Desperately Seeking the MPS Rosetta Stone
In 1985 Rosanna Arquette and Madonna co-starred in the comedy, Desperately Seeking Susan. Funny enough, this suburban housewife is hit over the head, develops amnesia and is mistaken for a free-spirited New York City drifter named Susan upon waking.
I think the entry into MPS was heralded as glamorous and sexy by many, without fully disclosing some of the gritty details required to thrive. I wonder if many dealers have woken up one morning to find themselves in predicament of Susan, or are they now feeling like they’re having memory pangs of their cozy lifestyle in the suburbs?
While our data suggests certain broad trends and signs of the times, if you will, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting with several dealers over the past few weeks. I find it so rewarding to spend time with each one listening to their stories, struggles and successes!
Desperately Seeking the MPS Rosetta Stone
MPS or not, these are successful businesses ran by savvy practical business owners. However, I think the most fun is in comparing war stories and remembering all the great things I came to love working with and for a dealer to begin with: Creativity, flexibility and a focus of getting it done for the customer!
While there are some generally accepted practices, approaches to MPS remain dynamic. Sales compensation, local device tracking, blending lease rates (or not) and how to run a lean-yet-high-touch operation are all still on the table (believe it or not).
However, what I continue to find most interesting is the continued confirmation of how similar everyone’s stories really are — despite disbelief and with thousands of miles of separation. What does that say about everyone on this roller coaster ride we all call managed print/document services?
What Are You Delivering?
It’s about something smart business leaders all know. They’ve long since decoded the key ingredient in whether you win or loose is ultimately about serving others. In order to serve others, you must understand their needs and be able to provide a bridge from their pain to their salvation.
In other words, I still submit it’s about hope:
The reason we can’t manage change is because we fail to understand the root system, which gives breath to new life, is made of the fabric of hope — hope, which we first build through assessing need and stating the case for change, and then fail to deliver as we become distracted with the business of our other ‘stuff’.
So the lesson here is that you cannot manage change, but you can deliver hope by simply saying what you will do and doing what you say. If you’re faithful to this, watch how change manages itself.
Slap any label you want on it, be it ‘solutions selling’, ‘managed print services’ or the supposedly “new trend” of ‘managed network services’ (MNS). I used to work with my clients to ‘paint on their blank canvas’!
Delivery of MPS is really a science, but does not dispel the remaining craft practices by a company that cares for its customer. This function and focus of personally serving a customers remain core to our brave new world, but this requires focus and commitment. That is perhaps the missing link I have not consistently seen, and remains the difference between those who see success and those who do not.
Ken Stewart offers observations from the field of managed print services in his weekly column on MPS Insights every Wednesday. As a senior consultant with the Photizo Group, he comes from and works directly with channel providers in the managed services space, developing educational tools and resources to promote lasting business transformation.
Ken Stewart’s website, ChangeForge, focuses on helping you align technology smartly, engage change considerately and motivate people genuinely. Get the latest industry news, and follow ChangeForge on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
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