Xerox pioneered virtually every technology that is critical to document processing – laser printing, page description languages, scanners and copiers, says the company, launching a new US effort to get more mileage out of its document processing products and technology. It is establishing a new distribution programme for value-added resellers, to be run by its Information Products Division in Fremont, California. The new programme offers a full range of products and comprehensive marketing support for promotion, training and meeting the technical needs of resellers. Products covered include scanning, display and printing systems, which can be integrated by resellers into an array of computer environments. The support on offer includes co-operative advertising and promotion; inventory financing Xerox isn’t now and then described as a bank for nothing; field sales support; marketing support in the form of trade shows, direct marketing, sales collateral, and demonstration disks; product and sales training; free 90-day equipment evaluation; and lead generation. Each reseller will be assigned a sales manager, a technical support analyst and a permanent account manager who oversee implementation, training and ongoing services. Products on offer include the 7650 Pro Imager Scanner; the 19 Large Format Screen and Graphics Adaptor Card two-page display for use with most MS-DOS micros; the Ventura Publisher desktop publishing software for MS-DOS; the 4020 Colour Ink Jet Printer for presentation graphics, charts, transparencies, illustrations and other graphic art; the table-top 4045 Model 150 Laser Printer; the 3700 Electronic Printing System high-capacity unit for more than 60,000 pages a month at up to 24 pages per minute; and several facsimile machines. Resellers will have to commit to $150,000 of products within 18 months, and must not be a store front operation. They must also truly add specific value to the products they take on.
