Office technology dealers often walk a fine line between helping customers expand their production print capabilities and avoiding the trap of overselling. When a customer has outgrown their light production printing device, it’s not always obvious until bottlenecks occur, deadlines are missed, and frustration increases. The trick is recognizing the signs early and guiding customers toward a production printing solution that fits their current and future requirements without overwhelming them with more machine than they’ll ever use.
Recognizing the Breaking Point
You’ll know your customer is pushing the limits of their light production printing device when you hear statements like:
- “We’re running this thing non-stop and still can’t keep up.”
- “Our operator has to babysit every job to make sure it finishes.”
- “We’re constantly calling for service.”
These comments are clear production printing warning signs. “The key signs are increased volume and growth trends,” said Kent Villarreal, senior product manager, production for Sharp Business U.S.A. “If the customer’s consistently pushing the duty cycle limits of their current light production or workgroup products, or they’ve had multiple devices installed to keep up with demand, that’s a clear sign they may benefit from consolidation into a more robust production unit. And if they’re getting tighter timelines for their printing and need to get jobs done quicker, they need a machine that can do higher speeds.”
Jason Dizzine, vice president of portfolio management and planning for Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., echoes that insight. “One of the biggest indicators is what work they’re turning away or are outsourcing because they don’t have the capacity,” he said. “They still want to be a sole provider to a customer, but when they’re outsourcing, they are giving away the business and sacrificing margin. That’s often when it’s time for a detailed assessment.”
Brian Balow, vice president of U.S. channel sales and services, Ricoh USA, noted that applications themselves often drive the conversation. “Production is always application driven,” he said. “Maybe their light production device worked well for them in the past, but now they’re not getting the quality or consistency they need as volumes rise. Or maybe their customers are requiring new finishing options their current device can’t provide. Those pain points are clear signs it’s time to move upstream.”
Downtime and reliability issues are also strong indicators. As Villarreal noted, “If they’re starting to have a lot of maintenance calls and unscheduled downtime, that’s a clear sign they need to move up.”
Production Printing Data-driven Conversations
Usage data, including volume, peak cycles, and downtime frequency, is invaluable for guiding the upgrade discussion. But don’t forget to consider what the service team is observing.
“Your service technician is your customer’s best friend and your salesperson’s best friend,” said Dizzine. “They’ll often notice when a customer is overrunning a device or using it for something it’s not meant to do.”
Villarreal agreed. “You’re going to get your best leads from your techs. They know what kind of jobs customers are trying to put on the device and when it’s time to upgrade.” He added that sales and service teams working closely together often uncover additional high-end print-related opportunities, such as the need for special effects and embellishment.
Balow pointed out the importance of a thorough discovery process. “It all comes down to good requirements gathering,” he said. “That means truly understanding the applications, workflows, and even the business processes behind the work. Do they want to keep everything in-house for confidentiality or control? Are they outsourcing too much? These factors all influence the right solution.”
Right-Sizing: Avoiding the Oversell
One of the fastest ways to lose a customer’s trust is to oversell them on a production print machine they don’t need or can’t support.
“We encourage a consultative sales approach,” said Villarreal. “Not every customer is ready or suited for full production.” He emphasized understanding the application, asking what and why they’re printing, and evaluating whether bringing work in-house makes financial sense. “It’s really about the application,” he noted. “Volume matters, but so does frequency, and the capabilities of the current team.”
Dizzine shared a similar philosophy. “We used to love to sell presses to anybody, and everybody knows what happened there. Customers ended up returning presses they couldn’t support. That’s why the assessment is so critical today.”
Balow added, “If a sales rep doesn’t have the expertise to size the customer correctly, they should engage their OEM partner. At Ricoh, we’ve put the infrastructure in place to support dealers on both the pre-sales and post-sales sides. Overselling is often a symptom of poor discovery or failing to leverage that expertise.”
The number of materials printed in color is another key factor. “If the customer’s primary output is monochrome documents, production is overkill,” Villarreal explained. “But if 80% of their volume is color, they probably need to upgrade.”
Planning for Scalable Growth
When a customer is ready to grow and upgrade from light production printing to full production, it’s not just about speed or monthly volume; it’s about supporting new applications and expanding in-house capabilities.
“That’s a great example we’re seeing today in the expansion of the label business,” said Dizzine about commercial printers who are looking to bring this business in-house rather than outsourcing. “Often you could be paying 25 cents a label depending on the size of the label, but if you bring it in-house, you’re going to get that to near a nickel or less,” said Dizzine. “There is significant savings, but again, the volume has to be there.”
Balow noted that Ricoh’s product line is designed for scalability. “We have three classes of engines—5400, 7500, and 9500—and all share the same input and output options. That means a customer can get the advanced finishing of a 9500 on a 5400, then move up naturally to a 7500 as volume and application needs grow,” he said.
Other ways to expand beyond light production printing include wide format, which Dizzine said opens up an entirely new area of flexibility with media. “It’s not just big signs and pictures; if you look at UV applications that can be done in-house that they weren’t able to do on a hybrid machine, that changes the game.”
Although not a traditional upgrade from light production to full production, both Dizzine and Villarreal identified devices that enable digital embellishment as an opportunity to capture new business. “They may start printing on synthetic media or want faster turnaround on things like business cards or high-GSM stock,” explained Villarreal. “If their current equipment can’t handle that, it’s time to upgrade.”
Sharp’s BP-1200S and Konica Minolta’s AccurioPress line both provide media versatility, faster speeds, and specialty colors or effects that were once impossible on light production machines. “With our six-color product, customers can do metallics, neon, spot gloss, and even security effects using clear toner,” noted Villarreal. “That’s something you can’t do on a four-color light production model.”
Dizzine also emphasizes thinking about redundancy and future requirements. “Maybe they might not go to the highest-level machine, they’ll meet in the middle, but have a couple so they can run two different jobs, and also ensure redundancy. And with our IQ technology and all that, we can match those engines across the shop so that they’ll get the same color consistency and quality.”
Vendor Support
Office technology dealers new to production printing require more than just equipment selection support. They need training, staffing, and long-term guidance, especially in building the service infrastructure to support customers at the higher end of the printing spectrum where uptime is essential.
“Depending on how big or small a dealer you are, you need a service technician that’s got a background in production print and understands the customers,” said Dizzine. “They understand the importance of having product up for a commercial printer because having a press down is not like our office printer being down for a day here, so service is key.”
Balow emphasized the importance of leveraging OEM expertise. “If the rep knows their limitations, that’s when they should engage us,” he said. “Whether it’s Ricoh or another OEM, tapping into that expertise ensures the customer is sized correctly and gets the right solution.”
OEMs such as Konica Minolta, Ricoh, and Sharp are also doing their part to educate their dealers’ production print sales teams. “We’ve built out a full dealer production print team to help with assessments, proofing, sales support, and post-sale engagement,” said Dizzine. “We’re not just saying, ‘Here’s a box, go figure it out.’”
Villarreal reported that many Sharp dealers are stepping into production printing for the first time. “About a third of the dealers we’ve signed up for production are new to the space,” he said. “We help them find the right people, train their staff, and build their credibility.”
Both Sharp and Konica Minolta acknowledge the challenge of sourcing skilled service talent, but they also view it as an opportunity.
“One approach we’ve seen work is promoting top-performing light production techs into production roles,” said Villarreal. “It’s a great career path, and many already have experience on the same engine platforms.”
Sharp is also developing talent through outreach. “We’re working with the Mariano Rivera Foundation to train underprivileged high school students as technicians,” said Villarreal. “We’re trying to bring new people into the industry, not just shift the existing talent pool.”
The Bottom Line
The decision to upgrade from light production to full production printing is rarely based on a single factor. It’s a convergence of volume, business goals, workflow complexity, and opportunity.
“It’s not just ‘if you buy it, you’ll print it,’” emphasized Dizzine. “Customers today are more educated. They’re looking at new markets and asking for help building a pipeline that supports the next step.”
Balow agreed. “It always goes back to applications,” he said. “Understand the pain points, gather the requirements, and engage the right expertise to size the customer correctly.”
