So much talk so little success

Here we are...all talking about MPS as the solution to all of our problems: decreasing sales, deteriorating margins, world hunger, etc. Yet for all the chatter we then look around and wonder who is really having success with this thing?

Go ask Photizo and you can get stats on how Xerox or HP are leading in market share. But look around your neck of the woods...do you really see anyone dominating?

Art Post had an interesting survey running. He was asking vendors to rate their experience with MPS so far. The results were a little surprising. Almost 47% said that they were either not reaping the profits they expected or would not have gotten into MPS if they had to do it again.

So what's the reasoning behind it?

I think a lot of it goes back to the endless discussion forums that debate the definition of MPS ad nauseum. Unfortunately the entire purpose that MPS was supposed to serve has been lost through the well intentioned efforts of vendors to understand what this whole thing is about. The ol' can't see the forest for the trees example.

We get so lost in what MPS is, or is not, that we forget that the only thing that matters is what a specific prospect thinks. Better yet, what problem can you as a salesperson solve through combining a wider set of services?

So why is there so little success, or should I say so little success in the SMB market?

When you look at the 800 lbs. gorillas (i.e. HP, Xerox, etc.) they have some distinct advantages. First, the majority of their deals are selling enterprise accounts where there is typically a much larger problem with a much larger financial payoff. Secondly, the salespeople calling on these accounts have more refined sales skills than your typical SMB salesperson.

This second issue is probably the biggest challenge facing companies entering MPS. The problem is that you have a collection of salespeople that have been selling a specific product or service for years and now they are asked to change what has made them successful. Now that's a recipe for disaster.

Until vendors in the SMB segment figure out how to make this transition we will continue to see the similar reports out of those jumping into MPS.

The practical result of defining MPS is a company starts selling a different widget. The problem with that is that maybe the client doesn't need that widget. Maybe they only need one part of the widget...or maybe they need a bigger widget..or a completely different widget.

Every sale should begin and end with the client's problem and a determination of if/how you can solve that problem. Lose sight of that and it doesn't matter what you're selling...you will be destined for mediocrity.

Revolution or Evolution.....

"Necessity is the mother of invention" - Plato

Here we go again. Another day, anther product launch...another revolution!? It seems that with the latest Xerox product release (ColorQube) the copier industry has found the Tiger Woods of output technology.

Admittedly, I don't know a ton of details on the technology. Further, I don't particulary care...too much. Whether it's pixel counting, solid ink, sustainability or any other feature, I just don't see a problem as an MPS provider.

I seem to recall several years ago HP releasing a new product that changed the way color clicks could be profitably billed by both manufacturers and dealers. And, last I recall, I still got up this morning and went to work.

So what does this mean for the MPS industry? It's actually great! When Tiger hit the PGA tour what was the result? A bunch of guys who hadn't been challenged in quite some time got off their hind-quarters and started working hard to keep up, and hopefully overtake, the 800-lb. gorilla.

Now I am not saying that ColorQube is what Tiger was to the PGA tour (time will tell us that), but anyone who brings a new approach to the industry does those of us in MPS a favor. While the hardware world will be scrambling to do their competitive analysis, we can sit back and realize the benefits of this and future innovation. Should Xerox's latest release become the new standard then guess what......we will all probably go make sure we have the capability to provide that service to our clients. If not, it will at the very least challenge other manufacturers to think outside the box and create their own innovations.

It will certainly be interesting to watch what happens with the new release, but for the real MPS providers of the world, sit back, relax and watch the innovation happen. After all, who cares where it comes from as long as it happens.

Of course if it does succeed I will need to go and buy a bigger tool box to put it in.

"Necessity is the mother of invention" - Plato

Chicken Little Lives...

"It's the end of the world as we know it".........or is it?

http://www.channelinsider.com/c/a/Printers/Will-Printer-and-Printer-Supply-Sales-Ever-Recover-203744/?