By Jeff Gau, Marco CEO – As copier dealers, the industry has treated our businesses very well for many reasons – customer retention, strong cash flow and most notably, recurring revenue streams. Personally, it has provided us with financial stability and great lifestyles. It’s been a good run.
I don’t think there’s a lot of debate about the fact that the copier industry is in a permanent decline. We’re facing one of the most significant inflection points in the last five decades. What you do next will be important for both you and your business.
We know copier manufacturers have already started their diversification. Some of their strategies include the dealers and some don’t.
The industry has chosen Managed IT Services as a diversification strategy to deliver sustainable recurring revenue for the next generation. I think it’s a great idea, but it’s proven to be very difficult for dealers to execute and gain traction. A lot of people are talking about it, but very few are actually doing it.