Reflections on the Print Solutions Conference and Expo – Chicago October 2009

Tweet There was buzz in the air of the Windy City as over 1300 value added resellers, manufacturers and suppliers to the printing industry converged to share new products and approaches to the marketplace. The theme of the conference was focused on repositioning our image away from commodity oriented transactional orders to more robust and relevant offerings attractive to marketing managers challenged by a new world order.

This theme was an ideal fit for our team at AccuLink as it focused on our “sweet spot” of offerings that unite technology, marketing and production related services into one convenient solution for our customers. Our approach is to supply the needed infrastructure required to execute effective marketing campaigns. We make this available at great savings in time and expense.

The theme within our booth and the topic of my education session (awarded for the “Best Educational Value”) dealt with 2d code technology and how to monetize this offering. (Note: the power point presentation is linked to this blog and I will post another article that goes into greater detail regarding the presentation).

No doubt the 2d code education was well received and excited the visionaries who imagined all the possibilities. The light “came on” for those who recognized the value in partnering with AccuLink who not only understands the technology but can weave it into a cross media link to prospects and customers. Of special interest was the realization that the most direct medium to the emerging consumer group aged 15-35 years old is via the smart phone. The 2d code phone scanning application is a unique way to link a printed document to a virtual message via the internet. Of added value is the ability to measure responses and collect new data for the marketer.

Our new eCommerce offering www.b2vcards.com was also well received resulting in numerous orders and inquiries. This unique business card offering is also available in a format allowing a reseller to rebrand our platform and present this offering to their customers under their brand.

The PSDA event in Chicago was a great success. The networking with new friends and fellow PSDA members was upbeat and stimulating. While some complain that print is a mature and irrelevant industry, I beg to differ. I see just the opposite. We are in the business of adding value and improving business communications. The ability of an organization to adapt to change and act quickly on new opportunities will define ultimate success. That is the nature of AccuLink and I am proud to be surrounded by talented team members who share this vision.

The response to our introduction of 2d code technology to the Print Solutions audience reaffirmed my belief that the fun and growth of our business has only just begun!

Print Solutions 09 in Chicago: QR Codes Educational Session

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QR Codes Get Attention!

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On October 1, a group of our employees attended a Chamber of Commerce "Business After Hours" event. These events typically consist of light cocktails, networking and the handing out of business cards. Our group came armed with business cards featuring QR codes (tags) on the back such that, when scanned, the smart phone would instantly load the business card profile information directly to the vCard address/contact management software of the phone. A second code on the card directs the phone browser to a unique landing page (such as a Linkedin profile page, blog or Facebook page). My team also adorned themselves with tattoos strategically placed on their bodies to get maximum attention. One team member (who has a shaved head) placed his tattoo on the back of his head for optimal scanning. When scanned, the code on the tattoo takes the phone browser directly to our web site: www.acculink.com.

The cards were produced on our newly released web site: www.B2vCards.com. If you want the coolest cards on the planet go to the link shown and place your order. You provide the front art and we provide the back QR code(s) with your choice of functionality!

Note: the tattoos and business cards were the talk of the event. We stole the show even though we had no sponsorship responsibilities. A great time was had by all!

Ducks Quack Eagles Soar

Tweet The following story of how one man changed his point of view and in the process became a very successful taxicab driver has been circulating throughout the web for awhile now. We felt it was worth sharing with all of our readers. Enjoy!

No one can make you serve customers well. That's because great service is a choice.

Harvey Mackay tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point. He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey. He handed my friend a laminated card and said: "I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement."

Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said: Wally's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment. This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean! As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, "Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf."

My friend said jokingly, "No, I'd prefer a soft drink."

Wally smiled and said, "No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice."

Almost stuttering, Harvey said, "I'll take a Diet Coke."

Handing him his drink, Wally said, "If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today." As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, "These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio."

And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.

"Tell me, Wally," my amazed friend asked the driver, "have you always served customers like this?"

Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. "No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard on the radio one day that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, "Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd. That hit me right between the eyes," said Wally. "That was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.''

"I take it that has paid off for you," Harvey said.

"It sure has," Wally replied. "My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action."

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting. Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

Just remember...Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar.