HP IPG: Indestructible

2011

I know, I know...somebody filled my beer bong with HP-Blue KoolAid at last week's OPS Elite conference.  I can't see who exactly is holding the funnel up - pretty sure it's not my MES rep.  Could be my PBM. Huh..

The HP OPS Elite resellers. You know these guys. That one-time very exclusive collection of core IPG channel players who jumped through hoops to earn the opportunity of a lifetime - selling Edgelines.

Yeah, that was us - I guess things have changed.

Today, if you are a Global/Xerox dealer and you have a pulse, 'little blue' will authorize you for OPS.

Today, if you have a retail door, hang MpS on a peg board next to the paperclips and white out, kick down a pulse, 'little blue' will authorize you for OPS.

Right, I busted my ass to install 79 Edgelines - all still in the field. Today, 'little blue' doesn't even have the Edgeline SKU in their system. (okay, that might be extreme, but you get my point. TouchPad anyone?)

The propeller heads over in PSG are whining over a little shift? Give me a break. Those of us tied into IPG have been surfing the whirlwind of "scratch your head" logic since the MoPIER.

Remember those?

As easy as it is to throw poop at mother blue, I ain't going to, I'm done.   The last 90 days may be remembered as just another bump in the dark as it appeared mother blue is trying to commit suicide, shooting every foot in sight - this isn't about all that.

HP is the biggest gorilla in the house.  Actually, HP is a great, big, humongous, blue gorilla in your bed.  She can roll over, squish you, and not even lose a wink.  Talk about a 'walk of shame'.

Last year was in Phoenix - this year in Orlando.  Last year the presentations were old-skool and it seemed mother blue couldn't spell 'MpS'.

Well, what a difference a year makes.

"The Death of the Copier is going Down Under: Let's Zig in a World of Zags"

Greg Walters to Speak at The 2011 Asia Pacific MPS Conference in Sydney, Australia, 

Oct 31- Nov 1.

When I first let the Death of the Copier genie out of the bottle, back in the wild days of 2007, I did not know what to expect. Indeed, I had no expectations at all.

As the popularity grew, I noticed more visits from the UK, South Africa and Australia.

Even more than the US.

 I credited this phenomena to the US having "real", MPS experts, folks with lots of letters behind their name, answering MPS/Sales questions on their 'real' websites - nobody would come to a goofy blog called "The Death of..." anytihng.

So I went out to see for myself; call it a digital walkabout. I explored every instance I could of "Managed Print Services". Back then, when I Googled the phrase, nothing came back.

Nobody else.

I Googled "MPS Training" - again, nothing - at first. Soon, MPS training classes started to pop up, a quick gander at the agenda revealed one blaring truth, these guys were repackaging copier sales techniques into MpS sales training.

Now, if I were truly on the outside looking in, I probably wouldn't see the difference. If I had not been in the copier industry, had never been involved in the IT industry or not been trained on solution selling, by software companies, back in the 80's - I probably would have not been able to see.

Heck, if I wasn't freshly into MPS I wouldn't had cared. But all this was true, I was looking for somebody who knew more than I about MPS – I was disappointed.

Oh, there were a few - and they are still around: Jim Lyons, Ken Stewart, Art Post, Ed Crowely(Photizo) - followed by Nath Dube. We admitted to "making it up as we went along"- great fun.

DOTC was alone in the wilderness. Talking about MpS and getting echo's back - except with Australia. For some reason, the folks down under were coming to my site.

Fast forward a few years - DOTC is now considered a 'go to source' for information on MpS and nano-technology.  The nano-tech thing is way out there, just beyond the reach, out on the Edge.

DOTC is knows for scantily clad ladies and contrarian views. For pole dancers, movie clips, honest real world MpS/Sales stories and Attitude.

Always, Attitude.

MPSA Sponsors Splinter MpS Group, that does not exist...

2011- No Rules MpS

Almost a year ago, deep within bowels of a super-secret, underground bunker, difficult even for the attendees to find - the first No Rules MPS meeting convened.

No Rules
No PowerPoint
No Ego's

This improbable collection of bleeding edge adopters, consumed adult beverages and spoke the forbidden language of collaboration.

DOTC style.

Weeks of 'Thirsty-Thursday's", private, encrypted and scrambled online collaboration sessions resulted in the second No Rules MPS session being held in "No Rules, Eastern Command" - Tennessee.

The MPSA took note, and agreed to sponsor the third iteration of No Rules MPS in Vegas, January 2012.

As a wild, untamed, right of the bell curve loosely connected gang of MpS'rs, No Rules prided themselves on just that - No Rules.

Can this rebellious tone continue with the backing of the only MPS association?

Will the big Mother Ship devour her young hellions?

Like injecting the 24th Chromosome, will No Rules enhance the association's DNA, producing a faster, healthier, more nimble warrior?

Or will this 24th chromosome reveal the worst of all worlds and collapse?

In the end, it's up to you - get to Vegas.  Like you need another reason...

Press Release Below: