The definition of synergy is the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations to produce a combined effect that is greater than the sum of their separate effects. And, Konica Minolta Business Solutions truly would not have been awarded the Buyers Laboratory Inc (BLI) PaceSetter Awards for the K12 and Higher Education Verticals without the support and collaboration of its IT services division, All Covered.
Not only are these Konica Minolta’s Education verticals first-ever PaceSetter awards for the K12 and Higher Education subsectors, we are the first company in BLI’s history to receive BOTH of these awards in the same year!
The PaceSetter awards from BLI, a division of Keypoint Intelligence, recognize those vendors that offer the most impressive portfolio of devices, solutions, and services within the Education market. Key areas that were evaluated included hardware, software, service, support, professional services, IT security, IT services, industry certifications and vertical leadership.
Our competitive nature didn’t hurt
Earlier this year, our internal counterparts in the Legal and Healthcare vertical markets both won PaceSetter awards, and our team was determined to join them on the winners’ podium. We knew our offerings in K12 and Higher Education were just as good if not better than our competitors, and we wondered why our entries had never been recognized.
This year in particular, we knew we had put together really great programs in both K12 and Higher Ed. From SchoolWatch and CampusWatch in both sectors to our production print loaner program and our University Contest, we took great care to compile the relevant information. After so much hard work together with All Covered to develop so many unique offerings and packages, we felt we deserved to win.
In-house technology experts gave us the edge
Both Konica Minolta and All Covered are known for being early adopters of new technologies. And having an IT services division focused on education made all the difference. The collaboration between Konica Minolta and All Covered allowed us to create several differentiators for us to win both awards this year.
The entire All Covered IT services division focused on education, with the concerted classroom offerings of promethean boards, Mac Pros for device deployment and virtual reality headsets. Through their ed tech assessments, we were able to put together really great security programs from SchoolWatch and CampusWatch that incorporated MOBOTIX intelligent surveillance cameras.
When the results came in, Konica Minolta stood out in the K12 category for our wide-range of All Covered education-specific IT capabilities. Konica Minolta’s unique offerings tailored to the education space include the Double2 and Alice the Receptionist (part of Workplace of the Future™) solutions, which really gave us a leg up on the competition. From All Covered, our curricula consulting, paired with 3D printers, interactive whiteboards, virtual reality and mobile device deployment through the acquisition of MacPros gave us a distinct advantage over other applicants.
Within Higher Education, our education-specific IT capabilities from All Covered such as IT infrastructure, technology and risk assessments coupled with the coming launch of our Telescope Live program gave us the winning edge. In addition, our involvement with loaning production print equipment to higher education institutions and participation in the Konica Minolta International University Contest set us apart as a trendsetter.
What’s in the secret sauce?
Our success is in the dynamic of how our hardware and services teams collaborate. None of this could have been done without the synergy between the individuals within Konica Minolta and All Covered. It’s the years of experience and credentials held by our education team members, which allows us special insight into this unique segment. And it’s the partnerships we cultivate through related associations and non-profits to increase our footprint in the market.
It is not always easy, but we have all managed to work together to create an extensive portfolio of hardware, solutions and services. I am proud to be part of the Education team at Konica Minolta. And I am glad that our ECM services are available to schools across the country.
To find out more, please head to Konica Minolta’s Higher Education and K-12 education solution pages, where you will discover a wealth of problem solving services that will help you realize gains in efficiencies and productivity for schools and universities.
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