How resellers can benefit from managed print services

Equally, if they can deliver the service, they have an opportunity to win new business from competitors who do not currently offer MPS - as customers consider their options. Moreover, if they are not yet providing a service or do not yet feel confident enough to do so, OKI can help here by using its market expertise to mentor and guide them through the process.

Effective Communication

Resellers’ success in selling MPS will depend largely on how they pitch the solution to prospects. There remains some uncertainty in the marketplace as to exactly what MPS is and there is a misguided perception in some quarters that it is a highly complex concept.

Resellers need to be able to cut through the confusion, provide a clear explanation of the approach and educate prospective customers about the benefits of the solution. Typically, they may only get one opportunity to win this new business. MPS contracts invariably run for a fixed term, so if resellers misjudge their pitch, the opportunity to sell to that particular customer may have disappeared forever.

They can, of course, strengthen their prospects by partnering or working closely with print vendors who combine a detailed understanding of the MPS marketplace with strong product offerings.

Not every manufacturer in the MPS workspace will have the comprehensive mix of devices to meet the needs of most users. Traditional office automation manufacturers, for example, typically focus on providing multifunction devices (MFDs) and concentrate on device consolidation. That is unlikely to suit the requirement of every end user.

At OKI, while we offer MFDs, we also provide a broad range of robust and reliable workgroup products and high-quality, efficient and effective desktop hardware. In short, we can deliver the mixed deployment of devices, which we believe many customers want and need.  

 A Successful Combination

As the MPS market expands, vendors will have an increasing role to play effectively acting as mentors, assisting resellers in addressing the demand they may be facing in the marketplace and helping them to establish an MPS division or dedicated MPS capability to meet that demand.

At OKI, for example, we can offer a high level of knowledge and experience around MPS, together with a range of tools and resources to guide resellers in how to win and deliver a MPS contract.

We can provide the tools and resources resellers need to offer MPS, help them to create contracts for their customers and carry out print audits and assist with business planning and product training. And because OKI is 100 percent channel-focused and does not have a direct sales model, our reseller partners can rest assured that we will work with them to achieve the best possible results for all concerned.

While most organisations are aware of precisely how much they spend on staff, rent and rates, and phone and electricity bills, very few know how much they pay out on printing.