Page 25 - BOSS Today Issue 29

60 second interview

MW: Please give me AL: Make sure you get into vying for position in the market, AL: Typically, the cardinal
an outline of your good habits early. Learn all you but there are many traditional sin is not supplying the right
career to date. can about the trends in the printer manufacturers joining equipment for the job. Dealers
market place, such as document the network, and this has started have been known to sell a
solutions and managed print to saturate the market with product that’s totally over the
servicing. Understanding your cheaper models, so dealers are top for what the customer needs,
customers’ needs is absolutely being attracted by their “stack- because they don’t take the time
vital. And always remember that high-sell-cheap” strategies. The to get to know the customer’s
people will always buy from market is changing, though: business requirements or
people! many of the large well-known understand what a product is
copier manufacturers have capable of. Manufacturers make
MW: To what extent is turned to providing a “solutions” a point of encouraging dealers
the UK OP industry “male business, capitalising on their to learn which machines fit each
dominated”? broad experience of high- application so that the customer
end document management has the right product for what
AL: It’s fair to say that the software, rules-based printing they need. Full sales guides,
majority of sales and technical and sophisticated security, which case studies, offering sales and
AL: I’ve spent the last 22 years people in the industry are male, is taking the market to new technical workshops and training
providing support to the OP but the female sales people that levels. courses can all help dealers know
dealer channel via tailored I’ve come into contact with have exactly what each machine does
marketing materials, customer been extremely good at what MW: Is Amazon an and who will benefit from their
case studies, local advertising, they do: indeed, Olivetti have opportunity or a threat? features. When the product is
PR, event and showroom design some very successful dealerships wrong for the customer it doesn’t
support. I like to think that I have that are run by women. Culturally, AL: It’s neither, really. Simple help anyone.
helped the two manufacturers I in years gone by, this industry desktop printers can be easily
have worked for (Konica Minolta was typically seen as a male- bought on-line and only require MW: What is your
and Olivetti) grow their profiles dominated environment because the small office or home office favourite memory of
through good relationships with of the 80s/90s “work hard - play user to plug them in and working in the OP
the press and the dealer network. hard” ethic with inter-company install the drivers, which is a industry?
Overall, my career to date has football teams, lads’ incentives reasonably straightforward
been incredibly rewarding: I etc. It’s not like that any more. process. However, the purchasing AL: There are so many, but
have worked with some really Opportunities are there for decision is a much more complex I suppose it was the day
interesting people and learned anyone who can display the right matter when a company chooses the OP press and some of
such a lot about human nature enthusiasm and customer focus. a multi-functional product, which my counterparts in other
as well as all about the features needs to be set up properly by manufacturers organised a party
and benefits of some excellent MW: With more and more a trained professional. Training for me in London before I got
equipment. It’s all been about OP items being bought is also often required and married. It summed up for me
helping our dealers to stay a step on line, how easy is it to the machines could require the closeness and the nature
ahead of the game, help them sell technology products a sophisticated level of after- of goodwill and camaraderie
to win business and, generally, through these channels? sales support. If document between competitors and the
make a difference to them. management software is needed, press in the industry at that
AL: It’s definitely not easy. Many then IT support is also a must. time (mid 90s). To a large extent,
MW: What advice of the OP products available that closeness still continues,
would you give to any now are becoming very similar, MW: What mistake do OP although everyone seems more
college leaver thinking with not much to differentiate dealers most make when busy and a bit more guarded
of entering the OP them in terms of features and trying to sell technology now, so meeting everyone in one
industry? performance. Not only do we products? place is more difficult.
have some very strong traditional
‘copier’ manufacturers now

September/October 2015 | BOSS TODAY 25

BOSS issue 29 p24-p25.indd 3 08/09/2015 11:45