enx magazine

Chances are if you’ve ever been in the market for a copier, you’ve heard of Midwest Copier Exchange. Founded in 1990 by Ed Spriegel (better known as E.J.), Midwest started out small--very small. After earning an MBA, E.J. ventured out on his own buying used equipment, bringing it up to spec, and selling it at a reasonable price.

Although some things have changed quite a bit since then, some things haven’t. “Our pricing strategy stays true to our overall philosophy of being a no-nonsense company,” says E.J. “We are not the cheapest, nor are we the most expensive. Our customers keep coming back for many reasons, one being our pricing, which is always fair and competitive.”

Other reasons? “Selection. We have machines from many different markets, repos for dealers who are looking for newer, lower mileage machines plus we carry end-of-lease equipment for dealers seeking an alternative to newer equipment. We also purchase trade-in equipment from dealers all across the U.S. to satisfy our export clients and others.”

“Another key factor is stability,” E.J. states flatly. “When I first started in this business, you had to overcome the less-than-reputable image of some of the other outfits. There was no accountability. We were different; people could count on us. We would be there for them even after the sale. Most people in the industry are familiar with our tag line, the 'Strongest Guarantee on the Planet.' Well, that’s not just an advertising slogan. To this day, we offer 100 percent customer satisfaction. If something is not right, all the customer has to do is to let us know and we will make it right, one way or another."

Innovators

Midwest prides itself in pushing the envelope. When it comes to staying one step ahead of the competition, Midwest has never been afraid to break new ground. The industry's first customer satisfaction guarantee was just the beginning. Midwest was one of, if not, the first in the industry to accept credit cards. Another first is the recent introduction of the Midwest Copier Exchange private label credit card. This card enables dealers to “floor plan” used machines, much like dealers do now with brand new equipment. Also, the card allows dealers to pay off balances in thirds, while freeing up their cash for other company purchases.

Midwest has set new industry standards for service and satisfaction for over a decade. One of the things E.J. is most proud of is the company’s growth. “Vital to our success has always been responding to the needs of our dealers. To better accommodate their demands, we have steadily expanded our operations beyond Chicago to include a full-service location in Baltimore and one in Las Vegas.” E.J. continues, “Getting bigger just to be the biggest is not our goal. We simply want to be able to serve dealers the best while meeting the demands of our ever-growing customer base. Also, you must be careful not to sacrifice quality for quantity. Those other operations won’t run successfully without top-notch management, which is hard to find. You need dedicated, talented people willing to commit their time and energy to make sure things get done right. And you need them to sign on for the long haul.” Today, the Midwest Copier Exchange business plan is in full swing.

Branching out

Heading the Las Vegas branch is Jackie Capasso, a trained CFP. Her outgoing personality complements her keen business sense. Besides running the West Coast operations and making sure her customers are all attended to, Jackie keeps one eye sharply focused on the future. She tells us, “Due to the amount of machines that we get, along with sound planning, and our experience in wholesaling, we are in an excellent position to really grow our export business. This market presents some unique challenges that I see as a great opportunity for our company. We have the know-how plus the experience to custom build container shipments, allowing safe transport of equipment.” Jackie continues, “By bolstering the export facet of our operations, we can be that much more flexible and aggressive in our equipment acquisitions. This helps us diversify internal workloads and reduce operating costs. We then pass these savings on to all of our customers. It's a win-win situation, but you have to have the people in place who can do the job. There is no substitute for the years of professional expertise Midwest has to offer. We combine the best of human skills and technology to run at peak efficiency and ensure customer satisfaction.”

At the helm in Baltimore is Jill Garipay. Some might remember her from Midwest’s Boston location. She ran it before moving south to Baltimore. Jill knows that no matter how busy she gets (and being on the East Coast, she’s always busy), attention to detail can make you or break you, especially in this business. “All of our machines are tech inspected, but not just the basic machines. We also check to make sure the print network is performing properly. (Midwest also offers network support to all customers.) After the technician has determined the equipment is up to spec, it’s then thoroughly cleaned, corner-guarded, and shrink-wrapped. Making sure that all equipment shipped from Midwest arrives in good condition is critical to our success. It’s far more cost-effective to spend the time getting everything right the first time instead of wasting man-hours fixing sub-par work. Midwest customers expect more from us, and they should.” Jill adds, “If the equipment shows up with Midwest’s name on it, it will be as promised. No surprises.”

Finding like-minded professionals to anchor the facilities in Baltimore and Las Vegas wasn’t as arduous a task as one might think. You see, Jackie and Jill are E.J.’s sisters. Yes, this ultra modern, hi-tech, cutting-edge, global company is steeped in an age-old tradition. Midwest Copier Exchange is family-owned and -operated.

Keeping track of it all

One of the more demanding tasks today is inventory management. Midwest’s solution is particularly effective. Jackie explains, “Using today’s technology, Midwest’s in-house IT department developed a custom system that actually monitors each piece of equipment in our extensive inventory. With the use of wireless technology and bar codes, we can locate any one of our machines within seconds, update our Website inventory in realtime, and print custom reports. Customers can view any of the equipment ‘live.’ If a customer is searching for a certain piece of equipment Midwest doesn’t currently have, the minute it arrives, our customer is notified by e-mail.”

Taking care of it all

Each of Midwest’s locations in Chicago, Baltimore, and Las Vegas has its own climate-controlled warehouse. Plus, each of these full-service facilities boasts over 40,000 square feet, with Chicago topping out at over 100,000 square feet. All this, of course, provides dealers with more readily available inventory.

Keeping fresh equipment in all these locations takes a certain combination of finesse and hard work. “When it comes to the acquisition of newer, late-model machines, nobody does it better,” says Jackie. She also has a unique perspective on dealing with lease companies. “Everyone knows we do business with the top 10 lease companies; they know we’re solid; and we’ve earned their trust. But what some people don’t realize is that we give the same quality service to the midsize or small lease company. We know that it just might be one of the next top 10.”

It’s that kind of thinking that keeps Midwest at the top of its game. Marketing plays a big part in the plan. “Right now, we are very excited about the introduction of a true incentive program. It’s something we’ve been working on, along with a referral program that will give dealers discounts on future purchases with each referral. If we can grow our market share and reward our regular customers at the same time, it benefits everyone.” Jill is quick to point out that ENX readers are getting a sneak preview of this campaign. “When it officially breaks, we will be using print ads, a new Website, and some direct mail. It will be another industry first, and ENX readers are now the first to know.”

Midwest Copier Exchange, an innovative company, is definitely on the move.

This Just In

As ENX went to press Midwest Copier Exchange announced its plans to actively seek strategically placed wholesale companies for acquisition. A company spokesperson had this to say, “Although Midwest Copier Exchange has long held its growth policy to be expansion from within the company, the rapidly changing industry landscape dictates a change. At this time, we are looking at existing facilities that will allow Midwest to help manage our growth, without adversely affecting the high quality of our products and services.”

Stay tuned.

www.midwestcompier.com

Chicago

E.J. Spriegel

phone: 800/487-6798

fax: 847/599-9034

Las Vegas

Jackie Capasso

phone: 800/863-3693

fax: 702/388-7773 fax

Baltimore

Jill Garipay