22
01732 759725
BULLETIN
NAPPS UPDATE
2014 – A centenary year
By Aaron Warham,
Director,
NAPPS
I am delighted to
announce that the NAPPS
membership has passed
100.
When we started in the
early summer of 2011, things were a little different.
The recession was in full swing and every level of our
industry was feeling the pinch. No marketing guru
was going to be able to spin the fact that demand
was falling off a cliff and pricing differentials were
squeezing margins ever tighter, but the general
malaise and gloom in the economy at large was not
what we saw in our ever adaptable industry. We saw
an industry that understood an opportunity was at
hand.
The general push towards solutions and MPS was
nothing new, but the economic upheaval meant that
decisions had to be made, and quickly. Many stuck
with what they knew, battened down the hatches
and rode out the storm, coming out the other side
a little worse for wear but still just about standing.
Others went on the attack.
Many in our industry built on their heritage of
living with evolving technology and solutions and
pushed on into a brave new world. For over 100
companies, this meant becoming part of NAPPS.
For these first 100, NAPPS offered an opportunity
to gain an independent accreditation and justification
for something that they had all built their businesses
and reputations on – respect. The introduction of
NAPPS did not force these companies to change;
instead, it gave them an opportunity to push their
record of customer service and ethical business to
the fore, which in a recession represented a shift in
business paradigms and was something to shout
about.
NAPPS now works with some of the world’s
leading OEMs and has the genuine pleasure of
counting the country’s leading solutions specialists as
members. As we push on towards the next milestone
in our development, we will continue to mirror
the approach that has made us and our members
so successful. Embrace change and success is a
guarantee.
Lexmark
launches new
solutions sales
programme
Lexmark has launched a three-tier
Solutions Advantage Programme that runs
in conjunction with the Lexmark Channel
Value Programme and provides a clear and
defined framework to help partners sell
solutions.
The programme includes the provision of
free full-licensed software for demo output
devices and comprehensive training on
Lexmark’s solutions line.
Channel Sales Director Martin Fairman said:
“Lexmark is evolving as an organisation from
one that provides hardware and services to an
end-to-end solutions provider. As such we need
to help our channel partners to join us on this
journey. The Solutions Advantage Programme
provides our partners at every level with a
consistent, formalised framework that supports
them in this solution-driven transformation.”
The Programme is divided into three tiers
to suit different partner needs and specialisms.
These are:
• Entry, providing partners who traditionally
focus on hardware, services and supplies with
training webinars and access to the Lexmark
Virtual Solutions Centre;
• Advanced, which adds face-to-face
technical training, access to more advanced
solutions (e.g. Lexmark Print Management
Premise), special bid pricing for qualified
opportunities and free software solutions for
demo devices; and
• Premier, targeted at independent software
vendors, this enhances the Advanced offering
with a software development platform that
enables ISVs to develop their own solutions.
Win for Whittakers
The VOW Cup 2014 Tournament sponsored
by Brother has been won by Whittaker
Office Supplies, after it achieved the
biggest increase in sales of Brother
hardware and consumables before and
during the football World Cup in Brazil.
Loughborough-based Whittakers is donating
its prize of branded football equipment for a
local youth team to Breaston Park Football Club
Under 9s.
The total package includes a set of 15 full
youth kits branded with Whittakers logo and a
comprehensive training kit comprising ten FIFA
quality match balls, space markers and cones, 15
reversible mesh bibs and drinks bottles.
UTAX announces
roadshow dates
As part of a UK-wide partner recruitment
campaign, UTAX (UK) is holding a series
of Product Demonstration Days for
dealers looking for a new opportunity in
the office equipment and IT channels.
Aimed at dealer principals, sales managers
and service managers, UTAX Product
Demonstration Days will take place across the
country between October 2014 and March
2015. Attendance and one-to-one appointments
can be booked online or via email: claire.seton@
utax.co.uk.
Record year for DSales
DSales (UK) Ltd, the UK distributor for the Develop range, has announced sales of £13.2 million for
its last fiscal year, up from the previous year's record high of £11.7 million. Since its establishment in
2006, DSales (UK) has experienced dynamic growth despite challenging trading conditions. During fiscal
2013/14 DSales (UK) did business with a record number of dealer channel partners.
• Vendor promotions
• Online training
• Datasheets
• Industry news
• Print and ink selectors
• Line cards
