Our second interview in our MPS Providers interview series connects with Greg VanDeWalker who is the managed print services financing and leasing executive from GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation. Greg has a very interesting position within the managed print services industry as to how his work at GreatAmerica helps dealers create their own custom MPS programs.
AIOI: What company do you work for?
Greg: GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation
AIOI: How many employees does your company have?
Greg: 325
AIOI: How do you personally define "Managed Print services"
Greg: Technically – All of the customers document output needs are analyzed, right-sized, optimized and managed.
Practically – The customer has one throat to choke when it comes to document output.
AIOI: How long have you been involved with Managed Print Services?
Greg: 6 years
AIOI: What benefits does your MPS program offer your customers?
Greg: GreatAmerica doesn’t claim to have our own MPS program, we help our dealers create and implement their own MPS program. Our primary business is a finance company. We focus heavily on the copier and printer channel, consequently we have created expertise around the intricacies around billing and collecting bundled contracts. Our system integrates with all the major ERP systems to allow for seamless download and upload of meter reads which enables us to bill very complicated MPS contracts with ease. Since we are billing and collecting a dealers money in the contract, the dealer must have 100% confidence that we are handling their money accurately. A big part of our capabilities is our ability to invoice for BOTH financed and non-financed devices on one invoice. The concept of MPS being a complete rip-and-replace is outdated and not reality. We realize that some equipment will be needed today, and over time devices will added and deleted from contract while maintaining the single invoice. We also a bringing other MPS tools to help our dealers. We have our own remote monitoring tool, FleetView that our dealers can use. We have an MPS business model program called Navigator to help our dealers identify all the needed aspects of an MPS business. Plus, more tools will be announced later this year.
AIOI: What are some of your major successes?
Greg: We have many dealers who have transitioned their business from transaction to contractual solutions. The percentage of bundled contracts has steadily increased year over the year. We have been chosen by many of the national MPS providers to be their financing partner. Those companies looked at the other providers and we came out on top, we are very proud of that fact.
What separates your MPS program from your competitors?
Greg: From a finance company perspective, there is no other company that has the tools we possess. I say often if your customer wants to lease their devices there are many good leasing companies to help. But if you are selling a bundled/MPS/one invoice solution, there is no other company you should work with in the industry.
Interesting idea for a series. Interview enough executives and the great MPS mystery may finally be solved.
ReplyDeleteBy the way - it never occurred to me how much the acronym for 'Adventures In Office Imaging' sounds like a battle cry. Either that, or a man who's just lost a million dollar cheque.
Thank you for reading Peter, indeed I would like to think this will be a most illuminating series of interviews.
ReplyDeleteAIOI - Battle cry? lol! I like it, I would go so far as to say you "get it". I was told yesterday by one of our readers that:
"There’s a bit of “angst” that tends to come out in your posts – anger and resentment as opposed to a focus on education. It’s hard to pinpoint, but it’s there and puts a reader on edge."
"We must be clear in that we do not have any interest in slamming “ uber big print manufacturers” as we partner with several on many different levels and would never want to jeopardize our relationship with any of them."
I do tend have a bit of angst towards the folks I call the "big boys" (Ikon, Xerox, HP, Canon etc.) only in regards to MPS however.
Hey lets face it, many of them only jumped on the MPS bandwagon when it became clear that box pushing would no longer line their pockets with gold.
With that being said we do business with some of these companies and as manufactures they are excellent companies.
Based on their time in the MPS industry though, compared to a company like us who have been doing MPS before the term managed print services even existed, they are not MPS experts.
Pete I am gona link to your blog and add you to my blogroll. Again thanks for reading!
AIOI