AI Tools
AI-powered Sales Enablement Tools
AI integration, service transformation, and platform-led differentiation take center stage to help dealers
Sign up for The Key Point of View, our weekly newsletter of blogs, podcasts, and videos!
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. held its 2026 High Velocity Dealer Summit on January 12-14 in Palm Beach, Florida. In some respects, the event served as an annual kickoff for the vendor to share its forward-looking strategy and partnership goals with small and mid-sized channel partners. Notably, rather than centering the event on headline hardware launches, Konica Minolta used the forum to outline a broader strategic reset, one focused on operational excellence, service transformation, and deeper dealer enablement. For dealers navigating a mature and competitive print market, three key themes stood out as particularly impactful.
1. AI Is No Longer a Future Concept. It’s a Core Execution Engine.
One of the clearest messages from the summit was that artificial intelligence (AI) is foundational to Konica Minolta’s operating model going forward. The company positioned AI not as a standalone feature, but as an embedded layer across its internal departments as well as dealer and customer-facing platforms and tools. By digitizing workflows, automating administrative processes, improving supply chain and service predictability, Konica Minolta aims to move faster, reduce costs, and make data-driven decisions at scale.
For dealers, this shift carries an important implication: AI adoption is broadly viewed as no longer optional. Konica Minolta is encouraging partners to leverage the technology internally to improve efficiency (along with financial incentives to do so), while also using AI-enabled tools, such as the IQ-501/601 Intelligent Quality Optimizer and Dispatcher Stratus, as customer-facing differentiators. Dealers that embrace these capabilities will be better positioned to demonstrate value beyond hardware, as customers demand smarter, more automated environments.
2. Service Is Shifting from Reactive to Remote-First and Proactive
Service strategy emerged as a central pillar of the event, reflecting broader industry pressures around declining page volumes and shrinking service margins. Konica Minolta outlined an aggressive push toward are mote-first service model, with a stated goal of achieving a 70% remote fix rate in its direct organization over the next few years (a lofty goal compared to the stated 19% rate last year).
Platforms such as vCare Pro-Suite and AIRe Link are critical to this transformation, enabling remote monitoring, diagnostics, configuration, and even augmented reality-assisted troubleshooting. For dealers, these tools offer a path to fewer truck rolls, faster issue resolution, and improved customer uptime as well as lower service delivery costs, too. More importantly, Konica Minolta is positioning service platforms as monetizable assets, giving the channel opportunities to generate recurring revenue while modernizing service operations.
.
3. Differentiation Depends on Platforms, Solutions, and Dealer Enablement
Hardware remains a critical part of the equation, although the summit reinforced that incremental device improvements alone are insufficient to drive growth in a competitive market. Konica Minolta’s strategy emphasizes solutions, platforms, and services as the primary levers for differentiation and dealer “stickiness.” From workflow software and secure cloud print to analytics tools and an expanded paper business, the company continues to build a broader ecosystem that extends beyond traditional print hardware.
Equally important is the role of dealer enablement. Updates to the Rev’d Up 2.0 performance program, expanded training resources, and incentives tied to service and operational best practices signal Konica Minolta’s intent to fortify investment in partner success. Dealers that align with this ecosystem approach—spanning print, service, supplies, and software—will be better equipped to defend accounts and capture new opportunities.
Cody Walton, Senior Director of Sales Engagement
at Konica Minolta, during an analyst briefing.
Keypoint Intelligence Opinion
Konica Minolta’s High Velocity Dealer Summit underscored a clear reality: sustainable growth in today’s print market will favor dealers that diversify into new revenue streams and rethink how they operate. AI-driven execution, remote-first service strategies, and a solutions-led approach are no longer nice-to-haves.
They’re prerequisites for competitiveness and survival in a challenging channel landscape.
Stay ahead in the ever-evolving print industry by browsing our Industry Reports page for the latest insights. Log in to the InfoCenter to view research and studies through our Workplace CompleteView and On Demand Printing & Publishing Advisory Services. Not a subscriber? Contact us for more information.
