Jennie Fisher is the senior vice president and general manager of the Office Equipment Group at GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation.
What is your current state of mind?
Thinking about our customers and what more we can do to help them, as many struggle to transition to a solutions/services type model.
What is the greatest challenge you face today?
Finding enough hours in the day to ensure we are taking advantage of the opportunities at hand!
What do you see as your biggest opportunity?
Being able to help our customers transition to more of a solutions/services type model and become a trusted advisor for their customers. It could involve managed print, IT support, or document management… or maybe all three, what is now being referred to as a “hybrid dealer.”
What is the quality you like most in a sales manager?
Someone who has a genuine curiosity to learn and understand what is going on out there. They strive to be knowledgeable about the industry they serve and the needs of their customers. They possess a strong passion for developing relationships that build long-term partnerships that produce successful results for both their customers and for GreatAmerica.
What would you consider your greatest achievement?
Becoming a parent. The whole birthing process is a miracle in itself, and what I have learned from being part of forming the individual my son has become and will be has been very rewarding—challenging and scary at times—but very rewarding. I am very fortunate to have a wonderful family that supports me and my career.
If your customers were to describe your company in three words, what would they be?
Hard work, integrity, excellence. OK, it is technically four words!
Managed print services or managed services?
Successful managed print services will lend itself to additional managed services in the IT or network space. GreatAmerica has invested in both through our MPS Navigator Executive Team Business Planning and Modeling plus MPS Sales Training, and through our own managed services offering, which we are slowly ramping up with select dealers.
Where are you investing the most within your company this year?
Solutions that will help our dealers grow their businesses. This includes continuing to enhance our systems capabilities through integration with leading software providers and bringing more flexibility to our invoicing capabilities.
What is your greatest concern for this industry?
My greatest concern is the fact that different sectors of the business are all vying to own the customer. In the end, who will win? With the continued enhancement to technology and the abundance of good tools and resources available to evaluate customer activity, it becomes more competitive every day.
How would your employees and co-workers describe you?
They would say that I am very passionate about the success of GreatAmerica—of our people and of our customers—maybe even a little overboard at times. I am also a bit of a morning person to a fault. I have been known to be up responding to emails at 4:00 a.m.
Who are your favorite writers?
Jim Collins and Danielle Steel.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Innovation, value and success—if it is possible to use these words too much!
Why do you hold your current business position today?
Because I have an unwavering passion for the strong foundation we have built at GreatAmerica, and to carry this into the future.
Do trends exist in this industry?
Yes. My goal is for GreatAmerica to stay on top of these trends and continue to evaluate additional ways we can help our customers overcome the business challenges of the future.
Who is your next hire?
An MPS solutions specialist that will be a focused resource to help GreatAmerica more closely follow industry trends.
