BECOMING ELITE So your largest account now refers your best

major account sales rep to a commodity

buyer even though your solutions are far

more sophisticated than ever before. And

direct organizations are telling your larg-

est customers that their service is better than

yours because they are the manufacturer.

You have won all kinds of awards from manufac-

turers and put your technicians through all sorts

of training only to fi nd out that everyone else who

represents that same manufacturer in your territory

has done the same thing, and is producing the same

exact awards and certifi cations as evidence of their

dealership’s superiority. Not to mention that your

savvy customers also know which awards can be

bought and/or are based on a tally of purchases from

manufacturers. Some are based on or backed by

expensive advertising campaigns that stress customer

satisfaction or guarantees - yet are not differentiating

the independent dealer against larger organizations.

Worse yet, many of these vehicles are perpetuating

a commodity impression that most independent

dealers want to avoid.

Yet, it still remains a constant that the quality of

the service a dealer provides will make or break their

equipment sales.

So your largest account now refers your best

major account sales rep to a commodity

buyer even though your solutions are far

more sophisticated than ever before. And

direct organizations are telling your larg-

est customers that their service is better than

S

imageSource September 201014

“Differentiation in the market

has never been more diffi cult to

achieve,” says Steve Rolla, Senior

Partner, BEI Pros. “That’s why two

years ago we set out to identify

those dealers who would make the

commitments necessary to achieve

an elite level of service, as defi ned by our Elite 100 program’s

performance levels. Our agenda was to clearly select a group of

dealers in the top markets in the U.S. then implement a viable

new service standard to result in their customers’ clearly recog-

nizing them as the best option for quality service performance.”

Rolla, throughout his business career, understands the

importance of crafting the strategic “differentiating factor”

that formulates to a successful outcome. According to Jerry

Newberry, President, BEI Pros, “Steve is a rarity in that he began

his career as a service executive who then expanded his career to

become president of three leading (offi ce product) dealerships.

In addition, he achieved quality recognition at companies such

as IKON (including CEO of the Year award) and Global Imaging

Systems (receiving the Chairman’s award), consistently using

optimal service methods as the key differentiator in the market-

place. Steve is also recognized as the co-author of the industry’s

well-known ‘service benchmarking model,’ in conjunction

with Tom Johnson (Global Imaging’s founder/CEO). Without

question, Steve knows service performance inside and out.”

Good dealers understand that they must differentiate from

their competition in order to prosper. They’ll choose credible

methods to consistently improve service operations, preferring

profi tability fi rst over plaque awards. It takes a process founded

on a proven track record of success.

Ultimately, the “Pros team” set out to build a process whereby

they could use their collective expertise to identify and develop

the top 100 independent dealers’ service organizations in the

United States. For them, the selection became the fi rst operative

word in their process.

Wanting to hear from dealers who sought improved service operations by

implementing the Elite 100, imageSource spoke to three dealers citing excellent

results: John Heiser of MT Business Technologies, Mansfi eld, Ohio, Michael Chambers

of Central Copiers, Long Island, NY, and Brian Peltier of Corporate Business Systems,

Springfi eld, Missouri.

MT Business Technologies, OHJohn Heiser has been the president of MT Business Technologies

for over 18 years. His dealership covers the cities of Mansfi eld, Cleveland,

Dayton and Toledo Ohio. Heiser said his organization’s service produc-

tivity and profi tability had improved dramatically after the assessment

and implementation of the Pros action plans. Heiser claimed he was

looking for a way to make his dealership grow while others around him

were fl oundering.

“My markets, like all others, are fi lled with manufacturer-direct organizations and

mega dealers like Xerox/Global Imaging. We needed something that set us apart. I found

the Pros Elite 100 program has done that for us.”

Within weeks of completing their training, MT set up their fi rst virtual sales call with

a major account. “Prior to the call (presentation) where we were now assisted by the

Pros executives, we were just neck and neck with our larger competitor. By the end of

that call, I felt we were ahead in our end users’ minds, including their six sigma group

who lauded our efforts to benchmark ourselves against the best in the industry with our

Pros.” Continues Heiser, “The BEI Pros exec team has helped us improve all aspects of

our business including our Total Output Management (TOM) MPS program. Overall, I’ve

learned that when you bring in quality professional consultants with in depth knowledge

and experience in all areas of a dealer’s operation, helping to promote measurable

results as those we’re achieving now in Service, the investment in the program becomes

one of the best decisions you’ll ever make.”

Central Copiers, NYMichael Chambers became one of the owners of Central Copiers eight

years ago with his partner Sean Infante. Prior to getting together with

Sean, Central was a very stable, albeit small dealer, in Central Long Island.

Michael had come from a large company environment where he had been

the perennial #1 Major Account Rep in his market. Michael left IKON when

everything started to get centralized. He had learned a long time ago that

functions like dispatch, billing, accounts receivable and inventory control

were a very big part of his success formula. When he teamed up with Infante, and with

the local touch that Central Copiers brings to the market, the company grew dramatically.

Along with this growth however, came exposure to areas that were not core strengths of

either executive. Their equipment growth was running at record rates but their Service

organization’s productivity and profi tability did not keep pace.

They needed a consultant to assess their situation and help develop an action

plan. Within a few months, Central put into place a strategic action plan and procedures

prescribed by the Pros team. In a short amount of time the initial investment they made

had been paid and their Service function was back on track. “We have made use of every

aspect of our training to improve our business. The strategic planning model the Pros

taught us was invaluable in preparing us for our growth, now and in the years ahead,” says

Chambers. “They sorted out our MPS program and made it a much easier business model

for us to succeed with. We feel fortunate to have been selected as an Elite dealer for Long

Island, and we’re prepared to take on any competitor with this Ultimate Differentiator.”

Dealers Talk Firsthand

for over 18 years. His dealership covers the cities of Mansfi eld, Cleveland,

Dayton and Toledo Ohio. Heiser said his organization’s service produc-

tivity and profi tability had improved dramatically after the assessment

and implementation of the Pros action plans. Heiser claimed he was

looking for a way to make his dealership grow while others around him

were fl oundering.

years ago with his partner Sean Infante. Prior to getting together with

Sean, Central was a very stable, albeit small dealer, in Central Long Island.

Michael had come from a large company environment where he had been

the perennial #1 Major Account Rep in his market. Michael left IKON when

everything started to get centralized. He had learned a long time ago that

functions like dispatch, billing, accounts receivable and inventory control

Differentiation in the market has never been more diffi cult to achieve.

an elite level of service, as defi ned by our Elite 100 program’s

imageSource September 201016

Corporate Business Systems, MOBrian Peltier, president of Corporate Business Systems (CBS), with the

owner of CBS, Jim Quesenberry, have spent the past 20 years developing an

outstanding customer-driven culture in their mid-western market. Like so

many other dealerships, the growth they’d achieved over the past two years

was not what they had been used to. Rather than accept the excuse of the

economic downturn, Brian and Jim took the opportunity to upgrade the quality

of everything that Corporate Business Systems does.

After working with the BEI Pros team who had conducted its assessment,

they began working on developing a strong marketing theme around CBS’s achievement

of their Elite 100 certifi cation. Shortly after they were certifi ed, they asked the Pros

team to participate in a major account sales call where they were going head-to-head

with one of the manufacturer’s mega dealer organizations. The PROs team outlined their

own individual experiences as executives with deeply centralized organizations and why,

in their opinion, the fl exibility of a locally owned dealership like CBS was superior. The

prospect listened.

Peltier states, “Prior to that sales call it was my belief that CBS was in second

place. After the call, CBS was back on top – and soon we had the deal in hand.” Peltier,

in pleased testimonial fashion adds, “Our relationship with the Pros executive team has

been a true partnership in every sense of the word. No other program we’ve launched has

proven its value in such a short period of time.”

owner of CBS, Jim Quesenberry, have spent the past 20 years developing an

outstanding customer-driven culture in their mid-western market. Like so

many other dealerships, the growth they’d achieved over the past two years

was not what they had been used to. Rather than accept the excuse of the

economic downturn, Brian and Jim took the opportunity to upgrade the quality

of everything that Corporate Business Systems does.

From Selection to Certifi cationSmart companies listen well. In almost all cases, the Pros

would review input from manufacturers’ reps, suppliers and

dealers to help them qualify the best two or three dealers in

a market, then select the one dealer they felt had the most

commitment or was the best choice to work with to achieve

their Elite (service program) status. Like any good action plan, it

gets put into motion.

First, the process for a selected dealer to achieve certifi cation

begins with an onsite assessment of their entire organization,

with an intense review of the Service Organization’s results,

procedures, and policies. A detailed write-up follows the

assessment with customized action plans that are focused on

putting the processes, the accountability and measurement

systems in place. BEI Pros then trains the service executive(s)

in Advanced Service Management Techniques in a three-day

workshop. The company’s president and the Service executive(s)

then come through the Leadership Skills, Goal Setting and

Strategic Planning workshop. Finally, all functions get trained

onsite in Elite customer skills. Importantly, on the last day of the

certifi cation process, the Sales Organization is trained on how

to sell their new, exclusive status as the only Elite 100 dealer in

their market.

At this point, BEI Pros goes into the “growth mode with our

dealers.” To round out an all inclusive plan they will supply

marketing collaterals to help promote the dealer’s newly

acquired service status; from personalized leave-behinds to

website assistance featuring the dealer’s Elite 100 certifi cation.

“In multiple machine sales,” says Newberry, “we appear on

the sales call with a virtual presentation of our dealer’s above-

industry benchmark capabilities. To date, this type presentation

has accounted for over $2,000,000 in equipment sales for the

fi rst group of certifi ed Elite 100 dealers.” Talk about partnership…

In addition to the incremental selling capability, BEI Pros

place their proprietary PIVOT system as an Icon on the systems

of their Elite 100 dealers. Each month, they ask the d e a l e r s

to download critical performance data so that they

can see that the dealer continues to

perform at an Elite level. “If their

performance drifts from our

benchmarks we come in to assist

and coach them back to expected

performance levels,” says

Rolla. “We are the Elite dealer’s

conscience and coach, not their

critic fi rst.”

After having spoken to over

200 dealers, BEI Pros’ fi rst 20

dealers were confi rmed and

to date, barely six months after

the program’s offi cial launch, nearly

50 dealerships have met the criteria or achieved the

PROs ELITE 100 certifi cation.

True to his strategy, Rolla says, “Dealers need a real differ-

entiator today to succeed. We specialize in providing it. There

are still 50 more markets where we need to select a dealer,

so naturally we’re interested in talking with all independent

dealers who would like to be considered for this

type opportunity.”

It takes innovative people to redefi ne service benchmarks.

You need better solutions, effective

strategies, and a commitment

to change your current status

to long-term success. It’s

about fi nding an opportunity

to do things better…differ-

entiating yourself to become

more Elite.

We are the Elite dealer’s conscience and coach, not their critic fi rst.

Contact www.BEIPROs.com for information.