A Winning Strategy for Success in Print Management
SymQuest Group Inc. is headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont. For more than a decade, SymQuest has upheld its reputation as an affordable and accessible network infrastructure and document solutions technology services company. SymQuest focuses on highly customized and accessible customer service, innovative document solution programs, and the crafting of high-availability infrastructure solutions.
So who did SymQuest turn to when they were looking to grow their business in a small market and striving to provide high quality at a low cost? PrintFleet Inc., the leader in print management.
The Challenge: How to Grow in a Small Market
As the market became commoditized, SymQuest searched for a better tool to remain viable and competitive. In order to grow, SymQuest was looking to offer customers real value in a business partnership. They needed a solution that offered more for the customer than the convenience of an automated meter read, which is really only a benefit for dealers.
"When it came to office printing, we adopted a strategy to own 100% of customer print volume."
"The markets SymQuest operate in are typically small. Our growth strategy is to penetrate existing accounts," stated SymQuest's CEO Larry Sudbay. "SymQuest has three components of our business: traditional copiers, desktop laser printers, and network infrastructure/IT. When we looked at it strategically, the majority of our customers only bought one of these segments from us. We needed to offer solutions that would leverage all three business units. When it came to office printing, we adopted a strategy to own 100% of customer print volume."
Without an appropriate remote print monitoring tool, there were a number of barriers which stood in the way of SymQuest growing their business. The sales teams were unaware of what was going on at their accounts when it came to office printing. Reps had no idea how much market share they had, let alone a plan of increasing that share, or taking over legacy equipment. It was difficult to provide value for the customer with poor visibility into their printing environment, and while reacting to problems as they arose. Customers were running out of toner and calling in panic mode. Machines would break down, and calls in for emergency service cost SymQuest and the customer a premium. Customers had no idea what was going on with their fleets; there was no way to determine how many devices they had, and what it cost to manage their fleet. The process of collecting page counts was becoming a nightmare: multiple meters and a manual process did not mesh.
SymQuest is a world class system integrator. Remote monitoring was a mature business in the traditional IT world, but was virtually non existent in the Office Print Market. Larry Sudbay stated, "We knew what could be done, and needed to find a partner that combined IT best practices with office print expertise."
The Solution: More than Meter Reads
SymQuest evaluated print management solutions, and felt PrintFleet stood apart from their competitors with their commitment to the software. "PrintFleet is all about the software," explained Larry Sudbay, "and is 100 percent committed to enhancing the software. That had a huge part in our decision to choose PrintFleet."
PrintFleet removed several barriers which stood in SymQuest's way to growing their business. While allowing for real time monitoring of network devices, PrintFleet provides the visibility SymQuest needs to monitor, manage and supply their customers' printing fleets efficiently and proactively. With features such as asset tracking, automated meter reading, supplies alerts and automated toner shipment, error notifications, and more, they can:
- better manage customer toner supply inventories
- extend the life of document output devices
- lower customer total cost of ownership (TCO)
- optimize their device placements
- increase uptime with a healthier fleet
- triage problems before they occur
- automate the meter collection and billing process
- work with customers to make better print asset decisions
PrintFleet provides benefits for both the customer and the dealer by providing visibility of the total cost of the customer's fleet, and the costs involved in reactively maintaining that fleet. Sales reps gain visibility into their share of that customer's account, and are better able to plan to manage 100 percent of the print.
SymQuest drew upon PrintFleet's expertise to launch their print management initiative, Sentinel Enabled. PrintFleet's pursuit of more than meter reads helps them stand apart from competitors. Print management is not profitable without information on consumable data, service alerts, reporting capabilities, etc. PrintFleet is secure and nonobtrusive at the customer's location, and easy to interface for both dealer and the end user.
PrintFleet's software secures a dealer's position as a consultative resource, with the ability to share factual data from the printing network with the customer; Larry Sudbay states, "This was an easier sell, to show the total cost of ownership and the value behind the solution." Transitioning from a vendor to a consultative resource, SymQuest has improved customer satisfaction, and secured client business for the long term. By offering a solution, SymQuest can retain existing relationships with customers by delivering greater value, and gain new business.
"After 12 months we are monitoring over 100 clients and 2000 devices. SymQuest adds an average of 10 clients and 200 devices per month."
SymQuest's Vice President of Service and Support, Joe Goodreau, notes their successes since the introduction of PrintFleet. "After 12 months we are monitoring over 100 clients and 2000 devices. This is purely generated by our sales team selling the value of the solution and our technical teams installing the software agent remotely or onsite when connecting the device. SymQuest adds an average of 10 clients and 200 devices per month. We've implemented auto toner shipping and automated our meter reads," Goodreau explained. On one occasion, a client called in a panic that they were low on toner and had several reports to run through the night. SymQuest's client support representative calmly informed the customer the toner was shipped the previous day due to a low toner alert and it would arrive that day.
The Last Word
Larry Sudbay cautions that every business getting into a print management program needs to be ready for all the things it will impact and change. They will need to research and prepare for the 'how'. There is much to consider, and jumping in too quickly is not wise. Larry Sudbay notes the importance of learning the system, learning what works and what does not, and ramping up cautiously. He states, "PrintFleet's sales training, technical training, and branding program assisted us in preparing for the many changes involved in the launch of Sentinel Enabled; their expertise helped us with the 'how' of print management."
Larry Sudbay informs, "The future of Print Management will shift from, 'you call me and we fix it fast', to 'you pay us to keep it running'. The customer's devices will virtually never go down. We will see a shift from a reactive 'break-fix' model to proactive machine maintenance. You need technology like PrintFleet's in order to do this. PrintFleet offers a better process."
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