  
BTA Southeast will host its annual fall district event, open to BTA members and non-members from across the country, on Oct. 25-26, 2013, at the Waynesville Inn Golf Resort & Spa in Waynesville, N.C. This event will be a great setting to learn from industry leaders, gather new ideas and network with your peers. The event will feature a round-table discussion and three educational sessions presented by industry leaders. Dealers will be able to participate in networking events that will allow them to connect with their peers, including a welcoming reception and a dinner. In addition, there will be time to visit with exhibiting sponsors. Dealer attendees can also enter on-site for a chance to win one of five $100 American Express gift cards and be entered into the BTA District Event Sweepstakes. On Saturday afternoon, there will be time to explore the Waynesville area and enjoy the fall colors. Schedule of Events: Friday, Oct. 25: The Fall Colors Retreat will begin with a round-table discussion on additional revenue sources from service led by the BTA Southeast leadership team, from 4:30 until 6 p.m. A welcoming reception will be held from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m., giving attendees time to network with peers and visit with exhibiting sponsors.  Saturday, Oct. 26: A breakfast buffet will be held from 7 until 8 a.m., followed by three educational sessions and breaks that will give attendees time to visit with sponsors.
From 12:30 until 6:30 p.m., attendees will have time to explore the Waynesville area and enjoy the fall colors, play a around of golf or just relax. Cocktails will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and a closing presentation.
Round-Table Discussion:  In this round-table discussion, focused on additional revenue sources from service, attendees will be able to ask questions of and receive answers from the BTA Southeast leadership team and their peers. Attendees will also be able to share ideas with the group and receive feedback. Educational Sessions:
Recruiting sales professionals can be an ongoing challenge, no matter how large or small your dealership. Knowing how to effectively recruit, train and onboard employees is vital to your organization’s growth and success. By learning new and unique best practices regarding the recruiting process, you can attract better talent to your organization and eliminate turnover. It is important to have the right interview process and procedures in place at your dealership that will assist in the screening process. During this session, Bruguiere will educate participants on best practices regarding the recruiting process to better their dealerships’ hiring efforts.  R. Thomas Bruguiere is the vice president of recruitment for Crawford Thomas, a nationwide executive recruiting firm based in Orlando, Fla., with offices in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He has more than seven years of executive recruiting experience in the office technology industry for both OEMs and independent dealerships. Currently, Bruguiere oversees more than 35 recruiters in Crawford Thomas’ Orlando office.
There is a fine line in managing an effective and profitable office technology service operation while providing exceptional service in order to satisfy one’s customer base. On average, each technician is in contact with three to four customers per day, so it is imperative that the organization puts its best foot forward to ensure the customer is satisfied. A return trip to a client site comes at a cost to your organization and can jeopardize a customer relationship. This session will review the best practices to ensure effective and profitable service and will provide ways to ensure your service team is communicating effectively with your customers. Staubitz has experience in all levels of service and operations. Before joining the BEI Services team, he was an operations and service consultant for Strategy Development, where he trained and coached hundreds of vice presidents and service managers in best practices to maximize productivity and effectiveness. While working in the dealer channel, Staubitz was the director of client services for Modern Office Methods (MOM), Cincinnati, Ohio, managing more than 60 service personnel in various locations. He consistently exceeded various financial and operational benchmarks, which allowed him to successfully train and consult for both the dealer channel and various manufacturers to improve their service operations.
As a dealer, you may be thinking, “Managed IT services is not for me” or “It sounds too complicated.” While transitioning to a managed IT services model is not easy, with the right commitment, support and resources, you can lower the barriers to entry and make it easier. Lindsay Dick, director of sales for Collabrance LLC, will share strategies for success to move into managed IT, including the critical elements of the business plan and financial model, technical operations and sales. From best practices on pricing/protecting margins, to a standard technology stack to hiring, you will hear how many dealers have made a smooth transition and what your dealership should consider before writing off managed IT services as “not for me.” Dick is the director of sales for Collabrance LLC, a master managed services provider located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Collabrance helps office equipment dealers expand their market share with new services offerings related to technology. In this role, she is responsible for recruiting, training and onboarding new Collabrance partners, developing the account management team, and leading the sales and marketing efforts of the organization. The Collabrance team provides business planning, education, training, sales assistance and a comprehensive suite of IT solutions to companies interested in partnering to become a managed service provider. Dick stays active in the managed services community through participation in social media, attendance at industry events, spending time with industry thought leaders and is a member of the CompTIA Managed Services community and the Advancing Women in IT community. Pricing: BTA Member Registration: $159 Non-Member Registration: $209 Spouse/Guest: $79 (Includes the Friday reception and Saturday dinner.) Kyocera/Copystar and Toshiba dealers may use co-op dollars! Hotel Information:
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Recruiting Best Practices — Developing a Recruiting Strategy for Your Dealership
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Managed IT Is Not For Me … Or Is It?