Lyra 2011 - Commercial Printing, InkJets and Managed Print Services. "Secular Decrease"

The Lyra 2011 symposium was held last week in Palm Springs.

This was my third trip to the symposium, I must like it.

I do, here's why.

The staff always present complex data, financial reflections of our industry in a easy to understand manner.

This year, Navigating the Road to Profitability, was not a disappointment.

Of particular interest to me is the yearly presentation by Lyra analysts, Ann Priede and Charles LeCompte - Copier Vendor Scorecard.

This analysis of course, is focused on our industry but the overall global, economic influences are apparent.

My major take-aways:

1. The recession has bottomed and at least leveled out, for now
2. Those who remain standing, have gone through a secular change vs. cyclical
3. HP is kicking ass, eating everybody's lunch
4. TheDeathOfTheCopier is upon us now, this very day
5. MPS is the last nail in their coffin

Wow...

Challenger 25 years Ago - And you think Cold Calls are Difficult

Here in America, one can fail, over and over - we don't pity those failures, we don't tolerate quitting and we do not give up.

Pearl Harbor, 911, Challenger - we're still standing. Its who we are, its what we do.

When sadness strikes, when we trip, stumble and fall - we do not hide our failure.

Because we know there is a tomorrow. Another day. Another way.

And we walk.

I use to think Managed Print Services would be a sub-set of MSP, but maybe it will end up the other way around.

1/2011

Sorta a "shoe on the other foot" paradigm.

Consider this:

CPI/CPC/MPS AND Managed Services engagements include dispatch out of a dispatch desk - fine. Simple enough.

In our world, the world of output devices, our technicians, in addition to mechanical aptitude, carry something called "trunk stock".

In our world, the same technicians rarely complete a time and materials call.

In our world, technicians can be needed at a "drop of a hat" with SLAs in terms of hours, not days. Our technicians generally do not work on billable projects, their schedules need to be flexible and dispatchers aware.

The "M" in Managed Print Services refers to a bit more than management by NOC.

I have been banging the drum, sounding the alarm warning about the impending invasion of IT guys into our little niche and The End of Days.

They are huge. They are systematic. They are a collective.

Perhaps we shouldn't fight directly.

Maybe there is something better.