April 2006 Office Technology

O1OT0406 3/27/06 9:17 AM Page 1

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For office products that have a reputation that won’t let you down, why not go with a company with the same reputation?

When you become an Authorized Toshiba Dealer you partner with the seventh largest integrated manufacturer of electronic

equipment in the world—a $53 billion company that’s been around for 130 years. Toshiba has a full line of office products

(12 ppm to 105 ppm) and gives their Authorized Dealers award-winning support, in-depth training, technical support,

network training, competitive data and service updates 24/7. And Toshiba puts its reputation of quality into every machine.

Why not consider becoming an Authorized Toshiba Dealer yourself? For more information call 949-462-6165.

“Copier Manufacturer of the Year”– The Cannata Report’s 20th Annual Dealer Survey

– Marketing Research Consultants, Inc.

©2005 Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. Electronic Imaging Division. All rights reserved.

03OT0406 3/27/06 9:33 AM Page 1

Customer Education

Cobb Technologies is

making the investmentby Dustin PhillipsWhile the entire office technology

industry is discussing the transition

from copier dealership to document solutions pro-

vider, Virginia’s Cobb Technologies is doing some-

thing about it. The company is training its people

and investing in educating customers and prospects.

4 | w w w . o f f i c e t e c h n o l o g y m a g . c o m | A p r i l 2 0 0 6

CONTENTS

6

8

30

Editor’s Page

BTA President’s Message

Advertiser Index

The Solution Specialist

Taking your dealership

to new heights?by Brent HoskinsOffice Technology MagazineToday, many industry leaders

say that the traditional meth-

od of selling office technology

is falling by the wayside, giving

way to new sales strategies. Increasingly, dealerships are

making the transition by adding solution specialists.

D E P A R T M E N T S

Volume 12 � No. 10

18

Service Excellence

Developing skill sets to meet

customer expectationsby John FleschGordon Flesch Company Inc.How can dealerships back up their

service excellence claims? In the age

of complex and ever-evolving tech-

nology, the ability to truly deliver

high-quality customer service distin-

guishes office technology dealerships from competitors.

2410

20

F E A T U R E A R T I C L E S

ITEX 2006

Industry exposition held

March 15-16 in Las Vegasby Brent HoskinsOffice Technology MagazineDealers, manufacturers and suppli-

ers converged in Las Vegas March 15-

16 with a focus on the latest tech-

nologies, sales strategies and market

opportunities within the office tech-

nology industry. They gathered to attend ITEX 2006.

26

C O U R T S & C A P I T O L S

22

S E L L I N G S O L U T I O N S

Close-up: Toshiba

OEM provides dealers a

variety of learning toolsby Anthony CodianniToshiba America Business Solutions Inc.Because different people learn in dif-

ferent ways and at different rates, Toshiba’s educa-

tion and development team has created a corporate

university that provides a variety of learning tools to

reach all types of learners. Here’s a close-up look.

28

Religious Expression

What is acceptable

in the workplace?by Robert C. GoldbergBTA General CounselAs religious beliefs become intertwined with social

and political issues it is important to know where to

draw the line in your dealership. As recent cases reveal,

the lines are neither straight nor clear.

Successful Sales Managers

A look at Global’s recruiting

& retention strategiesby Dan CooperGlobal Imaging Systems Inc.Here’s a look at what Global Imag-

ing Systems Inc. has found to be the formula for cre-

ating, motivating and retaining a winning team of

sales managers and leaders who are thriving on the

challenges facing the industry today.

23 Business Technology AssociationMay-June Education Calendar

P R I N C I P A L I S S U E S

04OT0406 3/27/06 2:57 PM Page 4

05OT0406 3/1/06 12:01 PM Page 1

EDITOR’S PAGE

On March 14, I

was among the

70 or so people

attending “Profiting

from Selling the Total

Document System,” one

of the ITEX 2006 Dealer

Business Forums. The

full-day forum was led by four industry

analysts I hold in high regard, each with

many years of experience in the office tech-

nology industry.

There was plenty of practical advice to

help dealers boost revenues and profits.

Although I am not a dealer, I always try to

listen to the comments in such education

sessions as if I do own a dealership. Here are

a few of the key comments I heard and asso-

ciated action items for “my dealership”:

From Lou Slawetsky, president of In-

dustry Analysts Inc.: “The color market is

exploding. It is an area where you can make

money, but how many of us write a service

contract for a color product exactly the

same way that we write it for a mono-

chrome product. We [dealers] estimate 5

percent coverage per color, per page. Our

research shows that it’s 32 to 33 percent [or

about 8 percent per color, per page] for

normal interoffice work.”

Action item: Carefully review all CPC

contracts for color MFPs to ensure I’m not

losing money.

From Robert Sostilio, president of Sos-

tilio & Associates International: “When we

go out and talk to end-users we ask, ‘How

many of your copiers [MFPs] are connected

to a network?’ The first time we did the

survey, about 32 percent said their machines

‘are connected.’ The last time that we polled

some of the end-users, it was up to about 40

percent. The opportunity still exists for you

to get out there and sell the functionality of

multifunctional devices. We know that once

a copier is connected to a network, the page

volume on that device increases anywhere

from 28 to 50 percent.”

Action item: Make certain my compensa-

tion plan encourages sales reps to ensure all

MFPs we place are connected to networks.

From Richard Norton, president of

DocuTrends: “The objective of getting into

the solutions business is to be different from

the other guys. Take the focus off of the prod-

ucts where margins are down — the hard-

ware — because everybody’s got the same

box.” With the current transition to color

devices, “you could arguably say that some

hardware is different, but eight months from

now you won’t be able to say that.”

Action item: Consider the question: “Do

my customers simply perceive my dealer-

ship as a hardware provider?” If so, take

immediate steps to change that perception.

From Charlie Pesko, managing director

of InfoTrends: “You don’t have a choice

about the solutions business. In the U.S. last

year it was about $300 million (software and

related support and service). The hardware

pull-through is about four to five times the

size of the solutions business.” (InfoTrends

projects that hardware sold with solutions

will increase at a compound annual growth

rate [CAGR] of 29 percent by 2009, while the

net revenue value of the devices that are

sold independent of any solutions is pro-

jected to decline at a CAGR of -11 percent.)

Action item: Align my dealership with

software vendors who can help me claim my

share of that multi-billion dollar software

and resulting hardware sales business.

— Brent Hoskins

A Few Action Itemsfor ‘My Dealership’

EditorBrent Hoskins

[email protected](816) 303-4040

Contributing WritersAnthony Codianni

Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc.www.copiers.toshiba.com

Dan Cooper, Global Imaging Systems Inc.www.global-imaging.com

John Flesch, Gordon Flesch Company Inc.www.gflesch.com

Robert C. Goldberg, General CounselBusiness Technology Association

Dustin Phillips

Business Technology Association12411 Wornall Road

Kansas City, MO 64145(816) 941-3100

www.bta.org

Member Services: (800) 505-2821BTA Legal Hotline: (800) 869-6688

Bert DarlingExecutive Director

[email protected]

Valerie McLaughlinMembership Marketing Manager

[email protected]

Gary HedbergAccounting Manager

[email protected]

Mary HopkinsAccounting [email protected]

©2006 by the Business Technology Association. All RightsReserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by anymeans without the written permission of the publisher. Everyeffort is made to ensure the accuracy of published material.However, the publisher assumes no liability for errors in articlesnor are opinions expressed necessarily those of the publisher.


®

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BTA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

If you attended the

2006 ITEX show in

March, then you

already know it was a

great success. It featured

many valuable learning

and networking oppor-

tunities. Of course, I

particularly enjoyed BTA’s 80th Anniversary

Reception held on the show ’s opening

evening. Thanks to all who took part as we

celebrated this important milestone.

During the reception, I had the privilege

of presenting the 2006 BTA Channel’s Choice

Awards. These awards are based on the

results of surveys completed by independent

dealers, asked to rate the industry’s OEMs in

various performance categories. Congratu-

lations to our 2006 winners: Gestetner —

Corporate Support Award, Digital Product

Line Award and Superior Performance

Award, primary product line; Panasonic

Digital Document Company — Marketing

Distribution Award; and Muratec America

Inc. — Outstanding Performance Award,

secondary product line.

I also had the privilege of recognizing

two individuals during the reception for

their outstanding service to the association.

This year’s BTA Volunteer of the Year

Award was presented to Lou Slawetsky, pres-

ident of Industry Analysts Inc. Typically, this

award is presented to honor a dealer

member volunteer who has made a signifi-

cant contribution of service to the associa-

tion. However, Lou is a longtime friend of

BTA. For many years, he has readily served

whenever called upon. Lou is a true cham-

pion of BTA and its efforts to serve the

industry ’s premier channel for bringing

today’s technology to the workplace.

The other individual is Brent Hoskins,

editor of Office Technology magazine. He

received the BTA President’s Award. Brent

makes an investment in each and every one

of us as he brings us the most current educa-

tion and information each month through

this excellent publication.

The BTA 80th Anniversary Reception

served as a personal reminder of the signifi-

cant role BTA has played in the success of

my own company. We have been benefiting

from our membership since shortly after my

father, Earl Naylor, founded the company in

1957. (He was president of the TOLA Region

in 1972, for those of you who remember

TOLA). The benefits of membership con-

tinue today and, undoubtedly, will continue

for a third generation as my children come

of age. I can certainly identify with the senti-

ments of one BTA member whose name I

was unable to catch as he passed by the BTA

booth at ITEX. “Thanks for 35 years,” he said.

Of course, there was much more to ITEX

than the BTA 80th Anniversary Reception.

As in past years, the show proved to be a

great venue for meeting with suppliers and

fellow dealers. If you are like me, I am sure

you found the event valuable in working

toward the goal of improving your busi-

ness. In my case, I was especial ly im-

pressed with the information I found in the

e x h i b it h a l l rega rdi n g t ra n s a c t i o n a l

printing — yet another enabler to help us

offer customers a complete document

management solution.

Each year the ITEX show is an important

event in our industry. I’m sure all attendees

would join me in congratulating Marc

Spring and his associates for another suc-

cessful show. I hope to see you at ITEX 2007.

— Mark Naylor

BTA Award Winners— Congratulations!

®

2005-2006 Board of Directors

PresidentMark Naylor

ABM Automation740 NW 63rd St.

Oklahoma City, OK [email protected]

President-ElectDan Hayes

Purcell’s Business Products222 E. 1st St.

Campbellsville, KY [email protected]

Vice PresidentShannon Oliver

Copier Source Inc.215-G Industrial Ave.

P.O. Box 36395Greensboro, NC [email protected]

BTA EastThomas Chin

Accolade Technologies LLC604 Hampshire Road

Mamaroneck, NY [email protected]

BTA Mid-AmericaDave Johnson

G-I Office Technologies Inc.701 Atlas Ave.

Madison, WI [email protected]

BTA SoutheastBill James

WJS Enterprises Inc.3315 Ridgelake Drive

P.O. Box 6620Metairie, LA 70009

[email protected]

BTA WestGreg Valen

Hawaii Business Equipment Inc. Toshiba Business Solutions

590-A Paiea St.Honolulu, HI 96819

[email protected]

Ex-Officio/General CounselRobert C. Goldberg

Schoenberg Fisher Newman & Rosenberg Ltd.222 S. Riverside Plaza

Ste. 2100Chicago, IL 60606

[email protected]


08OT0406 3/28/06 4:29 PM Page 8

09OT0406 3/8/06 12:42 PM Page 1


by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

The Solution SpecialistTaking your dealership to new heights?

Today, the first link in the

industry ’s supply chain

remains intact — the

assembly lines continue to churn

out machines to be sold by office

technology dealerships. However,

many industry leaders emphasize

that the traditional method of

selling those machines is falling

by the wayside, giving way to new

sales strategies.

Of course, it appears there are

plenty of sales reps w ho are

content with selling as they have

always sold. That is, primarily

they are waiting for lease terms

to expire and then calling on cus-

tomers with the hope of upgrading machines. The tired

phrases “selling boxes” and “selling speeds and feeds” come

into play here. How long will this sales method persist? Only

time will tell.

As noted, industry leaders say the days of simply selling

boxes are numbered. Instead, they are pointing to new

strategies to ultimately replace the traditional sales method.

The dealership should be positioned as a technology

partner, they say, working to address inefficiencies with

business processes and document workflow. Only then can

the dealership provide customers and prospects with the

right solutions to address their document-related needs.

Many dealerships have made the transition or are in the

midst of doing so. As is increasingly stated in the industry,

they are “selling solutions.” Specifically, they are placing the

right combination of MFPs, printers, software, etc. — and

serving as a consultant to customers and prospects — to

solve document workflow problems. Is your dealership

among those that have made or are making the transition?

Are you providing solutions to

problems? Or, are you simply

selling boxes, speeds and feeds?

With an army of traditional

sales reps still in the field, many

dealerships are making th e

transition through the addition

of a new staff position — the

solution specialist. Increasingly

pivotal in the sales process

these specialists are taking a

growing number of dealerships

to new heights.

Office Technology magazine

surveyed a portion of its dealer

readership via e-mail. Eighty-

eight dealers responded. The

results present a revealing look at the recent rise of the

solution specialist within the office technology dealership.

Certainly, a commonly accepted job description of the

solution specialist remains a bit elusive. In fact, while some

use the job title, others use alternative titles, such as systems

specialist, document solution specialist or solution sales rep-

resentative. And, of course, the duties of these individuals

vary from dealership to dealership. Recognizing these reali-

ties, Office Technology offered a specific description to serve as

a reference point for those responding to the survey: “This

employee is in a separate position than the traditional sales

rep and is responsible for selling or assisting in the sale of

software-based solutions sold in conjunction with

copiers/MFPs. He/she may also have responsibility for imple-

mentation and some ongoing support of software-based solu-

tions.” The survey added: “In responding to this survey, please

consider the job title ‘solution specialist’ as a substitute for

any alternative title used in your dealership for individuals

who essentially have the same duties as described above.”

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13OT0406 3/9/06 9:21 AM Page 1

Following are the results of four of the

key questions in the survey (see the side-

bars on pages 14 and 16 for comments

shared by survey respondents):

� “Do you currently employ a person

or persons in the position of solution

sp e ci al i st?” Th e re sult s : “ yes ,” 72

percent; and “no,” 28 percent.

� “How many individuals currently

serve as a solution specialist at your

dealership?” The results (three choices listed with the ques-

tion): “One,” 57 percent; “Two to five,” 40 percent; and “More

than five,” 3 percent.

� “As compared to the compensation of the traditional

sales rep at your dealership, which of the following best

describes the annual compensation (salary and commission)

of your solution specialist?” The results (three choices listed

with the question): “He/she makes less than the traditional

sales rep,” 24 percent; “He/she makes about the same as the

traditional sales rep,” 45 percent; and “He/she makes more

than the traditional sales rep,” 31 percent.

� “ Which of the fol lowing best

describes the result of employing a solu-

tion specialist (one or more) at your deal-

ership?” The results (three choices listed

with the question): “To date, we are real-

izing no increased revenue and profit,” 19

percent; “We are realizing moderate

increased revenue and profit,” 70 percent;

and “ We are realizing substantial

increased revenue and profit,” 11 percent.

One can easily imagine the potential sources of in-

creased revenue and profit — greater margins on hardware,

software sales and associated residual income for support,

increased clicks and billable professional services. There is

also the opportunity for the “pull-through” of additional

hardware sales.

“Roughly speaking, for every dollar in solutions we’re

facilitating about $6 in workgroup hardware,” says Susan

Gain, director of solution sales and engineering for Konica

Having trouble findingmoney for yourchild’s education?

BTA Can Help.Scholarships for use at colleges or accredited vocational trade schools

are available to the sons and daughters of BTA Retail Dealer and Value Added Reseller members and the sons and daughters of their full-time employees. Scholarship recipients

are chosen by an impartial and independent evaluator. Completed applicationsmust be received at BTA by May 1. To obtain a scholarship application form,

contact Mary Hopkins at [email protected] or (816) 303-4031 or write to:BTA Scholarship Foundation, 12411 Wornall Road,

Kansas City, MO 64145.

®


“ ... For every dollarin solutions we’refacilitating about $6 inworkgroup hardware.In reality, the solution isactually the ‘box mover’in many cases.”

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15OT0406 3/17/06 12:00 PM Page 1

Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc. “In reality, the solu-

tion is actually the ‘box mover’ in many cases. So, these

days, if you do not have the solution, you are not going to

move easily one eighth of your boxes. Soon, it will be one

quarter of your boxes and then it will be half of your boxes.”

Ed McLaughlin, president of Sharp Document Solutions

Company of America, offers a similar comment. “The appli-

cations are a vehicle that help you sell hardware,” he says.

“When my people on the systems side of the business tell

me about how they have increased applications or software

sales, I cringe. What I want to understand is, ‘How much

pull-through in equipment sales did you have because you

were closer to the customer?’”

Collectively, the increased revenue and profit — from

pull-through hardware sales and otherwise — are a reflec-

tion of the “added value” the specialist brings to the sales

process, says McLaughlin. The individual, he says, “under-

stands the customer’s business process to such an extent

that he knows how the dealership can enhance the cus-

tomer’s ability to be more proficient, more efficient, more

competitive or all of the above.

“The key here is to find a way to bring more value to

your customer,” he says. “If you can accomplish that you

will have a customer that is with you for a long period of

time and you won’t be susceptible to the commoditization

of the product.”

Mark DeSarno, director of network solutions for

Kyocera Mita America Inc., further explains the payoff of

the value the solution specialist brings to the sales

process. “When a lease comes up for renewal, you don’t

have to go down to .006 cents per copy,” he says. “You can

stay at .009 cents or you can go a little higher, because you

are working the complete infrastructure of that business.

You own the capture, you own the output and you own the

maintenance.

“You may be offering the customer multiple levels of solu-

tions and multiple levels of support,” he says. “So, you will

have a stronger relationship and tighter bond with that cus-

tomer. They are not going to be as willing to bring in an

outside vendor to replace your equipment.”

DeSarno says Kyocera dealers are adding solution special-

ists at a notable pace. “I’m seeing it become more common-

place,” he says. “When they understand the margins and

opportunities that are available with their existing and new

customers, they see it as a value-add for them and a new

source of revenue.”

Gain shares a similar observation. She manages a group


Your PerspectiveThe final question in the e-mail survey conducted in conjunc-

tion with this article: “Do you have any general comments youwould like to share on the topic of the solution specialist?”Following is a look at many of the comments received from dealers. (Comments continued on page 16.)

“I am absolutely sure that this position is one of great impor-tance inside an office equipment dealership. The basis of an MFPsale alone is to offer a solution. The revenue possibilities that wenow have because of our software partners are almost limitless,but only if you are able to implement the solutions.”

“We recently created the solution specialist position at ourdealership and we filled it just this month. Our long-term aim is tohave the solution specialist go in after the hardware sale, connectequipment to the network and ask enough questions that he candetermine if any software solutions would benefit the customer.From there, he can write a proposal on the various solutions hefeels the customer might want to consider, either now or downthe road. We envision the job to be a combination of soft sell,customer service and service/networking. As the position is verynew, we'll have to sit back and see how it evolves in practice.”

“We have trained two of our copier techs and pay them extrato advise sales on software-based solution installations.”

“We are very uncertain of this position as most clients wantto deal with the same salesperson for all products they purchasefrom the company. Also, I am very concerned about the individ-ual’s work ethic — a traditional pavement-pounding sales repwill probably not have the technical expertise to handle the‘solution sale,’ whatever that is, while the person in an IT capac-ity will most likely make a terrible sales rep. I don't believe he(or she) will have the perseverance required to get enough busi-ness going at once to cover his costs. I can see him digging adeal up and spending weeks on that deal trying to knock it overand not having anything else on his plate to go get if that dealgets put back or is lost.”

“I believe it has become a necessity to employ a solutions spe-cialist in order to be effective in placing hardware as an ever-increasing amount of hardware sales are tied to some type ofdocument solutions software.”

“We use the OEM's solution specialist at the present time. Heis readily accessible. Until such time as our needs exceed hisavailability we will probably not hire a specialist.”

“I don't feel that the ‘team’ approach to marketing solutions isthe best model since most reps seem to feel that discussing solu-tions may lengthen the sales cycle. So, we are looking at bring-ing in an additional person to be more sales-based with a profi-cient understanding of business processes.”

14OT0406 3/28/06 6:02 PM Page 14

within Konica Minolta that supports

dealers through training, etc., in solu-

tion sales. “We had a goal of 200 dealers

selling solutions for FY 2005,” she says,

within a month of FY 2006. “To date, we

have 216 active dealers.”

What are the traits of solution spe-

cialists? What are their duties? A look at

the results of two additional questions

from the survey provides some answers.

� “Which of the following best describes the person who

is in the role of solution specialist as it relates to his/her

work history and area of expertise?” The results (two

choices listed with the question): “He/she is more of a sales-

person ,” 38 percent; and “He/she is more of a tech-

nical/service person,” 62 percent.

� “Which of the following best describes the person

who is in the role of solution specialist as it relates to

his/her duties?” The results ( four choices listed with the

question): “He/she assists the traditional sales rep in a

team approach when pursuing a soft-

ware-based solution installation with

a n M F P p l a c e m e n t ,” 6 0 p er c e n t ;

“He/she comes in after the traditional

sales rep has made the solution sale

and c onc entrat e s on inst al l at ion ,

training, etc., while the sales rep moves

on to the next prospect,” 23 percent;

“He/she works independent of the tra-

ditional sales rep and has the sole sales

responsibility when pursuing software-based solution

installations with a newly placed or existing MFP,” 9

percent; and “Other,” 8 percent.

Following is a sampling of the comments shared by those

selecting “Other” in responding to the above question:

� “I have an IT specialist who helps with pre-sales and

post-sales. I also have a technical sales rep who concen-

trates on document management software solutions.”

� “At our dealership this person has a blend of all three pos-

sible answers. We are still in the [early] stages of identifying

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“I have an IT specialistwho helps with pre-salesand post-sales. I alsohave a technical salesrep who concentrates ondocument managementsoftware solutions.”

15OT0406 3/28/06 10:22 AM Page 15

[which] scenario will eventually win out.”

� “I have two people on the solutions team. One is sales

and the other is technical. They can work independent of the

MFP team or they can assist on deals the MFP reps uncover.”

As the survey results reflect, it appears that solution

specialists are emerging from both the sales and tech-

nical/service side of the dealership. Either way, while

product and technical knowledge are important, it appears

that an understanding of business processes is, perhaps,

the most critical area of expertise.

“If they don’t understand business and business pain, they

can’t come up with a solution,” says Gain. “So, primarily, they

need to understand the end-user’s business, applications,

goals and objectives. And, they need to be able to communi-

cate one-on-one with the end-user.”

Tom Davis, vice president of marketing applications devel-

opment for Sharp, shares a similar view. “Today, the customer

is saying, ‘You need to understand what my needs are,’” he

says. “So, being a specialist is no longer just connecting the

unit to a network; it’s much more than that. ‘How is this

product that you are selling me going to benefit me and make

me more efficient in doing my job?’

“This individual needs to be someone who is a good lis-

tener, and who has an understanding of applications,” he

continues. “Now, is it a specific application, like document

management? No, it’s an understanding of what the cus-

tomer is faced with in doing his daily job.”

The view is further confirmed by Peter Davey, director of

professional services at Toshiba Business Solutions-Florida.

“Having a general business acumen is critical,” he says, com-

menting on the company’s “business analysts,” who assist

traditional MFP sales reps. “They need to understand how

businesses work and understand the key and critical docu-

ments inside businesses.”

The message is unmistakable: The core of the solution

specialist ’s skil l set should be expertise in business

processes and document workflow. As McLaughlin sug-

gests, “we’re going from a hardware business to a knowl-

edge business.” Do all of the specialists employed by the

dealers who responded to the survey have this expertise?

Or, are some of them simply focused on software imple-

mentation? Whatever the answers, those interviewed for

this article say they are pleased with the results of the

survey. “I’m encouraged that everybody is thinking about

this, and that those who do not have anyone in this posi-

tion are thinking about it,” says McLaughlin. His comment

refers to the 28 percent of survey respondents who do not

Your Perspective(Dealer comments continued from page 14.)

“Having a solution specialist is really the easy part of theequation. My problem is more the front-line salesperson. I don'tfeel we are capable, as salespeople, of truly being able to takethe time to uncover opportunities within an organization. Oursalespeople need better training on how to find these, and thengetting the solution specialist involved to bring a higher level ofcredibility to the whole transaction.”

“Until recently, our more technically minded solution special-ist tried to sell solutions independently, without involving salespersonnel. That was not successful. We have now started usinghim in a team approach, with the salespeople heading up theeffort and follow-up. So far, it looks to be a much more success-ful route.”

“We have been unsuccessful achieving notable solutions rev-enue while depending on the MFP reps to close the deals. Thesales cycles become too long for the average rep. We believeour environment will take a sales and technical focus on solutionsto make it a profitable investment.”

“Right now our service manager (me) does all of the duties ofa solution specialist. We’ve had a hard time selling the total solu-tion on a regular basis; we can’t foresee hiring someone, espe-cially for this.”

“About four years ago we created a digital application groupwith its own P&L. This group reports to the VP of sales and is pri-marily responsible for working with the various sales groups in ourcompany. Currently we have three dedicated people who work asa team to secure the total — or as close as we can get — printvolume of a particular company. The group’s background: Twofrom sales and one from technical. We would not have been ableto land some of the large accounts without their knowledge andskills. The group’s revenues are derived from all applications andsoftware solutions that go with a particular sale.”

“Solution specialists are a quick way to bring technical knowl-edge to the sales force. Part of their function must be to increasethe knowledge of the sales force, which increases their ability toprospect for solution sales.”

“Our solution sales specialist is a manager. He manages thetwo technical folks on his team and spends a majority of his timetraining the core reps and then assisting them in the moreadvanced software solutions opportunities. We have tried all theother methods — from a total support-only team to separate salesfolks. So far, this seems to have the best traction in moving ourorganization to a more complete solutions provider.”

“A solution specialist is a necessary position, if you want tostay up-to-date with the products currently available.”


16OT0406 3/28/06 6:11 PM Page 16

have a solution specialist on staff. The

final survey question reveals that a

majority of these dealers are moving in

that direction.

� “If you do not employ a solution

specialist at the present time, which of

the following best describes your plans

for the future?” The results (three

choices listed with the question): “We

have no plans to create and fill the posi-

tion of solution specialist,” 15 percent; “We are giving some

thought to creating and filling the position of solution spe-

cialist,” 52 percent; and “We have definite plans to create

and fill the position of solution specialist,” 33 percent.

McLaughlin encourages dealers to move quickly in

adding expertise to help customers address problems with

their document-related business processes. “There is not a

lot of time left,” he says. “This is going to accelerate at a

rapid speed. Don’t fall behind too long

or you’ll never catch up.”

What is the initial step? DeSarno

stresses, “you have to have buy-in from

all departments.” Davey agrees, noting

that the move to employing specialists

and concentrating on solution sales is a

significant change in direction for the

dealership. “You’ve got to have a vision

and be set up to succeed rather than to

fail,” he says. “You’ve got to decide to move your company

180 degrees, orienting your business in a

different direction. If you just ‘bring in a

specialist’ and ‘hope for the best’ it’s not

going to happen. You’re just going to waste

a lot of money.” �

Brent Hoskins, editor of Office Technology,

can be reached at [email protected].


“You’ve got to have avision ... If you just‘bring in a specialist’and ‘hope for the best’it’s not going to happen.You’re just going towaste a lot of money.”

17OT0406 3/28/06 10:40 AM Page 17


by: Brent Hoskins, Office Technology Magazine

ITEX 2006Industry exposition held March 15-16 in Las Vegas

Dealers, manufacturers and

suppliers converged in Las

Vegas March 15-16 with a

focus on the latest technologies, sales

strategies and market opportunities

within the office technology industry.

They gathered to attend ITEX 2006,

hosted by Imaging Network and held

at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The show, which featured 75 edu-

cation sessions, drew 3,211 atten-

dees, up from 2,659 in 2005. The

event also featured the products and

services of 245 exhibiting companies,

up from 180 in 2005.

“Thanks to your support, ITEX

continues to grow at an unprece-

dented pace,” said Marc Spring, presi-

dent of Imaging Network, as he

welcomed attendees on the first day

of the show. “Vendor participation is

up 30 percent from last year and ITEX

attendance is up 300 percent since its

inception in 2001. Today, we have the

finest minds in the industry pre-

senting our educational workshops.”

Spring emphasized the changing

nature of the industry and the impor-

tance of dealers seeking learning

opportunities. “We all have opportu-

nities to face and challenges to over-

come,” he said . “ We can be com-

placent or we can enthusiastically

seek new ground together . . . I ’m

proud to say that ITEX has helped

dealers who are making the transition

Clockwise from above left: (left to right) BTA President Mark Naylor, Gestetner

Western Region Vice President Ron Corsentino and BTA Executive Director Bert

Darling display the 2006 BTA Channel’s Choice awards presented to Gestetner for

Corporate Support, Digital Product Line and Superior Performance, primary product

line; Panasonic Digital Document Company National Sales Director Tony Bhandari

(left) and Regional Sales Manager Bob Burke (right) accept the Channel’s Choice

award for Marketing Distribution from Naylor; and Muratec America Inc. Marketing

Manager Lou Stricklin (left) and President and CEO Yutaka Moriwaki (right) accept

the Channel’s Choice award for Outstanding Performance, secondary product line,

from Naylor. The awards were presented during the BTA 80th Anniversary Reception.

Left to right: ITEX 2006 featured 75 education sessions; attendees visit with a repre-

sentative of one of 245 exhibiting companies; attendees enter the exhibit hall.

18OT0406 3/28/06 2:11 PM Page 18

from selling boxes to becoming

imaging technology providers.”

The theme of moving away

from the traditional box selling

strategy was prevalent in the

ITEX show education sessions,

beginning with the first of two

full-day Dealer Business Fo-

rums, “Profiting from Selling

the Total Document System,”

held on March 14 as a front-

runner to the show. (The

second forum was held March

17.) “One of the biggest cha-

rades in this industry is that ‘my box is better than everybody

else’s boxes,’” said industry analyst Richard Norton, president

of DocuTrends, during the forum. “By and large, I think the

true value left the box and moved to the channel in the 1980s.”

With the revenue sources resulting from the box place-

ments as the goal (i.e., software sales, professional services,

etc.) dealers need to move the focus away from the box,

instead addressing business workf low problems, said

Norton. “If you don’t see yourself as something other than a

copier dealer, then your business cannot succeed,” he said.

In various ITEX education sessions, dealers and others

similarly stressed the importance of focusing on the solution

rather than the box. Session panelist Ben Russert, president

of ProSource, for example, cited the payoff of making the

transition. “Approaching business with the solution sale nets

us many more boxes (MFP placements) and aftermarket

dollars than we would otherwise get,” he said. “The biggest

change that we’ve made is focusing on customers and asking

questions. What are their pains? What are their needs?

What are their business problems? We go at it from that

standpoint, rather than, ‘How many boxes do you have?

What’s your volume?’ They don’t want to talk about that.

They want to talk about themselves and their businesses.”

Beyond the education sessions and vendor exhibits, ITEX

2006 also featured the BTA 80th Anniversary Reception.

During the reception, BTA President Mark Naylor presented

awards to the 2006 BTA Channel’s Choice award winners. He

also presented the association’s annual Volunteer of the Year

Award and President’s Award. (See photos and captions for a

list of award winners.) The reception was sponsored by the

following vendors: Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc.,

SYNNEX Corp., Muratec America Inc., Oki Data Americas Inc.

and Greater Bay Capital. Door prizes were provided by

Toshiba and Sentry Insurance.

In addition, Spring presented

ImageSource magazine’s Perfect

Image Awards during the recep-

tion. The winners and the

award categories: Advanced

Imaging Solutions Inc., Out-

standing Service Program; Copy

& Camera Technologies, Out-

standing Community Involve-

ment; Centric, Best Use of the

Web; Imaging Concepts of New

Mexico Inc., Most Innovative

Customer Service; R.J. Young

Company, Outstanding Marketing Campaign; Stargel Inc.,

Outstanding Sales Program; and Thermocopy, Best Imple-

mentation of Technology Strategies and Dealer of the Year. �

Brent Hoskins, editor of Office Technology,

can be reached at [email protected].


Left: Lou Slawetsky, president of Industry Analysts Inc.,

accepts the 2006 BTA Volunteer of the Year from BTA

President Mark Naylor during the BTA 80th Anniversary

Reception. Right: Brent Hoskins, editor of Office Tech-

nology, accepts the BTA President’s Award from Naylor.

19OT0406 3/28/06 7:46 PM Page 1


by: John Flesch, Gordon Flesch Company Inc.

Service. It’s what most office equip-

m ent c omp ani e s c l a im to of fer.

Service excellence — many claim to

have that level of commitment to service as

well. But how do customers know for sure?

How can dealers back up their service excel-

lence claims? In the age of complex and

ever-evolving technology, the ability to truly

deliver high-quality customer service distin-

guishes office technology dealerships from

competitors.

Customer loyalty is critical. Without your

customers’ satisfaction you have little room

for growth and development. Healthy rela-

tionships with customers play an important

role in the success of a business. Because

companies are now using multifunction

office machines to perform a variety of net-

worked tasks that keep their businesses moving, customer

service expectations continue to grow. Companies cannot

afford lost hours caused by a down machine.

These increased customer service expectations create the

need for your service technicians to have multiple skill sets.

The base elements to attaining quality customer service and

benefiting your business are three-fold: knowledge of your

customers’ needs, a solid knowledge of the technology that

addresses those needs and the interpersonal skills neces-

sary to deliver high-quality service. By continually seeking

new learning and training opportunities for your employees,

you as a dealer can offer the added value of proven quality

service and dedication resulting from years of continual

demonstration of best-in-class service.

Knowledge is KeyAs we know in our industry our customers usually only

think about their office equipment when something is

wrong; either their machine is down or they

are unhappy with their current operations or

costs. Often, a down machine results in lost

hours and added stress for everyone. For this

reason alone, proactively seeking solutions

and developing a dependable knowledge

base to react quickly to any situation can

result in quality customer service.

At the Gordon Flesch Company service is

so critical to our business that we have set a

priority to have the largest and best-trained

service technician team in the country. In

fact, service technicians make up nearly one-

half of our employees. This allows us to get to

the customer as quickly as possible with the

right parts to fix the problem. The goal is

always to fix the problem on the first call.

Customers want that — and expect that.

Needless to say, training is a key component of developing

effective, confident service technicians. Within our com-

pany, our training focuses on real, everyday situations. But

keep in mind that a fully trained service technician does

not happen overnight. It takes months of investing in

training to develop service technicians who are operating

at their peak performance.

Once service technicians are trained well, we provide a

supportive company culture to keep them fulfilled, moti-

vated and appreciated. We want to ensure that we maintain

a strong technical team; our technicians’ average tenure is

more than ten years with our dealership. This is vitally

important to sustain and build on the close customer rela-

tionships our technicians have developed.

Invest in your teams and encourage certifications, such as

Canon’s Association of Technical Services Professionals

(ATSP) Certification, to ensure that your company is building

a solid knowledge base and increasing the effectiveness of

Service ExcellenceDeveloping skill sets to meet customer expectations

20OT0406 3/28/06 7:34 PM Page 20

your service technicians. The ATSP pro-

gram is designed to uphold the high

performance standards intended to

support the needs and expectations of

Canon customers. It provides assurance

that its certified members have attained

a level of knowledge and performance

that is second to none in our competi-

tive business.

Dealers should arm not only service

technicians, but also the sales force and call center

employees, with a continual flow of knowledge through

training — not only to prepare everyone to react to cus-

tomer issues in an organized manner, but also to facili-

tate problem prevention practices. Building knowledge

around preventive maintenance and seeking to uncover

patterns and issues can be used to predict potential prob-

lems before they occur, thus increasing the up-time of

office technology.

Building Long-term RelationshipsIn any industry it is important to consider who is

spending the largest percentage of time in front of the cus-

tomer and to be confident in their customer interactions

and ability to address individual customer needs. In

today’s rapidly changing market, if you fail your customers

a new competitor will quickly find opportunity in your

misfortune and pick up your lost business.

Service technician training should go beyond equipment

repair. It should also include interpersonal training that

creates a skill set to help build long-term customer relation-

ships. In most cases the service technician is your com-

pany’s face to the customer. We have come to know that a

salesperson makes the first sale; the service technician

makes the second, third and fourth sales.

The ongoing service technician and customer relation-

ship has the potential to create the familiarity, personal

dedication and immediate attention that customers want

and need. Customers who realize that the service techni-

cians understand the sense of urgency and the implica-

tions resulting from a down machine have the added

comfort of working with a dealership they can be confident

of in terms of quick reaction and service. Technicians

familiar with the customer’s business understand their

equipment usage and can apply their knowledge to the

next level of predicting patterns of service and formulating

preventive measures to increase up-time.

The Service Delivery SolutionWhile traditional customer service

is often focused on the service techni-

c i a n s w h o sp e n d t h e h i g h e st p er -

centage of time with the customer, the

sales force and call-center employees

c a n c o m p l e t e t h e t o t a l c u st o m e r

service package to optimize a dealer-

ship’s quality of service. Call center em-

ployees and salespeople should be held

to the same service and relationship-building standard

and training as technicians in the field. For instance, the

more accurately the call center is able to immediately

diagnose a customer’s need, the more quickly and effi-

ciently the on-site service technician is able to solve the

issue. Similarly, sales team members confident in their

service technicians provide more strength to their sales

pitches when working to address customer needs.

A strong relationship between sales and technical service

teams creates accountability and reduces risks of empty

promises. Completing the service package develops a solid

core for a reliable dealership known for its knowledge base

and best-in-class service capabilities.

The FutureAs the office technology industry continues to move

forward in the customization of technology to meet indi-

vidual customer needs, service must continue to evolve.

Individual customer needs should be addressed through a

thorough understanding of the customer’s business and

by delivering the appropriate service needed to make

certain that the requirements of the office technology

equipment are achieved.

By developing an effective knowledge base and building

solid customer relationships, the complete sales/call

center/service technician team can provide new levels of

proactive (preventive) and reactive service. Dealers who

strive to better serve their customers increase equipment

reliability and up-time, which leads to customer loyalty, con-

fidence and satisfaction — and, ultimately, your growth. �

John Flesch is executive vice

president and treasurer

of Gordon Flesch Company Inc.

Based in Madison, Wis., the

dealership has 800-plus employees

working from seven branch locations and

12 satellite offices. Visit www.gflesch.com.

Service techniciantraining should ... alsoinclude interpersonaltraining that creates a skill set to help buildlong-term customerrelationships.


21OT0406 3/28/06 7:36 PM Page 21

As religious beliefs become inter-

twined with social and political

issues it is important to know

where to draw the line in your dealership.

As can be seen from two recent cases the

lines are neither straight nor clear.

Not So ConservativeA young woman was hired by a dealer-

ship and at the time was conservative in

dress and appearance. She had pierced ears. Over the next

months the employee added eleven ear piercings, an eyebrow

piercing and a nose piercing. The dealership had in its

employee handbook a policy statement requiring a “neat and

professional appearance.” The dealer was concerned that the

excessive piercings were inconsistent with the company’s

values in regard to professionalism. The employee was asked

to remove any ear piercing in excess of two and to cover the

nose and eyebrow piercings. If she did not wish to place a

Band-Aid over the facial piercings, she was told clear plastic

spacers would be acceptable.

The employee refused to take any action, stating she was a

member of the Church of Body Modification, whose members

believe that the practice of body modification strengthens the

bond between mind, body and soul. The employee filed a

claim for religious discrimination that ended up in federal

court. The court rejected the notion that the Church of Body

Modification was not a bona fide religion. The law requires

that an employer accommodate a religious belief regardless of

one’s view as to its validity.

The law actually imposes three requirements in regard to

religious beliefs and the workplace. An employer: (1) May not

take an adverse employment action against an employee on

the basis of religion; (2) Is required to extend reasonable

accommodation to an employee’s religious beliefs or practices;

and (3) Has a legal obligation to avoid creating a hostile work

environment based upon religion.

Lacking Discriminatory IntentIn the second case, a salesperson worked under a sales

manager with strong religious beliefs that he did not keep to

himself. The manager recruited sales-

people from his church for they all had a

“close religious bond.” The sales team

from the church sang religious songs, left

Bible verses and Bibles on their desks and

constantly sought to have the non-affili-

ated employee join them. The salesperson

found the constant religious references

offensive and requested the company

instruct the employees to stop. The com-

pany refused to take any action stating the conduct was not

offensive and did not interfere with the religious employees’

job performance. The salesperson quit, claiming a hostile

work environment and brought suit.

The court found that in order to establish a hostile work

environment an employer’s conduct must be motivated by dis-

criminatory intent and be severely abusive or disparaging

toward the affected employee. Here the court observed there

was no discriminatory intent. Many employees sing at work

and such is clearly not a violation of one’s civil rights. The

employees had religion in common and discussed it at work in

the same manner employees might discuss families, hobbies

or sports. Furthermore, the employees never disparaged the

other person’s religion. The conduct complained of simply did

not rise to the level of creating a hostile work environment.

As society drifts towards more traditional values and

beliefs, the courts often lean in that direction as well. Here the

salesperson clearly was uncomfortable in the situation, but

despite the conduct alleged, as noted, it did not arise to a

hostile work environment.

The lines between acceptable and unacceptable positions

regarding religion in the workplace are certainly not clear. If

you are a BTA member and have any questions, please do not

hesitate to call the association’s Legal Hotline (800-869-6688)

for assistance. �

Robert C. Goldberg is general counsel

for the Business Technology Association

and a partner in the Chicago law firm

of Schoenberg, Fisher, Newman

& Rosenberg Ltd. He can be

reached at [email protected].

by: Robert C. Goldberg, General Counsel for the Business Technology Association

COURTS & CAPITOLS


Religious ExpressionWhat is acceptable in the workplace?

As religious beliefsbecome intertwined withsocial and political issuesit is important to knowwhere to draw the line ...the lines are neitherstraight nor clear.

22OT0406 3/27/06 11:34 AM Page 24

EDUCATION CALENDAR

w w w . o f f i c e t e c h n o l o g y m a g . c o m | A p r i l 2 0 0 6 | 2 3

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION • April 2006

EDUCATION CALENDARMay6 Ann Barr Selling Supplies Seminar Lisle, IL

Ames Supply Company is sponsoring this full-day seminar/workshop. Resellers ofimaging supplies are encouraged to attend. Learn how to write attention-gettingopening statements, sell against discount warehouses, find additional business inexisting accounts and much more. Limited to the first 20 who register. To register,contact Ann Barr directly at [email protected] or call (757) 463-0924. Visitwww.sellingsupplies.com. (BTA member coupon applies toward this class.)

18-22 Sales Management Workshop Caribbean Cruise (departing from Tampa, FL)Motive8s is offering a two-day workshop (four-day cruise) coupled with ongoing tele-phone coaching and Web seminar follow-up that provides office technology sales man-agers with ownership of increasing revenues/gross profits. This workshop is designed foroffice technology sales organizations, specifically for sales executives, owners, sales vicepresidents, managers and sales supervisors. For more information, contact Paul Straussat [email protected]. (Cruise included in the workshop tuition.)

20-21 BTA FIX: Cost Management for Service Spokane, WALearn proven service management and customer service strategies to use in yourcompany. Costing out the service hour, effective and profitable maintenance agree-ments, efficient vehicle operations, reducing personnel turnover, competitive compen-sation plans and identifying profit-making opportunities through the service operationare issues that are critical for success. Receive service department worksheets andaction plan templates, sample maintenance agreements, cost/price spreadsheet tem-plates on diskette and a handy workshop reference manual.

June7-8 BTA ProFinance Washington, D.C.

Analyze current business practices and evaluate strengths and weaknesses. Partici-pants will explore important issues surrounding profitability benchmarks, asset man-agement, expense controls and employee productivity. They will leave with a clear setof benchmarks and proven strategies for successful implementation with a target goalof 14 percent operating income. This course is sure to help you take control of andimprove the financial performance of your company.

For more information and to register for BTA seminars visit www.bta.org or call (800) 843-5059.

23OT0406 3/28/06 7:38 PM Page 23

One of my responsibilities as

vice president of sales at

Global Imaging Systems Inc.

is to help our company recruit ,

develop and retain the next genera-

tion of successful sales managers. We

focus on the next generation because

in our fast-changing industry, pre-

paring for the future is the only way

to survive. We focus on success be-

cause if the sales manager and his or

her team members are not suc-

cessful, they will not remain with us,

and we will need to spend time and

resources replacing them instead of

developing them.

We are after that special, multi-talented individual who

wants to make a career out of this industry, who understands

what today’s customers demand and what it takes to meet

these demands. This, of course, also means he or she knows

how to manage the new generation of sales representatives

who deal with these customers on a day-to-day basis.

The problem, as we all know, is people with these skills and

commitment are in short supply. There are only two sources I

know of where we can find these high-demand individuals. We

can either hire them away from another company or we can

develop them internally. At Global, we have chosen to follow

the second strategy. In this article I will share the main

reasons why we selected this course and some tips that have

helped us make this strategy work.

First of all, let’s take a quick look at today’s customer. That

is how I often start sales training sessions, by asking our

people to describe their customers and their needs. After

several moments of deafening silence, the answers begin. Cus-

tomers today are less loyal and less patient. They are more

educated and working with tighter budgets, and they are

looking for far more than only the lowest price. Most of them

know the service after the sale is critical, especially since our

industry has moved from the analog to the digital world. They

need a partner who can determine the best total technological

solution for their specific company’s situation and who will be

with them for the long haul.

Now, let’s examine the new breed

of sales representatives our sales

managers must understand, moti-

vate and train. They are computer lit-

erate and embrace the concept of

total solutions. Like our customers,

they are often less patient and while

not n ecessari ly less loyal , th eir

loyalty is motivated by more than

just money. They are definitely not

afraid of change. Inst ead , th ey

implicitly know if they do not con-

tinue to grow and constantly keep

learning, they cannot hope to keep

up with either their customers or their competition.

Obviously, this combination results in a dynamic, highly-

charged, extremely competitive environment, calling for a

sales manager with unique capabilities and drive. Here are

some of the skills on which we place a premium, which define

not only a successful but also a great sales manager:

� The ability to create a high-energy, fun work environment.

� The ability to create a team of capable, professionally

motivated people.

� The organizational skills to manage the business on a

week-to-week basis by meeting with each team member in

group meetings and in one-on-one sessions.

� The ability to use database management to review rep

forecasting and prospecting needs.

� The ability to create a team environment with unwa-

vering focus on a common goal.

Jeff Jenney, sales manager for one of Global’s core compa-

nies, Electronic Systems (ESI), is a prime example of one of

these great, “home-grown” sales managers. Jeff started with ESI

in November 2000 as a territory representative. He was quickly

transitioned to federal government sales and then to the major

accounts team. In little more than four years, he was promoted

to sales manager of an entire product division, where he con-

tinues to thrive. Jeff ’s experience at Global is not unique. We

work hard to make sure we are able to spot our top producers

as early in their careers as possible and then work with them to

by: Dan Cooper, Global Imaging Systems Inc.

SELLING SOLUTIONS


Successful Sales ManagersA look at Global’s recruiting & retention strategies

24OT0406 3/28/06 11:37 AM Page 24


give them the opportunity to rise as fast

and as far as they can.

Regarding his rapid rise and success,

Jeff states: “If you would have told me on

day one I would be managing my own

team in only four years, I never would

have believed it. It required a lot of hard

work, to be sure, but the training and men-

toring I received along the way gave me

the necessary support and prepared me

for the transition. I can’t think of a better way to create

longevity within your sales force than to empower each

member to create his or her own success.” Jeff adds that as a

company becomes known for promoting from within,

recruiting top-notch sales representatives becomes a whole

lot easier as well.

I think his comments go a long way toward explaining why

we chose to grow our own sales managers. We have found

time and time again that people like Jeff, who we invest in, pay

us back by staying with us. They know their long-term

prospects are limited only by their own initiative and talents,

and we will support them with training and reward them with

promotions as they continue to grow. This helps us fight the

“grass is always greener” syndrome and to retain our people. It

also helps us recruit some of the most talented individuals in

the industry. This strategy has proven to be far more cost-

effective and beneficial to employee morale and customer

service than trying to hire away other companies’ superstars.

To us, especially in today’s environment, that seems to be a

zero sum game where companies are simply bidding up the

price of top talent without encouraging their loyalty.

So, now that you know where we find our sales managers

and why we look to our ranks to supply them, I’d like to briefly

explain how we identify them and how we continue their

development. The secret to our success is our benchmarking

model. This operational tool, which I’m sure most of you have

heard about, consistently evaluates all our employees and

measures their performance against a precise set of standards

for each department, from sales to service. It lets us know

exactly how employees are doing, as well as how they rank

among their peers and where even the most successful may

need extra help and support.

When we find sales representatives who are not only

meeting but exceeding their benchmarks — people we feel

have the potential to move up to the management ranks — the

next step is for us to assign them to the major account team.

Here they face a different level of performance standards and

training where the stakes, and rewards, are higher. If they suc-

cessfully meet this challenge, management

begins working with them to provide an

in-depth understanding of the financials

behind sales. Once this is mastered, we

make them a mentor to one or two other

promising sales representatives, so they

have a taste for what it is like to manage

others. At this point, it soon becomes clear

whether this added “people responsibility”

is a good fit or if they are better suited for

and prefer sticking with sales. If the mentoring process goes

well and they feel comfortable with the management aspect,

the next step is to make them a selling manager, with the

responsibility to manage a greater number of sales representa-

tives but a smaller territory (and corresponding personal sales

quota). Here they have the chance to get a real taste for what

“life as a Global sales manager” is all about, and we both are

able to find out for sure if they are up to the task.

It is actually this continuing education and training that our

sales managers tell us is the most important motivational tool

we provide. All of our courses, from those they receive from

their earliest days (such as Getting Inside Your Customers’

Head) to the more advanced courses in our Global Leadership

Institute, are customized and provide real-life, hands-on expe-

rience. In addition, we provide regular opportunities for sales

managers from throughout our organization to gather for

group training sessions and to share best practices, along with

our annual Global Leaders Conference for our top achievers.

In addition, Global’s top-rate employee benefits give us a

distinct advantage while also motivating employees and cre-

ating an immediate sense of responsibility. We also encourage

participation in our manufacturing partners’ meetings and

training, furnish top quality marketing materials and support,

provide customer service we feel is second to none and award

individual incentives such as the ESI President’s Club Trip for

top performers.

So there you have it — what we have found to be the for-

mula for creating, motivating and retaining a winning team of

sales managers and leaders who are thriving on the chal-

lenges facing our industry today. I hope some of these tactics

and thoughts fit your company and your situation and

welcome any questions or suggestions

(because I ’m eager to learn from you as

well) that you may have. Good luck and

good selling. �

Dan Cooper is vice president of sales for

Global Imaging Systems Inc. He can be

reached at [email protected].

“... Their long-termprospects are limitedonly by their owninitiative and talents, andwe will support themwith training and rewardthem with promotions ...”

25OT0406 3/28/06 8:36 PM Page 25

While the entire office tech-

nology industry is discussing

the transition from copier

dealership to document solutions

provider, there is at least one Virginia

dealership that is actually doing some-

thing about it. The company is not only

making an investment in training its

people, but it is also reaching out to its

customers and prospects in an effort to

educate them.

“ We’re not sel l ing copiers,” says

Freddy Cobb, president of Cobb Tech-

nologies, an independent dealership

headquartered in Richmond with mul-

tiple branches throughout the state.

“That’s a big difference from a year ago

and it currently separates us from our

local competition.”

Most dealerships around the country

are making an effort to train their sales-

people to sell solutions, whether it is

through a manufacturer program, BTA

or an outside consultant. However, very

few are making the investment to ripen

the market for a solutions presentation.

“It makes sense to have both buyer

and seller talking about a solution or an

all-encompassing corporate document

strategy,” adds Cobb, whose dealership

was named one of the Top 15 Richmond businesses for which to

work. “I can’t see putting all the effort into training our people

to sell solutions and still have the customers buying copiers.”

Cobb Technologies has taken steps to make sure the sales

people are adequately prepared. The dealership currently has

three salespeople who have received CompTIA’s CDIA+ certifi-

cation with another three in the queue. However, it is Cobb’s

interest in educating the marketplace that has been respon-

sible for double-digit growth.

“The overall strategy is to focus on the prospect’s business,

not on the salesperson’s process,” says Toni Gorveatt, Cobb’s

chief operating officer. “In 2005, we had success with educa-

tional customer events and getting involved with some

industry-specific trade organizations. At one event, we got

three new net customers and at another one we sold $70,000

off the showroom floor.”

According to Gorveatt, these customer events have received

very positive feedback from both customers and the sales-

people. “We conduct a brief survey following the event and

we’ve had people say, ‘I didn’t know you guys did all this,’ and

‘The seminars are great,’” she says. “We even have our sales-

people asking, ‘When is the next one?’ Our goal in 2006 is to

Customer EducationCobb Technologies is making the investment

by: Dustin Phillips

PRINCIPAL ISSUES


Current and prospective customers learn about the products and services offered by

Cobb Technologies during a recent open house.

26OT0406 3/28/06 12:05 PM Page 24


have executive luncheons on a quarterly

basis in all the branches.”

Cobb took its show on the road by be-

coming a sponsor of the Association of

Legal Administrators (ALA) luncheon. For

a modest fee, the dealership was able to

attend, network and give a brief presenta-

tion. From the one luncheon, Cobb gener-

ated two new customers and still has

several leads it is working on.

The dealership has also made an impact in the non-profit

arena at its regularly scheduled events. Recently, Cobb partici-

pated at a luncheon at which it made a 45-minute presentation

to an audience that included all of Virginia’s high-profile non-

profits, including the Catholic Charities, the Red Cross and the

United Methodist Family Services.

“We have a presentation that points out how technology

can add to the bottom line,” says Gorveatt. “At the recent

luncheon we focused on how more dollars can go to the bene-

ficiaries of the non-profit rather than office expenses. We were

able to solidify existing relationships and picked up a couple of

great leads.”

At another event a CPA gave a presentation on what Cobb

had done for his firm, starting with a workflow assessment.

The presentation had tremendous impact since Cobb had

saved his organization more than 3 percent of overall rev-

enues, including $18,000 on one printer alone.

“That type of presentation is priceless,” says Gorveatt. “It’s

powerful because it’s a real customer and has even more credi-

bility because it was a CPA. Plus, it made me very proud of our

sales team knowing they’re performing for our customers.”

Although the intent is for Cobb to continue participating

and sponsoring these vertical market events, the on-site

luncheons are the real focus. It provides a captive audience,

allows them to explore the showroom before or after they eat

and it doesn’t take the entire sales force out of the field like an

open house.

“We had an executive luncheon recently around scanning,

document storage and retrieval entitled ‘Manage Your Docu-

ments,’” explains Gorveatt. “We were able to make the solu-

tions real by focusing around a customer case study. We had

representatives from our manufacturers present along with a

few salespeople. The majority of our sales teams remained in

the field, so we didn’t lose any selling days. To keep with the

theme, we gave away an iPod, which communicated the

concept of digital storage and retrieval.”

In addition to believing it is important to educate the mar-

ketplace about better business practices through more efficient

document management, Cobb’s manage-

ment believes that mass media advertising

is required to promote the fact that the

dealership is further along the technology

curve than its competitors. The concern

for educating customers and the dealer-

ship’s high profile are major reasons why it

has the credibility to participate in such

events as the non-profits luncheon.

“We’ve used a lot of radio to impact our

markets,” says Cobb. “We’ve had some fun doing it, but we keep

it professional and informative. We don’t want our customers

and prospects to be intimidated by advancements in tech-

nology. We truly believe that given a chance, we can help our

local business people reduce their monthly overhead as it relates

to copying, printing, scanning and faxing, plus use our knowl-

edge and resources to make their workday more productive.”

Like many other dealerships around the country, Cobb is

using a print assessment or document assessment to get a

better feel for the document workflow of an organization and

to uncover more applications. But the dealership has taken it

to a whole new level. Cobb’s CDIA+ certified representatives

are very adept at evaluating a company’s entire output system

and how it is being utilized. There is also a service/support

analysis to uncover inefficiencies and lost productivity.

“These assessments have been very effective in helping our

customers streamline processes and ultimately lower their

operating expenses,” says Cobb. “Our competitors seem to be

more interested in a quick hit, rather than spending the time

to educate the prospect and truly examine their current situa-

tion. Our people have done some amazing things with forms

applications, but unless we spend time with the prospect to

completely understand their situation, we’re just guessing and

that’s a disservice to our customer.”

“The key is to have educated customers and prospects,”

adds Gorveatt. “The more they know about the process and

what we’re looking for, the better we can do our job and the

more benefit they will derive from their Cobb relationship.”

Most office technology dealers are talking the talk. Some

are even walking the walk. However, very few are taking the

time, energy and dollars required to educate the market that

there is a better, faster and potentially less expensive method

of managing document workflow.

Count Cobb Technologies as one that is not only ahead of

the technology curve, it is making sure customers and

prospects are also educated and ahead of that curve. �

Dustin Phillips is a freelance writer

based in Costa Mesa, Calif.

“Our competitors seemto be more interested ina quick hit, rather thanspending the time toeducate the prospect and truly examine theircurrent situation.”

27OT0406 3/28/06 12:09 PM Page 27

Editor’s Note: Throughout 2006, Office Technology magazine

will be inviting the copier/MFP OEMs that sell through the

dealer channel to submit articles regarding their dealer support

initiatives and/or training programs. The intent is to provide

each of the OEM’s authorized dealers — and the channel in

general — a better understanding of some of these cur-

rent initiatives and programs. Following is the third of these

OEM submissions, from Anthony Codianni of Toshiba America

Business Solutions Inc.

Acompany’s workforce is its No. 1 asset. Investing in

developing world-class leaders and teams is critical

t o a ny b u si n e s s’ su c c e s s i n t h e 2 1 st c e n tu r y.

Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. (TABS) realizes

the importance of comprehensive employee training and

education , and has made a signif icant investment in

ensuring that our dealers have the tools they need to achieve

maximum sales success.

All 13 members of the TABS education and development

team are professional educators who understand adult prin-

ciples of learning and instructional effectiveness, and create

training programs that deliver the information required by

every type of learner. Because different people learn in dif-

ferent ways and at different rates, our education and develop-

ment team has created a corporate university that provides a

variety of learning tools to reach all types of learners.

Toshiba Digital UniversityToshiba Digital University (TDU) is designed to facilitate a

more personalized learning environment that aligns with pre-

ferred learning methods. TDU offers a 24/7 learning environ-

ment, using a blended learning approach combining

synchronous (live) and asynchronous (archived) methods,

utilizing e-learning and mobile learning, or m-learning,

strategies and providing on-demand training content to

anyone, anywhere, at anytime. Delivering the information by

way of a variety of methods ensures that individual sales-

people can choose the method that works best for them,

thereby increasing learning retention. Additionally, this

blended learning approach allows dealers to choose how,

when and where they want to train.

TDU ’s three-part structure is comprised of facilities

throughout the United States and Singapore, Asia; virtual

training through our FYI Internet Portal; and mobile training

Close-up: ToshibaOEM provides dealers a variety of learning tools

by: Anthony Codianni, Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc.

PRINCIPAL ISSUES


Top image: The Training To Go “training in a box” units include

everything TABS’ trainers need to conduct a hands-on, technol-

ogy-based training course. Bottom image: E-learning programs,

such as the one pictured here, can be conducted online through

TABS’ FYI Portal 24/7.

28OT0406 3/28/06 8:42 PM Page 29


programs that are delivered at our dealers’

locations. Mobile training also is offered

using m-training methodologies, which

utilize devices such as iPods and Toshiba

Gigabeat MP3 players. By employing a

variety of training methods, TABS is able

to ensure that its dealers are best pre-

pared to understand and meet the needs

of the customer.

Training To GoOne of the best examples of TAB S’ commitment to

investing in programs that maximize our dealers’ sales poten-

tial is our unique mobile training program, Training To Go

(TTG). TTG is a four-day training program designed for newly

authorized dealers who have added Toshiba products to their

sales offerings.

TABS developed TTG based on the challenges we had faced

with more traditional, classroom-only based programs. In

TABS’ previous method of training employees of newly

authorized dealerships, the transition team would use the

industry’s standard immersion process: bringing sales staff, as

available, to remote locations for intensive classroom training

at the expense of the dealer. There were many challenges with

this previous process, including: salespeople disliked being

out of the field due to lost sales and time away from home;

training such a large number of salespeople was becoming

unmanageable; and travel and accommodation costs made

this method expensive for dealers. The reality was that new

dealers were sending only a few select sales reps for training,

so we knew our training delivery methods had to change.

After conducting an analysis of our sales team, we discov-

ered that untrained sales reps were selling three times less

than trained reps. We realized we needed to develop a new

training program that would allow all the salespeople at

newly authorized dealerships to quickly learn the information

necessary for immediate sales success. Thus, the Training To

Go program was created, distilling previous training methods

into a highly focused, four-day program consisting of only the

elements that were immediately critical for newly authorized

dealers’ sales staffs.

With the knowledge that our dealer sales reps already were

proficient at selling digital office products, the training team

focused on a highly concentrated, mobile program that

allowed newly approved sales teams to gain the knowledge

essential to begin selling Toshiba products immediately and

confidently. We created five mobile training kits that travel

from dealership to dealership with the training teams,

ensuring they have all the tools they need,

right when they need them, for effortless

trainin g usin g our own t e chnolog y

resources. Thus, in 2004, the TTG pro-

gram was assembled, marking a signifi-

cant departure from any “sales training”

program in our industry.

TABS has employed several methods to

ensure the TTG program was well de-

signed to meet the learning needs of our

dealer sales reps. This was accomplished by incorporating the

following program benefits:

A Mobile Program that Delivers Content to the Dealer —

Making the program mobile eliminates the cost, lost sales and

personal stress of constant travel that were previously put on

dealerships and their sales teams. This approach is made pos-

sible, in large part, by our company’s position as a leader in

the technology industry. Our trainers bring the training to the

students with our “training in a box” units. These mobile

training “classrooms” include everything our trainers need to

conduct an effective, hands-on and technology-based training

course, including laptop computers, a wireless network and a

projector, among other training materials. And because much

of the information is completed at the dealership, partici-

pants are more willing to participate and can immediately

apply what they’ve learned out in the field — further rein-

forcing their learning.

A Blended Learning Approach — TTG incorporates a

blended learning approach using visual, audio and kines-

thetic modalities. We combine Web-based training with self-

study, audio-visual, print and classroom methodologies. Our

program consists of listening to presentations online, viewing

demonstrations online and hands-on experiences in the class-

room. Our blended learning methods are a result of our

promise to our students to “make you free, make you mobile

and make you successful.”

An Efficient Learning Approach — In only four days, sales

associates who previously had no experience with our brand

are able to sell confidently. They learn how to sell Toshiba

products and gain valuable hands-on experience, all while

remaining in the field. Overall, they become highly knowl-

edgeable representatives of the Toshiba brand and are well

poised for success.

A Flexible Learning Approach — With learning also con-

ducted online through our FYI Portal, learning can be com-

pleted anywhere with an Internet connection — even at

home after hours. Sales reps can participate in synchronous

e-learnings or, if their schedule does not permit live viewing,

... We discovered thatuntrained sales repswere selling three timesless than trained reps.We realized we needed to develop anew training program ...

29OT0406 3/28/06 8:45 PM Page 29

asynchronous Webinars are archived for

reference at a later date.

A Program that is Affordable for our

Dealers — With Training To Go, we have

made a 180-degree turnaround from our

previous training methods by making

dealer learning a corporate investment

and eliminating dealers’ monetary obliga-

tions. TABS eliminated travel expenses by

bringing the training to the dealers’ loca-

tions and reduced training time so that salespeople could

begin selling right away. Dealers not only appreciate this shift

in financial responsibility, but now can afford to train their

entire sales staffs as opposed to just select salespeople.

Best of all, our experience has shown that our dealers love

the TTG system. Without question, dealers are pleased that

the learning model is effective, that the program costs

nothing and that it is convenient due to the elimination of

travel. Additionally, at the end of each training program,

online evaluation forms allow for imme-

diate feedback on the program with

responses provided to our training team.

This has enabled us to continually modify

the program so that it consistently meets

the needs of our dealers.

With Training To Go, we have created a

training program that is more desirable

to our dealers by making it free and

making it mobile. Our corporate motto is

“Don’t Copy. Lead.” and it extends to all facets of the organi-

zation, including training, as demonstrated through our

commitment to increasing dealer sales by providing the best

trainin g and supp or t mat er i a l s in th e

industry 24/7, and developing our dealers’

capacity to grow. �

Anthony Codianni is director of education and

development at Toshiba America Business

Solutions Inc. Visit www.copiers.toshiba.com.

Ames Supply Company 19

(800) 323-3856 / (630) 964-2440Fax: (800) 848-8780 / (630) 964-0497www.amessupply.com / E-mail: [email protected]

Azerty 15

(800) 888-8080, Ext. 21223 / (716) 662-0200Fax: (716) 662-7616www.azerty.com/bta / E-mail: [email protected]

Business Products Council Association 2

(800) 897-0250www.businessprouductscouncil.org

Color Imaging Inc. 17

(800) 783-1090 / (770) 840-1090 / Fax: (770) 840-7029www.colorimaging.com / E-mail: [email protected]

CompTIA 31

www.comptia.org/breakaway

DocuWare Corp. 11

(888) 565-5907 / (845) 563-9045 / Fax: (845) 563-9046www.docuware.com / E-mail: [email protected]

FMAudit 9

(573) 632-2461 / Fax: (573) 632-2465www.fmaudit.com / E-mail: [email protected]

InfoDynamics Inc. 32

(888) 446-8228 / (317) 578-2167 / Fax: (317) 913-4580www.infod.com / E-mail: [email protected]

MKG Imaging Solutions Inc. 7

(800) 881-7545 / (905) 564-9218 / Fax: (905) 564-9225www.mkg.org / E-mail: [email protected]

NER Data Products Inc. 13

(888) 637-3282 / (856) 881-5524 / Fax: (856) 881-2393www.nerdata.com

Print Audit 5

(877) 412-8348 / (403) 685-4932 / Fax: (403) 249-9471www.printaudit.com / E-mail: [email protected]

Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. 3

(949) 462-6165www.copiers.toshiba.com

ADVERTISER INDEX

With Training To Go,we have created a training program that is more desirable to our dealers by making it free and making it mobile.


30OT0406 3/28/06 8:53 PM Page 30

31OT0406 3/28/06 10:56 AM Page 1

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage PaidEaston, PA 18042

Permit #31 Office Technology MagazineBusiness Technology Association 12411 Wornall RoadKansas City, MO 64145(816) 941-3100www.officetechnologymag.comwww.bta.org

32OT0406 3/22/06 3:51 PM Page 1

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April 2006 Office Technology