Now some people say that you shouldn’t tempt fate
And for them I cannot disagree
But I never learned nothing from playing it safe
I say fate should not tempt me
I take my chances
I don’t mind working without a net
I take my chances
I take my chances every chance I get
Lyrics from I Take My Chances by Mary Chapin Carpenter
I love Mary Chapin Carpenter. I have seen her in concert more than any other performer. One reason is because I have every album she ever recorded. Another is because I live near Princeton, New Jersey, her hometown, and she plays at Princeton’s McCarter Theater virtually every year. As a subscriber to The McCarter, I include her show in my yearly subscription package.
But enough about me.
What about you?
Do you take your chances every chance you get?
By chances, I mean diversifying into new products, solutions, and services. Diversifying is a risky proposition. The independent dealer landscape is littered with failed attempts at diversifying. One dealer’s success is another dealer’s failure—whether it is managed IT, 3D printers, desktop computers, or high-speed scanners.
The pandemic is accelerating the need for more dealers to diversify. As clicks decline at a rapid pace, no longer are dealers waking up each morning and smelling the toner. It’s time to look at opportunities beyond print.
Some dealers are optimistic that they can have it both ways. During POA’s virtual business meeting in early January, President Doug Pitassi revealed the company lost 1.3 billion clicks in 2020. He challenged his team to get those clicks back in 2021.
Although POA might be erring on the side of optimism regarding clicks, where it isn’t erring is in diversifying. This dealership is well positioned to grow even if clicks remain flat or continue to decline because it has diversified into so many different areas, including managed IT, security systems, phone systems, mailing systems, and temperature kiosks, to name a few.
Doug and his management team at POA aren’t afraid to take chances. They are not alone. Many of our readers are doing the same. There are also some who prefer to play it safe and not take their chances. While that might work for them for now, the longevity of the independent dealer channel has always depended on entrepreneurs who weren’t afraid to take chances again and again and think beyond print.
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