Everything Dealers Need to Know About In-Plant Printer Prospecting
Sometimes shoehorned into tight quarters of the organization that runs them, in-plant print operations can be low on the target list of office technology dealers. About half can be in school systems, colleges, and universities. Some may be all-in-one facilities, while others are spread out over several locations. Wanting to know more, I asked a colleague who knows a thing or two about in-plants.
Bob Neubauer, editor of In-Plant Impressions, explained that in locales where an office tech dealership is the only game in town, the dealer may be welcomed by in-plant managers, especially if offering more than one line of products. No longer having a traditional offset printing press on their floor, many rely on a mix of digital printers. As such, in-plants can be ideal venues for what your dealership brings to the party. Furthermore, in-plant managers can be quite sophisticated in terms of printing and eager to partner with a local firm that provides services they need. They have done the research, been to trade shows, and talked with vendors. Many office tech dealers list an in-plant or two among their customers. If you don’t, what’s holding you back?
“Office technology dealers, particularly those with production expertise, are increasingly selling into in-plant print environments,” said Kent Villarreal, senior product manager for production at OEM Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America.
Ricoh’s Gavin Jordan-Smith, chief of the Global Sales Strategy Division and North American sales officer for Graphic Communications, agrees. “Both small and large dealers can play in the in-plant segment. The larger the in-plant, the more likely their need for more complex production solutions that include both hardware and software,” Jordan-Smith pointed out. For some dealers, this smells strongly of opportunity.
“Any dealer with a strategic mindset and the right support from the manufacturer can build a presence in this space,” affirmed Villareal.
Solid OEM support is not to be overlooked. Working with a manufacturer is key to creating effective solutions. “It’s more about the relationships than the size of the dealers,” explained Konica Minolta’s John Fulena, vice president of production and industrial print for dealer sales.
Although constrained by budgets in different ways than commercial shops or other office tech customers, in-plant managers still want to deliver results that will delight their users. OEMs can often accelerate office tech dealer success by working as partners throughout the sales process to prepare and execute an effective strategy. This can be helpful for dealers in instances where it is necessary to work up the corporate ladder in a company when expanding the capabilities of an in-plant.
Know Your In-Plant Printer Prospect
What does your local in-plant printer need? There are a few key things to know about any in-plant with which you hope to do business. Some of this is basic marketing info, and you can get most answers by inquiring with the in-plant manager. Be sure to ask about not only what they need now but what they’d like to have so they can meet coming needs, including what they could offer if they had the equipment. In addition, your OEMs may know more about a specific in-plant and suggest solutions you can use. It’s vital that you and the OEM be on the same page with respect to an in-plant.
Eight of the “basics” you’ll need to learn:
- The kinds of documents the in-plant has trouble producing that may be sent to a commercial shop. These may be related to volume, print quality, timing, finishing, and more.
- Find out the real cost of outsourced printing.
- Find out the number of pages in typical documents, whether these are single or double-sided, and how often they are produced.
- What types of documents would they like to produce internally but cannot currently do?
- How important are color accuracy and image quality? There may be brand-specific colors that could dictate the kind of printer and paper used. This may mean work that needs to be sent out. You may be able provide a color-managed printer that can help them.
- The kind of finishing equipment presently in use may be older and less capable than newer machines. If so, demonstrate the advantages of current technology, the cost per piece, and how such devices can add value or an advantage.
- Learn how documents are typically bound or finished. Binding may be something an in-plant wrestles with or uses to justify outsourcing a job. While many copiers and printers do basic corner stapling, and some can handle wire or plastic spines, others handle saddle-stitching or perfect binding. Are these a need? Depending on the document, finishing may include folding or inserting. More than one device may be required. Can your offerings streamline this?
- Incoming documents may still require the ministrations of a prepress person. For instance, fonts and image resolution are still common problems. Ditto for color management. You and your OEM partner should know in advance to help select the most appropriate equipment.
Other Key Points to Know
Getting a handle on these points can be a good conversation starter but you need some behind-the-scenes detail. This info may go up a level. For instance, an in-plant printer manager’s boss may be seeking to limit or even eliminate the in-plant, decreasing its capabilities while advancing a rationale for outsourcing the work. Or, perhaps a local printer or two (or another dealer) are making pitches to companies that have in-plants. Their pitch may be going on with management well above the in-plant manager.
A key is being sure in-plant managers know you are on their side, want them to succeed, and that your dealership can provide the technologies and services they need. Moreover, after running the numbers, an in-plant manager may find your dealership provides the technology, support and budget he or she can live with.
Support, evaluated by both OEMs and in-plant printers, is critical and is what most in-plants look for above all else. For OEMs it begins before the sale; most partner with dealers to assess their readiness and fit for in-plant opportunities. This includes technical capabilities, support infrastructure, application knowledge, and insights into the world of in-plants. “We provide market insights, application consultation, and joint go-to-market strategies to help dealers capture this high-value business,” related Sharp’s Villarreal.
Working with your vendor in advance can both raise the bar on your dealership’s general capabilities and help prepare you for the closer look an in-plant printer may use. Dealers with a strategic mindset and vendor support can build a presence in this space.
Use Your Expertise
Offerings that may make your dealership more attractive include needs and usage assessments, user training, technology road-mapping for future needs, cost-recovery strategies, security concerns, and more. As your relationship with an in-plant printer evolves, you may learn of other services they would like, such as print and document management, workflow automation, and IT support. Talk with your vendor and always look for the long-term potential.
For example, depending on the facility and production volumes, you may find an in-plant is a prime candidate for a light production printer, perhaps with finishing capabilities built in. This could be the case for a company with a host of MFPs or the combined needs of a firm for which you already provide office tech services that also has an in-plant. A light production machine may make sense for the firm when all the costs and throughput is included. As an FYI, a light production device may have very different service requirements intervals than smaller machines. Avoid surprises by discussing this with OEMs and customers in advance.
Can You Go for It?
“Almost every one of our dealers has a presence in in-plant environments,” noted Konica Minolta’s Fulena. Still, the most important element boils down to the combined experience and expertise of the OEM and dealership. Although there is tremendous potential for dealers to grow revenue through in-plant production, not every OEM is equipped to ensure a dealer’s success.
“When evaluating partners, it is critical to determine the OEM’s market share among in-plants. Be sure it has an infrastructure that will provide support throughout the sales process and the expertise to deliver targeted, consultative selling,” said Ricoh’s Jordan-Smith.
There is a lot of potential for dealers seeking to sell into in-plant printers, so be ready to show them all that your dealership provides. Can you go for it?
