Industry Perspective: Extend Document Imaging Sales With Workflow Expertise

By Gennifer Biggs, Business Solutions magazine.

As more small and midsize businesses recognize the value of document management and are pushing for guidance around that technology from their IT partners, the opportunity is wide open for VARs to deliver value in the form of cost and productivity savings. John Gonzalez, director of product management for Xerox, says many of that vendor's partners are actively growing their businesses by helping SMBs move past document imaging to mature workflow automation solutions. "The biggest trend we see today is people taking the step to move all their paper to digital images," says Gonzalez. "They want the information off paper and into their systems so they can better utilize that information." He says drivers for those decisions eclipse well-documented savings on consumables or green initiatives. "Customers aren't coming to VARs with definite solutions in mind, they just know that they want to get rid of this paper, and they are seeing pain around space, productivity, cost, organization, efficiencies — all manner of issues."