ORMOND BEACH, FLORIDA - August 13, 2010 - Print Management Solutions Group today announced continued strong demand for MPS Sales and Service Operations dealer development workshops during the 3^rd quarter. Additional regionally convenient dates have been added to accommodate enrollment trends as dealers continue to build their MPS business model. PMSG has provided consulting services, MPS sales education, MPS service and operations excellence training, and dealer implementation support to hundreds of dealers this year and expects to have over 1000 attendees by the end of 2010.

“As the market continues to rapidly transition to a managed print services model, we continue to see unprecedented demand for our best in class dealer education and development resources,” stated Tom Cooke, Managing Principal of Print Management Solutions Group, a division of Learning Outsource Group, a nationally recognized provider of sales and management development solutions to the document imaging industry since 1996. “We believe our value proposition is uniquely impactful to dealer performance, our education forums continue to receive rave reviews, we continue to form alliances with other elite organizations serving the industry, and our commitment has never been stronger to help dealers accelerate their growth and profitability objectives.”

Print Management Solutions Group additional training dates for October:

Selling Managed Print Services                                           October 5-6, 2010                        Atlanta, GA
MPS Service and Operations Excellence                          October 5-6, 2010                        Atlanta, GA

Selling Managed Print Services                                            October 18-19, 2010                    Dallas, TX
MPS Service and Operations Excellence                           October 18-19, 2010                    Dallas, TX

More information is available online at www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or by calling 800-403-9379.

About Print Management Solutions Group
Print Management Solutions Group, based in Ormond Beach, Florida is a powerful alliance between two of the document imaging industry’s most recognizable training and consulting organizations, Learning Outsource Group and BEI Pros.  The company is solely dedicated to supporting managed print services initiatives and provides a comprehensive suite of consulting and training resources to the office imaging market. For more information, visit www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or call (800) 403-9379. 

About Learning Outsource Group
Learning Outsource Group is an internationally recognized provider of learning solutions designed to support the business development strategy of sales and customer driven organizations. With a focus on sales training and management leadership development, over 40,000 executives, managers, and sales professionals in the document imaging industry have been impacted by their training, resources, and tools since 1996.  Major clients include a number of OEM’s, IKON, Global Imaging / Xerox, and hundreds of independent dealers.  They are also nationally recognized for their management leadership programs, including Sales Management Leadership in the 21^st Century.  They help clients build and sustain competitive advantage by identifying and delivering world class learning solutions tied to measurable business results. For more information, visit www.learningoutsourcegroup.com or call (800) 403-9379.

ORMOND BEACH, FLORIDA - June 28, 2010 - Print Management Solutions Group today announced record attendance in their MPS Sales and Service Operations dealer development workshops for the first half of 2010. The company provided consulting services, MPS sales education, MPS service and operations excellence training, and dealer implementation support to several hundred dealers involving nearly 600 attendees. Print Management Solutions Group anticipates strong demand for the remainder of 2010 for these best in class MPS dealer development workshops.

“After the unprecedented interest in our workshops during the first quarter, we could not be more pleased that this momentum has continued in Q2,” stated Tom Cooke, Managing Principal of Print Management Solutions Group, a division of Learning Outsource Group, a nationally recognized provider of sales and management development solutions to the document imaging industry since 1996. “We are on pace to positively impact the MPS business models of over 800 dealers by the end of 2010 and continue to add staff to support this demand in MPS education and market execution.”

Print Management Solutions Group also announced additional training dates for Q3:

More information is available online at www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or by calling 800-403-9379.

About Print Management Solutions Group
Print Management Solutions Group, based in Ormond Beach, Florida is a powerful alliance between two of the document imaging industry’s most recognizable training and consulting organizations, Learning Outsource Group and BEI Pros.  The company is solely dedicated to supporting managed print services initiatives and provides a comprehensive suite of consulting and training resources to the office imaging market. For more information, visit www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or call (800) 403-9379. 

About Learning Outsource Group
Learning Outsource Group is an internationally recognized provider of learning solutions designed to support the business development strategy of sales and customer driven organizations. With a focus on sales training and management leadership development, over 40,000 executives, managers, and sales professionals in the document imaging industry have been impacted by their training, resources, and tools since 1996.  Major clients include a number of OEM’s, IKON, Global Imaging / Xerox, and hundreds of independent dealers.  They are also nationally recognized for their management leadership programs, including Sales Management Leadership in the 21^st Century.  They help clients build and sustain competitive advantage by identifying and delivering world class learning solutions tied to measurable business results. For more information, visit www.learningoutsourcegroup.com or call (800) 403-9379.

ORMOND BEACH, FLORIDA - May 10, 2010 - Print Management Solutions Group, www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com, today announced the immediate availability of customized MPS job specific competency profiles and assessment technology for the document imaging industry. By benchmarking the skills, knowledge, behaviors and motivators that will predict success in MPS sales, sales management and technical roles, dealers can leverage leading technology to dramatically improve their recruiting and selection process and better match candidates or current employees to targeted job responsibilities.

Tom Cooke, Managing Principal of PMSG and President of Learning Outsource Group, PMSG’s parent company stated, “We are pleased to offer this powerful data and testing technology to the industry. Our long and successful relationship with the Chally Group, worldwide leaders in competency assessment technology, makes this possible for dealers to significantly improve their selection and promotion decisions. As the MPS market continues to evolve, dealers can no longer afford to put the wrong personnel in these critical roles that drive the success of their MPS business model. Utilizing this technology is simple, cost effective, and allows dealers to take the guesswork out of these key hiring decisions.”

PMSG has job profiles, interview guides and assessment testing immediately available for MPS sales, sales management, service technicians and others.

PMSG also announces the next available dates for their nationally recognized Selling Managed Print Services and MPS Service and Operations Excellence workshops to be held in Dallas on June 14-15.

More information is available online at www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or by contacting Gina Steger or Tom Cooke at 800-403-9379.

About Print Management Solutions Group
Print Management Solutions Group, www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com, based in Ormond Beach, Florida is a joint venture between two of the document imaging industry’s most recognizable training and consulting organizations, Learning Outsource Group and BEI Pros.  The company is solely dedicated to supporting managed print services initiatives and provides a comprehensive suite of consulting and training resources to the office imaging market.  For more information, visit www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or call (800) 403-9379.

About Learning Outsource Group
Learning Outsource Group is an internationally recognized provider of learning solutions designed to support the business development strategy of sales and customer driven organizations. With a focus on sales training and management leadership development, over 40,000 executives, managers, and sales professionals in the document imaging industry have been impacted by their training, resources, and tools since 1996.  Major clients include a number of OEM’s, IKON, Global Imaging / Xerox, and hundreds of independent dealers.  They are also nationally recognized for their management leadership programs, including Sales Management Leadership in the 21^st Century.  They help clients build and sustain competitive advantage by identifying and delivering world class learning solutions tied to measurable business results. For more information, visit www.learningoutsourcegroup.com or call (800) 403-9379.

About BEI Pros
BEI Pros is an innovative service profitability consulting and training group. Our team has a proven track record of helping companies improve their bottom line profitability and operational performance in service. We accomplish this by offering the industry’s most extensive onsite consulting service. In addition, our world class Advanced Management Training Program is guaranteed to provide the skill set needed for Service Management to improve their organization’s operational performance, profitability, and ensure they provide the highest level of customer service to their perspective markets.  With the addition of the Managed Print Services (MPS) Service & Operational Training, we can now provide dealers with the knowledge and resources to drive exceptionally high profits on the back end of their MPS program. For more information, visit www.beipros.com or call (813) 713-3592.

ORMOND BEACH, FLORIDA - April 12, 2010 - Print Management Solutions Group, www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com, a Learning Outsource Group and BEI Pros company, today announced additional training dates for their nationally recognized, “Selling Managed Print Services” and “MPS Service and Operations Excellence” dealer development programs.  Both programs will be offered on the following dates and locations:

Selling Managed Print Services                         May 13-14, 2010                        Orlando
MPS Service and Operations Excellence    May 13-14, 2010                        Orlando

Selling Managed Print Services                         June 14-15, 2010                        Dallas
MPS Service and Operations Excellence    June 14-15, 2010                        Dallas

“We could not be more pleased with the industry’s response to our world-class training and consulting services,” stated Tom Cooke, Managing Partner of Print Management Solutions Group.  “Our referral and repeat business from the hundreds of satisfied dealers who have attended our workshops is extremely satisfying and confirmation that we are delivering a superior value proposition.” 

Jerry Newberry, Managing Partner and President of BEI Pros added, “There is ample opportunity for dealers to improve productivity and operational metrics and build the foundation for a highly successful and profitable MPS business. The MPS profit potential to the dealership is enormous if managed properly.”

More information and online registration can be completed at www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or by calling
800-403-9379.

About Print Management Solutions Group
Print Management Solutions Group, www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com, based in Ormond Beach, Florida is a joint venture between two of the document imaging industry’s most recognizable training and consulting organizations, Learning Outsource Group and BEI Pros.  The company is solely dedicated to supporting managed print services initiatives and provides a comprehensive suite of consulting and training resources to the office imaging market.  For more information, visit www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or call (800) 403-9379. 

About Learning Outsource Group
Learning Outsource Group is an internationally recognized provider of learning solutions designed to support the business development strategy of sales and customer driven organizations. With a focus on sales training and management leadership development, over 40,000 executives, managers, and sales professionals in the document imaging industry have been impacted by their training, resources, and tools since 1996.  Major clients include a number of OEM’s, IKON, Global Imaging / Xerox, and hundreds of independent dealers.  They are also nationally recognized for their management leadership programs, including Sales Management Leadership in the 21^st Century.  They help clients build and sustain competitive advantage by identifying and delivering world class learning solutions tied to measurable business results. For more information, visit www.learningoutsourcegroup.com or call (800) 403-9379.

About BEI Pros
BEI Pros is an innovative service profitability consulting and training group. Our team has a proven track record of helping companies improve their bottom line profitability and operational performance in service. We accomplish this by offering the industry’s most extensive onsite consulting service. In addition, our world class Advanced Management Training Program is guaranteed to provide the skill set needed for Service Management to improve their organization’s operational performance, profitability, and ensure they provide the highest level of customer service to their perspective markets.  With the addition of the Managed Print Services (MPS) Service & Operational Training, we can now provide dealers with the knowledge and resources to drive exceptionally high profits on the backend of their MPS program. For more information, visit www.BEIPros.com or call (813) 713-3592.

ORMOND BEACH, FLORIDA - March 12, 2010 - Print Management Solutions Group, www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com, a Learning Outsource Group and BEI Pros company, today announced additional training dates for their nationally recognized, “Selling Managed Print Services” and “MPS Service and Operations Excellence” dealer development programs.  Both programs will be offered on the following dates and locations:

Selling Managed Print Services                              April 15-16, 2010                        Chicago

MPS Service and Operations Excellence          April 15-16, 2010                        Chicago

“We could not be more pleased with the industry’s response to our world-class training and consulting services,” stated Tom Cooke, Managing Partner of Print Management Solutions Group.  “Our referral and repeat business from the hundreds of satisfied dealers who have attended our workshops is extremely satisfying and confirmation that we are delivering a superior value proposition.” 

Jerry Newberry, Managing Partner and President of BEI Pros added, “there is ample opportunity for dealers to improve productivity and operational metrics and build the foundation for a highly successful and profitable MPS business. The MPS profit potential to the dealership is enormous if managed properly.”

More information and online registration can be completed at www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or by calling 800-403-9379.

About Print Management Solutions Group
Print Management Solutions Group, www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com, based in Ormond Beach, Florida is a joint venture between two of the document imaging industry’s most recognizable training and consulting organizations, Learning Outsource Group and BEI Pros.  The company is solely dedicated to supporting managed print services initiatives and provides a comprehensive suite of consulting and training resources to the office imaging market.  For more information, visit www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or call (800) 403-9379. 

About Learning Outsource Group
Learning Outsource Group is an internationally recognized provider of learning solutions designed to support the business development strategy of sales and customer driven organizations. With a focus on sales training and management leadership development, over 40,000 executives, managers, and sales professionals in the document imaging industry have been impacted by their training, resources, and tools since 1996.  Major clients include a number of OEM’s, IKON, Global Imaging / Xerox, and hundreds of independent dealers.  They are also nationally recognized for their management leadership programs, including Sales Management Leadership in the 21^st Century.  They help clients build and sustain competitive advantage by identifying and delivering world class learning solutions tied to measurable business results. For more information, visit www.learningoutsourcegroup.com or call (800) 403-9379.

About BEI Pros
BEI Pros is an innovative service profitability consulting and training group. Our team has a proven track record of helping companies improve their bottom line profitability and operational performance in service. We accomplish this by offering the industry’s most extensive onsite consulting service. In addition, our world class Advanced Management Training Program is guaranteed to provide the skill set needed for Service Management to improve their organization’s operational performance, profitability, and ensure they provide the highest level of customer service to their perspective markets.  With the addition of the Managed Print Services (MPS) Service & Operational Training, we can now provide dealers with the knowledge and resources to drive exceptionally high profits on the backend of their MPS program. For more information, visit www.BEIPros.com or call (813) 713-3592.

ORMOND BEACH, FLORIDA - February 19, 2010 - Print Management Solutions Group, rapidly becoming recognized as the leader in MPS dealer education to the document imaging industry, today announced record attendance in their Selling Managed Print Services and MPS Service & Operations Excellence seminars for the first quarter.

“We will work with dealer principals, senior managers, and sales professionals from nearly 150 dealerships this quarter,” stated Tom Cooke, Managing Principal of Print Management Solutions Group, “and our ability to dramatically accelerate the implementation or growth of an MPS model at the dealer level is fueling our rapid growth.”

Added Jerry Newberry, Managing Partner, “Our referral business is the truest indication of the satisfaction that dealers are experiencing with our overall value proposition. We anticipate significant growth throughout the remainder of 2010 based on these trends.”

More information and online registration can be completed at www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or by calling 800-403-9379.

About Print Management Solutions Group
Print Management Solutions Group, www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com, based in Ormond Beach, Florida is a joint venture between two of the document imaging industry’s most recognizable training and consulting organizations, Learning Outsource Group and BEI Pros.  The company is solely dedicated to supporting managed print services initiatives and provides a comprehensive suite of consulting and training resources to the office imaging market.  For more information, visit www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or call (800) 403-9379.

About Learning Outsource Group
Learning Outsource Group is an internationally recognized provider of learning solutions designed to support the business development strategy of sales and customer driven organizations. With a focus on sales training and management leadership development, over 40,000 executives, managers, and sales professionals in the document imaging industry have been impacted by their training, resources, and tools since 1996.  Major clients include a number of OEM’s, IKON, Global Imaging / Xerox, and hundreds of independent dealers.  They are also nationally recognized for their management leadership programs, including Sales Management Leadership in the 21^st Century.  They help clients build and sustain competitive advantage by identifying and delivering world class learning solutions tied to measurable business results. For more information, visit www.learningoutsourcegroup.com or call (800) 403-9379.

About BEI Pros
BEI Pros is an innovative service profitability consulting and training group. Our team has a proven track record of helping companies improve their bottom line profitability and operational performance in service. We accomplish this by offering the industry’s most extensive onsite consulting service. In addition, our world class Advanced Management Training Program is guaranteed to provide the skill set needed for Service Management to improve their organization’s operational performance, profitability, and ensure they provide the highest level of customer service to their perspective markets.  With the addition of the Managed Print Services (MPS) Service & Operational Training, we can now provide dealers with the knowledge and resources to drive exceptionally high profits on the backend of their MPS program. For more information, visit www.BEIPros.com or call (813) 713-3592.

By Kim D. Ward and Teri Dunn

Here is a comprehensive look at a best practices print management engagement process and the skills needed to ensure long term success for both sales professionals and the dealership as a whole.

First, imagine you are a dentist and one day you receive a phone call informing you that a loved one has been taken to the hospital and in critical condition. Upon your arrival you find your family, friends, and even some of your most valued employees having arrived and are anxiously waiting to offer their concern and support. When you and your group speak with the attending doctor you’re told your loved one can be saved but will need immediate surgery. A choice must be made. Who will perform the surgery? The doctor recommends a local colleague who she feels would be competent. One of your family members suggests a doctor they’ve used in the past as a competent referral. Your employees collectively suggest that a specialist with credible credentials can be flown in from a nearby medical facility. So what should you do?

You obviously want to do what is best. You want to do what is right. You’re concerned and afraid that if action is not taken immediately the patient may not even survive! So what do you do now? Do you slowly turn to the group of supporters and decidedly say, “Don’t worry! I’m going to perform the surgery myself”?

Of course, you would never consider making such a decision. And yet many office technology dealers and businesses are already making similar or threatening business mistakes.

Just as being a dentist is very different than being a surgeon, selling managed print services is very different than selling individual MFP’s and printers. To be successful, it requires a different mindset, a different process, different skills, a different point of contact, the ability to manage a complex buying team with multiple influencers, and it also requires a different set of tools to proficiently accomplish the job.

Many dealers have already discovered that simply “repurposing” legacy salespeople and expecting them to, on their own, successfully sell MPS, can produce dreadful consequences, including non-profitable contracts, unfulfilled commitments to customers, very few sales or worse - no sales at all!  Some business owners or managers have now realized that even though they may employ very talented and historically successful salespeople, these employees are still going to need a little more help to become truly successful in the print management arena. Along these lines we offer some considerations and strategies which will help companies to begin taking better advantage of the available market and customer share when selling print management solutions.

Seek Expert Help

There are two ways to learn how to do something. You either learn through trial and error (which can be extremely painful) or you can find someone who already knows how to do it and simply do what they do. Over the last few years many resources have become available to dealers who want print management selling advice and help in the form of educators and consultants. Caution: Seek expert help but be “mindful” of your choices. Seek out a resource that will provide:

1. Training and support that offers a proven, scalable & repeatable process which focuses on the buyer and their decision procedures.
2. A complete and easy to use “toolkit” to reference.
3. The educational expertise to drive learning and create the compelling desire that salespeople need to change their selling methodology and process.

Utilize a Print Management “Specific” Selling Process

As many have already discovered, selling MPS requires a different selling process than the historical “box centric” approach. As one example, we must consider the necessity of “C-Level” buy-in for:

• Researching their environment and data collection
• Engaging positively multiple decision influencers
• Proactively avoiding all of the other possible “pitfalls” which can slow down or destroy the salesperson’s solution development efforts

A recommended best practice approach for determining which process would be best for your company suggests that your chosen or created process should, at a minimum, include:

1. Gaining “C-Level” access
2. An agreement of Technical and Process Expectations with the “C-Level”
3. Performing print environment reviews to include costs & data collection
4. Validating and analyzing findings
5. Designing a proposed solution which meets or exceeds tangible decision influencers’ expectations
6. Presenting proposed solutions
7. Closing and implementing the agreed upon print management plan
8. Monitoring and measuring progress
9. Performing continuing print environment reviews
10. Conducting regular formal account reviews

Prepare Your Selling Team with Strategies and Tools

Successful MPS companies agree that salespeople must be proactively prepared by first supplying them with current and effective strategies and tools. By our best practice calculations, a comprehensive toolkit includes a minimum of 26 very specific tools, training & education, a go-to-market strategy, continual role playing and practice, and a commitment to managing a new process. At the same time, sales must be in sync with your service and operations departments. Implementation guides, check lists and informed decisions can assure a smooth transition.

The backbone of these strategies and toolkit should be a comprehensive “print management procedure checklist” which will:

1. Guide the salesperson through the complete process
2. Effectively engage the salesperson, customer, service & operations departments
3. Provide a mechanism for leadership to monitor, manage, coach and teach

The minimum toolkit should include selling aids like:

1. Procedure Checklists
2. Contact/ Appointment Setting Aids
3. Branded Selling and Support Materials
4. Questioning and Talk-Track Recommendations
5. Influencer Questioning and Coordination Strategies
6. Print Environment Data Collection Information Documents
7. “Best Practice” Selling Strategies
8. Cost Calculation Aids
9. Proposal and Floor Plan Generation Aids
10. Implementation Communication Checklists

Identify, Coach and Develop Effective Salesperson Competencies

When selecting, training and coaching salespeople to be most successful in the print management marketplace, it is imperative that our benchmarks for competency alignment and development include these predictive profile components:

1. Uncovers & Develops Sales Leads & Opportunities
2. Effectively Qualifies Opportunities
3. Commits Time and Effort to Insure Success
4. Maximizes Results as a Customer Advocate
5. Adapts Approach to Buyer Motivations

Some of the most important observable and measurable activities which can be used to identify competency coaching, development and support opportunities are:

1. Promotes Sales Success and Customer Retention by Soliciting Feedback
2. Increases Business Through Continuous Customer Contact
3. Develops Product and Application Knowledge to be a Credible Resource
4. Effectively Manages a Complex Buying Team

Focus Your Team on the Customer -while You focus on the Salesperson’s Daily Behavior

The most successful MPS salespeople are no longer focused on the close. They are focused on helping the customer to do what is best for the customer’s print environment and business. They have become truly “customer-focused” or “customer -centric” in their approach, activities, competencies and behavior. If our selling intention is to help the customer do what is best for them, then the “trusted advisor” role they allow us to play speeds up their decision process, as well over time, provide your business with “pull through” selling opportunities which would otherwise never be realized. Focusing your MPS sales team on what’s best for the customer and then monitoring, managing and coaching the daily selling activities and behaviors that will best support your new selling methodology, will begin to reinforce your intentions to change your company into an effective MPS selling and servicing superstar.

Most importantly, a personalized action plan specific to MPS that is evaluated against the sales consultants day-to-day actual activity becomes a more critical component than the typical month-end forecast discussion of, “What will happen by the end of the month?”  It is this management and leadership behavior that will clearly identify to your team that you, the business owner, have embraced MPS as a critical component of your organization’s future.

ORMOND BEACH, FLORIDA – December 3, 2009 – Print Management Solutions Group, www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com, a Learning Outsource Group and BEI Pros company, today announced additional training dates for their nationally recognized, “Selling Managed Print Services” and “MPS Service and Operational Excellence” dealer development programs. Both programs will be offered on the following dates and locations:

During the 2009 calendar year, Print Management Solutions Group has emerged as the industry’s leading provider of MPS dealer development consulting, education, and support solutions. The company works with hundreds of leading document imaging dealers nationwide, as well as OEM’s and Resellers.

More information and online registration can be completed at www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or by calling 800-403-9379.

About Print Management Solutions Group
Print Management Solutions Group, www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com, based in Ormond Beach, Florida is a joint venture between two of the document imaging industry’s most recognizable training and consulting organizations, Learning Outsource Group and BEI Pros. The company is solely dedicated to supporting managed print services initiatives and provides a comprehensive suite of consulting and training resources to the office imaging market. For more information, visit www.printmanagementsolutionsgroup.com or (800) 403-9379.

About Learning Outsource Group
Learning Outsource Group is an internationally recognized provider of learning solutions designed to support the business development strategy of sales and customer driven organizations. With a focus on sales training and management leadership development, over 40,000 executives, managers, and sales professionals in the document imaging industry have been impacted by their training, resources, and tools since 1996. Major clients include a number of OEM’s, IKON, Global Imaging / Xerox, and hundreds of independent dealers. They are also nationally recognized for their management leadership programs, including Sales Management Leadership in the 21st Century. They help clients build and sustain competitive advantage by identifying and delivering world class learning solutions tied to measurable business results. For more information, visit www.learningoutsourcegroup.com or (800) 403-9379.

About BEI Pros
BEI Pros is an innovative service profitability consulting and training group. Our team has a proven track record of helping companies improve their bottom line profitability and operational performance in service. We accomplish this by offering the industry’s most extensive onsite consulting service. In addition, our world class Advanced Management Training Program is guaranteed to provide the skill set needed for Service Management to improve their organization’s operational performance, profitability, and ensure they provide the highest level of customer service to their perspective markets. With the addition of the Managed Print Services (MPS) Service & Operational Training, we can now provide dealers with the knowledge and resources to drive exceptionally high profits on the backend of their MPS program. For more information, visit www.BEIPros.com or (813) 713-3592.