Above: The Blue Technologies executive team, from left to right: Lauren Hanna, vice president, Blue Technologies Smart Solutions; Billy Nelson, vice president of sales, shareholder; Paul Hanna, president; Dave Morrill, sales manager, shareholder; Eddy Kromar, vice president of service, shareholder; Clara Nader, chief financial officer.
Carol and I made an incredibly special trip to Blue Technologies in Cleveland, Ohio, in early September. President Paul Hanna had been inviting us to visit his dealership for some time, and we’re profoundly grateful for his patience and the invitation.
This trip was different from our usual dealer visits. Paul wanted to make it special for us and asked if there was anything we’d like to do while at the dealership. Without hesitation, Carol and I mentioned visiting the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Paul and his lovely wife, Margo, were impeccable hosts. They went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. They met us at the airport, shuttled us between the hotel and their offices, and invited us to their stunning home. Their home is set on what we would call a small estate, with a setup to feed and attract deer. Paul, a consummate hunter, and Margo each harvest one deer yearly with a bow and arrow. Paul also has a hunting lodge in Northern Ohio.
Besides the social engagements—lunches, dinners, and great conversations—we interviewed Paul’s team, which leads with production print, making for a fascinating discussion. We asked Paul to assemble a small group of his executive team for interviews. On the afternoon of the first day, we were escorted to a conference room where we spoke with Lauren Hanna, VP of Blue Technologies Smart Solutions; Ed Komar, VP of Service; and Clara Nader, CFO. Komar has been with the company since 1997. Like many others, this dealership boasts tenured sales and service teams. We were particularly impressed with Lauren’s depth of knowledge in production print. Her expertise reflects well on Paul, who has ensured she has the tools, resources, and drive to succeed. Paul joined us shortly after we began.
Their responses reflected a unified vision. We focused on production print, as we had recently interviewed five other dealerships on the same topic. Their approach to business is traditional, with a solid commitment to Konica Minolta as their primary manufacturer. Dealers often commit to manufacturers for various reasons, and a key factor is mutual respect for the leadership. Paul, for instance, speaks highly of Konica Minolta President Sam Errigo, with whom he shares a passion for hunting.
During our conversation, we noted that while Konica Minolta has a strong production print offering, some applications aren’t their strength. We’ve seen successful dealers diversify into inkjet printers, which offer low-cost service and high-efficiency capabilities, though they don’t deliver the same graphic quality as toner-based models. However, this trade-off is acceptable for specific markets, like university in-plants that produce promotional material for sports programs.
We discussed the idea of adding a second product line. Paul firmly believes that his focus on a sole source—Konica Minolta—makes his dealership more profitable, and it’s hard to argue with that. Blue Technologies has been a Konica Minolta dealer since 1995.
The dealership’s sales approach is team-based, with service technicians playing a pivotal role in encouraging sales by identifying customer needs that aren’t being met by the current equipment. The dealership places a strong emphasis on building relationships and fostering communication. For instance, if a machine has a recurring issue, they don’t just repair it—they recommend solutions that could involve replacing the equipment altogether.
Their approach extends to IT services, ensuring clients are satisfied with the services provided. They also recognize a strong relationship between A4 devices and IT, particularly in managed print services, which makes sense.
The team is especially proud of their service capabilities in production print. They mentioned the KM-1, Konica Minolta’s most expensive production printer, as an example. Blue Technologies believes it can sell the KM-1 but chooses not to because Konica Minolta doesn’t allow them to service it—a significant red flag for a dealer. Canon dealers face a similar issue with the VarioPrint i300.
Manufacturers are understandably cautious about allowing dealers to service such complex products without sufficient experience, but we were surprised to learn that Konica Minolta restricts dealers from servicing the KM-1. At PRINTING United, we asked Konica Minolta’s Frank Mallozzi about this. He explained that they’ve developed a program to help dealers transition into servicing the KM-1, and he’s confident that dealers will ultimately be satisfied with it.
We also discussed the potential for Blue Technologies to enter the labels and packaging market. We were told that labeling is next on their agenda. Konica Minolta has an exclusive partnership with a Portuguese manufacturer producing innovative products in this space, and CJ and I have already seen a prototype of one of the products they plan to introduce in 2025.
Eventually, our conversation turned to profitability. Like other dealers selling production print, Blue Technologies is concerned about the inconsistency of margins on higher-end products. The manufacturers often sell the most expensive machines directly, cutting into dealer profits.
In over 40 years of visiting dealers, no one has ever treated us with such grand hospitality. That’s not to say we haven’t been treated well by others—they’ve all been exceedingly kind and generous—but the focus of those visits was typically business-related. We could not ask for more between the social activities, lunches, and dinners. The entire experience was filled with hospitality, and we truly felt like honored guests of the Hannas.
