Doctor’s Orders
This guest blog was contributed by Scott Cullen.
If I were an office technology/imaging channel dealer today there’d be something wrong with me if I didn’t pursue the health-care option. What I mean by that is there’s no better vertical to target than the health care industry, particularly if my business needs a sales infusion.
I just finished writing the last of the profiles of the 2013 Elite Dealers for my online publication, The Week in Imaging, and I couldn’t help but notice a fascinating trend among this year’s honorees. One of the questions on the 2013 Elite Dealer nomination form was “What was your biggest sale/win in the past year?” Let’s look at some of the responses from dealers across the country to that question.
“Montefiore Hospital, resulting in $3.2 million in hardware and $4 million in service, supplies, and solutions.” — Atlantic, Tomorrow’s Office, New York, N.Y.
“A 3,500 unit managed print services engagement in a multi-site, regional health care organization.” — LDI Color Toolbox, Jericho, N.Y.
“Expanding our relationship with a major area health care network. This resulted in Bay Copy now managing all of the organization’s output devices, including copiers, printers, MFPs and Copy Centers. This also consolidated all operations across multiple locations to one imaging vendor. As part of the expanded relationship more than 400 devices were updated.” — Bay Copy, Rockland, Mass.
“A major health care system with more than 500 multifunctional products, generating $2+ million in hardware revenue.” — Centric Business Systems, Owing Mills, Md.
“The largest health care network in the Lehigh Valley, totaling over $1 million in hardware and MPS. Fraser provided the network with 450 MFPs with follow-me printing, regulatory patient-protected health information compliance, accountability and control, and reduced costs and waste. Fraser also set up a managed print program for the 3,500 printers across the network totaling more than 6 million prints.” — Frasier AIS, West Reading, Pa.
“A hospital in the region, resulting in more than 100 machines placed in the main location and satellite offices.” — Century Business Products, Sioux Falls, S.D.
“A new hospital system with over 140 MFP placements.” — Dean’s Office Machines, Greensboro, N.C.
“A $2.4 million Cisco voice project with Blue Cross Blue Shield in Fargo, ND. This sale also included a significant managed services agreement with additional recurring revenue.” — Marco, St. Cloud, Minn.
“A local and well-known hospital in the Cleveland market, totaling over $5 million in sales. This included hardware, software, managed print services, fax server, and application work.” — Meritech, Inc., Cleveland
Those responses are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to making inroads within the health care market. There were many other dealers who also scored major health care industry wins in 2013. Plus these responses come from dealerships of all sizes, so it’s not just the big guys winning those health care contracts.
Indeed, the health care market represents a healthy choice for dealers looking to grow their business. We all know about the aging population and the growing numbers of baby boomers who will be clamoring for these services in the years to come. As the health care industry itself grows and services expand, the office technology and imaging channel is well positioned to capitalize on those opportunities whether it’s hardware, solutions or services. A dealership would be sick not to take advantage of those opportunities.
Scott Cullen
Posted on 10/24/2013