Score one for the Home Team!

Go Mets!
From now on, I'm going to take the lead from Death of Copiers.

Go Big X!

If they keep the deals reasonable and pay attention to growth of independent MPS, this might be just right! I wonder what happens when there is a "conflict" between XGS and independents. My vote is to go with the independents. Keep XGS focused on the Global 500. The market for everyone else is much too big to be leveraged with "channels."

You know that HP and Ricoh are going to do the same thing sooner or later. My guess is sooner.

In a user network commercial model, "channels" melt away. It is a little disappointing if you paid a gezillion dollars to buy an Ikon or a ComDocs. But, if you take the lead in turning a "channel" into an open network, there is still a chance to make it a good investment, instead of a waste of money.

from Death of The Copier:

"The Big X has it sights on the MPS market(duh), and not just through the Xerox lens.

Toner Pack, an extension of PagePack, is a program allowing dealers to supply their customers with Xerox branded, HP compatible toner.

But the primary thrust of the program is making MPS much easier on a select number of Xerox MFPs.

With Page Pack, meter reads, Service Requests/Maint. Kits and Toner orders go directly to Xerox. Xerox fulfills toner orders, submits Service Requests over to the correct Xerox Partner and invoices the partner monthly - partner bills the customer directly.

The Xerox partner's client never speak directly to Xerox.

I am not as much an HP advocate as a I am proponent for what works for clients and what works VARs. If I see something I like and think will fit into business, I will mention it."