Print.IT Reseller - issue 63

01732 759725 4 BULLETIN IT issues hinder UK workers’ productivity A survey of 1,137 UK workers in full or part- time employment, carried out by technology services provider Probrand .co.uk has revealed that companies are losing £3.4 billion every year due to IT issues. 27% of UK workers polled said that their workplace IT systems are hindering their productivity, with this number rising to 33% in larger companies with in-house IT departments. Respondents, who all use IT systems in their workplace, said they waste an average of 5% of their working day due to connection or technology related issues. Losing 5% of a working day to tech issues equates to 21 minutes of lost productivity per day, 1.75 hours a week, or 7 hours (one working day) per month. This comes in at a cost of £3.4 billion to UK employers annually. The top five workplace IT issues reported were slow running equipment (34%), internet connectivity issues (27%), cyber breaches (19%), additional equipment such as printers and scanners not working (11%) and outdated hardware (9%). www.Probrand.co.uk The Brexit effect New research from flexible workspace finder Officio found the number of UK businesses seeking flexible accommodation has increased by almost 10% in the past year amid Brexit uncertainty. Demand for flexible workspace, office deals made on short term agreements often bundled with services such as telecoms, are seen as an indicator of the future health of the economy as they appeal to start-ups, fast growth companies and to larger firms who wish to make themselves more responsive to a fast changing market. The latest Officio figures suggest many companies are checking their options in the pre-Brexit climate. As well as overall take-up declining, the average rate charged for each desk has also dropped slightly from £449 to £423 nationally – but the average length of each contract has increased by 4%. Officio CEO Chris Meredith said: “It seems many larger companies are considering a move out of traditional leasehold office space and into flexible workspace. With Brexit remaining unresolved and business uncertainty increasing, we expect to see the trend towards flexible workspace increase further this year.” https://askofficio.com/ Printer hardware sales down sharply Sales of printer hardware through distributors in West Europe were sharply down by -4.2% year-on-year in Q1 2019, according to the latest distribution data published by CONTEXT. MFP sales were down by -1.7% year-on-year, even though laser MFPs saw a sharp growth of +4.6%, this was offset by the negative performance (-3.4%) of inkjet MFPs. Sales of single function printers (SFPs) registered a strong decline (-13.6%) and contributed to the overall negative performance in Q1 2019. In the UK, there were falls in both consumer and business segments, and significant drops for brands such as Ricoh (year-on-year sales down by -90.5%), OKI (-36.8%), Epson (-34.3%), Lexmark (-9.9%), Canon (-9.1%), Xerox (-4.9%) and Brother (-3.5%), although other companies, which share 59.4% of the country’s printer market, saw smaller declines. www.contextworld.com Eight in ten UK CIOs concerned about tech talent Research from Barclaycard revealed that more than three quarters of UK CIOs worry about recruiting and upskilling staff to ensure they have the advanced tech skills required for business success in today’s competitive and uncertain market. As businesses strive to keep up with the pace of technological change, 78% of CIOs are concerned about ensuring that their teams continue to have the right knowledge, skills and experience. They see this as a key driver of business success, with 69% believing that the need to upskill employees in the technology department is of critical or high importance. While three quarters are concerned about finding appropriate talent in today’s competitive market, more than half worry they won’t be able to recruit enough employees with the right technical skills after Britain leaves the European Union. www.barclaycard.co.uk Mastering the Internet of Things Quocirca has published its latest Executive Briefing, Mastering the IoT: the big data opportunity for print manufacturers , a comprehensive analysis of the impact and potential of the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data for the print sector. The briefing looks at the evolution of the open, data-driven platform economy and the importance of collaboration with third-party data partners to offer services that go beyond the conventional print environment. It also explores the role and capabilities of intelligent MFPs in data generation and analysis as part of the IoT and looks at how cloud and AI will influence the future of the industry. Research Director Louella Fernandes said: “The vast quantity and diversity of big data sources available mean that vendors must widen their horizons and look beyond the immediate print industry to build cross-sector partnerships that draw intelligence from disparate sources. This will enable them to deliver the intelligent services that customers are looking for.” https://quocirca.com/content/report_mastering_the_internet_of_things/