Selena and Michael Wang (Credit: Casey Page/Billings Gazette Staff)
Billings Ink & Toner’s owners talked about starting their business and the challenges they’ve faced.
Billings Gazette interviewed Selena Wang, who runs Billings Ink & Toner with her husband Michael in Billings, Montana. The store supplies printers as well as new and refilled inkjet and toner cartridges, and Wang notes that since starting in the industry 10 years ago, they have found that “keeping up with the rapid changes in the industry takes constant vigilance”.
Wang stated that she and her husband “have more than 10 years’ experience in the ink and toner business”, taking on the Billings Ink & Toner store from a previous owner and continuing to “do what we know how to do”. They also added “printer repair service[s]” and “printer recommendations” alongside cartridge remanufacturing, funding the store from their “own personal investments”.
Among the biggest challenges was “the confusion that we no longer work for a franchise”, as “after 10 years of customers dealing with the same people in the same location, confusion is bound to happen”. Another was “keeping up with the rapid and ever-changing technology in this industry”, as “new printers are always coming out, and the cartridges change as well. This leaves many people frustrated when they can’t find the right cartridges”.
They overcame the confusion for customers by introducing “new signage and fresh designs on our delivery vehicle” as well as engaging on social media with Facebook, Google and LinkedIn. The company also does “a lot of the research ourselves to stay informed to help out our customers”, with suppliers offering a “great source of knowledge” about the industry. Billings Ink & Toner also advertises on television and in the Billings Gazette, with business visits informing consumers about the company’s products and services.
Wang stated that the company’s best business decision was “focusing on excellent customer service”, as Billings is a “community-minded” city where “repeat customers and word-of-mouth mean everything”. The business provides “free pickup and delivery” of used cartridges for remanufacturing and new products respectively, and Wang stated that they also “make printer recommendations […] based only on the customer’s needs and preferences”.
In terms of advice for others in the business, Wang states that “honesty and integrity will take you further than a quick sell of product or service”, adding that “building long-term relationships with your customers will make you a value to them, not just someone who wants to sell something”.