tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936945586202903171.post8885558064267278182..comments2024-03-25T15:45:49.283-04:00Comments on print4pay Hotel's "MFP Solutions Blog": Copier Manufacturer Shuffles from 4 to 2 RegionsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02207755310100083193noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936945586202903171.post-40187532715844495662010-12-06T11:00:38.798-05:002010-12-06T11:00:38.798-05:00I spoke to a couple of DSM's that they canned,...I spoke to a couple of DSM's that they canned, these guys were top notch and working very hard to cover the large territory. I worked for Ricoh for 10 years and saw this coming 4+ years ago, it's a shame, it was once a great company to work for. I have been preaching that the manufacturer's need to stop giving equipment and supplies away, thats what's killing our industry, if only Ricoh would have raised prices, other manufacturers would follow, they could have kept personnel and our industry would be headed back in the right direction!braxtoqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00820351826069352255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936945586202903171.post-3419552965915478992010-12-05T22:48:27.864-05:002010-12-05T22:48:27.864-05:00Thanx for the replies to everyone! I hate to say ...Thanx for the replies to everyone! I hate to say it, and mind you I can't see the dealer owner end of the business, however it seems Ricoh is focused on market share and only that.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02207755310100083193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936945586202903171.post-39811396219475763172010-12-05T20:32:34.107-05:002010-12-05T20:32:34.107-05:00Truth is I'm just about done with Ricoh. Ther...Truth is I'm just about done with Ricoh. There is already nothing left for an independant Ricoh dealer in my area. I will be dropping them very soon. I will still do my numbers in 2011 but the boxes going out the door will be from another manufacturer. I began the transition six months ago and things have been going well with the new product line.<br />Traditionally my biggest competition was Canon direct and Ikon which was mostly selling a mix of Konica and Canon. I was also butting heads very consistantly with RBS regardless of the "Rules of Engagement". Now with the Ricoh Ikon merger there is just a total overload of Ricoh product in my area. <br /><br />Why would I stay a Ricoh dealer when 60% of the large accounts in my territory are RBS or legacy Ikon accounts. Ricoh isn't going to give me the pricing to make those takedowns on their aquired base but my new equipment partner will!<br /><br />The new product line is working out well for me precisely because its not a Ricoh.<br /><br />Up until three years ago I would have attributed much of my success to my partnership with Ricoh. We've gone from successful partnership to enemies. Those days are over.<br /><br />The Ricoh days of the late 90s thru 2007 were awesome. I'll never figure out why they went and messed with something that was working so well. Its been all down hill ever since.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936945586202903171.post-13036254183280073532010-12-03T13:36:03.343-05:002010-12-03T13:36:03.343-05:00Hey Dealer, you are bitter and most likely a miser...Hey Dealer, you are bitter and most likely a miserable person. I don't like Ricoh, but they have (or should I say had) great people on the Dealer side. And those Ricoh Direct Sales Reps will not only remain in your back-yard, they'll be setting up a bar-b-que and begin eating your lunch. Them their Service personnel will be in your accounts fixing YOUR machines. Count on it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936945586202903171.post-76005139142267440322010-12-03T11:59:44.282-05:002010-12-03T11:59:44.282-05:00I am a dealer and I have to say the "team&quo...I am a dealer and I have to say the "team" from our region are mostly useless dead weight for Ricon anyway. My DSM has little to no product knowledge. All this person does is hassle about my program. A couple of times a year the "team" comes to town on Ricon's dime, stays in a hotel $$$, hangs out in our conference room doing basically nothing, then they show my sales staff a few useless power points that are available online anyway. You might think they are government or union workers in do-nothing jobs. Have to say Ricon got this one right. Just my humble dealer opinion. Now how about getting Ricon's direct sales force out of my back yard.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1936945586202903171.post-51618745919886377492010-12-03T00:30:06.547-05:002010-12-03T00:30:06.547-05:00I think this has been coming for a while now. RiKo...I think this has been coming for a while now. RiKon has a very odd sense of loyalty. They have spent their disposable cash on the aquisition of IKON now it is time for it to payoff. <br /><br />No more spending, watch them tighten their grips even more and cut close to 15-20% of their direct workforce as they try to form a lean organization that can remain profitable in the ever increasingly compressed margins. The prices that they have been quoting people are "placement only" prices. I am sure they are banking on the revenue stream of service as the only way to recapture their profits. <br /><br />Pirate Mike<br />http://digitalprintingevolution.blogspot.com/Pirate Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04649677867102200501noreply@blogger.com