3 Key Ways to Simplify Integration

When the time comes to select peripherals or consolidate your organization’s document management processes, you may worry that once you find the right solution, implementation will be a huge burden on the entire organization.  In addition to the time it takes to install the new solution, there is also the training and learning curve time necessary to get it up and running.

To avoid potential downtime, selecting the right solution provider is a key ingredient. The following are three considerations when selecting a service provider to help simplify the integration process:

1. Consider the entire document management environment

Office technologies have advanced and users’ needs have changed. A lot of current printing environments are patchworks of printing, imaging and fax devices that aren’t managed or serviced to keep up with today’s business world. Analyzing all business-relevant document flows will help an organization increase benefit from any and all potential savings, and implement a solution tailored to meeting the organization’s precise needs.

Konica Minolta’s Managed Print Services combine consulting, hardware, software implementation and workflow management in order to lower document spend.  This process not only results in increased overall savings, but is also a solution that seeks to make everything easier on the user.

For example, the assessment of TharpeRobbins, a company that specializes in the managed employee reward and recognition industry, involved not only the company’s current needs, but future needs three, four and five years down the road, and Konica Minolta configured the bizhub PRESS technology accordingly.  Konica Minolta delivered a proposal that included the addition of extra paper trays, a booklet maker and other finishing options that would enable the expansion of TharpeRobbins’ print portfolio in years to come.  This helped make the user experience easier now, and in the future, without the need for repeated installations and downtime.

2. Find a provider with an excellent service and support track record

Customer testimonials that advocate a provider’s ability to support integration are extremely valuable. Make sure to research what customers are saying. For example, Summit Educational Resources, a private organization serving young adults and disabled children, credits Konica Minolta with a seamless integration that involved many hours of training and security updating. Konica Minolta ensured these training and security updates were available to Summit users throughout the adoption process to anticipate and prevent any potential issues – and reduce downtime.

Konica Minolta also helped customer North Kansas City Schools implement their new document management solution with no systems downtime, and provided training for all staff.

3. Identify a solution that easily works with third party providers

Many customers have key software and solutions already in place that are essential to their line of business.  It is important that a document management solution seamlessly integrates with these solutions to avoid excessive downtime.

Konica Minolta’s bizhub OP (Open Platform) is a system that makes bizhub MFPs more accessible for customers and developers. This concept marries our products to external software applications for a seamlessly connected customer solution.

The bizhub Extended Solution Technology (bEST) program, part of the Open Platform, also enables a seamless interface between Konica Minolta bizhub MFPs and software applications residing on a PC or server. The customized solution developed using the bEST technology offerings (PCL, PS, SDK, web browser, etc.), can include applications for print management, cost control, document scanning/workflow and networking, all accessed directly from the MFP control panel.

With downtime and lost productivity being major concerns for many customers, it’s important to identify a solution provider that can address them, if not eliminate them.

For more information about optimizing your print services, contact your Konica Minolta representative or our service center directly at 1.800.456.6422.