MPS101: 7 Questions for Matt Jones

MPS101: 7 Questions for Matt Jones

Interview with Matt Jones, Managed Services Consultant, MPS101

Matt Jones has been at the forefront of international MPS for the last five years. With well over $100m dollars of local and international MPS contracts under his belt, Jones has overcome most hurdles MPS providers are likely to face as they look to implement an MPS strategy. Jones uses his knowledge of both the global and local MPS market to help corporate organizations avoid the significant pitfalls of implementing the wrong MPS.

1. How has the imaging market changed over the last decade?

I’ve been closely involved in the development of the imaging market over the last ten years and it’s been fascinating to watch. With the market commoditizing hardware and MPS accelerating the independence away from brand specific solutions to focusing on service, it became obvious to me that following the path of true value through consulting was the way to evolve.

2. What market do you currently focus on?

MPS is a global phenomenon and as such I have to be prepared to go wherever the opportunity is. At the moment that means dividing my time between Australia, where I live, and the UK. At this stage I would say the UK is ahead in terms of overall MPS development, which means I get to stay ahead of the game back here in Australia.

China and India are interesting propositions at the moment. China’s government-led drive towards a circular economy in which businesses co-exist in a cycle of sustainability, represents an incredible opportunity for MPS and we’re currently working out how we can help them achieve their goal.

3. What is MPS101′s role in the industry?

Because MPS101 is a pure consulting business our role is one of influence. We firmly believe in sharing knowledge and facilitating discussion around MPS and we are certainly not protectionist. When you look at the potential for MPS in the Asia Pacific region the fastest way to grow the market is to take the message to as many people as possible, this is why we were so keen to get involved with Photizo and the MPS AsiaPac conference.

4. You’re a speaker at the upcoming MPS Conference in Sydney; what topic will you be speaking about and why do you feel it is important?

I’m so lucky to be able to talk about the environmental benefits of MPS, because in this region, with the possible introduction of the Carbon Tax next year, there is a huge focus for business in driving down their Carbon Footprint and reducing their associated costs. I’m hoping to introduce a new mindset to both the businesses tackling their Carbon Footprint and resellers who are working out how and why the MPS world should be interested in Green Issues.

5. How do you expect to see the market evolve?

One thing’s for sure, MPS is evolving fast and Green Issues will be at the forefront of the MPS message.
What’s really interesting is watching the different steps people are going through as they change their business models to keep up or forge ahead.

We are already seeing “MPS creep” happening where companies who have got to grips with MPS are expanding the conversation to include BPO and broader business areas. However, we saw recently with the IBM/Westpac restructure that there is still a place for specialisation and the danger in spreading yourself too thin.

In addition, more end user businesses will realise the benefits of including commercial printing as part of the total MPS solution which could lead to the interesting possibility of commercial printers becoming some of the leading players in the MPS market place.

Finally, the cloud remains a huge source of untapped potential for MPS in the SME marketplace. Sometime soon someone will introduce software that allows multiple small business to be managed cost effectively and highly efficiently from within the cloud.

6. What trends are you seeing emerge this year?

I think one of the major trends in this region is the move towards accredited training programs for resellers being introduced by the major manufacturers. They’re realizing the need to support their loyal partners and help them develop the skills necessary to not only start having the right conversations with their customers but in many cases simply structure their business more effectively to take full advantage.

7. Why is it important for the industry to attend events like the MPS Conference in Sydney?

Speed of change. MPS is evolving at such a rapid rate and the world is getting smaller; both of which means the opportunities are increasing for those companies willing to stay at the head of the pack. They’re also a great way to meet some of the fantastic people in this industry and share and learn from them.

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