Ricoh Plotworks "Way To Screw Up the W3601"

Back in March of 2013 I was alerted via an email from a Print4Pay Hotel member that Ricoh would be updating the wide format W3601 and the only update would be the addition of PLP's Plotworks. Just to make it clear, any W3601 purchased by a dealer or direct branch will have Plotworks period. The MSRP of the W3601 went from $13,495 to $14,890. 

PLP Plotworks is Ricoh US answer to not having a true batch plot software, that went away many years ago when Ricoh parted ways with Ratio.

With Plotworks my price has increased by more than 27% for the addition of batch plotting!  Thus, I have many questions that will go unanswered, and I'll start with; Did anyone in the Ricoh wide format division ever think of asking end users of the W3601 if they needed batch plotting, or better yet, did you ever think of contact some of your reps and ask them if Plotworks was needed for the W3601?   I've been selling wide format Ricoh devices since the inception of the W240 and after Ratio software went away I was bummed because we would lose the batch plot software. Little did I know that at least 80% of my end users had no need for the Plot Client Win (Ratio batch plot software), I didn't find this out until I started asking prospects if they needed batch plotting because of Ricoh dropping Ratio. Yes. I lost a few deals on the W3601 because I did not have a batch plot program, but I've one far more deals without the need for Plotworks because I was able to be competitive!

I'll admit we need a batch plot software on the higher

Growth Opportunities for Wide Format & The PEiR Group

This week I had an interesting email from Joel Salus. Joel is the Author "Reprographics 101" blog ad over the years we've been able to trade some information here and there.  Joel's blog can now be located at the IRgA web site.  The email was so informative about wide format that I asked Joel if I could use him as our Guest Blogger for this month.  Enjoy!

Hi Art,

The last time I dropped you an e-mail, your son had just graduated from Infantry Boot Camp. I hope your son is doing well!

Today, I visited your blog and read a couple of articles you posted about the Photizo Group conference you attended in Scottsdale. I received a "complimentary" invitation to attend the conference, but, unfortunately, I couldn't make it because I've had a very heavy workload the past couple of months .... and that hasn't let up yet.

I wanted to take just a minute to drop you a note about one thing you said in one of your recent blog posts.

Below, I've copied a sentence form that recent post:

"There seems to be growth opportunities for wide format systems, and we also mentioned the potential explosive growth for 3D printers".

Art, you may recall,