BTA's Grand Slam District Event to Feature Keynote by Scott Maccabe

Dealer Registration with Orioles Game Ticket:
BTA Member: $199 (2-for-1 registration! See details below.)
Non-member: $249

See dealer pricing without the Orioles ticket below.

Have you left the past in the past? Or, in some ways, are you still operating your dealership as if it were 1994 — or even 2004 — instead of 2014? Have you fully embraced the new opportunities that are best for your dealership? Have you positioned your sales, service and marketing efforts to ensure your ongoing success? Look at your dealership as it is today. Are you headed in the right direction?

2014’s Grand Slam, open to BTA member and non-member dealers from across the country, is all about learning from recognized industry leaders. Collectively, they will provide the insight, guidance and tools you need to help ensure your dealership remains your market’s premier resource for office technology and services. Join your fellow dealers and 20-plus exhibitors on Sept. 15-16 in Baltimore, Md., to make sure you are headed in the right direction.

Schedule of Events:

Monday, Sept. 15: Grand Slam will begin with three-on-one dealer/vendor meetings from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. There will be a break from 2:30 until 2:45 p.m. The event will kick off at 2:45 p.m. with welcoming comments and the keynote address by Scott Maccabe, president and CEO of Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. (TABS). A break will follow the keynote until 4:30 p.m., when the dealer panel will begin. Monday evening’s welcoming reception will be held after the dealer panel from 5:30 until 7 p.m. The reception will give attendees time to network with peers and exhibiting sponsors.

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Tuesday, Sept. 16: Breakfast will be served from 7 until 8 a.m., followed by opening comments, the vendor panel, educational sessions and lunch. After lunch, the final educational sessions, closing comments and prize drawings will be held. Dealer attendees can enter on-site for a chance to win one of five $100 American Express gift cards and be entered into the BTA District Event Sweepstakes. Exhibitors will also have drawings for prizes.

Breaks will be held during the day to give attendees time to network with peers and exhibiting sponsors.

On Tuesday evening, attendees will travel to Oriole Park at Camden Yards to see the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Baltimore Orioles.

Keynote Address:

Growing Dealer Revenue in the “Less-Print” Era
Scott Maccabe, president and CEO, Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. (TABS)
For decades, office technology dealers have relied on rising page volumes and click revenues to provide the foundation of growth for their businesses. Today, both manufacturers and dealers are facing a future where reduced page volumes compel us to find new ways to increase revenue and profits. In this session, Maccabe will provide valuable information on how dealers can continue to prosper in spite of declining click volume by leveraging “the new aftermarket.” He will discuss methods for increasing your share of wallet within your current customer base by providing content management services such as digital signage, document capture, workflow and security using a combination of your existing and partner resources.

Dealer Panel:
What is Your Diversification Strategy?
Moderated by Ken Staubitz, national sales manager, BEI Services

Now, more than ever, dealers are looking for diversified revenue streams to gain additional customer spend and increase market share. Are you wondering which diversification strategy may be right for your dealership? Are you afraid to make the investment because you are unsure of the challenges associated with these new business ventures? We all hear document management, managed services and, now, additive manufacturing (3D printing) are among the future expansion opportunities for our industry. In this interactive session, you will learn from independent office equipment dealers who have successfully made the transition into these areas. We have assembled representatives from independent entrepreneurial dealerships like yours, who have excelled in these new ventures. Come listen and interact to learn how they made profitable transitions to widen their businesses’ revenue streams and customer bases.

Panelists:

Cindi Gondek
ACT Group
Cromwell, Conn.

Mike McCurdy
Integrated Technologies
Twin Falls, Idaho

David Scibetta
Copier Fax Business Technologies
Buffalo, N.Y.

Manufacturer Panel:
Navigating a Changing Office Landscape
Moderated by Robert Palmer, chief analyst, BPO Research, and managing partner, BPO Media

It is no secret that the office printing landscape is transforming dramatically. Technology adoption is driving significant changes to business process and workforce dynamics. Organizations are actively pursuing digital strategies to take advantage of mobile technologies and applications, cloud infrastructure and data analytics to optimize work processes and drive better business outcomes. Hardware manufacturers are dealing with these trends in a variety of ways. Most are radically changing their business models, putting increased focus on services-led strategies, vertical solutions and adjacent market opportunities. What should dealers do to drive future success in a changing market? How might the transition to services impact the future of hardware design? This distinguished panel will address these specific issues and more, while providing a crucial manufacturer perspective on overall market direction, hardware and technology trends, and the future of the office equipment industry.

Panelists:

Dennis Amorosano
Canon U.S.A.

Phil Boatman
Lexmark International

James Buck
OKI Data Americas

Educational Sessions:

The Shifting Office Technology Industry
Robert Palmer, chief analyst, BPO Research, and managing partner, BPO Media
The office imaging and printing market is transforming due to fundamental shifts. In this session, Palmer will examine key market trends to provide insight on issues such as channel dynamics (dealer versus direct), the shift to MPS and other managed services, and changes in end-user behavior and expectations. The session will also provide a look at product trends to address emerging and growing product categories, A3 versus A4, color adoption and the impact of emerging technologies such as business inkjet.

3D — The New Wild West of Printing
Mark Mathews, president, Airwolf3D
Mathews will provide an overview of the 3D printing and additive manufacturing market, and where opportunities lie for the independent dealer. With more than 20 years of experience in the office equipment industry, Mathews brings unique perspectives and insights about 3D printing and how it relates to the BTA community. If you have entered the 3D printing market, are thinking about entering the 3D printing market or are just plain curious about 3D printing, this is the session for you.

Benchmarked Sales and The Future of Selling Excellence
Steve Rolla, partner, Pros Elite Group
The sales benchmarking model has not gained nearly the traction that the service and financial benchmarks have enjoyed. The lack of a documented, benchmarked sales management process is the difference that separates organizations that are still achieving double-digit growth and those that are flat or, worse yet, shrinking. In this session, Rolla will share some of the critical components of his recommended sales playbook, which documents the benchmarks and the execution steps toward achieving them.

Five New Ideas Using Technology to Secure Net New C-Level Meetings
Kate Kingston, founder and president, Kingston Training Group (KTG)
Using strategies through social media like LinkedIn — among other specific online applications — will allow your sales reps to learn when a prospect needs a strategic technology solution discussion. Reps will also gain the knowledge they will need to attract more C-level attendees at their next expo or learning luncheon. In this session, Kingston will deliver on how to drive more net-new, vertically focused C-level sales meetings past the dialing-for-dollars method.

Service Delivery Structure: What Works and Why?
Ken Staubitz, national sales manager, BEI Services
Your company’s service delivery approach not only impacts profitability, but also impacts customer satisfaction, which affects your customer’s future spending with your organization. In this session, Staubitz will review common methodologies for creating technician territories and will discuss the opportunity costs for improving the service delivery structure. He will also discuss key escalation processes to keep your customers close to ensure your organization is their first choice for their business needs.

Pricing:
(Registration includes Monday and Tuesday educational sessions, Monday welcoming reception, and Tuesday breakfast and lunch.)

Dealer Registration with Orioles Game Ticket:
BTA Member: $199 (2-for-1 Registration!)*
Non-member: $249

*BTA Member Dealers: Register by Aug. 15 and receive a second registration (including the Orioles game ticket) for one of your dealership’s employees for free.

A limited number of Orioles tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis to dealers ONLY.

Dealer Registration without Orioles Game Ticket:
BTA Member: $169**
Non-member: $219

**BTA Member Dealers: Register by Aug. 15 and receive a second registration (excluding the Orioles game ticket) for one of your dealership’s employees for free.

Kyocera/Copystar and Toshiba dealers may use co-op dollars!
(Kyocera/Copystar dealers: 100% reimbursement for single-line dealers; 50% reimbursement for multi-line dealers.)

Hotel Information:

Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards
110 S. Eutaw St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
Room rate: $165/night
Hotel Discount Deadline: Aug. 24, 2014
To reserve your room, click here or call (800) 228-9290 or (410) 962-0202.