Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc., of Irvine, California, USA, won a Gold Stevie® Award for Sales Meeting of the Year in the Sales Awards Achievement Categories of the 2012 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. (The entry deadline for the 2013 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the world's top business awards for contact center, customer service, business development, and sales professionals is November 14. Request your entry kit today.) Here we look at six tactics Toshiba used to run a successful live event.
A record-breaking 650 people, including media, business professionals, and new and existing customers attended “Fast Forward,” Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc.’s National Dealer Meeting and End-User Conference held May 22-24, 2011 at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas. Along with unveiling 20 innovative office technology products focusing on mobility, security, and managed-document services, Toshiba used the meeting as an opportunity to hear from independent dealers, direct-channel operators, and industry media and analysts.
- All-Access Passes for Press
Toshiba granted members of the media all-access passes to the conference— something of a rarity in today’s corporate culture. The media were allowed to meet Toshiba’s top executives and to access company insights throughout the event. This opportunity was not just lip service, and did not go unnoticed by the trade media.
- Well-known Keynote Presenter
One of the meeting’s biggest highlights was a keynote presentation delivered by Frank W. Abagnale—best known as the person whose life story was portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the 2002 film Catch Me If You Can. There are few people on the planet better equipped than Abagnale to weigh in on the importance of what Toshiba does in terms of security and how it impacts day-to-day business. With 35-plus years of experience working with the FBI, Abagnale is an authority on forgery, embezzlement, and document security.
- Other Events
An extensive product-and-solutions fair catering to vertical markets was open for two full days in conjunction with the meeting. The event was capped off by a live concert put on by the legendary rock band Cheap Trick.
- Useful Presentations
Among the Toshiba executives on hand was CEO Masahiro “Matt” Yamada, who opened one of the meeting sessions with an overall business update, highlighting Toshiba’s recent success and growth. Yamada shared Toshiba’s business plans, as well as a report of the first quarter of 2011. In another session, Bill Melo, VP of marketing, services & solutions, touted the revolutionary next-generation Toshiba Encompass software that was slated to launch in the fourth quarter of 2011. Additionally, Joseph Contreras, director, product & solutions marketing for Toshiba, also was available for interviews and presented 11 new color multifunction printer models Toshiba was about to launch.
- Drawing Back the Curtain
Each reporter and/or editor attending the event took advantage of the opportunities offered to gain key intellectual capital and responded with nothing but positive feedback and coverage for Toshiba. The unique opportunity to gain face-to-face time with some of the managed print services industry’s most important figureheads left media members with newfound knowledge of the industry, and of Toshiba’s scope of business and goals for the future.
All attendees walked away from the event with rave reviews and an appreciation for Toshiba’s willingness to draw the curtain back and share with them the way their business is operated.
On winning the Stevie Award for Sales Event of the Year, Mark Mathews, president and current CEO, commented: "Toshiba as an organization is thankful for this recognition. The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service is one of our industry's highest honors, and we are again humbled by the recognition from our peers. Maintaining a healthy relationship with our customers and the trade press is clearly one of Toshiba's greatest priorities, and we will continue to improve these relationships in 2013."
About Mark Mathews:
Mark E. Mathews currently serves as president and chief executive officer (CEO) for Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. (TABS). With the company since 1993, Mathews served in various management roles within EID prior to reaching his current position. Mathews has also been a large proponent of the company’s green initiatives by being the first manufacturer to partner with Close the Loop, a world-class recycler of imaging consumables, a program he continues to expand.
Mathews earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from Columbia University and in business administration from Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles. A recipient of numerous academic honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, Mathews also holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering mechanics from the U.S. Air Force Academy. Mathews is actively involved in his local community and currently serves as chairman of the board for Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, California
About Toshiba America Business Solutions:
Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. (TABS), is an independent operating company of Toshiba Corporation, the world's eighth-largest electronics/electrical equipment company. TABS is a leading managed document services provider, with experts that help organizations take control of document security, workflow, and print environments. With the award-winning EncompassTM managed print services program, e-STUDIOTM line of multifunction printers, toner products, and retail information/thermal printing systems, TABS is providing ways for businesses to print smarter, work safer, and conserve resources. For more information on Toshiba solutions and services available in the United States and Latin America, please visit www.business.toshiba.com.
