Welcoming our New Clients!

Over the years, ABS has had the privilege of meeting with local businesses all over the state of Connecticut. From print shops and hedge funds in lower Fairfield County to community agencies and sports clubs in our state's capital. Our customers are all from different sectors,  different neighborhoods, and  they provide a vast array  of services. However, the one thing our customers have in common, is that they are investing in our communities and making Connecticut a better place to live.

We have decided to show off just how awesome our customers are by highlighting their work and what they do.We have recently added new clients to the Team ABS family. The  company that is kicking off our customer showcase is, Olympia Properties. 

Want to know what they do? Olympia  Properties, LLC is a commercial real estate investment and development firm. 

"Olympia Properties is a family-owned firm that specializes in developing, investing, managing, and leasing commercial real estate in Greater New Haven. We offer a hands-on approach and we only develop, invest, manage, lease, and maintain property that our affiliates own. From retail, to office, to restaurant, to parking lots, to industrial space, our properties are maintained with great care and we take pride in each of them."

 Olympia Properties is a family-owned company, based in New Haven, ran by two generations of Nicotras- Dennis & Chris.

For more information, click here  www.olympiallc.com . Jut ask for Chris!

Chris Nicotra

Duty Cycle: What is it??

 

It’s that time of year again; you've avoided it as long as you possibly could. You've delayed any & all appointments and demos. Or perhaps, it’s quite the opposite, you've done all the research you could possibly do and now you are confused. What am I talking about you ask? I’m talking about having to finally pick a copier for your organization! Whether you’re the person who puts off the decision making or you’re the individual who is completely overwhelmed by your amount of research, there’s a common factor that has stumped you….a machine’s duty cycle. 

 Let’s start with the basics, what is Duty Cycle? The common definition for a print device’s, duty cycle is, it’s rated capacity to continuously perform under “normal work” conditions. You, as the customer determines what are the "normal conditions" you're copier will be working under. For instance, the type of "applications being run to the physical environment in which the customer is printing" .

Another term, you should keep in mind is the Average Monthly Print Volume, or the AMPV.  It is defined as the “range of pages that helps customers evaluate Xerox’s product offerings based on the average number of pages customers’ plant to print on the device each month.  Xerox recommends that the number of pages per month be within the stated range for optimum device performance…etc.”

Let me explain…

Image Credit : 2happy via stockvault.net

Take cars for instance, every car aficionado knows they need to do their research on which car suits them and their traveling needs, same goes for a customer like yourself. A great analogy I like to use to describe Duty Cycle and AMPV, is that of a car’s speedometer. Think of the Duty Cycle as a car’s maximum speed, which for example could be 200 mph, but more than likely you’ll rarely need to reach those speeds, if ever. However, as a customer, if you every really needed to, you know that you can. The AMPV can be thought as the normal, average of speed you’ll be driving on a daily basis. 

 Duty Cycle is the maximum number of pages a device can produce in a month. AMPV, is the range of what a copier produces in a month. Understanding that the AMPV is a vital component in picking the right machine that fits you and your business is absolutely vital. Sure, it’s great to know that you’re machine has an awesome Xerox engine under the hood, but what’s more important is to take into account the average number of pages you plant to print. Knowing the average number of pages you plan to print, will help you pick the right machine.

Just like there are all types of businesses, all types of people, and all types of business needs, there are all types of copiers and printers. We understand that customers can feel overwhelmed at the start of the process, but just knowing the difference between Duty Cycle and AMPV can save you a ton of money and stress in the future.

 If you have any more questions or comments, please feel free to comment below or contact us. Just remember that you're trusted Xerox Agency is only a phone call away.

Until next time!

Let's get social...

"Social media is not a media. The key is to listen, engage, & build relationships"                      - David Alston

Hey there!

Well,  we are really enjoying getting our blog into motion. We want this blog to be a resource for you. We also want to build an awesome community as well. That's why I thought it would be super important for you  to know, that we're not just on this blog, we have a few social media pages that we'd love for you to explore . They're full of resources about our products ,as well as, Team ABS' adventures. We love posting about what inspires us. Our posts range from amazing  photography collections to the newest tech products that we're just dying to get our hands on.

David Alston, said it best when he explained social media as a way to build relationships. Team ABS and I really want to use the social media pages and our blog, as spaces for us to get to know you, our readers, our customers, our neighbors. Leave us any questions you may have or let us know how we're doing. 

We can't wait to get to know you!

Why Your Boss Should Let You Print in Color...

“My boss won’t let me print in color

“I see employees abusing the privilege all the time”

“No thank you, we’re happy the way it is”

“Oh! I’d really love too, but it won’t fit in our budget”

“It’ll cost us an arm & a leg”

“Color! Who needs it, we've always done it this way, why change now?”

One of my favorite aspects of working at ABS, is talking to so many people on a daily basis. I speak to individuals from all walks of life & a vast array of industries. All of these companies & organizations comprise a mass variety of services & missions, and yet when I approach them with the opportunity to print in color, they all panic.

I think it’s pretty normal when I hear these statements. We’re all concerned, I mean ALL of us, are concerned about the “bottom line”. Whether you’re a hedge fund, a house of worship, an up in coming restaurant or a school, we all need to save money where we can. What all these organizations have in common, is that they need to reach the public, their communities, and their target audiences as well as they can, all while controlling costs.

Color is a proven & effective way to reach your audience. It helps get messages across more effectively & helps us retain the information at hand. Studies all around the world, have found that color has a large impact in our lives.

 A study conducted by Harris Interactive in 2011, surveyed 1,000 American students from grades 3-12. 77% of all students agreed color documents boost their focus, interest, & memory. Of all the students surveyed, 85% believe that color would make it easier to understand charts & graphs. 

The power of color & memory performance does not just end in the area of Education. In a study published by the Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, they cited studies that prove that in marketing, color increase brand recognition by 80%. Color advertisements can attract individuals to read ads up to 42% more often. The data shows that color works! It helps us remember, and it helps us understand, therefore allowing us to communicate better.

Ready to get color printing in your office now? Are you ready to impact your audience, your clients, your team? Here's why  your boss needs & should be letting you print in color!

"Xerox Color Survey". 2011, Harris Interactive.

In 2011, the Xerox Color Survey, found that 76% of employees “think they can find information faster if presented in color”. An incredible 69% “understand new ideas better when presented in color”. Another 25% believe that printing in color will improve retention. This study shows us the power color has on a team. It can increase productivity & communication.

The fact is, color is detrimental to the modern workplace. Through Xerox color technology, your team can save money on color printing. The idea that color printing is too expensive is a result of the terrible pricing that customers can get from tabletop printers.

 A color page from a tabletop color printer can cost up to 20 cents a page! While, our copiers can reduce the cost of a color page by more than 60% of that. As the saying goes,” You truly get what you pay for”. Our copiers, are of better quality, are high yielding, and the speed is unbeatable.  Unlike other companies, we have options, such as the ColorQube series; that only charge customers for the color they use, instead of a flat rate.

Years ago, the mission for companies was to simply be able to print color on plain paper. Now, we at Xerox & ABS have become innovators in color solutions. We have so many options that can provide your business with beautiful, effective & colorful documents for your business, all while controlling costs.

In times where, we must do more for less, why not produce the best for less?

Beware of the Toner Scammers!

Phoner Toner Scam

Here at ABS, today started like any other day. However, as the morning wore on, it became clear to us that there was a crisis at hand. One of our valued customers delivered very disturbing news that they wanted to share with us. It had come to the attention of our customer, that for the last year & a half, they were paying two companies on the west coast for supplies they did not need. They had in their possession several dozen boxes of toner, and over time they had been billed for over $40,000.

You may ask yourself, how can something like this happen?  It’s a very simple mistake that can affect any small business.Since the customer was due to receive supplies every month, they assumed these deliveries were from Xerox. Unfortunately, this toner scam has been around for decades, and all these unscrupulous individuals need, is basic information about your staff and the supplies used in your office.The numbers vary on how much these scams cost businesses, but it's in the millions

Our client had been told by these companies that they were going to be sent to a collection agency if they didn't pay the next month’s invoice. The scam artists also had the name of the person in charge of accounts payable & operations. They also were sending this company the right toner for the model they currently used. It isn't clear how these scamming agencies got a hold of this particular customer’s information, but from what we have found, there are a various ways scammers can pull you into their fraudulent web of deceit.

How do these scam artists operate?

1.       False Invoice: A scammer will call your office to find the name of the person in charge of supplies & their company address. The invoices are often 5 -10x higher than the actual price. In turn customers will pay for unordered supplies.

2.       False Supplier: These individuals will present themselves as your supplies provider.

3.       Free Gift:  A caller will try to convince the employee on the phone that they are receiving a free gift, but along with that free gift comes an unordered arsenal of supplies.

How can you protect yourself?

1.       Teach fellow co-workers & employees to never provide your copier/printer’s serial number. A scammer will realize through this serial number, what kind of unit you own.

2.       If we at ABS call you, we will never ask you for your serial number.

3.       Know that as a customer, your supplies are all included in your monthly contract. We do not have any affiliated supply companies. These scammers began to send our customer toners that stated they were supplies from Xerox.

4.       If you ever do receive toner unexpectedly, do not hesitate to contact us at ABS.

Although, it was a horrible experience for our customers. It was a lesson learned for both our customers and us as a team. It’s an experience that hopefully provides you with some education.

If you ever have any more questions, please feel free to contact us at 203-777-0011  or at info@ctxerox.com.

Let us Introduce Ourselves....

My name is Evelyn, and I'm ABS' resident blogger. Our goal is to make this blog a community, a community where we learn & share. "We" being all of us at the ABS family & you; our readers!

Evelyn - ABS' residential Blogger, Social Media Marketer, & Inside  Sales Rep.

We’re a team of people from various backgrounds, interests, abilities & passions, who’ve come together to provide our region, with the best office solutions out there. You may think that Xerox is just in the business of copiers, we’re in the business of problem solving. 

Just some of Team ABS' members : Bob, Michael E, Louis, Michael B, Evelyn, & Meir

 In our blog, we’ll be discussing everything from our industry, copiers & office solutions, to the latest security threats and how you can protect yourself. We’ll be highlighting the best ways you can increase productivity in your office. We’ll also discuss other things that motivate us, such as Team USA’s amazing triumphs at the World Cup, to the latest technology we’re dying to get our hands on!

We’ll also blog about questions you may have. We want to encourage you to communicate with us via our comments section or emailing us at info@ctxerox.com . 

Our blog’s mission is to share everything there is to know about copiers, printers, and production, managed print services, security etc...We want to share everything we know in order to empower you! We want to hear from you, our customers, our neighbors, and our community.

We can’t wait to see what’s in store!

-Evelyn & Team ABS