Imagine going to the hardware store and returning a circular saw. You tell the person at the desk that it doesn’t work. When probed further, it’s established that the saw technically works. But when you plug it in and place it beside the pile of wood you have to build a fence, it doesn’t actually “do” anything.
Is it fair to say that the tool doesn't work? No, it isn't fair to say that. It isn't the tool's fault if you're not using it correctly.
The same can be said about e-commerce. Set the tool up and ignore it and nothing will happen. But engage with it and you'll see incredible results.
One of our clients, Eric from Carlyle Printers, Service & Supplies Ltd. uses MPSToolbox as his tool, and let me tell you––he's reaping the rewards.
Carlyle Quick Facts:
- Location: Western Canada
- In Business Since: 2006
- Started with MPSToolbox: 2019
- E-Commerce Revenue: $40K - $60K/Month
- Growth Rate: 20%
Carlyle has been in the office printing industry for a long time. Their focus is on printer sales and services with OEMs, like Canon and HP. Over the past decade, Carlyle has seen a decrease in page volume and demand for larger A3 printing devices, much like the rest of the imaging channel. In addition, how customers acquire printers, supplies, and services has migrated away from face-to-face customer engagement to online sales.
“Customer service is critical to our success. Buying products and services online is a central component of good customer service in 2022.” said Eric Johannson, Owner, Carlyle Printers, Service & Supplies. “Customers don’t want to phone-in or email to order simple products. They use e-commerce for personal purchases every day and they want to see that functionality for their workplace.”
See. Click. Buy.
Many in the print industry see e-commerce as a threat because it allows leads and current customers to bypass the desired sales process, (whereby a salesperson meets with the customer, assesses their needs, and proposes a solution.) The reality is that customers have already ditched that process, and hardware providers need to catch up and stop lamenting that yesterday’s solution doesn’t work for everyone.
“Carlyle still has robust managed print services and A3 contractual business,” Eric said. “Many customers appreciate our expertise here. But for smaller businesses and digitally savvy customers, they require e-commerce. I can’t imagine not having e-commerce and trying to convince a customer that buying online is the wrong choice. Carlyle offers solutions for all buying preferences.”
MPSToolbox and Marketing.
A fully integrated e-commerce website isn’t just about small, transactional sales. Carlyle leverages the MPSToolbox marketing team to help generate new leads, as well as expand its opportunities with existing accounts.
“MPSToolbox understands the B2B technology and print industry. They’re a great marketing resource who don’t need an explanation on the basic elements of our business. It's already in their DNA. We suggest a blog topic and they expand on our great ideas. We get feedback based on actual results from email campaigns. We see results as they leverage our Google Analytics to optimize our site, improve our rankings, and get us the most out of our Ad spend” (Eric Johannson, Owner, Carlyle Printers, Service & Supplies).
E-commerce benefits not just the transactional business, but MPSToolbox's marketing work has also led to consistent leads coming in several times a week. These leads are then followed up by our sales team and turned into sales and new contracted customers, says Eric.
We know that everyone wants results from their investments overnight. And while that sometimes happens, more often than not business success follows a more deliberate and methodical path. MPSToolbox is no different, and it’s a tool that gets better the more you use it. As you gain confidence using e-commerce your productivity will increase.
The adoption of e-commerce is happening for a reason. It’s critical that you get on board now and that you choose the right tools and partners.
Contact us today if you’re ready to get started.
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