Print.IT Reseller - issue 61

PRINT IT RESELLER.UK 31 SCANNERS can do the quality checks into back-end systems right at point of introduction, with confirmation that the image is good or needs re-scanning. That wasn’t a scanner market before; it wasn’t even an MFP market. It’s a new market,” he said. Another application Alaris is already exploring is to use the device alongside an MFP to free up the latter for printing and copying. “An MFP is not always the most optimal solution for scanning, so you could see it as complementary to an MFP dealer’s offer that also offers better image quality to drive downstream processes like OCR and better feeding technology to be able to handle multiple document types in a single scanning session,” explained Lofstrom. It is also looking to develop solutions around the identity of the user for information chain of custody. In line with Alaris’s intention to elevate the value proposition for this product beyond a traditional hardware device, it may offer it on an OPEX basis, with a subscription for the whole solution, including the hardware, service, connectivity and the eco-system used to manage and control the device. Greater automation Lofstrom adds that Alaris’s imaging expertise and versatile, reliable paper- handling are selling points for all Alaris devices, as the digitisation of business and the emergence of new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation (RPA) and machine learning continue to change scanning requirements. “The market has moved on from scanning primarily being scan to archive and this plays to our strengths in terms of image quality, where driving better OCR read rates and downstream effectiveness is increasingly part of where we can make a difference in proof of concept in head- to-head contests,” he said. Lofstrom says that the emergence of AI, RPA and machine learning are providing a fillip to the scanner market by raising interest at board level and by giving organisations the impetus to fully automate processes. “As things like RPA and artificial intelligence have come of age, those technologies are front of centre for the CIOs of many large enterprises. The importance of having digital input, high quality digital input, is steadily elevating. Even sophisticated organisations we talk to, like banks, sometimes struggle to drive those engines effectively – some will manually import information into pre-formatted excel spreadsheets just because they have struggled to get the flow working. “So, part of what we are focused on is the next level of connectivity into the workflows. It is a point of focus because companies are struggling with it. They want to feed those systems, and very often they will need to feed them with multiple format inputs, digitisation from a scanner, emails and so on. Those, collectively, are in the purview of what we will be looking at in how to connect those systems,” he said. “The marketplace has traditionally had a focus on speeds and feeds, but the value proposition has moved on from those being the primary selection vectors. Now, people are more interested in image quality, file format, size etc. because they are driving downstream processes and need the OCR engine to work effectively. ‘If I can get high percentages in that, I am truly in the world of automation. I don’t need to invest a lot of human capital to do quality control checks and things like that which become necessary if you don’t get good success rates’.” New growth areas In addition to developments in scanning, Alaris is exploring other growth opportunities, in existing and completely new areas. The former includes Managed Content Services, which gives customers greater visibility and control over their entire capture infrastructure and business- critical processes. In many organisations, these are still unmanaged and fragmented, which adds costs to a business and embeds inefficiency and waste. By helping a channel partner audit and optimise the centralised and distributed scanning equipment and processes at the UK operations of an international bank, Alaris experts were able to reduce the number of workflows in its central processing unit by over 90% and half the time needed to complete the daily scanning workload from 16 hours to just eight. Lofstrom adds that Alaris is also planning to make more use of its multi- vendor, global service capability. “As we go more into solutions and professional services, we are looking at opportunities to leverage that competency in complementary areas. In Europe, for example, the team has been looking at body image scanning systems and the service around that. It’s a wholly different form of imaging technology but something that is becoming more and more popular for people whether they are in weight loss programmes or are looking for customised garments. Those types of systems are becoming more common and need service partners,” explained Lofstrom. More long-term, Lofstrom is exploring the possibility of taking some of the company’s historical competencies in image science and mechanical systems and applying them to entirely new markets, such as manufacturing quality control systems where a high degree of precision is required. “It could even be applied in things like 3D printing, where you may be able to do feedback at point of creation. Today, with many 3D printing applications, you go through the production process and don’t know you have issues until it is done. That can result in a lot of time and material waste. If we can provide a feedback loop of whether it is conforming or not, there could be big benefits.” In the meantime, Alaris is continuing to invest in its channel partners as it seeks to penetrate the scanner and workflow markets more deeply and gain share, particularly in distributed capture. “We are very much a partner-centric company,” said Lofstrom. “We already have the broadest product range in the industry and with the assistance of our partners we can provide more value in terms of vertical solutions, for solving customer problems in ways that are relevant to them. We provide some of the ingredients with our hardware, software and services and look to our partners to provide the totality of the solution.” In next month’s issue we include more details on Alaris’s partner strategy, including an interview with Gerry Kelliher, Alaris Sales Director EMEA. The emergence of AI, RPA and machine learning are providing a fillip to the scanner market by raising interest at board level