01732 759725 20 also created opportunity, pre‑COVID, customers simply went for a similar solution to what they had last time. But now the whole working model has changed. The volume of print has declined slightly and people are working from home more but they still need to print and scan whether that’s at home or in the office. The hybrid working model has completely transformed how we deliver managed print services. But actually, that works in Epson’s favour, we are very strong in A4 and we’re finding more and more customers want to move to A4 because compact and energy-efficient devices work better in smaller offices and indeed home offices. PITR: If you could speak directly to someone who inspired or challenged you most in your career, what would you want to say to them today? NT: I’d want to say, ‘thank you for taking the time to invest your energy and experience in me’. I was thinking about this recently. Sometimes you don’t fully value that kind of wisdom and insight until you’re a little bit older. Clive Webb, who used to be a sales manager at Canon was very experienced and he spent a lot of time with me. I think a lot of the things he was trying to teach me, I was probably a bit too inexperienced at the time to take on board. Looking back now, I still use many of the tools and principles that Clive instilled in me. I’ve been very lucky to work alongside some great managers during my career, all of which I have taken something from. PITR: What excites you most about working in print today? NT: The channel customers. I love working in the channel, I’ve done direct roles, but I really enjoy the channel. The best bit is working alongside partners to genuinely try and help them grow their business. They’ve always got great opportunities and they’ve always got challenges that go alongside those opportunities. The thing that excites me most is working in partnership with them to help them win, which ultimately helps us win at the same time. Our industry is all about people, building trust and credibility and doing what you say you’re going to do is critical. Building on those foundations has helped me develop great relationships across the channel. PITR: And what are the biggest frustrations or challenges? NT: The very slow decline of the traditional MPS market has created challenges for OEMs and channel partners, but it does also provide an opportunity for forward-thinking partners to understand more about what their customers are printing and help them achieve greater value from print, and what print can do to help their customer grow. PITR: What (or who) do you think has had the greatest impact in the sector in recent years? NT: COVID and hybrid working has completely changed the sector. Overall, it’s been a negative, obviously, for the world and the industry, but it has PrintIT Reseller (PITR): What was your first job in print? Nick Taylor (NT): My first job in print was at a Canon and Infotec dealer in Brighton. That was back in 2006. PITR: What led you to enter the sector? Did you choose print by design, or accident? NT: It definitely wasn’t by design! I wasn’t looking to get into print at all, I’d never done anything with print before. If I’m honest, I really wanted a job that came with a company car so I could get to football training. I got a little black, sporty Vauxhall Astra and I loved it. A couple of months in it though I really enjoyed the job, I had a great boss who was a good mentor to me when I was just starting out. Nick Taylor, Head of Sales, Business Print & Scan Division, Epson, shares details of his life in print, what he’s learned, and the highs and the lows of our unique and challenging industry My life in print INTERVIEW Nick Taylor
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