Print services and solutions specialist Xerox announced the
release of eConcierge, a cloud-based solution for a reseller’s
customers to order their printing supplies. All of their orders are
placed through a reseller’s online supplies store built and hosted on
behalf of Xerox. The company said the key reseller partner benefits
include capturing ongoing supplies revenue, the ability to influence
printer sales and improvement of cash flow—with each credit card
transaction a reseller books the revenue first, then pays the
distributor on terms.
Xerox said it conducted extensive face-to-face research with both user customers and channel partners to create a cloud-based
supplies sales platform that provides benefits for solutions providers
and their customers, which also include expanded reseller reach, with
the ability to sell supplies for networked printers from Xerox, HP,
Lexmark and Samsung. In addition, eConcierge ensures Xerox Authorized
Service Providers receive all repair business for their eligible
Xerox printers and MFPs.
The service is co-branded, with the reseller prominently displayed
and backed by Xerox, and allows resellers to offload the expense of
order taking, inventory management, and fulfillment to the distributor.
The company said once the solution is set up, there’s virtually no
overhead: Resellers simply manage their pricing and monitor order
status through the Xerox Web portal.
The eConcierge Supplies Assistant desktop application monitors
networked printers and MFPs, alerting customers when their supplies
need to be replenished. Customers order supplies online from the
reseller’s branded store, with store hosting, infrastructure and
security managed by Xerox. Shipping and fulfillment is handled by the
reseller’s preferred distributor.
The eConcierge service automatically tracks supply levels and sends
customers a reminder when supplies are low, and the Supplies Assistant
application identifies printer models and the part numbers of their
supplies. In addition, the service is contract free, without obligation
and after 30 days and the second supplies order per printer, customers
earn extended service coverage on eligible Xerox products. The service
also includes free customer support, and the eConcierge portal includes
a Web page where the reseller’s customers can download the Supplies
Assistant desktop application, custom-made for the company.
“Our market research reveals businesses with less than 100 employees
are key prospects for the eConcierge service. Among them, interest in
this solution is high,” a company release stated. “The service is an
excellent alternative to our PagePack Managed Print Service, which may
be a better solution for medium and large companies, or for customers
who are reluctant to sign a Cost Per Print Agreement.”
