We’ve written many posts over the last year regarding the shift toward digitizing documents and reducing paper consumption. Today we’re looking at a Xerox channel partner that is successfully growing its business by understanding the needs that shift has created for small and medium businesses (SMBs) – and one vertical in particular.
With offices in both Melbourne and Coral Springs, Florida Ameritech Solutions USA delivers advanced-technology with concierge service for individuals who want a unique business experience. They pride themselves on creating individualized solutions for each customer they serve using the newest technologies in the document imaging arena: technologies like workflow software, print fleet management programs, and translation applications.
Their business focuses on digital document imaging and software applications that maximize the clients ROI – namely customized digital workflows, document translation & OCR scanning applications (zone OCR, handwriting recognition). Their goal is to examine each client’s business in order to uncover areas that can become more efficient by matching the applications Ameritech supports.
Seizing an Opportunity Others Missed
Today’s success story not only showcases their mission in action, but also how their partnership with Xerox paired with their understanding of an often overlooked vertical – and an overlooked aspect of another – helped build a relationship that will benefit both parties for years to come.
South Florida Bible College had just renewed their office automation equipment leases in 2015 when they began working with Ameritech. The Ameritech team approached the situation as an opportunity to plant seeds for 2019 when those leases would expire. What happened next surprised everyone.
By taking the time to understand this client’s unique needs, Ameritech was able to recognize several opportunities that could help the client boost their efficiency – opportunities that the competition had overlooked.
Churches and other religious organizations are among the top five largest verticals in the SMB market. Like most organizations within this vertical, South Florida Bible College faces the unique challenge of supporting a wide range of international students, all of whom speak different languages. Ameritech was not only prepared for this challenge, they were also aware that as both a religious institution and an educational one, there was a second opportunity available: color.
Color Makes a Difference in Education
Most people would agree that color is preferable to black and white, but do you know just how big a difference it can make for your customers? By every measure, color is more effective than plain black and white. Color enhances images, attracts more attention, and even improves recall by making a more memorable impression.
As Ameritech knew well, a 2011 survey from Harris Interactive found that using more color in classroom materials could potentially help students become stronger and more enthusiastic learners. In an age where we interact daily – and almost exclusively – with full color digital screens and technology, it makes sense that students prefer color to be part of their classroom learning experience.
That same study found color to help businesses make their messages more memorable and making it easier for customers to understand complex ideas. In fact, adding color to quotes, training materials, sales literature, handouts and reports can substantially improve both the impact they have on viewers, and the response you can expect. It even assures that invoices will be paid more quickly. The Harris Interactive study found that 43% of customers are more likely to pay on time and 31% are more likely to pay the full amount, when critical information is highlighted in color on an invoice.
Meeting Two Challenges with One Solution
Ameritech presented a customized solution that took into consideration both South Florida Bible College’s translation needs and the difference color could make in their learning environment. They used that knowledge, along with their in-depth knowledge of Xerox products, services and solutions, to educate the school’s management staff on the benefits of ColorQube technology coupled with ConnectKey’s unique applications (Easy Translator Service, OCR scanning, scan to cloud). As a result, the client decided they didn’t want to wait until 2019. They chose to consolidate their existing desktop HP unit to a ColorQube 8700XF in order realize the benefits of the solution immediately.
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Ameritech recommended the ColorQube 8700i due to its ConnectKey/App Studio applications as well as its unique 3 Meter High Definition Color Output (2400 fine print). The solution not only enhanced the client’s color output quality, but also instantly offered searchable scanned/translated documents and provided cost effective spot color. The result? An installation of 5-8 machines and a client who was willing to forge ahead in spite of current leases, and who today views Ameritech as a trusted and valued resource to help them grow and thrive.
Knowledge, Insight and Service: A Winning Combination
By staying informed on the markets they serve, and by appreciating the scope of opportunity in markets others might have overlooked, Ameritech was able to put together a lucrative deal that will serve both parties well. That’s not all; this success story also happened because they took the time to understand the ins and outs of their client’s day-to-day operations; how they run, what their pain points were, and where the opportunities to streamline, prune and invest could be found. They earned their client’s trust by listening and by demonstrating their knowledge of the market and how that knowledge could be put to use for the client’s benefit. They also succeeded by staying abreast of emerging technologies and knowing exactly which products in the Xerox portfolio would help their client’s organization run better.
As for the role of Xerox helping Ameritech build this deal, Ameritech had this to say about the partnership: “Xerox offers unique products and applications that save both time and money. We also value their Total Satisfaction Guarantee, which offers clients a level of peace of mind that is otherwise unheard of in the industry.”
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