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2012: Key Trends
Trevor Dodsworth
,
Head of Product Marketing,
Business Imaging Group,
Canon UK and Ireland
In 2012, cost savings will still
be high on the print agenda due
to the economic climate. Some
organisations are already being
more cautious in adopting colour
printing to save costs. While
cost-effective black-and-white-
devices will remain an important
part of the industry, it will also be
important for vendors to provide
strong cost-control capability for
Jonathan Wilson
,
Market Development Manager,
Konica Minolta Business
Solutions (UK)
At Konica Minolta we see the
future of document imaging
principally in the provision of
managed print services (MPS).
Many customers find the
process of managing document
imaging and workflow a
drain on valuable resources
and for such organisations,
Konica Minolta can provide
an external document
management solution.
We believe a successful
MPS implementation should
manage all aspects of document
management including
the contracts of any legacy
equipment; the supply of new
state-of-the-art multifunctionals
and printers; management of all
consumable items; provisioning
of equipment; engineering
support and asset management
of devices. The MPS solution
should show significant savings
not only in terms of cost, but also
in terms of power consumption
and carbon footprint.
To determine a customer’s
MPS needs, Konica Minolta will
first conduct a comprehensive
document workflow audit. This
will include an environmental
impact ‘green-evaluation’
showing the current carbon
footprint of print devices
and reductions possible with
Konica Minolta’s MPS solution.
The audit is followed by a full
evaluation process, resulting in
a detailed proposal. We believe
this is the right approach for
2012 and beyond.
Tony Lomax
,
Product Marketing Manager,
Lexmark UK and Ireland
At Lexmark we will be paying particular attention to workgroup
monochrome, colour and multifunction printers in 2012. By
honing in on this set of products, we can really add value for the
end user community. This higher end approach, coupled with our
all-encompassing solutions offering, makes for a very appealing
package for business customers.
Customers will be thinking beyond just the products and will be
looking for solutions that deliver added value to their businesses.
Together with Perceptive Software and our recently acquired Pallas
Athena software business, Lexmark is well placed to deliver attractive
offerings to customers, and in 2012 we will continue to develop new
solutions and services.
Jonathan Whitworth
,
Managing Director,
DSales (UK)
No one can deny that the
print industry is taking an
increasingly solutions-led
approach to sales. At DSales
(UK) we expect this trend to
continue to develop in 2012
Steve Hawkins
,
Managing Director,
Xeretec
With the economic uncertainty
likely to continue for the
foreseeable future, companies
of all sizes will continue to
assess ways in which they
can reduce costs and improve
productivity. Manufacturers
are aware of this, and 2012
will see the emergence of new
digital print technology and
services that will minimise
print-related expenditure and
improve productivity even
further, particularly in the area
of office colour printing. We will
see device functionality increase
and further refinements in areas
such as mobile print services
and device connectivity.
With so many print suppliers
having jumped on the managed
print services bandwagon,
2012 will see this buzz continue
as more companies become
receptive to the benefits
it delivers. The successful
suppliers will be those that are
able to deliver real business
benefits. Customers are no
longer willing to accept anything
but first class service, knowledge
and support from their suppliers,
especially if the value-add being
offered gives their business
through increased demand for
Document Management (DM)
solutions.
All organisations can
benefit from DM solutions
and customers are becoming
increasingly aware of their
possibilities. Solutions like
our ‘store+find’ can provide
electronic filing, which eliminates
the need for costly paper files,
frees up valuable office space
and makes search and retrieval
easy. Cost monitoring software
like our ‘Personal Print’ enables
customers to easily track and
manage usage and allocate costs
to internal cost-centres.
In 2012, resellers will
increasingly present DM
solutions as a natural part of
the sales process and not as an
afterthought.
competitive advantage in these
challenging times. Print suppliers
that do not have the internal
infrastructure, knowledge,
capability or who simply can’t
deliver are likely to start falling by
the wayside.
...continued
colour printing. This will enable
them to restrict individuals on
what they are allowed to print,
but ensure that they can make
use of the benefits of colour
printing without compromising
on cost, when necessary.
Smaller organisations will
increasingly turn to MPS as
a way to generate savings,
enjoying the kind of benefits
larger corporates have been
enjoying for years.
Mobile technology will
be a key influence in 2012.
People working from mobile
technologies will increasingly
want to print from these devices.
Organisations will need to
offer mobile printing without
sacrificing their security, and
without surrendering control of
their costs.
We also expect to see
security issues move up the
business agenda, with print
security discussed in the same
breath as IT, network and
information security.”
continued...