IN THIS ISSUE:
The Feed: Identifiable logos support strong brands
The Top 7: Characteristics of good managers
News In Brief: from Q2, Ricoh, FedEx, and GPS Livetrax
Q&A: Copier Careers talks to Neal Becker of Q2
Job Listings
Experts Say Identifiable Logos Support Strong Brands
In January, Xerox Corporation unveiled its new logo: a lowercase treatment of the Xerox name alongside a red sphere sketched with lines to form a stylized "x". The new logo is the most visible symbol of what Xerox says is its first major rebranding in over forty years.
According to a recent New York Times article on the new logo, Xerox and its brand consultants decided to use lowercase letters "because they seemed friendlier" and chose a deeper red and a thicker font to make the Xerox name "stand out better on the Web and on high-definition television." The red sphere, designed to be easily animated for use in multimedia formats, was chosen because it suggests "forward movement."
"While we're proud of our customers' deep association with the name Xerox and the quality and innovation it stands for, it was time to update our brand to better reflect the company we are today," says Richard Werman, vice president of global branding and advertising for Xerox. "Our brand is a powerful asset; with this new look we also want it to be a powerful reminder of Xerox's significant transformation in the marketplace."
This lofty rhetoric and careful attention to design is fine for a huge corporation like Xerox. But what about small and medium-sized businesses, like independent copier dealerships? Is it worth it to put time, money, and effort into logo design?
Minneapolis-based graphic designer Sarah Morean says it is. "Adopting a logo for your business-no matter how large or small your organization is-allows customers to associate their feelings about your brand with that image. That gives you the ability to lock in a lasting idea about your product or service."
Updating an existing logo-as Xerox did-is a way for established companies to invigorate their identities without making major changes to the business, says Morean. You don't want to change your logo too often or too radically. However, even small modifications to your logo's color or typeface can give it a fresh feel.
Morean offers business owners a few tips for designing or redesigning their logos. First, she says, "simplicity is key. You don't want anything too complicated. It needs to be simple and identifiable."
Second, your logo doesn't need to identify what type of business you're in-in other words, you don't need to use an illustration of a copier to get the point across. (Consider Nike's iconic "swoosh," which has nothing to do with athletic footwear). "It's okay to do this," says Morean, "because your logo will never stand on its own. It should always be supported by information about your company or your product."
Third, Morean says, "when you're working out your logo with your designer-and you should always work with a designer-it should be a graphic that you can use on all items appropriate to your business, like your letterhead, your business cards, and your website."
Creating or changing your logo may not land your company an article in the New York Times-after all, we can't all be as big as Xerox. If done right, however, your logo will make a strong impression on the people who matter most: your customers.
THE TOP 7...Characteristics of Good Managers
Tips from the trenches to keep your copier career on track
It seems like everyone has a horror story about a bad manager-some jerk who made his employees' lives a living hell while nonchalantly destroying the company. In cases like those, it's easy to see what went wrong. But there are also a lot of great managers out there-modest, competent people who keep their employees happy and productive. The best of them share the following characteristics:
1. They're accountable to their employees. Many of us approach customer service with an "under promise, over deliver" mentality. When it comes to clients, our word is our bond. Good managers treat their employees the same way. Earn your team's trust by always doing what you say you'll do, when you say you'll do it.
2. They facilitate, rather than dictate. As David Maister writes in an article for AccountingNet, "Management has almost nothing to do with intelligence, rationality, logic, or IQ. The job is almost entirely about the ability to influence other people's emotions: to create energy, excitement, enthusiasm, passion, and engagement." Good managers aren't drill sergeants. They don't issue orders. Instead, they use their interpersonal aptitude to help employees harness their skills, energy, and creativity.
3. They give credit where credit is due. Is there anything more disheartening than watching some slick chump in a suit take credit for your accomplishments? Good managers know that being a glory hog will only build resentment and ill-will. By frequently and generously acknowledging the achievements of their employees, they build trusting relationships and encourage innovation.
4. They manage people as individuals. "We speak of managing teams, and there's plenty of value in helping our employees find interdependencies and discover the power of teamwork," writes Business Week columnist Liz Ryan. "But at the end of the day, we've got individuals to manage." Good managers appreciate the individuality of their employees and they take the time to get to know everyone. Understanding each employee's unique gifts and challenges enables managers to better guide and motivate their staff.
5. They listen to their employees and remember what they say. Good managers listen carefully to what their employees tell them, regardless of whether the discussion is of a business or a personal nature. If managers can't keep track of deadlines or project details, their employees will think they're incompetent. If they can't remember that Bob's daughter plays field hockey and Jill's son plays the oboe, their employees will think they don't care. Both perceptions undermine a manager's authority.
6. They respect confidences. Every good manager knows the value of trust. If your employees believe they can't trust you, you won't be effective as a manager. Fight the temptation to spread-or even listen to-office gossip. If an employee tells you something in confidence, keep it to yourself. Your discretion will be rewarded with loyalty and respect.
7. They are even-tempered. Humans are hardwired to distrust unpredictable behavior-it's what makes you cross to the other side of the street when you see a drunk stumbling around or a schizophrenic mumbling to himself. It's also what makes mood swings so universally unattractive. Your employees have to be confident that they know how you'll react in a given situation. Good managers keep their bad moods to themselves and their tempers under control; their employees value them for their fairness and predictability.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Q2 Kicks Off North American Sales Campaign at ITEX. Q2, founded by Neal Becker, Jane O'Brien, and Joe Steinberg, offers a wide variety of quality replacement parts. "At Q2, we know this industry, and we know how important it is to listen to customers," says Becker. "We also know that our success will be determined by how well we help our customers succeed. We will work to deliver what they want quickly, efficiently, and affordably." For more information, visit www.Q2products.com.
Ricoh Americas Acquires BSA Business Solutions, Inc. BSA was an authorized Savin dealer with sales offices in Phoenix, Tempe, and Tucson, AZ and Palm Desert, CA. "The acquisition of BSA Business Solutions, Inc. strengthens Ricoh's position in the Arizona market," says Nori Goto, President of Ricoh U.S. "By utilizing the abilities of Ricoh Americas Corporation [and] the assets of BSA, we will be able to offer new and greater value and service to customers in markets served by BSA."
FedEx Enables Shipping Inside Microsoft Office Outlook. The application, FedEx QuickShip, is an add-in that uses web services to provide fast and easy access to FedEx shipping functions. With the FedEx add-in installed, Outlook users will be able to generate labels, track packages, check rates, schedule pickups, and find FedEx drop-off locations via their Outlook 2003 or 2007 email application. QuickShip is available for download at www.fedex.com/quickship.
GPS Footprints Has Selected GPS Livetrax To Be Exclusive Authorized Reseller. GPS Footprints allows dispatchers to see their staff in real time, enabling them to re-route and coordinate their response to customer needs. "GPS is an effective way of improving how technicians and salespeople manage their day," says Jerry Newberry of BEI Pros. For more information, contact Jerry Newberry (jerry.newberry@gpslivetrax.com, 813-713-3592) or Wes McArtor (wes.mcartor@gpslivetrax.com, 307-272-7823).
Q&A with Neal Becker, Executive Vice President of Q2, LLC
Neal, you and your business partners Jane O'Brien and Joe Steinberg have just launched Q2, a new supplier of replacement parts for copiers, printers, and MFPs. What are your backgrounds?
Jane has many years of experience in sales, customer service, and operations-she was responsible for North American operations at Katun before leaving in 2005. Joe has more than 20 years of experience working with industry suppliers around the world. He knows the product development side of the business very well. And I started out as a copier technician in 1970 and worked for a couple of dealerships before I joined Katun in 1979 as their first sales rep. In my 25-plus years at Katun I had many roles, including Vice President of Sales and Co-General Manager of the North American Business Unit. The three of us have very different areas of expertise, but a similar approach to business.
What differentiates you from other aftermarket parts suppliers?
First of all, our focus is on spare parts, rather than on toner and drums. We're a startup company and our product line is fairly limited. But we'll be growing the product line rapidly and we hope that dealers will recognize Q2's current and potential value. We have realistic expectations-we fully expect to be a niche player. We want to be a good supplier, a highly-respected supplier, and a successful supplier. But, we won't measure our success entirely by our size.
Q2 is working to help customers "go green" by reclaiming, refurbishing, and reusing more of their replacement parts and assemblies. Why have you decided to go this route?
It is something we think is important today and will be even more important in the future. The OEMs have shifted to supplying assemblies rather than components. There are a lot of reasons to do that, and it has been a good decision on the part of the OEMs. But used assemblies create a lot of waste, and we believe there are better alternatives to throwing them away. So, economically and ecologically, it makes sense for us and for our customers to pursue these alternatives.
You say that "quality is everything." Why?
Because of our experience, we understand that virtually everything we sell costs more to install than it does to acquire. So it's really important that we provide our clients with real value, not just low prices.
Q2 seems to be a particularly customer-focused company. What's your philosophy?
We strongly believe that companies don't buy from companies-people buy from people. We also believe that good business relationships revolve around being a good business partner. We want to provide great customer service and competitively-priced products to all of our customers, all of the time.
JOB LISTINGS
Sales Manager - Houston, TX
Field Technician - Coachella Valley, CA
Senior Sales Representative - Denver, CO
Sales Representative - Minneapolis, MN
Sales Representative - NYC/Long Island, NY
Field Technicians - Chicago, IL
Field Technician - Sacramento, CA
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