MPS Interview #5: Eddie Lederer

AIOI: What company do you work for?

Eddie: I am President of Miracom Network, a Managed Print Services Software Provider, and have held that position since its inception in 1999.

AIOI: How many employees does your company have?

Eddie: Over the years, we have transition from a traditional servicing company of 57 employees to a MPS software development company of eighteen with a host of contractors; from graphic design and system architects to contract programmers.

AIOI: How do you personally define "Managed Print Services"?

Eddie: I’ve seen lots of definitions; some really good. It’s important to note that MPS is not a “one size fits all”; it means different things to different customers. With that in mind, I define MPS as a system that utilizes cost management principals to effectively deliver the management of print as a business process; a process that identifies waste and redundancy, and then seeks to offer a more streamlined and operationally efficient device management solution.

AIOI: How long have you been involved with Managed Print Services?

Eddie: I’ve been in this industry since 1986, initially as President of Compunet Business Systems Inc., a management consulting company to the print industry. With Compunet, I was involved in building out a cartridge manufacturing facility and printer service organization. Then, in January 1999, I formed MiraPrint Services, to provide print management services to corporate end users. This was a very new concept back then and only a few of us were offering these services. You may recall that 1999 was the year that the first discussions were being held about digital convergence; printers and copiers getting connected to the network and who would ultimately control the process. Seeing the need for a non invasive software solution to automate the service delivery (now called MPS), I formed Miracom Network, an MPS software and solution provider. We released our initial products to the market in 2004 which are now used by independent dealers throughout the country. These MPS tools assist dealers in the efficient management of both network and locally connected print devices. With years of industry sales and management experience from running a cartridge manufacturing and printer service organization, to the development of a strategic MPS software application, I’m pretty familiar with the MPS landscape. Feel free to contact me at elederer@miracomnetwork.com if you’d like to talk shop.

AIOI: What benefits does your MPS program offer your customers?

Eddie: Our application breaks down into 5 main categories – Remote management – Device management – Data Management – Service Management – and Service Network – all of these are then integrated into an end to end MPS software offering. This system design provides our dealers with geographic reach, and an integrated national service network. Our embedded Service Directory is designed to link service providers (dealers) together across the country so that they can control service delivery while competing nationally. The key here is complete control of all outsourced functions.

Miracom also offers back end management for those that are looking to turn-key the entire process while still maintaining decision making control over what toner, parts, or service vendors they prefer using to service their customers. And they can take the entire process back in house whenever they are ready; whenever it makes economical sense…this is their MPS business…not ours! Complete flexibility AND unlike many other rebadged solutions in the market, Miracom has developed and owns 100% of the code.


AIOI: What are some of your major successes?

Eddie: Our largest successes comes from helping to transition traditional printer and copier companies into Hybrid dealers and position them to compete on a national level. MPS is about meeting the operational needs of the device, based on contract terms and promised deliverables. Across a fleet of managed devices, it’s all about ticket and service call management; increasing tech to call ratios; "how many devices can one tech manage". Whether you’re providing in-house service management or out-sourcing that function, the dealer must be able to drive operational efficiencies or put another way; the software must go far beyond MIB capture and deliver operational efficiency opportunities to the dealer. Nobody delivers that better than Miracom.

AIOI: What separates your MPS program from your competitors?

Eddie: Miracom offers a truly agnostic managed print solution for the independent Service Provider. With no ties to OEM's, toner or supply vendors, the Miracom Solution can be whatever a dealer needs it to be. From simple meter reads and toner levels, to a complete solution, including ticketing, Miracom can provide it. If a dealer is thinking about getting into managed print but doesn’t have a service division, they can tap into our Global Service Directory for Service Providers across the country and monitor the progress of tickets they assign to them, seamlessly.

We have truly developed the most sophisticated application for the Managed Print Services (MPS) Industry. And while Miracom’s system scales to meet the needs of any size organization, its system design was developed with an eye towards the needs of the independent dealer and their leveraged ability to compete and expand past their local market.

The Miracom Solution allows the independent printer and copier dealer the ability to remotely manage distributed print devices throughout the country; eliminating any barriers to geographic reach. And everyone that signs up to Miracom’s MPS Solution will have the option of listing their company in the Service Directory thus becoming part of a Global Service Network. This truly is an industry MPS solution; one that keeps the dealer in control and allows them to leverage a solution that can support their sales efforts and position them to compete with the "big boys".

Ants in your scanner?

So this guy put an ants nest inside his scanner and scanned the tiny beasts work once every Friday for five years.

When you you need a new scanner, just shoot me an e-mail bud...

Office Depot swindles Washington State Taxpayers

According to therecycler.com

"An audit has found that global office supplies company Office Depot overcharged Washington State taxpayers $306,017 over three months of office supplies.

The Washington State Auditor’s Office investigated sales of office supplies including print supplies, pens, and paper to the Department of General Administration between July and September in 2009.

The audit found that the Department had been consistently charged more than the agreed prices for supplies in the investigated period, as well as being overcharged on shipping costs."

See the whole article here.

Once again I must ask, would you buy an MPS program from a company like this?

Have you "Hurd" about HP Japan?

From therecycler.com

"The article said that the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau found that HP failed to declare JPY 47 billion (£349 million) between October 2004 and 2006.

According to the Ashai, HP Japan pays over JPY 20 billion for administrative costs to its US parent branch, which tax authorities said should not have been claimed under expenses."

See the whole article here.

With shady tax dealings in Japan and former CEO Mark Hurds strange "not exactly" sexual harasement situation you have to wonder, what is up with HP lately?

Perhaps the problem is within HP's less than stellar Marketing efforts...

From Death of the Copier

"I've said it before, HP is great at making really cool things, but marketing, not so much.

A quote from Ellison,

"...The H-P Board just made the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago. That decision nearly destroyed Apple and would have if Steve hadn’t come back and saved them. H-P had a long list of failed CEOs until they hired Mark who has spent the last five years doing a brilliant job reviving H-P to its former greatness..."

Agreed.

If there are any doubts, Ellison crystallizes with this,

"...Publishing known false sexual harassment claims is not good corporate governance; its cowardly corporate political correctness. Those six directors caused H-P to lose a nearly irreplaceable CEO. Those six directors who voted against Mark can try hard to hide behind a claim of “good corporate governance” but their decision has already cost H-P shareholders over $10 billion … and my guess it’s going to cost them a lot more..."

Read the whole article here.

I am honestly wondering when HP's Reality TV show will go into production. Perhaps they could get Ben Stein to Host it...

Destroy Your Printer Contest 2 Winner!

The winner of our second annual "Destroy Your Printer Contest" is Matt Soper of Matt Soper Marketing. Matt is an independent marketing professional from Brookfield, MA.

Matt has decided to give his toner cartridges to one of his customers, Dennis Mccurdy of Mccurdy Insurance. In addition, Matt has selected "Calling all Crows" as his charity of choice for the additional $100 prize.

Congratulations Matt!