1. technology and computing
2. hardware
3. computer peripherals
4. printers, copiers and fax
5. printers

ESSENTIAL PRINT, MFP & PRINT SOFTWARE INFORMATION FOR VARS, CONVERGED RESELLERS & MFP DEALERS
MARCH 2014
RESELLER
OKI:
The Future of Printing
... is Brilliant!
Inside: Toshiba Masters • IRIS on the up • Consumer credit rules • 2014 trends
small title
Ad DMC Ricoh to come 10.02
The planitgreen range of premium toners offer you both print
cost and environmental savings, help you maintain the highest
productivity and also gives back to the UK’s social environment.
Up to 60% cost savings against OEM’s.
Free toner recycling scheme & recycling boxes.
Guaranteed for 2 years providing unrivalled reliability.
£1 Reseller reward for you plus a 25p donation with every toner
to The Starlight Childrens Foundation
DMC exclusive distributors for
22 Print.IT Reseller
01732 759725
MARCH 2014
Comment
RESELLER
contents
Welcome to the latest issue of
Print IT Reseller magazine
05 Bulletin
What’s new in print and printers
14 Opinion
Balreed Digitec’s Gary Downey discusses the big trends
for 2014
16 Cover Story
OKI – The brilliant future of printing
18 Mobility
Roam is the new home
22 Channel Investment
Toshiba launches transformational education program
25 Dealer profile
United Carlton Office Systems has expansion plans
26 1st Office acquisition
Olivetti’s Elite Dealer in the South-West acquires
Digital Systems UK
28 Leasing
What changes in the regulation of consumer credit
mean for you
30 Distributors
How resellers benefit from VOW’s direct relationship
with OEMs
Tough times call for tough measures
and you’d think that delivering top
notch customer service would be
front and centre for everyone. Not
true in all cases, according to Balreed
Digitec’s Gary Downey, who says
that top of the list when it comes
to complaints about incumbent
suppliers has been declining service
standards. He warns that as a
managed print services supplier, the
biggest challenge you face is that
you have to deliver (see page 14).
Toshiba is one company putting their
money where their mouth is, by investing in
initiatives that support its channel partners’
business growth objectives. Carl Day talks
about the company’s newly launched
transformational education programme.
He says that the Toshiba Masters
programme that’s available exclusively to
Toshiba resellers represents a fresh and
unique approach to innovation and sales
32 Information management
Why the UK represents a huge opportunity for IRIS
and its resellers
Editor: James Goulding – 07803 087228 jamesg@binfo.co.uk
Advertising Director: Ethan White – 01732 759725 ethan@binfo.co.uk
Publishing Director: Neil Trim – 01732 759725 neil@binfo.co.uk
Group Sales Manager: Martin Jenner-Hall – 07824 552116
martin@binfo.co.uk
PRINT.IT Reseller is published by
Kingswood Media Ltd., Amhurst House, 22 London Road,
Sevenoaks TN13 2BT
Tel: 01732 759725 Email: info@binfo.co.uk www.printitreseller.co.uk
No part of PRINT.IT Reseller can be reproduced without prior written permission
of the publisher. © 2014 Kingswood Media Ltd.
Design: Sandtiger Media www.sandtiger.co.uk
A member of:
growth – and it genuinely is a first in this
industry (page 22).
And finally, AIIM (Association for
Information and Image Management) has
partnered with NAPPS – The Document
Solution Association to jointly drive best
practice in information management,
documents and collaboration.
The two organisations have joined
forces to promote and develop the AIIM
Forum UK, an event that replaces the
annual AIIM roadshow and which will be
held in London on June 25. Part of AIIM’s
annual conference programme, the forum
has been developed to offer UK information
professionals thought leadership, market
insights and practical advice on the latest
innovations in information management.
Worth a visit.
James Goulding, Editor
07803 087228 jamesg@binfo.co.uk
PrintIT Reseller is a publication
for the IT Reseller channel. Our
mission is to bring information on
new products, services and market
developments to printer resellers,
MFP dealers and online sales
specialists to help them meet their
customers’ needs, make informed
purchasing decisions and generate
new sales opportunities for their
businesses.
Until PrintIT Reseller came along
there hadn’t been a dedicated printed
resource for this community.
PrintIT Reseller magazine fills this
void for dealers, manufacturers, software
suppliers, solutions providers and
distributors.
Register online
ESSENTIAL PRINT, MFP & PRINT SOFTWARE INFORMATION FOR VARS, CONVERGED RESELLERS & MFP DEALERS
AUTUMN 2012
RESELLER
OKI C822DN
To receive your regular FREE printed copy of
PrintIT Reseller Magazine simply fill in our online
registration form at www.printitreseller.co.uk
A3 Colour Laser
from Northamber
your
£10 OFF
you
order*
plus we’ll give
C800 series
next OKI
exclusive!)
up
to
(That’s another
£50
CAPITAL
C800
BONDS
up
on selected
models
Northamber
Call for our
latest price.
150
£ R
END-USE K
C800
CASHBAC
on selected
to
models
NORTHAMBER
It’s not big.
But it is clever.
Call weekdays
8:30am to 6:30pm
Order online 24/7 with
no credit card surcharge
ORDER:
OKC822DN
*Terms & conditions apply.
020 8296 7066
northamber.com
©Northamber 2012 E and O.E. All calls recorded for credit safety and training purposes. Prices appear as trade and exclude VAT & delivery. Prices stated as at 18th September ‘12.
OKI PrintITreseller mag front cover_v2.indd 1
18/09/2012 12:26:28
ESSENTIAL PRINT, MFP & PRINT SOFTWARE INFORMATION FOR VARS, CONVERGED RESELLERS & MFP DEALERS
AUTUMN 2012
RESELLER
OKI C822DN
A3 Colour Laser r
from Northambe
your
£10 OFF
Join us : Follow us
you
order*
plus we’ll give
C800 series
next OKI
r exclusive!)
@PrintITReseller
£50 L
CAPITA
C800
BONDS
up
on selected
(That’s another
models
150
£ SER
END-U ACK
C800
CASHB
on selected
to
Northambe
Call for our
latest price.
up
to
models
NORTHAMBER
It’s not big.
But it is clever.
Call weekdays
8:30am to 6:30pm
Order online 24/7 with
no credit card surcharge
ORDER:
OKC822DN
*Terms & conditions apply.
020 8296 7066
northamber.com
©Northamber 2012 E and O.E. All calls recorded for credit safety and training purposes. Prices appear as trade and exclude VAT & delivery. Prices stated as at 18th September ‘12.
OKI PrintITreseller mag front cover_v2.indd 1
18/09/2012 12:26:28
Read PrintIT Reseller online, on tablets and smart phones www.printitreseller.co.uk
Business Print Solutions / Banking & Finance Signature & Scanning Systemss / EPOS
see o
ur vi
deos
on w
ww.
olive
Putting the future of your
business at the heart of our
diverse solutions.
To contact your local supplier call us on 01908 547896
or email: a.stafford@olivetti.com
www.olivetti.co.uk
tti.co
.uk
bulletin
04 Print.IT Reseller
01732 759725
bulletin
In the news
Vasanta launches
new reseller
business programme
Vasanta claims that bokz, its new reseller
business programme driven by the latest
operational and back office technology,
will provide the most cost-effective supply
chain solution and a managed marketing
programme, under a common brand.
The just-launched programme will be supported
by an end-user marketing plan designed to drive
new business to programme partners. This will
be aligned to a common brand and will include
bespoke publications; regional advertising at key
landmarks and strategic locations; unique and
exclusive product promotions; themed seasonal
campaigns; managed social media solutions;
charitable affiliation schemes; and, in the future,
TV and radio advertisements.
The bokz programme includes a destocking and
bespoke stock holding solution. Vasanta has invested
£2m in the last five months installing an additional
50,000 sq/ft mezzanine floor in its Arrow Distribution
Centre. This will be furnished with state of the art
technology that is able to handle significant increases
in the number of small order picks and will deliver
levels of accuracy that are currently only experienced
in the pharmaceutical industry. In addition, the space
created will be used to hold up to 20,000 customer
bespoke products thus allowing complete orders to
be picked in one warehouse.
Participating resellers will also benefit from a
final mile delivery solution. A detailed audit tool has
been created to evaluate the true cost of delivery
and, where appropriate, a variable cost per drop
Closed loop paper solution
Adrian Butler, VOW Managing Director
solution will be provided that encompasses desktop
and departmental drops together with a recycling/
waste collection service.
In addition, a managed service offering will
be available that can be used to free up time to
focus on sales and profit generating activities. The
suite will include, but not be limited to, detailed
sales and management reporting, cash collection,
customer service, legal advice, specials sourcing and
appointment booking.
A common bespoke Microsoft back office
platform with a number of additional applications
to aid sales and margin growth will be developed in
conjunction with participating resellers.
Vasanta CEO Robert Baldrey said: “This exciting
programme is another demonstration of our
commitment to the independent reseller community
and is one that gives the dealer a real opportunity
to help their business survive and thrive in this ever
changing market place.
“This is a complete end-to-end solution that
reduces supply chain duplication, delivers genuine
business improvements and unlocks the inherent
value in a reseller’s business whilst allowing them
to maintain complete control of the end-user
relationship,” he added.
VOW Managing Director Adrian Butler has been
given executive responsibility for this programme
and Vasanta is also investing in a dedicated senior
management team to roll out and manage it.
www.vasantagroup.com
At a Brilliant Partner event held in Bracknell
at the end of January, Spicers announced
the launch of the 5 Star Remarkable Loop
Paper service.
Spicers, in collaboration with supply partners
UK waste management consultants Remarkable
and German recycled paper producer Steinbeis, will
ensure that waste paper is collected from clients of
Brilliant Partners, recycled and converted back into
100% recycled high quality 80gsm cut sheet paper
for resale.
Simon Wallis, Spicers Business Development
Director, said that this new solution will provide
Brilliant Partner resellers with a unique selling
point and a significant differentiator. “We have
shaped the solution with a small number of
resellers and early indications are extremely
exciting. It’s opening up very different discussions
with consumers, unlocking different contacts with
a different budget and affords our resellers an
opportunity to engage customers and prospects on
a completely new level.
“It moves the discussion on from price, range,
deliveries etc. and presents an opportunity to
show leadership in the quest towards zero waste.
It will also significantly strengthen contract tender
submissions,” he said.
With an increasing trend towards reusing, recycling and sourcing more sustainable
alternatives, Spicers believes its 5 Star Remarkable
Loop Paper and recycling solution will assist
resellers in taking an assertive stance with their
customer base in promoting and facilitating a
responsible and sustainable solution to office waste.
Spicers CEO Alan Ball said: “I would like to
thank our dealers for their support in making this
initiative a reality. The input and planning has been
superb and we genuinely believe this service will
deliver real differentiation in the market for our
resellers within the SME and contract market.”
www.spicers.co.uk
Easy document handling
Canon says its new imageRUNNER 2202N is an affordable A3
black and white MFP which will help partners to generate
additional revenue in SMB markets.
In a statement, the company said that the new networked device
comes with clever features that allow partners to upgrade existing
customers. For example, the device’s new smart MF Toolbox desktop
application makes it easy for users to store and share documents.
In addition, the imageRUNNER 2202N helps partners to secure revenue
after sales, as customers can reorder consumables directly through the
device. www.canon.co.uk
www.printitreseller.co.uk
Print.IT Reseller 05
bulletin
In the news
Management changes at Midwich
Tracey Perkins promoted to Director of Operations
Easy entry into
managed print
Tech Data UK is working to introduce
Xerox Supplies Services (XSS)
software to more channel partners
and encourage them to build a
managed print services business.
By installing the cloud-based XSS
Discovery Agent software on a customer’s
network, resellers can monitor the levels
of ink and toner cartridges on the entire
estate of printers and MFPs. In addition to
Xerox devices, XSS can be used to monitor
products from a number of other leading
printer brands.
Peter Lunn, Senior Category Manager for
Print at Tech Data UK, said: “Xerox Supplies
Services provides resellers with an easy,
cost-effective way to enter managed print
services, drive up consumables business and
increase customer loyalty.”
Through the XSS portal, resellers have
direct access into Tech Data’s stock system,
enabling them to supply replacements
against a pre-existing agreement or a
new customer order immediately. The
supplies can be shipped directly to specified
locations. XSS can also be used to trigger
servicing alerts.
www.techdata.co.uk
Trade only distributor Midwich has
announced a number of management
changes. Darren Lewitt, who has led the
AV business for many years, is passing
over day-to-day responsibility for vendor
relations to Stuart Mizon and Lee Baker,
both of whom become Divisional Directors.
Lewitt will continue to work on a part-time
basis with the business in the new role of
Group Development Director with a brief to
identify and develop new technology areas.
Jonny Francis will head the vendor sales
specialist teams covering all technologies and
divisions within the business. Mizon will assume
business management responsibilities for the
print and imaging division in addition to his
current areas of projection and security. Baker will
continue to manage the key display and consumer
divisions but with a growing involvement in the
development of new business areas.
After 31 years’ service, Commercial Director
Alex Ward is to step back from full time
responsibilities. Tracey Perkins, formerly Group
Credit Service Manager has been promoted to
Director of Operations, taking over responsibility for
operations, IT, customer services, logistics, returns
and insurance, in addition to her management of
the credit function.
Tom Sumner takes on the role of Director of
European Business. He will have line management
responsibility for French division Sidev, plus
responsibility for the development of Midwich
divisions elsewhere in Europe and for all European
warehousing including the UK.
www.midwich.com
Apogee acquires French
document solutions specialist
Apogee has completed a transaction to
acquire Sagemcom Documents VAR (VAR),
the document solutions division of Parisbased Sagemcom Documents SAS. VAR
is the only reseller in France to offer full
nationwide service coverage. It has sales of
€35million (£30million) and employs 300
staff in Paris and its eight regional branches.
VAR began trading 30 years ago as an
equipment manufacturer before transitioning into a
value added reseller 18 months ago. The company
provides solutions to a host of major clients,
including EDF Energy, Renault and BNP Paribas.
Sagemcom SAS Group CEO Patrick Sevian
chose to sell the document solutions division to
Apogee due to its established profile for success
across Europe. “We believe Apogee will be a great
integration for
our staff and
clients alike. They
have the proven
experience and
expertise required
to really take things to the next level,” he said.
VAR will be renamed Apogee France. As part of
the acquisition, the current Divisional Director will
continue in the role of Managing Director and he
will be joined by a new Finance Director. Apogee
has further ambitions for growth throughout
Europe and has confirmed that this key acquisition
will form their Continental European headquarters.
A number of further targets across Germany and
Spain are already in the early stages of negotiation.
www.apogeecorp.com
Fastest growing new dealer
Rawson Digital has been recognised as the
fastest growing new Ricoh dealer after
signing up as a partner in November 2012.
Last year it performed exceptionally in
terms of overall business performance, total
unit sales and customer satisfaction.
Working with Ricoh, Rawson Digital sold
114 multifunctional print solutions from April to
December 2013. The company also saw key wins
in growth business areas such as managed print
services and production printing.
Keith Howell, Ricoh UK’s Business Generation
Director Indirect Channel, said: “I’m extremely
pleased to congratulate Rawson Digital on
achieving this position as a new dealer within our
indirect channel. Their success over the past year
has been nothing short of remarkable, especially
in an extremely competitive market. I am confident
that with our continued support as a key partner,
Rawson Digital will continue to grow and go from
strength to strength.”
www.ricoh.co.uk www.rawsondigital.co.uk
Toshiba extends A4 range
Toshiba has extended its product portfolio with the launch of two professional A4 mono
office printers. The e-STUDIO470P/520P deliver high quality document output at speeds of
47 and 52 pages per minute respectively. www.toshibatec.co.uk
06 Print.IT Reseller
01732 759725
bulletin
BNP Paribas is lead
sponsor
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions is
a lead sponsor of the IT Europa
European IT & Software Excellence
Awards 2014.
The awards recognise best practice in
customer solutions by system integrators,
solution value added resellers and
independent software vendors across
Europe. This is the second year running that
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions has sponsored
the event. Other 2014 sponsors include
Microsoft, IBM, Oracle and Ingram Micro.
The technology market has been
identified by BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions
as a key area for growth and the repeated
sponsorship and attendance at this event
demonstrates a strong commitment
both to the industry and to increasing
the company’s brand in this market. The
awards will take place on 26 March in the
Lancaster Hotel, London.
www.bnpparibas.co.uk
Westcoast names new MD
A management reshuffle has led to Alex Tatham’s
promotion to Managing Director of Westcoast UK
and Ireland. Former Managing Director Duncan
Forsyth has been promoted to Managing Director of
the wider Westcoast Group.
In other moves, Neil Baker has been appointed as Director
of Westcoast’s Supplies business, Paul Hamilton has become
Director of Client Business and Paul Harman, Director of
Westcoast’s Solutions business. Channel veteran Gary Cove
steps into the Sales Director role vacated by Tatham.
www.westcoast.co.uk
Kyocera renames its products
Kyocera Document Solutions UK Ltd has introduced a
new product naming convention designed to enable
simple recognition of product functionality and type,
from simply reading the model name and number.
Group Product Marketing Manager Steve Mitchell said:
“The ECOSYS brand will appear in front of our printers and
MFPs, highlighting our heritage in sustainable printing and
the low environmental impact and low cost of ownership
of our award-winning ECOSYS technology which are still
unique after over twenty years.”
The ECOSYS name stands for ECOlogy, ECOnomy and
SYStem printing.
www.kyoceradocumentsolutions.co.uk
New generation of
Develop MFPs
DSales (UK) Ltd, the UK
distributor for the Develop range
of multifunctional document
imaging systems, has introduced
a new generation of Develop
mid-range mono systems with
output speeds of 22 to 55 prints
per minute.
All of the new ineo monochrome
multifunctionals devices, the ineo 224e,
ineo 284e, ineo 364e, ineo 454e and
ineo 554e, now share features and
functions with the ineo+ colour family.
This provides user benefits for large
companies, institutions or government
offices, because users will easily
recognise the shared features of the
operating panel on any Develop ineo
device.
www.dsales.eu
Exertis Micro-P launches Ricoh into retail
Exertis Micro-P is launching Ricoh into the retail market with mono laser and multifunction
printers at highly attractive and competitive price points. Targeting home users, the initiative
from Exertis Micro-P’s specialist print division will enable Ricoh to further extend its footprint
in the home user community, while increasing its brand awareness, driving market demand
and opening up new revenue streams through the retail channel.
Philip Miller, Exertis Micro-P Print Business Unit Manager, said: “Print still presents an excellent opportunity
for our valued retail partners. With Ricoh on board, we can help them to expand their print offering, enabling
them to increase their revenue channels by targeting the consumer market with Ricoh’s compelling product
offering.” www.ricoh.co.uk www.exertismicro-p.co.uk
www.printitreseller.co.uk
Shortlisted for award
Robin Stanton-Gleaves, Balreed
Digitec’s Group Managing Director, has
been shortlisted for the Entrepreneur
of the Year award at this year’s Insider
Media South East Dealmaker Awards.
The Dealmaker Awards are unique events
for the corporate finance, banking and
legal professions, and all nominations and
winners are voted for by the industry. The
majority of awards are presented to teams
and individuals from the region’s professional
services firms but the Entrepreneur Of
The Year award is an exception in that it
recognises the business person the industry
most admires for their achievements in the
last 12 months.
“I’m very honoured to have been
nominated for the award,” said StantonGleaves. “2013 was a huge year for
Balreed. Not only did we achieve over 20%
organic growth but we also completed two
acquisitions. I am lucky to have such a strong
team and it’s a very pleasant surprise when
the professional services firms from across
the region recognise our achievements.”
www.balreed.com
BLI picks winners
Canon has received seven Winter
2014 ‘Pick of the Year’ awards,
three ‘Environmental Outstanding
Achievement’ and two ‘Energy
Efficiency’ awards from testing
and research organisation Buyers
Laboratory (BLI).
Konica Minolta Business Solutions was
awarded the BLI A3 MFP Line of the Year
for the fourth time in a row. The range
impressed the judges with its reliability,
image quality, ease of use and productivity.
In addition, the company scooped individual
BLI Pick of the Year Awards for the bizhub
C364e, bizhub C454e, bizhub 554e and the
Mono Printer for Mid-Size Workgroups for its
bizhub 4700P.
www.buyerslab.com
Print.IT Reseller 07
bulletin
In the news
Antalis customer wins Brazil trip
Integra announces
2014 events
Integra Expo 2014 will take place on
27 March at the MK Dons Stadium,
Milton Keynes.
This one-day event is free to Integra
members and gives them the opportunity to
meet with over 50 key suppliers and service
providers during a five hour exhibition. In
addition, Integra welcomes any prospective
members to come along to find out more
about the group.
Aidan McDonough, Integra’s Managing
Director, said: “Last year’s exhibition was
a great success with many members and
suppliers saying they benefited tremendously
from the day. It’s an opportunity for dealer
principals to bring along other members of
their team to meet with suppliers. We recognise
that taking time out of a business is difficult
but it’s so important for dealers to be seeking
out new opportunities and expanding their
product offering. Integra Expo gives them the
chance to make those connections in one hit.”
On the day, members can also enjoy a
stadium tour and meet special guest Sir Geoff
Hurst MBE. Sir Geoff will always be best known
for scoring the hat-trick in England’s 1966
World Cup Final triumph. His achievement has
never been matched. He will host an interactive
question and answer session and photo
opportunity.
Integra will also be welcoming Sales
Development Consultant Parin Sachedina,
who will be hosting a workshop aimed at
MDs and their sales staff. Sachedina has over
25 years’ experience in both direct sales and
sales training and as head of training for
Lyreco, her 15-week sales training programme
saw new recruits yielding 60% more revenue
than ever before. More recently, she attained
similar results for Office Depot through
creating their Sales Academy.
www.integra-events.co.uk
08 Print.IT Reseller
Office reseller TODDS-AC is celebrating after winning a
£5,000 holiday for two to Rio as part of Antalis’ Image
Yourself competition.
The ‘Image Yourself’ campaign was launched in September
by Antalis to support a new drive to promote Image, its ownbrand range of uncoated office and business papers.
Specialising in supplying office and refurbishment products
to both commercial companies and educational organisations,
Lincoln-based TODDS-AC was selected at random from all
entrants as a winner in the interactive, Europe-wide competition.
Closing on 15 June, the remaining period of the competition
offers further prizes including weekly and monthly draws to win
TVs, video cameras, Ice watches and polo-shirts. There are six
trips to Brazil still to be won, including three one-week trips for
two people; two VIP trips with a ticket to one of the football
World Cup Quarter Finals; and the overall top prize of a VIP trip
to Rio and a ticket to the 2014 World Cup Final.
www.imageyourself.partner.com
New appointments
at Spicers
Spicers has announced considerable
investment in its team to elevate the
level of support available to reseller
partners as they strive for growth.
E-commerce expert Jason Bridgewater joins
Spicers from Halfords in the role of Director
of E-Commerce and takes responsibility for
the wholesaler’s lead-generating Memoetc
web platform. He will focus on the site’s
future development to support reseller growth
through this online initiative.
The wholesaler has also confirmed
extended investment in strategic category
development. Rebecca Stallard joins from
Newell Rubbermaid as Category Director
and David Orr as Category Sales Director
Furniture. Orr recently worked for technology
distributor Exertis Gem.
CEO Alan Ball said: “By progressing
with a team who will own the category
development strategy to work as a conduit
between our commercial team, customers
and suppliers, we can ensure the ongoing
delivery of a product and service offering
reflective of latest market trends and
consumer need. This ensures our customers
have the right proposition to take to market
and service the demands of the consumer.”
www.spicers.co.uk
Accolade for Apogee
The London Stock Exchange has named
Apogee amongst its ‘Companies to Inspire
Britain’. The 1,000 Companies to Inspire
Britain is a report that represents the
future of British industry. Compiled by
experts at the London Stock Exchange
Group, it comprises the most exciting
small and medium-sized businesses in the
UK, while highlighting the country’s major
trends and growth areas.
www.apogeecorp.co.uk
Synaxon partners with Centrex Services
Synaxon has signed a strategic partnership with
technology support specialist Centrex Services
to provide its members with direct access to
Centrex’s full portfolio of nationally-available
support and maintenance services.
Founded in 2006 and with over 150 employees,
Centrex Services operates its own UK-wide network,
with 88 field technicians. It provides nationwide
coverage with a four-hour business hours callout capability. All engineers have fast access to
replacement parts from 17 stock locations situated
throughout the UK. Calls and incidents are managed
from the company’s national contact and control
centre in Milton Keynes.
Derek Jones, Managing Director of Synaxon UK,
says that the agreement is a response to the growing
need amongst resellers and dealers for reliable thirdparty services.
Through Centrex, Synaxon members can now offer
expertise at every stage of the service supply chain,
from diagnosis to close. The company provides a single
point of contact for all requirements, from control
centre support to break-fix repairs, on a broad range of
IT products. Comprehensive service level agreements
enable resellers to offer peace-of-mind to customers
whilst driving higher revenues, profitability and
reducing operating costs.
www.synaxon.co.uk
01732 759725
Businesses need to wise up to the
inefficiencies of manual processes
Martin Fairman, Channel & SMB Sales Director, Lexmark UK & Ireland
The reality of today’s economic climate is that
we’re all more demanding and used to the
fast-paced nature of the digital age. Customers
and partners want faster answers and quick
response times.
In light of this, many businesses have already
started to reap the benefits of a move from out-dated
manual operations to automation. After all, manual
processes are a lengthier and more complicated way
of working and are prone to human error. Lexmark
recently conducted a survey of employees across
Europe, which shone light on these inefficiencies.
More than ever, it showed how businesses who still
run manual processes need to wise up to the business
benefits that automated operations can bring.
The research showed that on a personal level, staff
want fast, simple work processes that assist their dayto-day productivity. Having to deal with lengthy and
complicated manual processes isn’t efficient. When
asked, ‘What is the biggest problem associated with
manual admin processes?’ 50 per cent responded that
‘It takes too long to complete’.
With the error-prone nature of
manual processes proving costly,
there has never been a greater
need for partners to offer their
customers solutions to help them
stop wasting valuable time that
can lose them money.
Lexmark has solutions that
help businesses achieve a more efficient way of
working. From mobile capture apps, that can scan and
capture receipts so employees don’t have to manually
input expenses, to intelligent capture software,
Lexmark helps create more productive workflows.
The data from documents such as enquiries,
complaints, applications or reports are automatically
captured, sorted into a structured format, and
transferred into business processes and corporate
systems for greater visibility of the information across
the company. For businesses this typically eliminates
85-95 per cent of manual data entry that is otherwise
required, and improves access to information.
www.lexmark.co.uk
Lexmark Channel Value Programme –
It’s More than a Partner Programme.
A Rewarding Experience.
Join Lexmark’s Channel
Value Programme today
and starting enjoying
the following benefits:
Lexmark is much MORE than just a print vendor! In fact over the past three
years we have been transforming our global organisation into an IT provider
of industry specific solutions which will enable your customers to save
time and money. This makes selling Lexmark MORE margin rich, develops
MORE revenue streams, helping you to differentiate your company making
customers MORE dependent on your business.
• Dedicated sales support
So, whether you are, or need support in, selling output devices (printers and
MFP’s), content management software, workflow solutions or Basic Print
Services (click/MPS), Lexmark is here to support you every step of the way.
• Exclusive offers and promotions
• Customisable sales and
marketing tools
• Access to Lexmark’s Channel
Advantage Academy
• Access to Lexmark’s Virtual
Solutions Centre
• Ready-to-Go Marketing tools and
materials
and more...
Register now at www.reseller.lexmark.co.uk or contact 01628 518658
bulletin
In the news
NAPPS UPDATE
Logistics at all time high
Vasanta’s logistics operation, which was recently shortlisted in the Logistics
and Distribution category at the European Supply Chain Excellence Awards, has
implemented a series of innovations and improvements to ensure more advanced
delivery processes and further reductions in damage to stock. These include the
introduction of pallet collars to orders trunked to its regional cross dock sites;
investment in heat wrapping technology; an improved order picking process; and a
reorganisation of cross-dock operations.
Logistics Director John Burkill said: “Constant innovation has led us into 2014 with a £40 million
plus stock holding across 16,000 SKUs available for next day delivery; a 97% plus fill rate across
these SKUs; and an industry leading forecast and MRP Supply Chain Management system.”
www.vasantagroup.com
Kyocera launches
HyPAS apps
Kyocera’s latest HyPAS apps – Login
Manager, PinPoint Scan and Print &
Follow – are designed and priced to meet
the secure printing and scanning needs
of UK SMEs.
Assistant Product Marketing Manager
Sarah White said: “These new HyPAS apps
offer real enhancements to SOHO and SME
businesses by improving the way in which
everyone in the company, however small, uses
and shares their documents.
“Each app has been designed with SMEs
in mind so affordability and accessibility were
key factors taken into consideration. Login
Manager offers serverless user authentication
while PinPoint Scan and Print & Follow securely
enhance scan and print personalisation from
HyPAS-enabled KYOCERA MFPs over a network.”
www.kyoceradocumentsolutions.co.uk
Britain’s friendliest
business
Commercial Group has made the finals of
a national competition to find Britain’s
friendliest business.
The Cheltenham-based office supplies
dealership beat stiff competition to become one
of 20 finalists in the award sponsored by Liberis,
one of the UK’s largest providers of small and
medium sized business funding.
The winner will be crowned ‘Britain’s
Friendliest Business’ and receive a cash prize of
£10,000. www.commercial.co.uk
10 Print.IT Reseller
Brother makes top 100
Brother UK has been named as one
of the UK’s 100 best small companies
to work for. The survey of employees,
undertaken by The Sunday Times
and Best Companies, resulted in high
scores for Brother’s commitment to
staff wellbeing, personal growth, pay
and benefits, leadership and corporate
responsibility.
Managing Director Phil Jones said: “We’re
thrilled with this result. Recruiting, retaining
and maintaining a motivated workforce in
disruptive times is key and an award such
as this puts us right up there with the best
companies in the country and our industry.”
www.brother.co.uk
Spicers officially
launch Office Pie
2014’s biggest headache –
security
By Aaron Warham,
Director, NAPPS
How do you make your
customers feel secure?
The start of any new year
is the traditional time for
commentators and analysts
alike to make predictions on how they see the market
developing over the next 12 months – and the world
of document solutions and Managed Document
Services (MDS) is no different.
Looking across the opinion formers from global
OEMs, to major software developers and channel
resellers, the key developments in 2014 will be in
BYOD, mobile printing, the cloud and the leveraging
of Big Data. Which means the real game changer for
2014 will be security, with an extremely tight focus
on the security of your customers’ data.
Committing processes and therefore sensitive
information to the cloud, or opening up secure
networks to external devices carries a massive risk to
all parties involved and the security of the transmitted
data becomes as important as the process itself.
Our industry has been learning the initial lessons
of security through the transmission of customer
details for the billing and delivery portions of MPS
programs over the past 10 years, but the technological
leap required for this next stage of development will
push all involved to the next level of security.
With technological security becoming such a
major issue for 2014 and beyond, the channel would
also be advised to consider the human elements of
security. Or to put it another way, how do you make
your customers feel secure?
This level of security comes before the firewall
protocols and system overrides required for a
truly secure ICT system. Making your customers
feel secure starts at the very beginning of your
client relationship, when your role is not that of a
salesperson but that of a trusted consultant.
Which is why securing your customer base is the
most important development for 2014, as without it,
implementing new technologies which pose genuine
security issues to sensitive information will be almost
impossible.
Spicers has announced the release of
its new e-commerce solution, Office
Pie. After 12 months of development
and six months of intensive testing, the
wholesaler says that Office Pie is set to
replace the current OSCARnet solution
and raise the e-commerce bar within the
Office Supplies industry.
The functionally rich platform is built upon
the powerful and very credible Netalogue
software with a number of significant changes
to ensure it delivers the best technology and
platform intelligence within the market.
www.spicers.co.uk
01732 759725
Do business with Canon i-SENSYS
The Canon i-SENSYS range of business printers provides office
managers with, connectivity, efficiency and network security.
Combined with…
... your Canon i-Sensys specialist Andrew Callen, who can help ensure
that you get the best solution for your customer, and that you don’t
miss out on the latest deals and offers.*
Bid pricing is available
Public Sector discount
Easy Service Plan
Read more here
www.midwich.com/q114cpi
To find out more, call Andy Callen on
01379 649248
or visit www.midwich.com
*
Easy Service Plan is included on selected models. Bid pricing is available if you need 5 or more models. Terms & Conditions: Prices are correct at time of publication, please confirm at time of ordering. E&OE. All transactions are in accordance with
our full terms and conditions, a copy of which is available upon request. All trademarks are the property of their respective manufacturers. Your calls may be recorded for training or demonstration purposes. Copyright © Midwich Limited 2014. Midwich
Limited, Vinces Road, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4YT. Job Number: KD6028-Q1-14
bulletin
In the news
Dell starts its move into MPS
Xerox cuts ribbon on
new Innovation Centre
Xerox has extended its UK Innovation
Centre and strengthened the centre’s
links with Xerox’s European research
centre in Grenoble, France and with
PARC in Palo Alto, California.
The updated facility at Xerox’s UK and
European HQ in Uxbridge will give channel
partners and customers the opportunity to
see demonstrations of Xerox print, workflow
and MPS solutions and gain an insight into
future innovations being developed in Xerox
research centres.
The Innovation Centre includes a
Discovery Area where visitors can interact
with products and experts; an 80-seat
auditorium; and a 30-seat café for
networking and breakout meetings.
Darren Cassidy, managing director of
Xerox UK, said: “The Innovation Centre should
surprise a few people, and we’re confident
that all visitors will leave with a better
understanding of innovation at Xerox and the
benefits our services deliver to customers.”
www.xerox.co.uk
Resellers offering MPS have a new competitor in the
form of Dell, which has launched two new service
offerings as it moves towards offering full-scale,
pan-European managed print services for SMEs.
The Dell Print Page Service and Dell Toner Monitoring
Service are targeted at small and medium-sized businesses
wanting to reduce the cost and complexity of printer
management.
Dave McNally, product marketing director of Dell Imaging,
EMEA, said: “The services portfolio for UK customers
purchasing directly from Dell is designed to enable more
efficient print environments to boost savings and staff
productivity. Enabling businesses to monitor, replenish and
maintain their print operations and resources, these services
are building blocks in the creation of full managed print
services for SMBs.”
Dell Print Page Service is a pay-per-print offering that
enables customers to spread the cost of supplies, support
and maintenance over periods of up to five years with fixed
monthly payments for easy budgeting.
Dell Toner
Monitoring Service
is an automated
toner monitoring
and replenishment
service that
relieves customers
of the burden
of consumables
management
and storage. Dell
consumables
are supplied at a
discounted rate and
customers only pay
for what they use.
www.dell.co.uk
SaaS gives small service organisations an edge
Smaller resellers and
service organisations can
compete head-on with
larger rivals, thanks to a
new generation of cloudbased service solutions,
claims Tesseract Systems
MD Colin Brown.
In a podcast of an
interview given to Field
Service News, Brown says that the benefits of
software-as-a-service solutions like Tesseract’s own
SC5.1 service management system are changing the
service industry.
He said: “We have some very small companies
that are using our system. Before, they wouldn’t
have been able to afford to buy the product and they
wouldn’t have been able to afford the infrastructure
that was needed.”
Brown added that the ease and speed of
12 Print.IT Reseller
implementation might even give SaaS customers an
advantage over people who choose to install the
system on their premises. “Smaller companies with
SaaS are much quicker on their feet than larger ones
that still install software in-house and go through the
IT department,” he said.
Other advantages of the SaaS model, cited by
Brown in his interview with Field Service News,
include built-in disaster recovery; automatic upgrades
so that you are always working with the latest version
and features; and the fact that it doesn’t require a
large upfront investment.
For companies who prefer to keep their IT inhouse, Tesseract still provides server-based versions of
its service management solutions.
The company will be exhibiting at Service
Management Expo, taking place at ExCel London on
June 17-19 2014.
The podcast can be accessed on Tesseract’s
website at www.tesseract.co.uk.
NAPPS links up
with AIIM
NAPPS is working with AIIM (The
Association for Information and Image
Management) to promote and develop
the AIIM Forum UK. Replacing the annual
AIIM Roadshow, the event in London on
June 25 2014, will provide UK information
professionals with thought leadership,
market insights and practical advice on
the latest innovations in information
management.
www.aiimforum.co.uk
From left to right: AIT marketing manager
Liz Marshall with YDMT marketing and
communications officers Lindsay Wallace and
Sarah Brewer.
Pcounter gets its own
wood
AIT Ltd, the exclusive reseller of
Pcounter printer management software
in the UK, is helping to plant new native
woodland in association with Yorkshire
Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT), a
charity dedicated to caring for all
aspects of life in the Yorkshire Dales.
Every time Pcounter customers purchase
updates, support and maintenance, AIT will
dedicate a tree in the Pcounter Wood, helping
to conserve the Yorkshire countryside and
mitigate the carbon emissions of participating
organisations. Customers who choose will be
able to visit Pcounter Wood to see their tree.
Planting broadleaf trees to create new
native woodlands is one of many initiatives
undertaken by YDMT as part of its mission
to support the environmental, social and
economic well-being of the Yorkshire Dales.
Chris Lodge, Woodland Officer at YDMT
said: “By dedicating a tree for each of their
customers in this young woodland, AIT and
their customers are playing a crucial role in
supporting our efforts to restore broadleaf
woodlands in the Yorkshire Dales. Thanks to
initiatives like this, we have planted more than
1 million new trees, helping to create hundreds
of new wildlife habitats across the region.”
www.altman.co.uk
www.ydmt.org
01732 759725
OLIin1
New 21” HD Touch Screen PC for Windows 8
The OLI-in1 is Olivetti’s new all-in-one multi-point PC,
with a 21.5” full-HD touch screen, joins the range of
Olivetti IT products including laptops and Android-based
touch tablets. The multi-point screen senses 10 points of
contact, allowing for better accuracy; as most tablets and
multi-touch screens offer up to 5 points of contact.
With its clean modern design, this large screen PC
combines the power of a third-generation Intel processor
with the speed of a tablet. The back-lit LED screen provides
a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and the PC features a
powerful 500 GB hard drive with 4GB RAM, expandable
to 8GB.
This is an efcient tool, delivering outstanding performance
and reduced power consumption. The display can be set
in three different positions; 10°, 20° or at on a work
surface, and has 3 USB ports; two which support USB 2.0
and one for USB 3.0.
The OLI-in-1 also provides a 3 in 1 card reader, can
handle DVDs and CDs and also provides a 2 megapixel
HD webcam, making it one of the most exible touch PCs
available today.
If you would like to know more about
this, or any of Olivetti’s extensive range
of Colour and Mono MFPs, A4 Printers, IT
Products, Banking and EPOS Solutions:
Call: Abi Stafford on 01908 547980
Email: a.stafford@olivetti.com
Website: www.olivetti.co.uk
TOUCH SCREEN PC SOLUTIONS
opinion
The big trends
for 2014
As a supplier, the biggest challenge with
managed print services is you have to deliver.
By Gary Downey,
Balreed Digitec Group
Marketing Director
Well the momentum that was
building in the latter half of last year
hasn’t shown any sign of slowing
down in the first month of 2014;
if anything, it’s accelerating!
Spurred on by New Year’s resolutions
to take action, whether it’s to reduce costs
or push back on suppliers’ indifferent
service delivery, we’ve seen a flurry of new
enquiries and appointments made this
month.
You have to deliver
Top of the list when it comes to complaints
about incumbent suppliers has been
declining service standards. As a supplier,
the biggest challenge with managed print
services is you have to deliver.
Just today I sat with the IT and
Procurement heads of a large organisation
that had run out of patience with their
current supplier, whose promises of
proactive managed services were just not
being delivered. Time and again they were
finding their business seriously impacted
because their print equipment was down.
Printers and MFDs might not be the
sexiest technology on the planet but,
ultimately, with MPS you are committing
to manage an infrastructure which their
business relies upon. Tales of remote
management, monitoring and proactive
support to clinch the deal unravel very
quickly when they are just stories, and, in
this case, it was only once the company
had put their faith in their supplier that
they learned the truth – to their cost.
Sadly, this sort of thing does no good to
our industry as everyone gets tarred with
the same brush. It’s for this very reason
that organisations like NAPPS have such
a positive impact, setting standards which
those outside our industry can rely upon to
deliver to their MPS expectations. And, on
our part, we always invite clients to visit
our MPS operations centre so they can see
for themselves just how real our dedicated
MPS team are and how we deliver the
managed service experience we promise.
14 Print.IT Reseller
The challenge
for us resellers
is to catch up.
Change is constant
Thinking about what the big trends for
2014 are got me thinking about the
milestones we have passed in this industry
over the years. There was the launch of
the first colour devices in the late 80s, and
the early 90s was the time of networked
devices and multifunctionals – you couldn’t
move for adverts with swiss army knives
in them! Then came the first wave of
occasional or colour capable devices. These
were followed by new fangled document
management systems, then scanning was a
hot topic and so it went on.
What is interesting is that these were
new technologies developed by the R&D
departments of manufacturers which we
in the reseller community then went and
sold. It was the reseller and the industry
creating a market. Initially the concept was
sold and then, as interest turned to desire,
the features and functionality competed
for the sale.
But that’s not true of today’s emerging
trends. With technologies such as the cloud
we resellers are not creating the market
and we are certainly not in control of it.
It’s the domestic user who is leading that
trend.
Think about who the early adopters
are. Corporate businesses looked at the
cloud concept for years, but concerns over
security, resilience and corporate policies
tempered their enthusiasm. And then the
individual home user went and adopted
it overnight. Today there’s no-one in the
developed world who doesn’t know about
iTunes or Facebook. Everyone from young
children to octagenarians are using cloud
services, many of them free, to store, share
and communicate. Home PCs and hard
drives gather dust whilst the domestic
market leaps into the cloud. And these
individuals are bringing their expectations
into the office.
We need to catch up
The challenge for us resellers is to catch up.
We didn’t create this market, but we do
need to be able to satisfy it.
Instant access to scan documents into
a cloud, can you provide that? How about
retrieving and printing documents from a
personal cloud whilst in the office? And
what about security or control? There are
no boundaries in a smartphone or tablet
user's mind; everything they need and do is
available in their joined-up world, and this
train is heading our way at a pace. Are you
ready to jump on?
www.balreed.com
01732 759725
Exertis Advent
browser independent
software
Ratio 3
1
Tesseract was formed in 1985 to develop, market, sell and support
specialised systems for the Service Industry, and can now boast over
350 successful installations worldwide. Our full suite of modules
includes contract management, helpdesk, scheduling, workshop,
mobile data, stock and logistics and customer web portal.
2
Meter Billing!
The tesseract service management system has a fully
integrated Meter Billing and invoicing component.
Ad Tesseract
service centre clients
include:
www.tesseract.co.uk
The service centre 5.1 contract system
supports meter billing contracts
this includes:
• Usage, Block, Discounted or Minimum Billing
• Consumable Entitlement
• Unlimited Meters per Device
• Multiple Machines & Sites Consolidated Contracts
• Non Metered Contracts
• T&M Contracts
• Customer Meter Readings via the Web
• Seamless Integration to your chosen Financial Package
• Integration to Remote Monitoring Solutions
www.printitreseller.co.uk
Contact Tesseract on +44 (0) 1494 465066
European Office
1 Newmans Row,
Lincoln Inn, Lincoln Road,
High Wycombe, Bucks.
HP12 3RE United
Kingdom
sales
+44(0)1494 465066
email
sales@tesseract.co.uk
North American Office
11150 Sunset Hills Road,
Suite 307,
Reston, VA 20190 USA
sales
+1 703 437 4230
email
sales@tesseractUSA.com
Print.IT Reseller 15
cover story
The brilliant future
of printing
Outstanding print quality and superior media flexibility
for the graphic arts market
Mark Porter,
Print and Supplies
Manager,
Tech Data UK
The ES9541 goes far beyond the
capabilities of traditional digital colour
printers with its superior media handling
including transparent media, banners and
heavyweight cardstock.
It prints at speeds of up to 50 pages
per minute and has a consumables
capacity of up to 38,000 pages. It supports
paper sizes from A6 to SRA3; banner
lengths of 1.3m; and media of up to
360gsm (single sided) or 320gsm (duplex).
An optional EFI Fiery XF server provides
enhanced colour management.
Award winning
The ES9541 was showcased at last year’s
VISCOM exhibitions in Paris, Milan and
Düsseldorf and won a prestigious VISCOM
‘Best of 2013’ award. The product has
also been awarded the 2013 Good Design
Award – Japan's only comprehensive
product design award, which is judged by
over 70 designers, architects, editors and
other specialists.
The centrepieces of the OKI stand
at IPEX 2014 will be two new
innovations – the ES9541 and C931
LED digital colour printers.
The revolutionary, award-winning new
ES9541 was developed to meet a wide
range of graphic arts and commercial
printing needs and is the industry's first
five colour digital LED A3 printer.
Marketing Manager Andrew Hall said
that this new model enables creative
businesses and copy shops to produce a
greater variety of material on demand, in
short-runs, more cost-effectively than ever
before. “The ES9541 provides an expansive
new world of printing capabilities and
revenue-generating opportunities,” he said.
16 Print.IT Reseller
First in its class
The ES9541 features a five colour toner
configuration. In addition to cyan,
magenta, yellow and black process colours,
the ES9541 offers an extra spot colour in
white or clear gloss.
The white toner option is ideal for
printing on colour paper, transparent
film, T-shirt transfers and promotional
merchandise; and the clear gloss for
producing high quality catalogues,
manuals, photobooks and marketing
documents.
The ES9541 is the first LED printer in
its class to offer this capability: white or
clear spot colour printing was previously
only available on expensive digital or
lithographic printing equipment.
Leveraging its unique digital LED
technology, with the ES9541 OKI has made
significant advancements in print speeds,
colour resolution and registration and
introduced numerous other productivityenhancing capabilities.
...this new
model
enables
creative
businesses
and copy
shops to
produce
a greater
variety of
material on
demand...
Print and graphics excellence
OKI’s new C931 delivers print and graphics
excellence, unbeatable colour quality and
media flexibility beyond expectations, all at
low running costs.
“We’ve taken digital colour printing
to a new level with the introduction of
the C931,” said Hall. “This new A3 colour
printer delivers outstanding print quality
whilst pushing the boundaries of media
flexibility, further establishing OKI as a
leader in digital LED innovation.”
Designed for the graphic arts market,
the C931 offers best in class, high
definition print quality, achieved through
OKI’s Multi-Level ProQ technology. This,
coupled with OKI’s unique single-pass LED
technology, delivers consistent high quality
colour, with no compromise on speed and
performance.
"The new C931 establishes OKI as the de
facto gold standard, making it the product
of choice for graphic arts applications, as it
provides unprecedented levels of quality and
performance," said Hall.
01732 759725
cover story
Both the ES9541 and C931 combine unique features and low
running costs in a single device, providing graphic arts, print
shop and business users with the ability to produce short-run
digital print tasks at a very high quality.
Better all-round
Like the ES9541, the C931 features print
speeds of up to 50 pages per minute and
consumables capacity of up to 38,000
pages – the highest in its class – to support
high volume production grade printing.
With OKI’s proprietary single-pass flat
paper path and LED technology, the C931
can handle media of up to 360gsm (single
sided) or 320gsm (duplex), heavier than
any comparable printer. “Add to this media
sizes from A6 to SRA3, banner lengths of
up to 1.3m and transparent media and you
have the most versatile printer in its price
range,” Hall added.
An optional EFI Fiery XF server enables
advanced colour management including
spot and process colours, optimising the
colour depth and print quality needed in
the graphic arts industry.
“In each of these features and other
individual areas of functionality, the C931
is ahead of the competition,” said Hall.
“Put them together however and the new
C931 marks a dramatic step forward in
performance, flexibility and total cost of
ownership.”
flexible, class-leading printing technology
brings production grade colour printing
in-house, enabling businesses to print what
they need, when they need it.”
Both the ES9541 and C931 combine
unique features and low running costs in a
single device, providing graphic arts, print
shop and business users with the ability to
produce short-run digital print tasks at a
very high quality.
Until March 31, 2014 OKI is offering
resellers the opportunity to receive £500
worth of Compliments Vouchers
for each printer purchased.
www.oki.co.uk
Key features
• High speed printing: 50 pages per minute, colour and
mono
• Media flexibility: up to 360gsm media weight, with
320gsm duplex capability
• Support for gloss paper, film, transfer paper and
waterproof paper
• Highest in class consumables capacity (38,000 pages)
• Easy to use with 10.9cm colour LCD and numeric keypad
• Separate toners and drums for optimum usage
• Robust multi-purpose trays providing flexible media
configuration options up to 2,950 sheets
• Optional EFI Fiery XF
• LED-based engine for superior print quality
High quality
The C931 is primarily targeted at the
specialist graphic arts market but is also
well suited to general office applications
with a requirement for high quality colour
printing.
“The C931 redefines LED digital colour
printing,” said Hall. “As a result, OKI’s
www.printitreseller.co.uk
Print.IT Reseller 17
mobility
Roam is the new home
According to Phil Jones, Managing
Director of Brother UK, ‘roam’ is
the new working capital for agile
businesses evolving their cultures
and working practices.“Resellers
need to tap into this growing trend
of roaming workers and ensure that
they have the skills and knowledge
to address their requirements as well
as the product portfolios,” he said.
...it’s actually big business and
the Government who are getting
behind agile working and
actively promoting the benefits.
“The traditional 9-5 work pattern
no longer exists for the majority
of people. Now it’s all about agile,
flexible, mobile working. We check
our work emails on our phones, join
conference calls from trains and
prepare for meetings in our hotel
rooms, and print is changing as a
result of this.”
Jones maintains that this trend is only
going one way. “While agile working is
often perceived as the preserve of small
business and start-ups, it’s actually big
business and the Government who are
getting behind agile working and actively
promoting the benefits. The recently
launched Agile Future Forum initiative
counts the likes of Tesco, Lloyds Banking
Group and HM Treasury within its ranks,
and in a recent report they found that
flexible working can cut costs by up to
13%,” he said.
He added: “This shift in attitude
is creating huge sales opportunities
for resellers. Many businesses need
their employees to be able to work as
productively on the road as they do in
the office and are looking for the right
products, technology and partners to
support this.
“Whether it be a modular case on
wheels, device chargers, privacy filters,
or portable print and scan devices to
ensure mobile workers have a genuinely
productive ‘portable office’ – the
opportunity is huge.”
Consumer technology creeps into
business
Brother spoke to IT buyers* and found
that 40% operate a BYOD (bring your
own device) policy already, giving more
choice to individuals about how they equip
themselves when working on the move.
This has also created a huge
opportunity in the device peripheral market
for related accessories. Brother has seen a
rise in the popularity of mobile document
scanners, which can be used to create
digital, shareable versions of documents on
Continued...
Focus on connectivity
Brother has three new A3 inkjets targeted at
mid-range office users, the MFC-J6520DW,
MFC-J6720DW and MFC-J6920DW. Designed
to offer businesses affordable and efficient
A3 printing, the machines have a low cost
per page and fastest in class print speeds.
The all-in-one devices feature the latest
connectivity technology to ensure the best ever
compatibility with mobile and tablet devices as well
as direct access to cloud services. All of the printers
in the range feature wireless, USB and wired
network connectivity, as well as smartphone and
tablet printing options such as Apple AirPrint and
18 Print.IT Reseller
Google Cloud Print.
The top model in the range, the MFCJ6920DW, is the first ever A3 model with NFC (near
field communication) printing. Users can print from
and scan to an NFC-enabled mobile device through
Brother’s iPrint&Scan app by simply holding it near
the machine. Ideal for areas with limited Wi-Fi, the
technology enables users to print and scan quickly
and easily from smartphones and tablets.
The range features LCD screens and
electrostatic keys that only illuminate when
needed, enabling quick access to cloud services
including Google Drive, Dropbox, Facebook, Flickr,
Picasa,
Box, SkyDrive and
Evernot. Users can both print
and scan directly from and to these programs.
www.brother.co.uk
01732 759725
With...
+ More than 20 direct manufacturer relationships, offering customers a broad range of products
+ 98% stock availability, giving customers reliability of supply
+ Access to up to date vendor marketing and advertising schedules
+ Over 30 years experience in the technology sector
...it all adds up to the
Value Of Wholesale
Print.IT Reseller
mobility
Print goes mobile
...continued
the go for workflow integration.
With more consumer technology
being used in business, there is also rising
demand for printing from smartphones and
tablet devices. However, Jones said that
resellers need serious expertise to be able
to tap into this market.
“Many enterprises are now developing
MDM – a mobile device management
policy. MDM may place restrictions on
employees printing from smartphones,
because it might not comply with an
enterprise-wide security policy. Few
businesses are going to be implementing
cloud printing in an enterprise without first
talking to the IT department as well as the
management information system team,”
he said.
“There’s a myth that agile working can
disrupt colleague collaboration. However,
using the right technology will ensure
employees can share ideas and work easily.
It is clear that agile working is building
momentum in businesses of all sizes and
so now is the time for resellers to capitalise
on this considerable opportunity,” he
added.
apps installed on the device.
A new version of the Canon Mobile
Printing app for iOS features a new
data conversion service, which ensures
documents are printed in the correct layout
every time. The app corrects potential
corruptions to the format or layout of a
document during the printing process by
converting them in the cloud, rather than
relying on a rendering mechanism installed
on the mobile device itself.
In addition to the mobile app updates,
Canon has added support for MEAPenabled i-SENSYS printers to its Google
Cloud Print for MEAP app, making them
suitable for mobile working.
“Our new i-SENSYS MFPs and mobile
apps help organisations to close this
gap and create a workforce that remains
productive inside and outside the office,”
said Jagpal.
Struggle to provide technology
According to Canon’s Office Insights
report, 30% of European office employees
are now working remotely. “However,
organisations across Europe still struggle
to provide technology that enables them
to work flexibly on the move,” said Anil
Jagpal, European Marketing Manager for
i-SENSYS at Canon Europe.
Canon recently launched two
mobile-ready i-SENSYS black-and-white
multifunction printers, the MF6140dn
and MF6180dw, which bring a variety of
mobile working features into this category,
including support for Apple AirPrint and
Google Cloud Print, as well as the updated
Canon Mobile Printing app and the new
Canon Mobile Scanning for Business app.
The Canon Mobile Scanning for
Business app supports its i-SENSYS,
imageRUNNER and imageRUNNER
ADVANCE ranges. The free app allows
users to scan documents directly to
their mobile devices and to the cloud;
send via email; or modify scan settings
such as resolution, file format or colour
mode. Users can also manage scanned
documents saved on their mobile devices
through the app, with the flexibility to
change the files’ location or further process
the scans for printing or sharing via other
New level of functionality
“Employees are now taking their offices
with them wherever they go, and being
able to print documents from mobile
devices without a printer driver saves time,
is highly convenient and results in more
efficient and effective communications,”
said Jeremy Spencer, Marketing Director of
Toshiba TEC UK Imaging Systems.
Toshiba has further enhanced its
e-BRIDGE Print & Capture Lite application
and recently announced that its
e-STUDIO2550CSE and 5055CSE series
MFPs are now able to support Apple’s
AirPrint wireless printing software.
The recently launched e-BRIDGE
Print & Capture Lite is an Android-based
application that allows users to utilise
Toshiba TEC e-STUDIO MFPs to print and
scan from their mobile devices. Individuals
can use MFPs on their network, pick from
a list of those most recently used, or select
an MFP by scanning the displayed QR
code. It also supports cloud-based data
storage such as Dropbox, Google Drive
and SkyDrive, allowing information to be
uploaded into the cloud and retrieved as
and when required.
“Our e-BRIDGE Print & Capture
application offers a new level of
functionality and flexibility to users of
20 Print.IT Reseller
Brother’s latest addition to its portable printer range,
the PJ-673, is powered by rechargeable batteries
connected via AC or vehicle power kits, and can print
A4 documents from tablets, smartphones and laptops
through a wireless connection.
Designed to work seamlessly with mobile and portable
devices, the PJ-673 offers wireless and USB connectivity. Compact
and lightweight, the 480g machine prints using direct thermal
printing technology, so no ink, toner or
ribbons are needed.
www.brother.co.uk
Android-based smartphones and tablets.
Apple AirPrint compatibility now means
that owners of iPads and iPhones can
enjoy an equally beneficial experience,”
he added.
Employees
are now
taking their
offices
with them
wherever
they go and
being able
to print
documents
from mobile
devices
without a
printer driver
saves time...
MPS beyond print
Xerox recently introduced a suite of new
tools and services within its MPS offering
including the Xerox Mobile Print Solution.
The Xerox Mobile Print Solution offers
secure printing via the Xerox Mobile
Print app. Users can print from their
desktop, laptop, tablet, mobile devices and
smartphones. Additional enhancements
include locating public printers using GPS
and maps; integrated cloud printing with
a customer’s active directory and with
Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino
email servers; secure card reader and
Follow You Print solutions for a unified
end user experience; as well as web page
printing, media selection and support for
large scale global deployment models.
“Work is no longer a physical place.
It happens anytime, anywhere, causing
both challenges and opportunities. Our
next generation of managed print services
helps clients take control of information
while managing everyday concerns
such as productivity, mobility, security
and sustainability,” said Mike Feldman,
President, Large Enterprise Operations,
Xerox.
www.brother.co.uk,
www.canon.co.uk,
www.toshibatec.co.uk,
www.xerox.com
*Research conducted online in
January 2013 amongst corporate
IT decision makers.
01732 759725
LIMITED
OFFER:
S1100 and S1300i
models now
bundled with
Adobe® Acrobat®
XI Standard
At Northamber,
It’s WIN WIN for
Resellers & Customers
with Fujitsu Scanners
By purchasing an award-winning Fujitsu ScanSnap scanner
from Northamber, not only can customers get round to
doing more of those things they never found the time for,
but also get the chance to win an enterprise award of up to
€200,000* as well as a host of other cash prizes and discount
hotel stays. Plus, if a customer wins over €1,000, the reseller
that sold it wins 10% of the award in MDF funds.
Resellers should call Northamber, the scanning experts on 020 8296 7066.
End-users should visit www.scansnapsavestime.com
Smarter working offers greater
control over your time allowing
you to explore new ways of
growing your business or spend
more time with the family .
*Prizes of €1,000 or over awarded as an enterprise award.
“Adobe”, “Acrobat” and the Adobe PDF logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
VAR
Totalmarketing™
twitter.com/
Northamberplc
Totallogistics™
Totaltraining™
Totalfinance™
Totalconfig™
t: 020 8296 7066 w: northamber.com
linkedin.com/company/
northamber
northamber
Total Distribution™
©Northamber 2014 E and O.E. Prices appear as trade and exclude VAT & delivery. Prices stated as at 24th January ‘14.
channel investment
Toshiba launches
transformational
education program
After nearly two years of research and planning, Toshiba TEC UK Imaging
Systems has just launched a transformational education programme,
a move that reinforces its commitment to invest in initiatives that support
its channel partners’ business growth objectives.
Alan Ball,
CEO, Spicers
(l-r) Rob Holyoake, Gary Putson, David Griffiths, Michael Woodcock, Michael Sweeney, Carl Day, Mat Deevey,
Mick Fowler, Kamal Hussein, Ed Barnett, Matt Brown and Greg Payne
Speaking to PrintIT Reseller, Carl
Day, Sales Director Indirect Division,
explained the rationale behind the
Toshiba Masters programme, which
is available exclusively to Toshiba
resellers, and the value-add that it
offers dealerships.
Day explained that his passion and
interest in the indirect channel stems from
its ambition and drive to succeed and
that as a result his strategy as head of
Toshiba’s indirect division has always been
to support and add value through offering
change or support for change.
“Whilst incentive trips, golf days
and the like play an important part in
22 Print.IT Reseller
us forging strong relationships with our
dealers, we wanted to offer something that
was both relevant to and which would play
a pivotal role in driving business growth for
our partners.
“I’ve always felt that education,
training and people development are the
most effective ways of producing better
long-term sustainable results. And from a
personal perspective, over the years I’ve
benefited greatly from ongoing education
and training; it’s enabled me to be the
differentiator in competitive situations,”
he said.
This was a key driver in Toshiba’s
development of its latest channel initiative.
I've never
met a
company so
passionate
about
delivery...
Opportunity and profit potential
The Toshiba Masters programme,
which will lead to an MSc in Leading
Sales Transformation, is delivered in
partnership with global sales performance
improvement company Consalia and is
validated by Middlesex University.
Prior to launching the Toshiba Masters
Programme, Toshiba spoke to its partners
to gauge initial interest, which Day says
was really positive. “We followed this up
by inviting them to the official unveiling, an
event which we co-hosted with Consalia.
We outlined the course content and
described the benefits, opportunity and
profit potential that the Toshiba Masters
programme would provide. We then invited
interested parties to sign up,” he added.
“There was no sales pitch,” said Day.
“It was purely on an opt-in basis. If we
had to sell it hard to get buy-in, then the
chances are we’d get the wrong people on
board.”
Day said that the opportunity for
channel partners to achieve a Masters in
Leading Sales Transformation represents a
fresh and unique approach to innovation
and sales growth. “This is an extremely
exciting project for us; no-one has ever
offered anything like it for the channel up
until now.
“I feel that the Toshiba Masters
program is a truly unique way of effecting
change and collaboration through our
channel, whilst simultaneously offering a
huge value-add to our dealers and their
people for the long-term,” he said.
Partner of choice
During the planning stages, Toshiba looked
at lots of options and spoke to a number
of providers but, according to Day, once
he met Consalia founder Phillip Squire, it
was quickly evident that they would be
Toshiba’s partner of choice.
“I’ve never met a company so
passionate on delivery and so consistent
in their ability to engage on a one-to-one
basis. It was this dedication that made
Consalia the perfect partner to help us
meet our objectives,” he said.
01732 759725
channel investment
Toshiba solves problem at the CAB
Carl Day, Sales Director, Indirect Division,
Toshiba TEC UK Imaging Systems
“It’s taken a lot of time and hard
work to get to where we are today – but
from day one, Consalia’s passion to
professionalise sales was overwhelming.
The tailored course, which is now up and
running perfectly, fits both Toshiba’s and
our partners’ business objectives.”
Focused on sales
For the first time, the Toshiba Masters
programme provides channel partners
with the opportunity to offer academic
recognition to their sales leaders and
salespeople for their sales experience and
excellence in a work environment. The
programme is totally focused on sales
roles and based on proven practices for
performance improvement and real-world
learning.
“The purpose is to improve the
professional status of salespeople, which
is all too often overlooked, and to provide
organisations with important research and
innovation on sales practices,” said Day.
Consalia has extensive experience
working with a number of organisations
wishing to educate their internal staff, but
this was their first venture working with
the channel, something that they were
very keen to do. “Consalia has worked
extremely hard getting to grips with our
industry and its sales culture in order
to provide us with a programme that
unlocks change in thought, which
in turn creates a platform for sales
transformation,” said Day.
“Middlesex University, one of the
world’s top work-based learning centres,
adds the academic rigour and flexible
assessment that is pivotal to the success of
these programmes,” he added.
Investing for growth
Toshiba has made a significant financial
investment in the programme, which they
view as a highly effective way of delivering
tangible business benefits to partners.
“Our dealers have also invested. Those
with staff enrolled have made a financial
contribution toward the course costs and
www.printitreseller.co.uk
on graduation there is a process in place
that will enable them to recover 50% of
this investment,” he said.
The inaugural course, which kicked off
mid-January, currently has thirteen people
enrolled: Michael Woodcock, Mick Fowler
and Gary Putson, Arena; Rob Holyoake
and Matt Brown, Stratus; Kamal Hussein,
Carlton Reece; Ed Barnett, Copiermate;
Tom Nolan, NCS; Greg Payne, Premier;
Mat Deevey, Cloudsmart; David Griffiths,
Sharples; Michael Sweeney, TOS Ireland;
and Carl Day. They are expected to
graduate in June 2016.
“I truly believe that the seven
key modules in the Toshiba Masters
programme will deliver positive change
to our channel, our business and our
employees. I am very excited to be working
with my fellow students, Consalia and
Middlesex University and look forward to
the challenge ahead,” said Day.
www.consalia.com
www.toshibatec.co.uk
The
programme
is totally
focused on
sales roles
and based
on proven
practices for
performance
improvement
and realworld
learning.
The Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB)
Allerdale, based in Workington,
Cumbria, employs 20 paid staff and
up to 50 volunteers. In common with
many other CAB branches, the amount
of administration and documentation
that it has to deal with has grown
exponentially and this was proving
problematic for administrative staff.
The CAB recently introduced PETRA, a new
client management software system which
allows materials to be shared throughout the
entire CAB network. However, the process of
scanning documents into both the new and old
systems remained incredibly time consuming.
Scanning had to be carried out using softwaredriven desktop MFPs and processing capacity
was just five pages a minute.
Documents then had to be identified and
renamed manually at a shared PC and, to
avoid confusion and loss of files, only one
complete document could be scanned at a
time. In some cases just one computer had
access to the scanner, causing an additional
bottleneck, while the scanned documents also
had to be manually deleted from the shared
folder after uploading a copy to the Bureau’s
client management software system.
These complex processes increased the
potential for documents to be duplicated,
deleted or lost between the scanning and
uploading process, and it was this that
prompted Office Manager Maggie Titley to
approach Toshiba TEC UK Imaging Systems
for advice.
Utilising its unique e-BRIDGE open
software architecture, Toshiba recommended
and implemented a more efficient system. The
Bureau’s legacy e-STUDIO255 mono A3 MFP
remained in-situ after Toshiba retrospectively
modified it to work with the new PETRA
system using e-BRIDGE connectors. In
addition, a newer model, the e-STUDIO256SE,
was introduced to reduce scanning time and
increase productivity.
With the new system, scanning can be
carried out at a rate of up to 75 pages per
minute, whilst ‘push’ technology quickly and
accurately sends multiple scans to a user’s
personal folder with a relevant document
name.
“The new system has had an extremely
positive impact on the administration staff at
Citizens Advice Allerdale,” said Titley. “It has
made an enormous difference to the amount
of time we have to spend on scanning and
has made our entire operation so much more
efficient.”
www.toshibatec.co.uk
Print.IT Reseller 23
MASTERING YOUR SUCCESS
Unleash your inner potential
We're recruiting...
Grow your business with Toshiba TEC.
Let us help you become a master of
your own success, together with our
award winning, innovative products
and outstanding service.
We view our Channel Partners as an
extension of our sales force, working
hard to build a strong and lasting
relationship with all of our dealers.
Contact us today.
www.toshibatec.co.uk
info@toshibatec.co.uk
0843 2244944
dealer profile
Expanding into new
regions and new markets
Gateshead-headquartered United Carlton Office Systems Ltd was
established in 1996 after five colleagues spotted an opportunity to go
it alone when the company they all worked for was acquired by IKON
(later integrated into Ricoh’s business).
Director Warren Colby told PrintIT
Reseller that the opportunity to set up
a North-East Sharp dealership was too
good to pass up. “As a team, we were
really focussed on customer service
and our strategy from day one was
to pick up new business by playing to
this strength,” he said.
“With Sharp, we had a great product
line to sell and had each over the years
built up strong relationships with lots of
local businesses, so we literally went out
and knocked on doors.”
It was a strategy that worked, as the
five founding partners achieved a £1m
turnover in their first year of trading.
In 1999, they acquired Carlton Business
Machines which also had an annual
turnover of around £1m. Merging the two
businesses involved adopting best practice
and processes and re-branding as United
Carlton Gateshead.
Continued growth
The company has enjoyed continued
growth year-on-year and today employs
over 100 staff who look after its 5,000+
accounts. According to Colby, customer
service remains its number one priority
and, as a result, client retention remains
consistently high. “One of the biggest
successes we celebrated in the early years
was when we were awarded a major
contract with Durham County Council. We
held this for 13 years and it firmly placed
us on the map within the education and
local government markets,” he said.
www.printitreseller.co.uk
(l-r) The five
partners:
John Watson,
Mark Bryce,
John Ellis,
Warren Colby,
Michael Nelson
and Paul Dawson
Merging
the two
businesses
involved
adopting
best
practice and
processes...
It was this experience that played a
pivotal role in United Carlton winning
the tender for East Riding of Yorkshire
County Council eight years ago. “This
included North-East Lincolnshire and North
Lincolnshire Councils. Even though we
didn’t have a physical presence in those
areas at that time, we were still selected as
the preferred supplier,” said Colby.
They opened a satellite office in Market
Weighton and employed four engineers,
two installation staff and an IT engineer on
day one to service that account. “It was an
initial five-year contract,” said Colby. “But
it was extended for a further two years and
we won it again in 2013.”
Commercial focus
With a goal to expand its reach into new
regions, four years ago United Carlton
opened an office in York. And last summer
it appointed Eric Shackleton as Regional
Sales Manager with a brief to develop and
drive a strategy to support the company’s
goal to gain a foothold within the
commercial sector. This included recruiting
a new team of commercial sales people
who are now in place.
Leveraging the wealth of experience
gained through his many years in the office
equipment business, most recently as
Managing Director of Hull-based Gemtec;
Shackleton will extend United Carlton’s
presence within commercial businesses, in
a wider geographical area that will include
Leeds and West Yorkshire.
Three-year plan
Turnover is now in excess of £15.5 million
per annum and according to Colby the
business has a three-year plan in place to
hit the £19m mark. “We will do this partly
through organic growth, but we do have
other plans in place to support this.”
United Carlton has invested heavily
in its infrastructure. “We’re putting a lot
of time and resource into marketing and
last year we spent around £130,000,”
Colby explained. “We’re launching a new
refreshed website, have invested in a
comprehensive CRM system and upgraded
and improved our IT systems for example,
all of which will provide us with the
platform to grow and expand.”
He added: “Our over-riding goal is to
replicate the successes enjoyed in both
our Gateshead and York businesses by
opening up new offices in other parts of
the country. We are one of Sharp’s topperforming dealers and we also sell and
support Toshiba technology. Our service
footprint already extends nationally and
we’re confident that we can extend the
business in new regions.”
Colby hinted that the opening of the
next office in Manchester could potentially
take place in the first half of 2014.
www.united-carlton.co.uk
Print.IT Reseller 25
acquisition
1st Office completes
major acquisition
1st Office Equipment Ltd has completed the acquisition of
Caerphilly-based Digital Systems UK (South Wales & West) Ltd, an
independent supplier of Olivetti photocopier and print equipment.
enables them to offer independent advice
on the best equipment to meet individual
customers’ business needs. “We enjoy
strong relationships with our partners and
as all of our technicians are manufacturertrained, our customers also benefit from a
first-class maintenance service,” said Jones.
1st Office is Olivetti’s Elite Dealer
in the South-West and one of the
region’s largest independent printing
services providers. Its head office is
in Bath and it has regional offices
in Plymouth, Exeter, Barnstaple and
Bristol, each of which is staffed with
a team of local sales, service and
after sales support personnel.
Sales and Marketing Director Andrew
Jones said that the acquisition of Digital
Systems is a significant development in
the plans 1st Office has in place to expand
its business and will play a key part in its
strategy to extend its reach along the M4
corridor into South Wales.
According to Jones, when the
opportunity to acquire Digital Systems
presented itself, it was an easy decision to
make. “Digital Systems was a perfect fit
for us. The company works with the same
business partners and shares the same
commitment to delivering exceptional
service that we do at 1st Office.”
Accelerate expansion
“In addition, having a physical office in
Caerphilly staffed by an experienced and
26 Print.IT Reseller
Andrew Jones,
Sales and Marketing
Director,
1st Office
dedicated team, as well as a significant
installed customer base, will enable us
to accelerate our expansion plans and
increase our presence within South Wales,”
he said.
1st Office, which has been trading for
three decades, employs 65 people and
enjoys an annual turnover of £7m. It has
enjoyed continued growth year-on-year,
achieved both organically and through
acquisition. It acquired Bath-based Clark
Business Products in 2005 and Saltashbased Crown Copiers in 2008.
“We have also purchased a number
of smaller dealerships’ machine bases
tactically over the years to increase our
MIF,” Jones explained.
As to the future, Jones confirmed that
they are looking at other acquisitions. He
said: “We will make further acquisitions
where there is a fit with our business and
where we can see a tangible benefit to our
expansion plans. The natural progression
would be to move east along the M4
corridor towards Reading.”
On the hardware side, 1st Office
has partnered with Olivetti, Ricoh and
Lexmark, a multi-brand strategy that
Flexible outsourcing
The company has evolved its offering and
now provides customers with flexible
outsourcing solutions to meet their
changing business needs. Services include
proactive management of the entire printer
estate through its MPS offering as well
as outsourced IT services. In essence, 1st
Office can remotely manage and provide
all of the support necessary to ensure a
client’s IT infrastructure, from its servers
through to its printers, are managed,
serviced and supported for maximum
uptime and business efficiency.
“This is the fastest growing area of our
business,” said Jones. “Currently we deliver
a fully managed service to around 20%
of our client base and we expect that to
increase to 50% by the end of this year.
“Our plan is to introduce Digital
Systems’ customers to our improved MPS
and new IT Services and this is where we
see the potential for growth,” he added.
The acquisition ranks 1st Office as
the largest Olivetti dealer in the UK
providing office copier and print equipment
technologies, with a wide range of
document and workflow software, for both
office and print production environments.
Dennis Woods, Managing Director of
Olivetti UK Ltd, said: “We have always
been very impressed with the strong
business performance of both companies
and now that they have merged both
businesses, they are a strong force to be
reckoned with. I have no doubts that they
will continue to deliver an exceptional
service performance to their customers.”
www.1st-office.com
01732 759725
channel
Tesseract
directory
BOOST YOUR SALES TEAM’S
PERFORMANCE
FINANCE UNLOCKED: HOW TO SELL AND WIN WITH FINANCE is a free training course
from BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions that helps sales professionals working in the tech
sector adopt a more strategic and informed approach to their selling process.
To book your in-house session, please contact Andy Milsom:
T: 07966 114243
E: andy.milsom@uk.bnpparibas.com
Advert Aug 2013 edit1.indd 1
12/08/2013 08:32:23
MPS is more than just Device Management
DEVICE MANAGEMENT
Toner Alerts
Meter Readings
Billing System
Integration
USER MANAGEMENT
JOB MANAGEMENT
Applications Printed
Rules for Print
Colour / Mono Usage
Job Accounting
Duplex Usage
Follow Me / Secure
For one inclusive low cost, flexible monthly subscription
For more information call 01484 726206, email sales@printauditeurope.com or visit www.printauditeurope.com
@printaudeu
printauditeurope
Leasing
No time to lose
BNP Paribas Solutions releases guide to changes in the regulation of
consumer credit and what they mean for resellers
Chris Cowell, sales director for the
office equipment division at BNP
Paribas Leasing Solutions, is warning
printer resellers to act now to
comply with upcoming changes to
the regulation of consumer credit.
These changes affect all businesses that
currently hold an OFT licence and wish
to continue carrying out consumer credit
activity after 1 April 2014. This includes
equipment suppliers and printer resellers
who introduce leasing services to regulated
customers.
To help resellers make the necessary
changes, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions
has published a guide to changes in the
regulation of consumer credit.
Cowell said: ”I strongly urge all dealers
to obtain a copy of our guide as it details
what they must do before 31 March to
remain compliant with the new changes.
We will not be able to process finance
proposals from partners that do not have
the necessary licences from 1 April.“
Transfer of responsibility
On 1 April 2014, responsibility for the
regulation of consumer credit will transfer
from the OFT to the FCA. The transfer
will result in significant changes to how
consumer credit activities are regulated.
The new regime will include a
stricter authorisation process, on-going
supervision and, in the event that things
go wrong, investigation by the FCA. In
order to perform regulated consumer
Bibby Leasing
expands offering
Carol Roberts, managing director,
Bibby Leasing
28 Print.IT Reseller
credit activities from 1 April 2014, affected
business will need to be authorised by
the FCA.
... act now to
comply with
upcoming
changes to
the regulation
of consumer
credit.
The FCA authorisation process has
been split into two phases:
1. B y 31 March 2014, businesses must
have registered for interim permission
with the FCA. The FCA and OFT have
stated that equipment suppliers that
fail to do so will not be able to transact
regulated business after that date; and
2. B etween 1 April 2014 and 1 April 2016,
businesses must apply for and obtain full
FCA authorisation.
The new FCA regulations require
businesses to:
n E nsure that their business details are
correct on all existing licence(s), for
example trading names, contact details
etc.;
n R eview the consumer credit licence
categories on the OFT website and
ensure their current licence categories
are consistent with the span of activities
undertaken by their business. Note: Print
resellers that have a trading agreement
with BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions
will require licence categories C (Credit
brokering), D (Debt adjusting) and E
(Debt counselling) to retain their facility;
n Apply for any additional consumer credit
licence categories via the OFT website
if the current licence categories do not
cover all of the regulated credit activities
Bibby Financial Services has
expanded its leasing division
with five new employees, all
of whom previously worked
for competitor Haydock
Finance.
Kevan Langley, Tim Brogden,
Donald Cameron, Clare Cartledge
and Stuart Cutler collectively bring
more than 120 years’ experience
in the refinance market to Bibby
Leasing.
They will form a new team that
is expected to be fully operational
by the start of April 2014. It will be
based in the North-West but have
a national remit.
Bibby Leasing managing
director Carol Roberts said: “This
announcement represents a
fantastic opportunity for Bibby
Financial Services to grow our
leasing business significantly,
to reflect what we see as a real
opportunity for growth in the
market this year. It is a great fit
for our own growth strategy and
allows us to develop a greater
presence in the leasing market.”
Bibby Leasing is a member
of the Finance and Leasing
Association (FLA) and part of
Bibby Financial Services, the UK’s
leading independent invoice
finance provider. It currently helps
over 5,000 businesses throughout
the UK purchase and refinance
expensive industry equipment.
Chris Cowell, sales director,
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions
they undertake;
n R eview the application requirements on
the FCA website, particularly the ‘Interim
permission registration step-by-step
guide’;
n R egister for interim permission via the
FCA website; and
nC
onsider taking legal advice in
preparation for full regulation by
the FCA.
To obtain a copy of the BNP Paribas
Leasing Solutions guide, please contact
your account manager.
chris.cowell@uk.bnpparibas.com
Game On for more
than 600 resellers
More than 600 participants from
100 partners have already signed
up for the World Cup-inspired
Game On incentive from BNP
Paribas Leasing Solutions.
Running throughout the period
of the World Cup to July 2014, Game
On gives business equipment resellers
the chance to win a host of prizes,
including football tickets and a five star
trip to Brazil.
All registered participants have
until 31 March 2014 to qualify for an
all-expenses paid trip to Brazil and
tickets to the England vs. Italy game in
Manaus.
In addition to the grand prize,
participants can earn loyalty points
awarded on qualifying business. There
is also a monthly prize draw, designed
to maintain engagement and interest
in the incentive throughout the
promotion period.
01732 759725
TCO
IF IT WORX, IT’S
PROVIDING OFFICE SOLUTIONS THAT
WORK AND WORK. AND WORK.
Our multi-functionals are unbeatably powerful, flexible and productive.
With improved copy quality and enhanced features, such as a swipe
screen control panel and blank page skip, the 3005ci, 3550ci, 4505ci and
5505ci make light work of even the most complex jobs. Reliability comes
as standard of course, but did you know these devices also offer superior
colour reproduction and intelligent paper management? And as always,
our dedicated team are on hand to provide expert back-up through sales,
marketing and technical support so you can offer professional service to
your customers. Now that’s worth smiling about!
For more information call 01793 786 000 or email sales@utax.co.uk
www.utaxuk.co.uk
UTAX UK, Units 89-90, Shrivenham Hundred Business Park
Majors Road, Watchfield, Swindon SN6 8TY
www.printitreseller.co.uk
Print.IT Reseller 29
distribution
Rewarding
relationships
How VOW’s close working relationship with major OEM technology brands
gives resellers a competitive and financial advantage
Competitive pricing is just one of
several vital benefits delivered to
resellers as a result of VOW’s direct
relationships with the major OEM
technology brands.
With 30 years’ experience in the
technology sector, the business products
wholesaler enjoys over 20 direct
manufacturer relationships. This not only
gives its reseller base great advantage
on pricing but guarantees high stock
availability and original product reliability.
These direct relationships also enable
VOW and its resellers to be first to market
with new products, as well as providing
access to vendor marketing initiatives and
incentive schemes.
Direct relationships
As an HP authorised distributor, VOW
services some of the biggest HP resellers
in the UK. Its direct relationships with
other leading technology vendors, such as
Brother, Canon, Epson, Imation, Kyocera,
Lexmark, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung,
Sony and Xerox, mean that VOW has more
direct distribution agreements than any
other broadline wholesaler.
Group Merchandise Director Nigel
Mitchell says: “VOW has been in the
technology market a long time and by
maintaining direct relationships with
the leading manufacturers we can give
30 Print.IT Reseller
Group Merchandise
Director Nigel
Mitchell
Direct
relationships
enable
everyone to
stay one step
ahead and
increase their
opportunities
for growth...
our reseller customer base the front line
support that they cannot find with the
indirect distributors. Partnership is central
to this and includes the way we work
with resellers. Direct relationships enable
everyone to stay one step ahead and
increase their opportunities for growth by
delivering the best products, services and
promotions to the marketplace.”
These relationships mean that VOW is
first in the queue for stock, with availability
levels at an impressive 98%. This gives
resellers and their end users the confidence
of reliable supply of original branded
products every day.
Manufacturer relationships also give
the wholesaler access to a spectrum of upto-date intelligence on vendors’ marketing
and advertising schedules, including those
products set to be promoted most heavily
in the coming months. This information
enables VOW’s reseller customers to
co-ordinate and maximise their marketing
communications across their own end user
base.
Incentive schemes
Some technology vendors have additional
incentive schemes for resellers buying
through VOW. One example is the Xerox
Reseller Excellence Programme, which
offers resellers up to 6% cash back on all
purchases bought directly through VOW
Group Marketing and Commercial Director
Heather McManus
plus involvement in the Xerox Contract
Bid Support Scheme, which gives resellers
access to very competitive pricing when
bidding for end-user contracts.
Group Marketing and Commercial
Director Heather McManus says: “Many
manufacturers will provide significant extra
support to resellers that work with VOW
during a tender process, ensuring they
are as strongly placed as possible to win
the contract. They will also incentivise our
reseller end users to purchase from the
authorised reseller channel. One illustration
of this is the Genuine Xerox Rewards
programme which was launched in 2013
and which enables customers to claim
rewards for buying directly through VOW’s
resellers.
“Our relationships with the
manufacturers enable us to facilitate more
meaningful partnerships between some
of these brands and our resellers. This is
another sizeable indication of the potential
for those IT resellers who choose to partner
with VOW.”
Technology and EOS resellers interested
in opening an account with VOW or who
already have an account but want to learn
more can contact the NES team at VOW on
0844 980 8220.
01732 759725
Trusted Intelligence
FollowMe helps organisations
save up to 60% on printing costs
Whether operating a printing environment or implementing an MPS
contract, FollowMe provides all the tools for secure, cost effective office
printing. As a highly scalable solution, FollowMe works with any output
device and requires little or no changes to the existing infrastructure.
Increase
user
productiv
ity
Protect
valuable
data
Reduce costs
Save
management
time
Keep track
Reasons why organisations are using FollowMe
-
Reduce the cost of printing by up to 60%
Increase user productivity with effortless mobile printing
Enforce cost effective print policies across the entire organisation
Works with any printer or MFP, regardless of manufacturer
For further information, please contact us on:
Freephone: 0800 214503 Email: followme@ringdale.com
Web: www.followme.ringdale.com
www.printitreseller.co.uk
RINGDALE
channel partners
I.R.I.S. has you
in its sights
I.R.I.S., the OCR software and portable scanner specialist, now part of
the Canon Group, plans to recruit more channel partners to raise its
profile in the UK
Scanning, OCR and data capture
specialist I.R.I.S. plans to increase
its presence in the UK by recruiting
more resellers and strengthening its
links with retailers.
At the company’s IRISLink 2014
conference (covered in greater detail in the
next issue), Thierry Desmet, sales manager
export, I.R.I.S. told PrintIT Reseller that sales
were weaker in the UK than they should
be and that his main focus for 2014 was to
increase the number of retailer and reseller
partners on this side of the Channel.
“If we increase our profile, we can do
10 times more business than today. The
opportunity in the UK is huge,” he said.
Data capture
I.R.I.S., acquired by Canon last year but still
run as an independent company, provides
solutions and services that enable users
to capture data from all sources (paper,
email, software applications, PDF, fax etc.)
and make it usable in digital processes and
other applications
It has two divisions: Product &
Technologies, sold through OEM
relationships, VARs, resellers, retailers and
e-tailers; and Professional Services, such as
digital mailroom, document management,
business process outsourcing and IT
services, which I.R.I.S. provides to more
than 1,100 large accounts.
The Product & Technologies portfolio
encompasses hardware – handheld,
portable, pen and business card scanners
and digital note takers that automatically
capture handwritten notes – and software
solutions.
These include optical character
recognition (Readiris); PDF creation and
compression (IRISCompressor); and a
variety of document capture, classification
and data extraction solutions (IRISCapture
Invoices for processing supplier invoices,
IRISDocument Server for converting archived
images and PDF files into searchable,
structured and compressed documents; IRIS
Powerscan for production scanning and
OCR; and IRISConnect for integration with
third party solutions and the cloud).
32 Print.IT Reseller
Handheld scanners
One of Desmet’s big priorities
this year is to increase sales of I.R.I.S.
handheld scanners, including:
n the new portable IRIScan Anywhere 3
WiFi, which enables users to scan on
the go and instantly transfer images to
a mobile, tablet or laptop;
n the new version of IRIS’s pen scanner
(the IRISPen Executive 7), a category
which I.R.I.S. invented in 1994 and in
which it has notched up sales of more
than 500,000 units so far; and
n the IRIScan Mouse, which is now
compatible with Macs as well as PCs.
The IRIScan Mouse is a fully functioning
mouse that also incorporates a scan
button that when pressed lets you scan
documents, photos, receipts, business
cards, newspapers etc. up to A3 size
by swiping the mouse across the
page. Scanned images can be
OCR’d, edited, compressed,
saved and dragged and
dropped into other
applications or the
cloud. I.R.I.S. launched
the first version last year
and has already sold 50,000 units.
If we increase
our profile,
we can do
10 time more
business...
IRISPen
Executive 7
Impulse buys
Desmet said that products such as these
are often impulse buys, which is why it
is vital for I.R.I.S. to increase its retail
presence and expand its reseller base from
the 50 it already has.
“These products cost in the region of
£50-£70. That’s the kind of sum that’s
difficult to find in areas that have financial
difficulties. In the UK, people have the money
but don’t see the products. Our presence
needs to be increased massively,” he said.
He adds that portable and handheld
scanners represent the future of scanning
and are a growing market with great
potential for the channel.
“The future of home scanning is
handheld scanners. That is the way people
will go in the future. They will quit flatbed
scanners because they take up a lot of
space on the desk. They will replace them
with small devices, a mouse or an app – we
will have big announcements in this area in
2014. This is the direction in which we are
moving: cloud applications and handheld
scanners that you can carry with you.”
Business solutions
Later this year, I.R.I.S. will be launching
new business-oriented products that
combine scanner hardware and I.R.I.S.
software, giving resellers a complete
business solution for small and mediumsized businesses.
Desmet said: “We want to increase
business that adds value and will have
good news in 2014, probably in Q3. The
product is almost final, so it could be
sooner. In a first for I.R.I.S., we will deliver
it with an SMB application inside the box.”
In addition to retail products, I.R.I.S.
provides a wide range of professional
solutions that enable organisations to
improve their business processes and
workflows. These are available as on premise
or cloud-based offerings and can be fully
integrated with MFPs, as well as scanners
(covered in more detail in the next issue).
Last year, I.R.I.S. increased revenue
from solutions sold by Canon by more than
60%. This gives some indication of the
potential that exists for other resellers to
increase sales.
To find out more about what I.R.I.S. has
to offer UK channel partners, please email
thierry.desmet@iriscorporate.com or
call +32 (0)10 832 467.
01732 759725
channel directory
BINDING.
YOUR WAY.
Scan this code and place
your smartphone here
to see the Fastback
in action.
FASTBACK 20
ONE MACHINE, SIX DISTINCT BINDING STYLES
With no need for hole-punching; it takes just 20 seconds to bind a 350-page
document using our unique binding strips. Documents lie completely flat for
easy reading and posting and are fully recyclable after use. You can even use
custom branded image strips or produce paperback or hardcover books for a
truly distinguished finish.
Visit us online at www.fastback.co.uk
GLOBAL
2014
Louisville, Kentucky
The Galt House, June 2 - 4
The printing industry is
changing at a dramatic pace.
Some predict that office print
volumes could decrease by
as much as 30 percent over
the next five years.
Transform Global 2014 can help your business
better prepare for this potential reality.
Come to learn, stay to network,
and engage in the most high impact
event for the imaging industry,
from your transformation experts!
Visit global2014.photizogroup.com
to REGISTER NOW!
Enter code BI15 to receive
a 15 percent discount!
MEDIA SPONSOR
channel directory
Top Distributors & Manufacturers
and Key Diary Dates
Febuary 2014
0844 980 8000
www.voweurope.com
VOW is the UK and Ireland’s leading wholesaler of business
products, distributing over 24,000 products from its three
automated distribution centres in England and Ireland to
over 4,000 resellers and customers.
25–26
Publishing
& Media Expo
01932 580100 www.toshibatec.co.uk
Toshiba TEC UK Imaging Systems Ltd is a leading
supplier of information technology and office
equipment products ranging from printers and
multifunctional systems to fax machines and digital
document management products.
– Earls Court, London
26–27
@OKIUK
www.oki.co.uk
01379 649200 www.midwich.com
Cloud
Expo Europe
Oki manufactures innovative digital LED printers and
multifunctional devices and provides smart managed
document services to the channel.
At Midwich we have a passion for progress – 24/7 access to
stock availability, product information, special offers, online
ordering and your own trade pricing.
26–27
www.ricoh.co.uk
@MidwichLtd
@DMCplc
0800 413 953 www.dmcplc.co.uk
DMC PLC are committed to helping you achieve a more
efficient, cost effective and transparent printing environment.
We will produce a completely bespoke solution fulfilling your
every need and meeting very real business objectives.
@Westcoast_UK
0118 912 6000 www.westcoast.co.uk
Westcoast Ltd established for over 25 years distributes leading
IT brands to a broad range of Resellers, Retailers and Office
Product Dealers in the UK.
@ExertisMicroP
N: (01282) 776776 S: (01256) 707070
www.exertismicro-p.co.uk
Welcome to Exertis Micro-P a true value-added IT Distributor
dedicated to helping you grow your business.
@ExertisAdvent
0871 222 3844
www.exertisadvent.co.uk
Based at our purpose built distribution centre in Elland, West
Yorkshire we are a specialist trade only distributor of printer
supplies and data storage media.
– Excel, London
Data
Centre World
– Excel, London
26–27
020 8296 7066
March 2014
04–05
Connected
Businesses Expo
@Tech_Data
01256 788 000
www.techdata.co.uk
Tech Data is one of the leading distributors of IT,
communications, consumer electronics products and services in
the UK. We offer our customers specialist support in key areas
of the market, underpinned by exceptional product choice.
www.printitreseller.co.uk
www.kyocera.co.uk
Kyocera’s global operations deliver a diverse range of
products, including advanced materials, components, devices,
equipment, network engineering and other services.
@brother_UK
– Olympia, London
10–14
Cebit – Hannover
11–13
Facilities
Management
www.brother.co.uk
Brother’s focus is on providing you with devices whose
quality is unmatched by any other manufacturer. From
our lasers and inkjets, to our A3, label and mobile
devices, all our printers are built with both the customer
and the environment in mind.
– NEC, Birmingham
11–12
www.samsung.co.uk
Retail
Business
Technology Expo
As a truly global organisation with an extensive range
of award-winning products and a firm commitment to
eco-friendly practice, it should come as no surprise that
we are ranked second in the world for A4 mono and
colour laser printing. Our highly competitive product
range meets all business needs across mono, colour,
single-function and multi-function laser devices.
– Earls Court, London
IPEX
– Excel, London
www.northamber.com
Northamber is the longest established trade-only distributor
of IT equipment in the UK. Since 1980, Northamber has been
your partner in IT distribution. Today we are widely recognised
as the largest UK owned trade-only distributor in our industry.
@KYOCERADUK
Big Data – Excel, London
24–29
@Northamberplc
In a nutshell, we are a total document and IT solutions
provider. We offer a range of services tailored to your
specific needs, from streamlining costs, to enhancing
business processes and increasing staff productivity.
www.sharp.co.uk
Sharp make business equipment that is market leading
and award winning this is why we keep innovating, to
provide efficient reliable and cost effective solutions for
our customers ever changing business needs.
01908 547980 www.olivetti.com
Olivetti, established in 1908, is widely acknowledged
as Europe’s leading office products manufacturer.
Olivetti’s extensive product portfolio provides its
dealer network with a full complement of innovative
solutions includes award-winning business colour
and mono MFPs, desktop printers, tablets and laptop
PCs, educational whiteboards, retail and hospitality
Cash register and EPOS systems and solutions
for banking and finance document and signature
management.
www.lexmark.com
With our extensive understanding of technology and
unique, industry-specific knowledge gained from developing custom output solutions for thousands of organisations, Lexmark has the expertise to help you uncover
hidden opportunities in your output environment and
implement strategies and processes to streamline the
flow of information in your business
Print.IT Reseller 35
X551dw = £379.20
CV037A#A81
SRP: £479.00
-£150
-£100
£229.00 exVat
X576dw MFP = £539.88
CN598A#A80
SRP: £679.00
-£200
X451dw = £225.57
CN463A#A81
SRP: £299.00
-£100
-£100
£379.00 exVat
-£50
£149.00 exVat
X476dw MFP = £379.20
CN461A#A80
SRP: £479.00
-£100
-£50
£329.00 exVat
Record-Breaking Speed. Mind-blowing price.
The HP Officejet Pro X-Series can boast world-record output speed. Your customers can
print 500 pages in just 7 minutes1, whilst saving up to 50% on cost per page. It’s the perfect
product for SMBs as it does not compromise on quality, reliability or energy-efficiency.
The price shown includes the following promotional discounts:2
DEMO
Trade-in
Cashback
Free Warranty
Try and Buy
Cost Per Page
calculator
Visit www.westcoastprintin.co.uk/officejetprox to learn about our Managed Document Services
and to find out about the amazingly low Total Cost of Ownership on X-Series printers.
Trust Westcoast for your HP Hardware and Supplies. We’re always happy to help.
You can call us on 0118 912 6000 | www.westcoast.co.uk
1 adjudicated by the Guinness World Records and validated by testing and printing expert Terry Wirth of Wirth Consulting.org. Technical details are posted online. Record only
tested on X551dw and X576dw MFP models. Comparison based on manufacturer’s published specifications of fastest available colour made (as of March 2012) and includes
colour laser MFPs <€1,000 and colour laser printers <€800. For more information see www.hp.com/go/printerspeeds.
2 Terms and Conditions Apply: prices quoted are based on net cost to reseller after cashback and trade-in are claimed and exclude VAT. Cashback and Trade-in Values will vary.