Managed.IT - issue 53

MANAGED.IT 31 PURCHASING www.managedITmag.co.uk Case Study: dialogue between vendor and customer and that that dialogue is more valuable. We can spend more time discussing mapping their business needs to new products or services, so the conversation is now based much more around business planning than just product selling. That dynamic adds more value and should foster even stronger client relations,” he said. Although the transition to new procurement models has implications for vendors and will require a change of mindset, Toshiba’s Spencer believes it should be welcomed. He said: “Change that delivers positive results is something to be embraced and that is what the shift to on-demand services delivers. It is bringing about new and innovative platforms and delivery methods that the industry must take notice of.” Technology-as-a-service: A natural progression ABC Managed Services has evolved from a managed print services provider to a company that delivers technology as a service Headquartered in Congleton, Cheshire and with offices in Stoke Prior, Redditch and Castle Donnington, ABC serves customers nationwide. Its diverse portfolio includes content management; visual displays; print and document solutions; security and door access solutions; unified communications; and IT services. In light of its expanding portfolio, ABC has now restructured its business and transformed its entire go-to-market strategy by becoming a technology-as-a-service provider. “What we’ve done is move from the traditional siloed approach, to providing a managed print service contract, for example, largely funded as a CapEx project, to providing everything clients want and need ‘as- a-service’ – and by that I mean for a fixed monthly fee per user,” explained Marketing Director Toni Gibiino. He added that clients can now bolt-on additional services, increase the number of users, upgrade to the latest hardware or software, or build in new equipment as and when they need to – for an additional fee. “It’s flexible, future-proof and fully scalable,” he said. Providing technology-as-a-service wasn’t a massive step-change for ABC, as its ABC Connect offering already gave clients the ability to expand their managed print services contract with up to five additional service packs (see box). Nor, says Gibiino, was it a culture- shock for customers with whom ABC trialled the concept prior to rolling it out company-wide. “The proof of concept wasn’t a huge step-change for clients, because as consumers we have all bought into the subscription economy and IT professionals are already accustomed to purchasing IT services on a seat-based billing model. Extending this concept into other areas of the business makes sense and the fact that technology investments can be funded as OpEx has been really well received.” He added: “We are a very progressive company and with this new approach, we are proactively responding to market demand.” Customer-centric approach As part of its new customer-centric approach, ABC is focusing on three key areas: n Workflow, covering traditional managed print services, including a full suite of software solutions to streamline, improve and secure document workflows; n Workplace, encompassing services, such as energy audits and PAT testing, as well as the supply, delivery and installation of access control and IP-based CCTV systems and AV and digital signage solutions, including room management systems and interactive touch panels; and n Workforce, covering a broad spectrum of end-to-end tailored IT services, including mail servers and file and print servers, cloud storage and Software-as-a-Service, network infrastructure provision, VOIP telephony, video conferencing and communication systems. To communicate its new approach, ABC has launched new branding and a new website featuring blog postings and a client portal where customers can log in to access contract details, current news and information about new services. “The new site has been months in the planning and has been crafted to clearly articulate our service offering,” explained Gibiino. “We have also rebranded as ABC Managed Services, a move that illustrates the shift away from print toward technology-as-a-service.” https://abcmanagedservices.uk/ ABC Connect Service Packs ABC’s evolution into a technology-as-a-service provider was a natural move for the company, which already gives customers the ability to enhance their MPS with a choice of service packs. These include: n ABC Control – enhances the scanning, workflow and security of scanned data, helping organisations achieve seamless workflows and processes from multifunctional printers. n ABC Secure – safeguards the document and print environment and includes Standard, Plus and Premium packages. n ABC Productivity – helps organisations achieve a more flexible approach to using print devices and the data produced by them. n ABC Assist – from remote monitoring of the print estate through to restoring hard drives on printers, ABC Assist supports a client’s technical printing requirements, maximising the availability and functionality of all devices across the estate. n ABC Eco – services include energy consumption analysis, toner recycling stations and collections, through to environmental settings on print devices. Toni Gibiino

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