Print IT Reseller - issue 52

01732 759725 48 Q&A View from the channel Q: What are your customers most interested in? A: Perhaps unsurprisingly, right now the focus is on GDPR and we’ve been helping our customers not just with the lead up to it, but also ensuring their ongoing compliance after the 25 May. Of course, GDPR and data protection falls under the much broader field of security, which is an area that we have been advising companies on for many years from a device and workflow perspective. Q: Do clients have the same understanding of industry terms, such as BYOD, MPS or MDS, as we do? A: In an industry that seems to spew out new acronyms by the day, it’s a challenge to keep on top of them! However, I think BYOD, MPS and MDS are now sufficiently well established to be understood by the industry and clients alike. Of course, that’s not to say a new one won’t come along that baffles everyone for a while. Q: Where are you seeing most traction at the moment, are there any verticals that are particularly strong? A: With the move toward digital transformation, businesses are increasingly asking for very specific data that puts a spotlight on print usage patterns; whether by department, floor or even an individual. Therefore, they no longer want to be sold a number of print devices. Instead they want print solutions that give them the means to analyse, control, measure and secure their print and document workflows – we are seeing this shift in all verticals. Q: When selling MFPs, what are the most popular software solutions you provide and why? A: We offer a range of well-established workflow and scanning solutions, in additional to the ‘bread and butter’ print management and secure follow-you print solutions like Equitrac and SafeCom. We also have our data analytical tool – Vision – which has been developed in house by Xeretec, to deliver pre- assessments on print and device usage, establish trends to evaluate the user’s print requirements, and to provide a true current vs future state evaluation. This enables us to make recommendations founded on solid evidence and historical print patterns. Q: Where do you get information on the latest products and solutions, and do you feel that the OEMs are doing enough to educate their channel partners? A: I think it is in the best interests of any manufacturer to communicate regularly with its channel, especially given how intense the competition is and how quickly the market moves. We have an excellent long term relationship with Xerox and part of this is founded on the two-way communication that we both benefit from. OEM’s websites and learning resources are invaluable too, Andy Quy, Solutions Consultant, Xeretec I think it is in the best interests of any manufacturer to communicate regularly with its channel, especially given how intense the competition is and how quickly the market moves while LinkedIn is also an effective way to keep tabs on industry trends and thoughts. Q: Is your patch particularly competitive – is it national or local competition that you face? A: Xeretec’s footprint covers the UK and Ireland, and our nationwide resources enables us to compete very effectively across the country. That said, London is very competitive and in tenders of over 50 devices for example, we’re often competing with the OEMs. In more rural locations, we’re often competing with smaller businesses which may already have long-standing personal or professional ties with the prospect. Q: How do you spend your week – time on phone, face to face meetings with customers etc.? A: The bulk of my time is spent face to face with customers or colleagues, so I’m on the road quite a lot. Technology has helped me to reduce my mileage and be more productive though; with Skype for Business, I can have the opportunity to participate in a much larger number of introductory meetings during a day, sometimes six to eight, which is far more than I could manage if I had to drive to each customer or prospect. Q: What would make your job easier? A: A teleportation device would make a world of difference to me, but I won’t hold my breath on getting one! www.xeretec.co.uk