Sterlings predictions for 2019

• The Big 4 copier manufacturers (Ricoh, Xerox, Konica Minolta and Canon) will start buying document management software companies to enhance their “be everything to everyone mentality.”

• Just maybe this will be the year when one manufacturer finally calls it quits from manufacturing copiers and gets back to their core business. But, who will it be? Toshiba, Sharp or Kyocera?

• Larger dealers will escalate their efforts to acquire smaller dealers in order to maintain and grow market share in their territories.

• Document Management software finally hits home for SMB accounts as more dealers will have the talk with their prospects and customers about managing their documents.

• Capture software will also be a huge theme for this year. That next generation of dealer owners, sales managers and sales people understand that imaging systems will no longer pay the bills.

• Keywords for 2019 will be workflow and business process management. SMB businesses need to do more with less.

• One of the Big 4 copier will buy a 3D printing manufacturer to capture the consumable revenue stream that they had with imaging equipment.