Here's a what if scenario for everyone. With Ricohs acquisition of Ikon, I can see them more as a top tier distributor for Ricoh. Which means that they get all products PPBG (high end) and all the rest. I would tend to think that they will stay in the same market Fortune 1-1000. Ricoh Americas Corp aka Ricoh Business Systems may concentrate locally for Schools, Municipalities, State Agencies and Top 100 Accounts in their respective territories.
I also believe that larger Ricoh Dealers who are maintaining quota and above will stay on as Ricoh Dealers with some being offered PPBG. Ricoh Dealers that are not maintaining quota may be asked to take on Savin and Lanier brands instead of Ricoh. Those dealers would not be offered a shot at the PPBG machines and would have to concentrate on their own SMB market place.
If this was a strategy and believe me I have do idea what's going to come down the road. But, what if this panned out to be true. The Ricoh brand would be a top tier brand just being marketed by IKON, RBS and Mega Ricoh Dealers. Smaller dealers would compete for local SMB with Savin and Lanier. IKON, RBS and Mega Ricoh Dealers would be on the same playing field, while Savin and Lanier Dealers would also not have to compete against Ricoh in the local SMB market place.
Too me, the road the manufacturers are traveling down is a scary one. If Canon starts thier purchasing of Dealers (stated in a press release), they will obviously go after the top tier dealers in every major market. Canon needs to regain market share!
Where does that leave me, or other sales guys like me, we will be doomed to work for a manufacturer or will there still be some decent independents left in the next go around of purchases?????
-=Good Selling=-
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