ChangeForge

Ripped From The Headlines

Joe Kozlowski — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:45:56 +0000

Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. – Financial And Strategic Analysis Review – New Report Published
American Bar Association Releases 2010 Legal Technology Guide
WSJ: Xerox Chief Closes ACS Deal, Sees Small Acquisitions Ahead
Canon imageRUNNER 3245I Receives Five-Star Environmental Rating from Buyers Laboratories, Inc.
Sharp MFPs With Zoran’s IPS Print Language Software Win 2009 Industry Line of the Year Award From Buyers Lab
Xerox to Extend Digital Leadership at IPEX 2010; New Customer Deals, Breakthrough Technology Cement Command Position
Ricoh Europe Launches Business Driver Programme [EU]
Ikon Bolsters Managed Document Services
Document Management Systems Market 2007-2010 – New Market Report Published

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IDC Warns Not to Look to SMB Market for IT Services in 2010

Ken Stewart — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:30:30 +0000

Planning on ramping up your services arm to compensate for the loss in revenue and declining profits? Think again. The cogs of change continue to grind onwards, with IDC forecasting caution will rule spending habits in North America this year. According to their Worldwide Black Book, the hardest pressed will be the small and medium business (SMB) space, which will have challenges funding new IT projects.

SMB’s make up a large share of economic transactions in the US economy – generating approximately 50% of non-farm, private GDP according to the Small Business Administration. While IDC is forecasting an increase in IT expenditures of approximately 3% worldwide, they foresee cautious spending habits remaining.

Despite pent-up demand for upgrades and new applications following the deep spending cuts of the past year, economic uncertainty will combine with capital and credit constraints to inhibit spending in mature economies,” said Stephen Minton, vice president of Worldwide IT Markets and Strategies at IDC. “The engine of global industry growth in 2010 will be in emerging markets, in particular China and India, where IT spending will recover much more quickly.” …

But spending will continue to be cautious and, in contrast to the emerging markets, the SMB sector will struggle to fund new IT initiatives.

With market research firms such as Lyra Research and Photizo Group sounding the death knell of our industry and mass exodus of hardware-centric buying cycles, where are we to turn if not to services?

Perhaps the picture is not so black and white. With an anemic road to recovery predicted and what many business leaders as a very tough market, companies are still spending.

The gradual economic recovery will enable many U.S. organizations to relieve some of the pent-up demand for system and network upgrades following last year’s spending cuts.

While this may not necessarily mean you will receive more hardware sales because of this, it does mean change is afoot – and many companies are still looking to change in order to improve their profitability and survivability!

That said, perhaps you might be attempt to frame all of these data points into a direction rather than a destination. While some may begin to banter around the death of MPS in light of new jargon, BPO (that really isn’t new at all) - the question should be how can we deliver results to our customers?

Neither services nor software are the next big thing - nor is any technology really. What everyone is always driving towards is the end-game – the destination. But your destination has to always be proverbially two steps ahead.

How do you anticipate what your customer needs before they know they need it? Generally, you have to be waiting for them before they catch-up.

Know that your space is going to be tough. Know that your competition is going to be fierce. Be prepared that funding for new projects will be difficult and be creative. It might be scary thinking this way, but isn’t the alternative more so?

Ken Stewart’s website, ChangeForge, focuses on the collision between the constantly changing worlds of business and technology in an information-centric world. Ken serves on the board of the new Managed Print Services Association, an international industry organization seeking worldwide best practices for the managed print services industry. He is also the founder of Seeking the Son. He is always interested in connecting with you.

Ripped From The Headlines

Joe Kozlowski — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 04:45:38 +0000

Ricoh makes “Global 100″ List for 6th year in a row
HP Mounts 9,000 Midmarket Account Mapping Offensive With Partners
Select your choice of Peer-Led Education at ITEX and gain access to Important Information for your Business
Review: Canon imageCLASS MF8050Cn
Supplies Network’s CARBON SiX MPS Introduces Professional Services
IDC FutureScan: An Adjustment in February’s Indicators, But the Outlook Remains Positive
IDC Government Insights Says Government IT Spending in Western Europe Will Reach $68.6 Billion by 2013 [EMEA]

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Gain Your Freedom With LogMeIn Free

Ken Stewart — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:30:58 +0000

Have you ever been somewhere and remembered you left a file on your computer at home? Do you just need to see what your parents are talking about when they say, “That thing just won’t go over there?”

I’ve been using LogMeIn products for a number of years now, both for work and for personal use. There are a number of products including LogMeIn Pro for the road warriors out there, Rescue for helpdesks, Hamachi for VPN access, and even a backup client. But what is perhaps most people start with is LogMeIn Free.

It’s classic remote access from anywhere you can find a web browser. I’ve used their free version for:

Helping my wife and father resolve a few issues on their computers,
being able to see a file I had left on my home computer while I was on the road,
and even testing e-mail or domain settings from the office during late night migrations we IT-folk are so thrilled with.

If a picture is worth a thousands words, then LogMeIn Free must be a feature-length movie. I’ve enjoyed the flexibility and convenience of being able to help others and keep my frustration levels in check – as well as access my home systems at will and without hassle.

LogMeIn products have allowed me to work when I need to work and focus on me-time when needed – without worry. It works on both Windows and Mac OS X systems, so I now have one provider for multiple systems. I would highly suggest you try it today, because just don’t get any better than free!

Ripped From The Headlines

Joe Kozlowski — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:45:48 +0000

HP to Present Live Audio Webcast of First Quarter Earnings Conference Call
Kodak stays strong with inkjet printer sales
Open Text Corporation F2Q10 (Qtr Ending 12/31/09) Earnings Call Transcript
IBM Buys Health-Care Data Management Software Developer
New Océ Device Brings High-Tech Color Printing Options to the Office
Panasonic Takes Aim at Fast-Growing A4 Class MFP Market
Newegg.com Launches New “Office Supplies” Category Store
Ink Cartridge Yield Reporting Needs Improvement
Managed print services offer South African companies low-risk way to save costs, boost productivity [EMEA]
InfoTrends Releases Future of the Office Document: 2009 Survey Results for Supplies

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Ripped From The Headlines

Joe Kozlowski — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:45:31 +0000

Worldwide IT Spending to Grow 3% in 2010, According to IDC’s Worldwide Black Book
WSJ: Lexmark Profit Surges as Margins Jump
‘BTA Business Planning Workshop’ Scheduled for April 12-14
Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500M
Oce Large Format Printers/Plotters and Scanners Receive High Rating from Users in National Office Products Analyst Survey
Demand for Storage Efficiency Drives Deduplication Adoption, IDC Says
Research and Markets: Demand Trend Analysis of the U.S. SMB SaaS/Hosted Services Market
Facebook, Twitter Create Security Threats For Businesses: Study

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Are Certifications Worth The Paper On Which They Are Written?

Ken Stewart — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:30:08 +0000

“How do I know you can provide what I need?” This foundational question is at the very core of every question a customer asks of its provider. Make no mistake, you are always having to prove yourself at multiple stages throughout each of your relationships.

Certifications are often thought to be the key to proving how well qualified you or your company might be in providing the prospective buyer what they want or need. While this can be an implied benefit, it cannot not been tied to an explicit need in your customer without understanding some basics about certifications.

I dwell in the world of information technology – not just “IT”, but how people, processes and technology interact to produce a desired result – a realized and explicit benefit for my employer, my teams, and my clients.

There are a few types of certifications to review:

Employer-certifications: Certification programs required or provided by your employer to maintain employment status or provide certain services to their customers.
Provider Certifications: In order to provide support services to customers or raise the value of their brand, providers may offer or require certification programs to ensure a desired level of competency. Many technologists know CompTIA, Microsoft and Cisco as the industry leaders in certification, while others like HP and Dell offer programs as well.
Industry Association Certifications: Various industries offer certifications to raise the level of professionalism of those wishing to practice within the industry. Some examples might be HDI, PMI, AIIM, or CPA.
Educational Certification: Universities, technical colleges and institutes often provide various certification programs which may even be sponsored by an employer, provider or association. These programs are usually wrapped within a course structure and may be needed for a local, state or federal requirement.

Certifications alone are not the answer to your problem:

I am often asked questions about which certifications for a helpdesk, IT group, or technical sales professional are best. And while an answer might be easy, I find it best to ask a clarifying questions:

What do you believe a certification might do for you?

For team members, employers and customers alike, certifications should offer a demonstrable level of understanding about a specific topic, product or process. This is not always the case, so research regarding the program and organization underwriting the certification is often necessary.

However, the most important oversight I witness in certification programs is the individual’s and employer’s lack of consistency in making this part of a comprehensive and on-going training and improvement process. I’m guilty of this as well – forgetting the long-term importance of development for the short-term urgency of today’s drama.

Take heed that your quest for certifications, while most likely important, does not become overshadowed by the shortsighted presumption a certification alone makes you qualified to do anything at all.

Image courtesy of vizzzual.com

Ripped From The Headlines

Joe Kozlowski — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:45:56 +0000

Konica Minolta Announces Establishment of New Printing Technology Development Company in China
Lexmark Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results
Features to watch on Lexmark chart
2010 State of the Union Address: IDC Government Insights Sees Government Information Technology Opportunity
KYOCERA MITA color ECOSYS printers awarded 2009 Editor’s Choice Awards from Better Buys for Business
Review: HP ScanJet G3110
USNews & World Report: Employers Must Be Able to Monitor Electronic Devices They Pay For
Digital Color Printing Systems – Worldwide Market Trends
Solido Offers Incomparable Price for 3D Printer, Making It Affordable for Any User

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Ripped From The Headlines

Joe Kozlowski — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:45:52 +0000

Xerox cuts severance plan ahead of layoffs
HP Helps Businesses Maintain a Competitive Advantage with New Incentive Programs
Canon U.S.A. to Showcase Its Leading Image Capturing Solutions at LegalTech Trade Show
Fuji Xerox Restructures its Development and Manufacturing Operations
The Document Management Software Reviews Website Launches
First New 11-Inch X 17-Inch Desktop Monochrome Laser Printer From Ricoh in Five Years – Aficio® SP 6330N
Three new Canon imagePROGRAF large-format inkjet printers deliver enhanced printing technology
DocuLex Archive Studio Awarded 2009 BERTL’s BEST As The Best Value For Price For An Internet Access Content Management System
S O S! Fewer Acronyms ASAP!

… plus as many as 15-20 other news items, press releases, white papers and case studies EVERY DAY that will effect your Document Solutions Business …

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50 Percent Reseller Attrition by 2013, Photizo Predicts

Ken Stewart — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:30:18 +0000

How important is managed print services (MPS) to your business if you are currently a company who specializes in document output? Is MPS a fad, or a get rich quick scheme? Is MPS a platform to simply sell more hardware?

While predictions at the start of any new year abound, those who keep their ear closest to the heartbeat of an industry seem to have an ability to pull what most might see as wisps of data into an actionable direction – predicting a stark shift in existing paradigms.

Leaders in this new paradigm will see an opportunity while followers will be paralyzed by the inability to cope with change.

Pulling back the curtain:

As a benefit of being a member of the MPSA, I registered for a free web event presented by the Photizo Group. CEO and Founder, Ed Crowley, outlined what the group’s market research suggested what both the present- and future-state of this industry may look like in just a few short years:

MPS moves from being a ‘enterprise focus’ to a mainstream offering, including SMB’s.
Due to the evolution of software technology and third party infrastructure, efficient providers will be able to provide MPS to even the smallest of businesses.
The competitive focus will shift from developing a basic MPS market strategy to planning for and realizing operational efficiency on a local, regional, and global scale.

So far, nothing terribly earth shattering? … Well, this should prove a stark wake up call,

By 2013, 50% of the resellers in North America will be acquired or go out of business due in a large part to their inability to be successful with MPS.

Are you awake now?

According to Photizo:

Market evolution will accelerate.
Staying ahead of the competition requires market intelligence, well defined strategy, and flawless execution.
The opportunity is to establish a significant market position which will provide long term revenue and profitability.

As I’ve said time and again, the tide has turned. It is the natural order that change in the environment requires evolution or extinction. I suggest managed services to be an evolution necessary for survival – at least if you intend to maintain the profit margins and market share you have come to enjoy.

As the saying goes, “No man is an island.” No industry is exempt from being impacted by the movements of another. Technology and innovation continue to drive consumer expectations, while maturation in need coupled with the quickened pace of information delivery increase end-user demand.

You have to choose whether you want to ride the wave or go down with the ship.

Let me know what you are doing to position for your survival and success. You can connect with me here, or look me up at the 2010 MPS Conference.

Image courtesy of silverman.