BTA Announces Upcoming MPS Educational Programs

The Business Technology Association (BTA) has announced two upcoming MPS training programs that will provide office technology dealerships the guidance and tools they need to establish and manage highly successful managed print services (MPS) programs.

The BTA MPS Client Engagement Training Series, taught by Mike Lecak, president of Collaborative Consultant Group, is designed for dealership owners and MPS sales specialists. The series, which will begin at 3 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, April 3, consists of six weekly one-hour, Web-based courses that are designed to assist participants in: getting the appointment; MPS value propositions; conducting the appointment; the assessment; the proposal; deal implementation; and client management. In addition to the six sessions, each attendee (or attending company) will receive three one-hour, one-on-one coaching sessions.

During these sessions, attendees will work with the instructor on three specific accounts. With Lecak’s guidance, attendees will take these opportunities through the sales process, from appointment through the assessment to the proposal and contract. Attendees will have a chance to gain valuable insight while working on actual “live” prospects. Lecak has been in the industry since 1983, starting with ComDoc in Pittsburgh, Pa., then the largest independent dealership of both Ricoh and Lanier copier/MFPs in the East.

After a successful 15-year career, he joined Toshiba as a district sales manager. After a period of running his own consulting practice, Lecek joined Print Inc. in 2004 to manage sales for the company’s channel-focused PrintValue Solutions program. His team was responsible for all facets of bringing MPS practices to Print Inc.’s channel partners, including sales, service, training and sales compensation models. In 2009, Lecak joined Konica Minolta to manage its West Region for managed print. He currently serves as president of Collaborative Consultant Group. The BTA MPS Survival Guide Workshop, taught by Doug Johnson, senior vice president of Supplies Network, is designed for dealership owners and executive-level management.

The workshop, to be held on April 16 in Las Vegas day prior to the ITEX Show, is an interactive, hands-on workshop that will cover the various MPS program options available in the market today, explore the resource and skill requirements for each, and highlight the financial impacts of an MPS business model on your current business. Attendees will leave the workshop with a personalized business plan outline, a tailored sales compensation plan, and a clear understanding of the assets and competencies needed to be successful.

With more than 30 years of industry experience, Johnson was with Hewlett-Packard (HP) for 20 years, serving as senior vice president of worldwide marketing for the Imaging and Printing Group (IPG), and as vice president and general manager for HP’s Supplies Imaging Division. He later joined Print Inc. as a startup in 2001, pioneering many MPS operational practices.Johnson served as senior vice president and COO of Print Inc., and president of its subsidiary, PrintValue Solutions Inc. In 2006, Print Inc. was sold to Pitney Bowes. After leaving Print Inc., Johnson had a three-year engagement as an MPS consultant, founding RedSage Consulting and RedSage Partners.