Xerox Partner Summit: Managed Print’s Time to Shine?
The Xerox Partner Summit, known as Fusion 2011, is set to start April 27 in San Antonio, Texas. For Xerox and the broader printer industry, the next few days provide multiple opportunities to shift managed print services (MPS) from a niche discussion to a mainstream channel opportunity. Here’s why.
Only about 20 percent of MSPmentor 100 companies currently offer managed print services (MPS). Among the challenges facing the MPS industry:
- Many printer makers aggressively promote their direct sales managed print victories while failing to evangelize channel MPS engagements.
- Many VARs and MSPs completely overlook managed print opportunities — focusing instead on more traditional server, desktop, network and mobile engagements.
Still, managed print services remains an undeniable near-term and long-term business opportunity. Even as cloud computing advancements accelerate, end-customers will always need printers.
Two Conferences, One Focus
With those realities in mind, MSPmentor is tracking both the Xerox Partner Summit as well as the Global MPS Conference (May 2-4, Orlando, Fla.). Naturally, managed print services will be a key theme at both events.
To Xerox’s credit, the printer giant continues to promote Xerox PagePack — a managed print services offering — to its channel partners, During the Fusion 2011 event:
- Chris Iburg, director of managed print services at Xerox, is expected to describe how Xerox PagePack partners are winning customer engagements.
- Xerox Platforms Development Manager Steve Carey is expected to describe why MPS is the fastest-growing component of the printer market.
- Ryan Morris, founder of Morris Management Partners and an Everything Channel IPED veteran, will host a managed print partner panel.
Will Xerox put the focus on its most successful PagePack partners? MSPmentor will be checking in with MSPs for their perspectives…
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I was graciously invited to the Xerox summit and had to pass as it is right up next to the Global MPS Con the following week.
Too much time out of the field.
But – I hear that BIG, channel based announcements will be released – I understand it may be very difficult to keep one’s head out of the clouds…ahem.
We have DOTC assets deployed to San Antonio and expect a full report Sunday night, prior to the MPS Global-con.
Could prove interesting conversational subject matter for the folks from HP, Ricoh, etc. in Orlando.
Fun times…
Joe,
Please stop by the GreatAmerica booth at the Xerox meeting and say hi.
Greg
I would love to see a handful of MSP’s that are going all-in on managed print and actually making money at it.
[email protected]: I’m not attending but I will be at HTG Dallas.
Dave#3: You just described the MPS industry’s biggest challenge/opportunity — promoting successful VARs and MSPs…
-jp
@[email protected]
The VAR I am with has been moving into MS for around 13 months. Traditional hardware VAR, infrastructure, UC, etc. etc.
I rebuilt the MPS Practice in 2010 and is being ‘brought’ under the MS umbrella during 2011. The move to MS is a difficult one, a new mentality, new sales motion.
MPS is even more complicated than simple MS – but, if one can do MPS, MS is cake.
My MPS GP is over 45%…most VARs/Transactionals’ heads blow up trying to wrap around that margin.
It is not easy. And bringing in a $12k/month MPS (printer) deals are not as sexy as bringing $4.0 Million UC or DC projects.
I will be presenting a a quick review of my MPS in an MSP journey this year at the Global MPS Con in Orland – next week.
Greg,
I’m aware of a Southern U.S.-based MSP that’s exiting all other businesses to focus purely on managed print… particularly in the health care market. But other than that one example I agree with you: Managed print is difficult. Otherwise everyone would be doing it.
-jp