Hey, there’s an absolutely wonderful “advertorial” video up on ARC’s web-site (HOK MPS testimonial)

If you’re in the reprographics business and offer FM (MPS) services, this video is a great example of how powerful a “VIP-customer” testimonial can be, when the testimonial has been outstandingly scripted and staged. ARC’s marketing person who managed the production of this testimonial gets a standing round of applause from me. Perfect, A+++ score.

The video I’m speaking of is a testimonial from an HOK officer about the MPS program service ARC provides for HOK.

To access this video first go to e-arc.com. The video may come up on ARC’s home page, and, if it does, then click on it / play it from there. If it does not come up on ARC’s home page, then, in the red bar on ARC’s home page, go to “managed print services”, then click on the HOK video. The video is about 4 minutes long.

The “presenter” in the video is:

Kenneth B. Young

Senior Vice President

Chief Information Officer

HOK (Architects, Engineers, Planners)

In one place in the video, Ken says, “Managed Print Services is something I think a lot of firms will start to take a look at as we go into the future.” Ken does not use the term, “FM” even once!

Inasmuch as Ken Young has been with HOK for around 15 years and considering the fact that some HOK offices have had staffed FM (OnSite) service programs – from various reprographics companies - since the early 1980’s, if not before that, I’m now convinced that “MPS” – managed print services - is an extension of the “FM” business, if not the same exact thing. At Rowley-Scher, our first reprographics company, we implemented a staffed “FM” program for HOK’s office in Washington, D.C. Not long after I joined NGI in Florida in 1997, we implemented staffed “FM” programs for HOK’s offices in Tampa and Orlando. And, not long after that, we implemented a staffed “FM” program for HOK’s office in Atlanta. Even before R/S implemented an FM program for HOK in D.C., NRI was already doing one for HOK’s NYC office. Years later, NRI implemented one for HOK’s DC office. And, Carich Reprographics implemented a staffed FM service for HOK in Dallas, not long after R/S implemented one for HOK in DC. I’m not sure who was then providing staffed FM service programs for HOK in L.A. and San Fran. Anyway, many HOK offices (most of HOK’s larger offices around the U.S.) have been employing staffed “FM” services for at least 20 years, if not longer.

“FM” is not “new” to HOK. But, the term “MPS” is!

Come to think of it, I like the term “MPS” a lot better than the term “FM”. It’s brighter, fresher, catchier, more up to date and it doesn’t cause one to wonder if your FM business deals with managing facilities!

So, reprographers unite …. stop using the term “FM” and begin using only the term, “MPS.”

If ARC did manage to do a “national” MPS deal with HOK, that was certainly a very prestigious deal for ARC, and it shows you the power of being able to “implement” a “nationwide” MPS deal as “one company.”