01732 759725 26 utilise multiple supplies on a regional basis, where a single holistic, centralised, and independent single point of transparency and control is increasingly proving to be essential. In fact, it processes more than 70 billion pages of output each year to support periodic invoicing on behalf of customers with fully reconciled meter usage billing. OpenMPS OpenMPS, TD SYNNEX’s managed print service for the channel leverages EKM’s software to enable channel partners to easily manage their customers’ printer fleets and build and grow their consumables business without risk. Once a company’s printers are integrated into OpenMPS, the program monitors the printer fleet in a fully automated manner, assesses toner and ink fill levels, and triggers a delivery of the required consumables directly to the end customer’s printer when minimum fill levels are defined. There is also a cost-per-click option that enables partners to offer customers a pay-per-use service for print with auto-replenishment of ink and toner cartridges as required. With the cost‑per-click option, instead of being charged for replacement ink or toner cartridges (which are shipped in advance of the ink running out), customers will be invoiced for the exact number of pages they print, with the replenishment costs included in their bill. The whole process is managed through OpenMPS. Key strengths Silvester says that one of EKM’s biggest strengths is having its own product development teams – it doesn’t outsource any development work. This, and the fact that its developers have worked on its products for many years, allows EKM to be responsive to customer requests. “50% of my team is development and 30% is support,” he said, adding that combined, the team has around 150 years’ experience in print. Insight from these systems to create a fully closed loop system. The EKM Insight platform provides dynamic knowledge-based reports that enable service providers to streamline their service management operations. Customers can configure business-specific requirements to automatically manage fully processed data for proactive asset tracking, usage billing, parts and supplies re-ordering, and qualified service alerts. It also enables the automation of reconciled device meter reads into billing systems, consumables ordering into procurement systems, and service incidents to the appropriate resolver destination. Fully scalable EKM Insight is deployed in more than 106 countries across the globe. The print management solution is widely used by resellers – EKM sells directly to channel partners as well as through distribution. Silvester says that whilst the company serves large dealers with lots of devices under contract, it also supports smaller resellers across the globe. “The platform is fully scalable from a single device to thousands of devices, and we also have OEMs that use the software as well,” he said. EKM Global also supports end‑user global enterprise clients with more complex deployments that typically EKM Global has been delivering MPS software for over 20 years. Its scalable remote management and monitoring solution for printers helps OEMs, service providers and channel partners, to manage multiple clients’ printer fleets. In 2021, EKM Global was acquired by TD SYNNEX, a move designed to support the distributor’s delivery of Tech-as-aService (TaaS) solutions and automated remote services capabilities to its partners in the ICT ecosystem. Importantly, as Silvester points out, although TD SYNNEX owns the shares of EKM Global, the company remains a separate legal entity. “We have confidentiality contracts with all of our customers that stop us sharing data upwards. So, whilst TD SYNNEX owns our shares, they don’t see our data. This is really important as our customers don’t want to share their and their customers’ data,” he explained. EKM Insight EKM Insight is a modular, scalable MPS software infrastructure that can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud. It supports all printer brands and models and seamlessly integrates with IT and ERP service management systems. The EKM Insight API allows automation of meters into billing systems and consumables into back-end billing and ordering systems. It is also possible using the API to write data back to EKM Michelle Ryder caught up with Ian Silvester, Director at EKM Global to find out more about the company’s MPS software, latest security accreditations, and plans for growth EKM Global eyes up growth MPS Ian Silvester
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