16 01732 759725 MPS & DOCUMENT WORKFLOW What’s New in Printing & Scanning Epson announces DS-530III duplex A4 scanner for fast, reliable business digitisation Epson announces the launch of the DS-530III, a compact, high-speed A4 duplex document scanner designed to help small and medium-sized businesses digitise paperwork quickly, reliably and efficiently. Replacing the popular DS-530II, the new DS‑530III delivers scanning speeds of up to 40 pages per minute / 80 images per minute, combined with a 60-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF) and single-pass, double-sided scanning. With its compact footprint and SuperSpeed USB 3.2 connectivity, the scanner is ideal for busy office and home office environments where desk space is limited and time is critical. Designed for everyday business use, the DS-530III supports a wide range of media, from business cards and receipts to A4 documents, and includes Epson’s Paper Protection technology to help prevent misfeeds and protect original documents. A robust 6,500-page daily duty cycle ensures reliable performance for regular, highvolume scanning tasks. The scanner is supplied with Epson Scan 2, Document Capture Pro for Windows and Document Capture for macOS, enabling users to scan directly to folders, cloud services and email. Built-in OCR and barcode recognition make it easy to create searchable PDFs, automatically name files and separate documents, helping businesses organise and access information more efficiently. “Businesses continue to look for simple ways to reduce paper and work more efficiently,” said Kevin Toes, Epson Europe. “The DS-530III is designed for users who want fast, reliable scanning without complexity. By combining high speed, strong media handling and intuitive software in a compact device, it makes everyday document digitisation quicker and easier.” The Epson DS-530III is aimed at SOHO, small and medium-sized businesses across sectors such as finance, public services, healthcare and professional services, where fast document capture and reliable handling of mixed media are essential. The Epson DS-530III will be available through Epson resellers and online retailers from April 2026. IT buyers paying a 24% ‘peace of mind premium’ for brands they trust, new research reveals IT decision-makers are willing to pay a 24% premium for brands they believe won’t let them down, according to new research from Brother UK – with trust now ranked above cost or specifications as the deciding factor in tech purchases. The business technology specialist surveyed 250 UK IT leaders and 250 resellers for its new Tech Trust Index 2026 report. Three-quarters (74%) of IT decision makers said emotional factors such as trust now matter more than traditional rational criteria like cost or product specifications. Nearly as many (72%) said trust in technology vendors is more important today than it was five years ago. On average, buyers are willing to pay a premium for technology from a vendor they trust. Almost nine in ten (88%) say they have paid a premium in the past, with one in 10 prepared to pay 51–75% more – and a small minority even willing to pay double. In competitive deals where specifications are closely matched, Brother’s polling suggested trust acts as the tie-breaker. Nine in ten (88%) resellers say it becomes the deciding factor when there’s little to separate products on paper. The research also highlights the importance of trust in the channel partner itself, not just the vendor. More than nine in ten (92%) channel professionals say customers rely on them to validate whether a vendor can be trusted, reinforcing the reseller’s role as a critical bridge between brand promise and buyer confidence. The findings are published in Brother UK’s new report, The Tech Trust Index 2026, which explores how trust is built – and broken – in technology purchasing decisions. Phil Jones MBE, managing director at Brother UK, said: “IT leads put their neck on the line every time they introduce new technology into their business. They need to know it will perform and add commercial benefit - whether that’s laptops, AV, software systems or printers - without creating disruption or support downtime. “As our research shows, they’re willing to pay on average 24% more for a brand they trust. That’s a premium they’ll pay for peace of mind. And brands are earning that trust through the everyday moments – when products do what they’re supposed to do, support shows up without excuses and the relationship is easy.” Dean Birks, MPS & digital transformation specialist at OfficeXpress, said: “We see it every time we present our options. The trusted brand nearly always gets the nod, even when it costs more. Customers see it as buying confidence. They want to know that if something does go wrong, the vendor will stand behind them. That peace of mind has a price, and most are willing to pay it.” Trust: do resellers feel it’s easy to earn? IT buyers revealed to Brother UK the top factors that earn their trust, including better quality products (49%), good customer support (43%), transparent and clear pricing (36%), enhanced cyber security support (32%) and full lifetime product support (29%). By contrast, purpose-led factors – like sustainability – carried far less weight in driving trust. Encouragingly, resellers overall felt that tech brands had become more trustworthy over the last three years. Around three in five (63%) said it had become easier for brands to earn trust due to increased regulation and consumer protection (42%); greater transparency from brands on pricing, data use and product performance (41%); and improved product quality and reliability (38%). Yet nearly one in five (18%) resellers felt it had become harder for brands to earn trust, with economic pressures driving buyer caution (55%), negative brand experiences being amplified on social media (51%); and greater competition and choice (47%) among the top factors holding back customers’ trust in brands. Greig Millar, chief revenue officer said: “Trust drives how technology is sold, not just bought, so the channel is absolutely key. Resellers help customers judge which vendors deserve investment. When a partner trusts us with their customer, it carries real weight in decisions. “As a channel-centric vendor, we’ve always focused on being easy to work with, dependable in our support, and clear in our commitments – if the channel trusts us, they’ll recommend us.” To read more insights from the report, visit: www.brother.co.uk/business-solutions/trust Phil Jones MBE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDUxNDM=