PRINTITRESELLER.UK 45 VOX POP Daniel Gilbert, Managing Director, Key Digital: Businesses and organisations across all sectors are embracing AI-powered tools to streamline operations, spot trends and make smarter operational decisions. But any AI solution is only as effective as the data it’s fed. That’s where the print and IT sectors have a pivotal role to play. If 2025 was about experimenting with AI, 2026 will be about getting serious with the foundations. Instead of mass market solutions, tailor-made, industryspecific software tools will increase in their availability, requiring masses of data to provide real world results that move with the market. Most organisations sit on mountains of paper archive data: contracts, sales records, regional trend statistics, regulatory information, audit reports. Much of it is unstructured, duplicated, or mislabelled. Asking AI to make smart decisions based on this is like building a skyscraper on sand. MPS and IT teams are perfectly placed to help customers clean up their data act, advising on digitisation projects and implementing smart scanning solutions. It’s not just about going paperless – it’s about making sure the right data is captured, stored and usable. Key Digital is actively working with customers to unlock the value hidden in their archives and day-to-day operations. 2026 won’t just be about adopting AI - it’ll be about preparing for it. And that means getting the data right first. The organisations that invest in clean, accessible and well-structured data today, will be the ones reaping the full benefits of artificially intelligent services. www.key-digital.co.uk Daniel Maddox, Owner, Evolve Document Solutions: When I first started out in this industry, selling copiers was pretty simple. You talked specs, delivered a machine and made sure the toner arrived on time. Fast forward to 2026, and that world has almost vanished. The copier game isn’t about boxes anymore – it’s about trust, technology and long-term thinking. The biggest shift for us has been mind-set. We don’t sell hardware anymore – we sell peace of mind. Our clients don’t just want a copier that works. They want less admin, predictable costs, fewer headaches, and the reassurance that their documents are secure wherever they’re stored or printed. That’s why our focus has moved almost entirely to service-first partnerships. Managed print services used to be an add-on, now it’s the core of what we do. And the truth is, that’s where the real value lies. The copier is just the tool - the real benefit is in keeping it running smoothly, integrating it with the cloud, and making sure the right people can access the right document at the right time. A few years ago, most of my day was spent talking about specs, lease terms and print volumes. Like everyone else, we’ve seen print volumes fall. But we haven’t panicked. We’ve just followed where our customers are going – towards hybrid working, digital documents and smarter communication. Now, half the conversations I have are about data protection, cloud storage and workflow automation. It’s changed how we work. Instead of waiting for things to go wrong, we prevent problems quietly in the background. That’s where the industry is heading – from reactive engineers to proactive technology partners. One of the most interesting changes in our business has been how we approach lease renewals. We know competitors who see them as admin. But we see them as an opportunity. Every time a contract comes up for renewal, it’s a chance to check in properly – not just about a copier, but about how that business works. Do they still print as much? Do they need better security? Could we automate something they’re still doing by hand? With the right data, we can predict what they’ll need months in advance – and that changes everything. We’ve also learned that sustainability isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a deciding factor. Clients now ask about carbon reporting and recycling as early as the first meeting. So, we’ve partnered with suppliers that take it seriously - carbon-neutral devices, recyclable consumables, and energyefficient systems are now standard. We even include sustainability metrics in our proposals. Not as marketing fluff – but because it genuinely matters to us and our clients. If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that evolution doesn’t happen all at once. It’s a series of small shifts – in thinking, in service, in how we talk to customers. The copier industry didn’t disappear; it just grew up. And so did we. We’ve learned that the real measure of success isn’t how many machines we install , it’s how much time, clarity, and confidence we give people back. That’s what our clients buy from us now, not boxes, not toner but peace of mind. www.evolvedocumentsolutions.co.uk Daniel Gilbert Daniel Maddox
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