...and we listen to our dealers or CUSTOMERS..."

Well smack me upside the head and call me a Leopard Thong! Duh!

Remember, they were not selling me. I will never be a customer. This wasn't a sales pitch or their corporate function, they have nothing to lose by telling me the truth. By giving me their "elevator speech" over margaritas.

So, after left handed insults, what is the best thing to do? Accept an invite to dinner with them! Excellent!

Our meal consists of supremely adequate ravioli and a superb red, selected by our very own sommelier, Kevin Morris, from Onedoc - he has his very own wine cellar.

The conversation bounces between Oklahoma vs. Texas football rivalries, old school copier dealers, golf outings, and why Courtney,from Lyra, is the only female sitting at a table of 10 guys - she giggles.

As the night closes walking back to my room, I remember one of the slides in the presentation David Cameron and I will be giving the next day.

The phrase, "its the customer, stupid..." is a bullet.

This one statement, is crystallized by what Jim said earlier that evening.

How can a company survive in the Seg 1 and Seg 2 ? "... we make doing business with us, very easy...and we listen to our dealers or CUSTOMERS..."

The MPS industry is ready to turn from introspection, to looking out, paying attention to our customers.

We don't need to define MPS - it's done.

We don't need to realize a good MPS practice requires solid infrastructure - agreed.

We don't need to be convinced of the profitability of MPS - we see it.

We should, now, focus on our customers, focus outside the internals and begin to present to the world, our unique, MPS offerings.

It is time.

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