22 Print.ITReseller
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We’ve reached amajor inflection
point in theMPSmarket, bracing
formore change as printing habits
continue to change. If you’ve yet
to start theMPS journey and are
not concerned, think again. Drivers
that are creating a perfect storm for
disruption in the printingmarket
include new competitors and
converging technologies –mobile,
the cloud andbigdata.Traditional
hardware-centric channel partner
modelswill have tomove aside as
new,more relevant ones take shape.
Any reseller relying solely on printer
hardware saleswill havemet the
headwinds of change some time ago and
will have had to adapt to an increasingly
commoditised hardware and supplies
market,with some adapting faster than
others. Here, I want to share some insights
on the trendswe are seeing.
1. Be ready for channel convergence
and new competitors.
MPS is a high-margin business
characterised by longer-term customer
relationships.Unsurprisingly,more resellers
want a piece of the pie,with all eyes on
SMBs andmid-market customers. Copier
resellerswith establishedMPS offerings
will look to expand their IT and solutions
expertise. IT resellerswill need to shift to a
contractual model that includes hardware,
supplies and services.More hybrid channel
partnerswill emerge, asmanaged IT service
providers also look to addMPS to their
existing service portfolios. Channel partners
that focus solely on hardware-centric
basic print serviceswill find it increasingly
difficult to remain competitive in 2014 and
beyond. Can you differentiate yourself in
this increasingly crowdedmarketplace?
2. Choose yourMPSflavour.
SMBs are struggling to contain rising
print costs and reduce the IT burden
associatedwith printmanagement –
whether this is optimising their device
fleet, controlling usage orminimising
supplies administration.Given the diverse
nature of SMBs, there is no one-size-fits-
all approach, andmany SMBs remain
uncertain of theMPS advantage.This is a
prime opportunity for the channel to guide
SMBs in navigating the often complex
MPSwaters. Basic print services, such as
managed supplies services, should be seen
as a ‘foot in the door’ that enable anMPS
provider to prove themselves andmove
on to other document-related services as
needed.Think ‘walk in, take over’ (WITO)
and use Xerox expertise to help you assess
andmanagemulti-vendor fleets and
capture those valuable third party pages.
3. Differentiate through solutions.
The newmobileworkplace reality is
an opportunity to differentiate your
services through software solutions.As a
channel partner, youmust think beyond
‘managing the device’ and help improve
your customers’ productivity.Think
seamlessmobile printing, cloud-basedMFP
document workflow or secure printing.
4.Thinkmobile print.
Bring your own device (BYOD) has seen an
explosion in the use of smartphones and
tablets – users expect tomove seamlessly
from one device to the next andwork
in the sameway on all devices, and this
includes printing.Mobile printing is fast
becoming the standard expectation and is
set to become easier asmore integrated
solutions become available.
5. BeCloud ready.
Cloud adoption amongst SMBs and the
midmarket continues to rise, thanks to
Microsoft andGooglewho have effectively
pushed the benefits of subscription-based
applications.Whether it’s on a personal
or business level,most of your customers
will be comfortablewith the cloud andwill
have embraced services such as Dropbox,
SkyDrivePro and SharePoint.Not only is the
cloud a great way to articulate the benefits
of the predictable expenses that comewith
MPS, it can also help drive solutions sales,
such asMFP document captureworkflow.
Today you need to be able to offer
customers a cloud-based solution– or they
will choose a competitor that does.
An exciting time
2014 promises to be an exciting time for
the channel, but itmust adapt to stay
relevant to the changing needs of today’s
SMBs. Sowhat do resellers need from
their print suppliers in order to address
these changes? Probably the best weapon
for resellers is access to automated tools
and a flexible platform.This is theway to
deliverMPS in themost cost-efficient and
profitableway. Fortunately, Xerox has the
tools, technology, process capability and
strategic roadmap to enable you, as a
Xerox partner, to expand into new sources
of profitable revenue and simplify your
customers’ print-relatedworkflow.
Ultimately, those channel partners that
invest in the time, skills and resources
to develop a services- and solutions-led
propositionwill be the ones that are best
positioned for growth and aremost likely
to survive and prosper in the long-term.
Today’s ever evolvingworkplace brings
challenges and opportunities for resellers
of print – and the need to respond to both
and emergewith awinningMPS strategy.
MPS: The roadahead
for the channel
NormanRichardson, director and
generalmanagerChannelsGroup,
XeroxUK, argues that the channel
mustmove toamanaged services and
solutionsmodel or get left behind
mps
Supplies
management gives
you a ‘foot-in-the-
door’
NormanRichardson,
director and general
manager Channels
Group, XeroxUK
