Printer manufacturers have taken a page from the playbook used by other technology vendors.  First they sell hardware to clients and then they roll out their managed services to help clients use the hardware efficiently and streamline a business process.  A new study by IDC MarketScape points to growing competition in the managed print services (MSP) industry.

Leading operators have familiar names. Many of these businesses have established their presence as hardware vendors over the past two decades and include Canon, HP, Konica Minolta, and Lexmark.  These vendors have either already rolled out a managed print services business line or plan to do so in the near future.  And for many of these vendors, the print services business will be a first step as they compete for the larger piece of the pie that extends to document management, print procurement and imaging/archiving needs.

As client become more aware of MPS as a way to save up to 30% on costs related to print, they’ll be looking at the following criteria offered by vendors:

• Improved user experience especially with respect to minimizing equipment downtime
• Cost management reporting to demonstrate that targets such as reduced expenses are being met
• Multi-vendor support so the client doesn’t have to replace equipment it owns from other vendors
• Customer service focus that helps employees learn about new technology and processes
• Comprehensive offering to support printing equipment in the corporate office, satellite locations and home worker environments

In 2010, more businesses of all sizes may be looking to outsource their printing needs to cut costs. To win businesses, vendors will be marketing the benefits of their services as they move beyond large clients and into the SMB sector. The IDC MarketScape report indicates that successful vendors will use both direct and indirect channels to reach new clients.
[Sources: Considering Managed Print Services? IDC MarketScape Finds Xerox A Leader. Xerox Global Services. 28 Apr. 2010. Web. 3 May 2010;  IDC MarketScape Finds Leading Hardcopy Vendors Aggressively Investing in Managed Print Services Programs. IDC. 28 Apr. 2010. Web. 3 May 2010]

The baby boomer generation may be well into their 50s and 60s, but that doesn’t mean they’re ready to concede their looks just yet. In fact, many “boomers” are determined to maintain their once-youthful appearance.

According to a recent survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, anti-aging procedures such as facelifts and blepharoplasty (eyelid lifts) are on the rise. So are botox and fillers. The bottom line is that baby boomers are aging but they don’t want their looks to do the same.

“The baby boomers are getting older but they still feel young and they want to look that way too,” said AACS President Mark Berman, MD. “With anti-aging procedures, people tend to feel much better about themselves afterward.”

Facelifts rose 44% from 2008 to 2009 in procedures by AACS members, totaling 34,455 in 2009. Blepharoplasty procedures went up 42%, from 42,602 to 60,507. Similarly, non-invasive anti-aging procedures such as Botox (up 157%) and fillers (up 245%) rose exponentially.

In procedures performed by AACS members, the average age of facelift patients is 54.1 years. The average age for blepharoplasty is 52.3 years. In addition, the average age of patients receiving Botox is 46.6 and fillers is 46.8.

“I think this might come as a surprise to the public when they see just how many baby boomers are trying to slow down the aging process,” Berman said. “As a surgeon, these numbers aren’t surprising because we see older patients all the time.”

The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery is a professional medical society whose members are dedicated to patient safety and physician education in cosmetic surgery. Most members of the AACS are dermatologic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, head and neck surgeons, general surgeons, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons – all of whom specialize in cosmetic surgery.

Baby Boomers Keep Cosmetic Surgery on the Rise.  American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS). 13 Apr. 2010.  Web.  22 Apr. 2010.

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for E-mail Marketing Firms. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

• Nearly 90% of retailers plan to use e-mail to retain customers in 2010. And half will use e-mail to announce new products or online-only promotions.
• Marketers intend to combine social media and e-mail marketing in 2010 but challenges remain with respect to effective integration strategies and measurement of ROI for these efforts.
• Up to 80% of businesses plan to use video e-mail in 2010. This is a significant increase over the 15.7% of businesses who used video e-mail in 2009.

The Industry Marketing Insights report for E-mail Marketing Firms is available on Ad-ology.com (Research Store) for $195 USD with local market data for any U.S. market.

[Source: Ad-ology Research. April 30, 2010]

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Attorneys. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

• In 2009, overhead expenses dropped 1.8% from 2008 to $167,256 per lawyer.
• To combat effects of the recession, attorneys are turning to alternative billing. Last year, 88% of attorneys report offering alternatives to the traditional billable hour.
• Professionals in the industry believe that 2010 will be the most active period of lateral movement in the recent past.

The Industry Marketing Insights report for Attorneys is available on Ad-ology.com (Research Store) for $195 USD with local market data for any U.S. market.

[Source: Ad-ology Research. April 29, 2010]