In this episode, Founder Frank G. Cannata talks about integrated technology workflows with Robert Handel, senior vice president of cloud strategy at Long Island, New York-based dealer LDI Connect. Two weeks have passed since PRINTING United Expo 2026 concluded. Despite all the great production printing equipment on display in Las Vegas, Handel’s message focuses on interoperability. Office technologies—from print and document management to telephone systems, IT, AV, and security—all need to be brought together. As Jerry Blaine, LDI’s president and CEO likes to say, diversification is a way out for dealers in the wake of business contraction. But Cannata wonders how owners can navigate this “new world” with so many moving parts.
LDI Connect: Making Tech Work Flow
Using automation and AI can make workflows more efficient and secure, contends LDI Connect. Cannata inquires whether hardware sales might improve as a result. Handel acknowledges a pull-through effect, noting that areas such as professional services, engineering, consulting, and compliance can have a positive impact on the sale of both hardware and software. It is important to understand, he adds, that different sales and operational strategies are involved for these non-print areas. The deliverables differ, too, he points out, as is the recurring revenue business model. As dealerships shift, achieving profitability will take time. LDI’s Handel offers suggestions on how to prioritize which areas to take on first.
