Winning with Heather Cruz….

Building a winning team is NOT possible without people who are winners..

 and that's why our "Here's to You," goes out to Heather Cruz this time around. Her winning attitude, disposition and work ethic help to make The MPS Group/Printer Solutions a winning        proposition.

Before coming to the MPS Group/Printer Solutions, Heather was a manager at a Pizza Hut. Working ridiculous hour, at times up to 80 hours/ week, did not leave her any time for her family. She decided a change needed to be made and sought work with The MPS Group after responding to an ad on Craigslist. The rest is, as they say, history. Heather has been with the MPS Group for 3 years.  Her position of "Service Manager,"  is centered around the repair side of the business - making sure that customer's needs are taken care of in a timely manner and that the turn-around time from problem to solution is minimal.  

Heather is, while working full-time at The MPS Group, simultaneously working towards a degree in Business Management.  She is currently enrolled in 15 hours at Palo Alto College AND has a 3.9 GPA. Nothing short of impressive, I'd say.   When she is not working or studying, her time is consumed by her family.  She has three children:  a 17 year old daughter named Jestyne who is a senior at Athlos Charter School and plans to go to nursing school after graduating, a 13 year old son named Nathan who loves all sports, especially baseball and soccer - a typical boy who throws in a little PS4 every now and then, and then there is 11 year old Abigail who loves school, hanging out with her friends, riding bikes outside and helping her mom bake, when time allows.  

Recently as a result of a "love at first sight" encounter, Heather married her husband, Jessie.  The whole blended family thing is going very well - Heather says that her life with Jessie has given her the peace she was missing before he entered her life.  Jessie is an electrician in San Antonio and is a tremendous source of strength and help to Heather and the kids.

Our fearless leader and Owner, James Thomas, when asked about Heather, said, "Heather has grown professionally, spiritually, and family-wise since she came to work at The MPS Group/Printer Solutions . She was a single mom that has recently re-married, she is working towards her  degree in business and runs our service department.  She is always tackling new challenges and always has the  best interest of The MPS Group/Printer Solutions in mind."

 Recently I was able to pin Heather down for moment  and find out exactly what makes her tick, where she came from and where she's headed.  

Me:  "If you could give me one world to describe the culture here at The MPS Group/Printer Solutions, what would it be?"

Heather: "Family."  She went on to explain, "everyone is very helpful and lends a helping hand when needed. We work on cross-training so everyone can pitch in and do other jobs, if needed.  It works well here and it's what makes us a team."

Me:  "Heather, if you could, tell me about a few of the clients that you deal with on a regular basis."

Heather: "Alamo Cement is a really good client.  They have 40 plus machines in two different locations. We provide service and toner for them.  They know they don't have to wait or worry about any issues.  Recently they had a printer that was down in their finance department. In order to get them up and running quickly, MPS had the parts overnighted and we got it fixed within 24 hours."

Me: "I'd say that's pretty quick turn-around time, huh?

Heather: "Well, that's what we do best here at MPS. We give top notch service in a timely manner." 

Me: " Do you have another client that comes to mind?"

Heather: "Yes, Diti Imaging - a radiology company.  They have two machines and are contract customers - which means everything is included in one price- machines, toner, supplies, and service. They can't afford to go "down" because they are in dire need of their machines.  Recently they had an issue where a machine was no longer operable and we got them a replacement machine within two working days. Needless to say, they were happy to have such prompt service." "Oh, and another client I wanted to mention is Jace Pearson PCA.  They had been in contract with another company in the past and had been burnt. They called us and we went out and fixed their machine.  We built loyalty and trust with them and they became a regular client."

Me: "Thanks so much for giving me some insight into some of your regular clients and what you encounter with them from time to time."

Heather: "Sure, no problem."

Me: "So, Heather where do you see yourself 5 years from now?"

Heather: "I hope to be finished with school and to have gained a lot of business knowledge from all that I learn here at The MPS Group/Printer Solutions on a daily basis.  One day I hope to incorporate all of that knowledge into owning my own bakery.  Baking is my passion and I feel like everything I am doing today will hopefully propel me forward into making my own dreams come true."

Me: "That's awesome. Makes me want a cupcake. haha. Let me ask you this, WHEN that happens, will you use The MPS Group/Printer Solutions for your document needs?

Heather:  "Absolutely." :)

Me: "One last thing, Heather - what makes MPS a place you want to come to work every day?"

Heather:  "In general, the culture here is relaxed and it's a nice place to work.  When I first started there was more micro-managing going on - which I didn't enjoy.  Now there is freedom to make decisions and grow as much as you want to.  James is sometimes a hard boss, but he is also the most caring boss I've ever had. The MPS Group/Printer Solutions is a structural place - it's built on a solid foundation - and that's what makes it a great place to work."

Me: "Thanks so much for taking a time out of your busy schedule and talking with me, Heather."

So, there ya have it.  Another success story - not of The MPS Group/Printer Solutions - but that of a dedicated employee that we have here that works hard to not only further the success of the company, but is diligently working every day to become more, better and to achieve her goals.  Here's to you, Heather Cruz.

Read More

• 

How to Know When You Are Ready to Go Exclusive With One Vendor

By Kyle Odom|Jul 13, 2015|Sales|0 Comments

Share

Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on linkedinShare on mailtoShare on print

“Having the same guy show up at your door each time takes the guesswork out of how important your partnership is to the vendor. ” – James Thomas

Believe it or not, San Antonio based The MPS Groupand their CEO and founder, James Thomas, is often asked: Why Xerox? So when I asked the same question, the answer was both informative and simple: reliability. “If you’re going to do one thing, do it well,” says James, that’s why in the fourth quarter of 2014 he opted for an exclusive partnership with Xerox.

The search for an exclusive vendor relationship

For years, the MPS Group sold printers and copiers across many vendors, always with the expectation that at some point they would find the right fit and chose to be exclusive with one vendor. Finally, in 2014 Xerox stepped up to the plate with benefits that made working with together an obvious choice. Ever since, James and his team have reaped the rewards of tripled sales as an attentive, communicative, and stable vendor helped pave the way.

Thinking of going exclusive with a vendor? Ask these four questions first

CLICK TO TWEET

Four questions to help you choose an exclusive vendor

Are you considering an exclusive relationship with one vendor? Here are four questions that James suggests you ask yourself when considering moving to a single vendor:

1 – Does the vendor offer stability?

Having the “same guy show up at your door each time” takes the guesswork out of understanding how important your partnership is to the vendor. Low turnover and high product knowledge provided by Xerox is invaluable to The MPS Group, “We can count on Xerox to share people, products, tools and pathways to success.”

2 – Are their products readily available?

Too often vendors have new releases that are in high demand with the end customer, but aren’t readily available. Selling a product only to find it’s on back order is not good for business. James says, “Xerox earned The MPS Group’s trust by having new products available as soon as they’re released”.

3 – Do they provide reliable service?

“Only sell it if you can service it.” That’s one motto The MPS Group lives by. They are firm believers in ‘service after the sale,’ and choosing Xerox as an exclusive partner helped streamline their service department. James, his team and their customers do not have time to rely on a vendor’s time frame, which can be very sporadic depending on the vendor. When repairs are outside of The MPS Group’s scope, a local Xerox technician is dispatched quickly. Local technicians are trained in good customer services so even when The MPS Group can’t fix the problem, their end-users remain happy customers.

4 – Do they provide five star training for your technical specialists?

The online training programs Xerox provides are top notch and one of the cornerstones of this partnerships’ success. The curriculum provided keeps The MPS Group technicians up to speed on all the new products while teaching them the technology as if they were one of Xerox’s own technicians.

Read More

How Xerox Channel Partner, The MPS Group, Tripled Sales in One Year By: Kyle Odom

• Xerox Blogs
• The Channel Partner Connection

• Our Blogs     

• 

How Xerox Channel Partner, The MPS Group, Tripled Sales in One Year

By Kyle Odom|Jun 1, 2015|Sales|9 Comments

Share

Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on linkedinShare on mailtoShare on print

Be honest – we tell prospects we’re not going to sell you a dump truck when all you need is a pickup. – James Thomas

Distinguishing your brand, creating a niche, and cultivating a voice that resonates with customers can be challenging. So, when a small company makes huge gains – quickly, you can’t help but wonder: how did they do that?

The MPS Group, a Texas-based, exclusively Xerox channel partner, tripled sales in just one year. You’re probably saying ‘is this possible?’ Well, yes. It is, and their President and Founder, James Thomas, was kind enough to share his vision and insight regarding their rapid growth.

From repair shop to print solution provider

Formerly Printer Solutions, The MPS Group, is a locally owned small business, serving San Antonio since 1999. They started off as a repair shop with a few technicians, built on James’ firm belief that “if you are doing only one thing, you better be doing it well.”

Over time, satisfied repair customers began asking advice on equipment purchases more and more often. In 2009, James added equipment, supplies and a showroom and then used their unparalleled reputation to propel growth. A few years later, in 2014, James took another bold step. He stopped working with many different vendors and partnered exclusively with Xerox, complete with a showroom design to match the Xerox colors. Since that move sales have tripled and continue to rise.

From repair shop to print service provider - how The MPS Group tripled sales in one year

CLICK TO TWEET

I asked James what advice he would give other small business owners with similar goals. Here is what he said:

Five pieces of advice for small businesses

Define your mission and take risks

The first step is to study your competition. What are they doing right or wrong and how can you deliver a better service or solution? Don’t be afraid to take risks and differentiate yourself. Understanding who your customers are and what they want from you is key. Customers come first. Always, and honesty is a winning strategy for The MPS Group. They tell prospects: “we’re not going to sell you a dump truck when all you need is a pickup.”

Define your value after the sale

The MPS Group’s commitment to honesty is present at every step of the sale. They’re the first to admit, “we’re not the cheapest but we will be here for you when you need it. You have a direct line to our CEO at all times and you’ll love the level of service we provide.”

Service after the sale is a huge part of The MPS Group’s success and brings new clients through word-of-mouth referrals. As James says, “we’re small, we’re local, and we’re accountable.”

Take pride in being a small business

“Bad news doesn’t get better with age.” You’re a small business, take that in your stride and run with it. James has great affection for his market and understands how people in San Antonio want to do business. Because of this, The MPS Group is that much more successful. “Motivate your sales force, contribute back to your community and be honest. It will all be reflected back in your sales pipeline”, says James.

Motivate your sales team, contribute to your community & be honest - it will be reflected in your sales pipeline

CLICK TO TWEET

Use all available vendor resources

The MPS Group became an exclusive Xerox partner due in large part to the array of tools, people, and knowledge available. For instance, SharedVue Social helps to take the worry out of posting relevant and engaging content across multiple social platforms. James sees social as a “captive audience” and the beauty of social media happens when you find the most effective platform for your business and post consistently. For MPS Group, the two best platforms for their audience are found on Twitter and Facebook.

Couple SharedVue social with email campaigns and newsletters created in the Xerox Impact Marketplace and lead generation activities are a snap. Fully utilizing both tools helped The MPS Group triple sales this year.

Talk to your customers

Your current customers are your allies in staying relevant and running a successful business. Ask them what you can do better, how you can help make their job easier and what they would like from you. Engage them in the conversations that inform your next steps for growth.

Find out what works for your business

Not every business runs the same way nor do they achieve the same results. What The MPS Group accomplished in one-quarter cannot be attributed to a single variable, but a multitude of them. Take these thoughts into account and put them to action within your business. The sky is the limit.

Read More

Putting the "Memorial" Back in the Day… (and kicking it off right at The MPS Group/Printer Solutions)

On the last Monday in May, barbeques will run amuck and pools will be swimming with people.  In the name of Memorial Day, many Americans will sit back and enjoy homemade ice cream and maybe even fly “Old Glory” as a semblance of what the day means.  However, for most, it will be just a much needed paid holiday and it’s meaning will be absent.

Whatever stance on war one may have - in the end, the liberty, independence and freedom we all enjoy have come about as a result of war.  The soldiers that have lost their lives – defending OUR rights to live peacefully and freely, have done so on behalf of this country and the people that inhabit it.

The tradition of having a holiday that honors the fallen soldier began three years after the Civil War ended. It was originally known as Decoration Day, declared by Major General John A. Logan, who was head of an organization of Union veterans. The day was set aside, at the time, for the decoration of the gravesites of those who had lost their lives in the Civil War.

General Logan’s original order, given to his posts to decorate graves in 1868 was :

                       

                        “With the choicest flowers of springtime, we should guard

                         their graves with sacred vigilance…. Let pleasant paths invite

                         the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners.

                         Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or

                         To the coming generations that we have forgotten as a

                         People the cost of a free and undivided republic.”

After World War I, the day was expanded to honor those who perished in all American wars, not just the Civil War. In 1971 Memorial Day became a National holiday, always set aside on the last Monday in May. 

In December 2000, congress passed “The National Moment of Remembrance Act,” encouraging all Americans to pause at 3:00 local time for a moment of silence, in order to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation – as a way to help put the “memorial back in Memorial Day.”

So, on Memorial Day, take a moment.  Reflect. Remember that the American life we are privileged to live has a price.  And for many, that price has been life. And, certainly, those are worth honoring.

As a way of honoring the Memorial Day weekend, we, at The MPS Group/Printer Solutions, want to kick it off right and invite YOU to our “Pre-Memorial Weekend Open House.”  We are absolutely proud to live in a country where we can operate a small business and have opportunities to build relationships with our clients and make new connections in our community.  We pride ourselves on being local and available to the people with whom we do business.

So, let’s do this!  Come on by anytime between noon and 5 p.m. and enjoy a good ol’ American smorgasbord of hamburgers, hotdogs, sodas, beer and maybe even a ‘rita or two! And what kind of American company would we be if we didn’t offer prizes?  We are excited about the opportunity to kick back and enjoy a great afternoon with you.  We are located at: 12020 Warfield, 78216.  To register:  www.office-events.com/xerox/thempsgroup#   Any questions?  Give us a call at 210.334.0332.

Read More