PrintIT Reseller - issue 65

01732 759725 SERVICES 34 Brother has launched four new services for its print and scan devices, a move it says gives channel partners new revenue streams and strengthens their ability to help clients capture efficiency savings Brother expands solutions range creating an opportunity for channel partners to re-engage with customers and provide valuable consultancy on their print and scan systems.” Solve big pain points He added: “These small solutions can solve big pain points for the end customer, and enable them to work smarter with their technology, ultimately helping to free-up time for more business-critical tasks. Having automated processes in place such as proactively ordering supplies, or the ability to remotely diagnose and resolve print and scan device issues, can mitigate human error, data breaches, etc.” The subscription model is simple. Each solution can be activated on a Brother device by either a reseller or end-user after purchasing a license. “That one license goes on one device, and the end customer can have up to the recommended number of users working on that device,” Hopkinson explained, adding: “It can also be part of an MPS deal – whether that’s an MPS solution that we deliver on behalf of our partner or one that the partner manages in-house, the licences can be added as part of the contractual service.” Channel-focused Brother is committed to delivering more value for its partners, helping them to transition from a hardware-only provider to a service provider mentality. “We’ve always been channel-focused and these services are a step in that direction, enabling our partners to take the sale one step further and deliver additional value, whilst securing additional revenue streams,” Hopkinson said. Whilst Brother has not developed these as vertical specific solutions, Hopkinson says that dealers can tailor the offer and target specific verticals that they specialise in. Looking to the future, he said that Brother is always looking to receive feedback from channel partners about what sort of solutions end-users are looking for, adding that future launches will depend on that feedback. “This is just the beginning for Brother Software Solutions, and we look forward to continue launching services that can deliver significant benefits to businesses and our channel partners,” he concluded. www.brother.co.uk The new services – Order Supplies, Barcode Print+, Remote Panel and Request Help (see box out); join three existing solutions under the new Brother Software Solutions range, which channel partners can sell alongside hardware and systems. Existing products include Custom UI, a service that creates personalised user interfaces, Secure Print+, which helps improve print security and Barcode Utility, a barcode document routing programme for scanners. With this new launch, Brother is targeting dealers that are selling to the SMB sector. The new services are designed to work with Brother’s L5000, L6000, L8000 and L9000 printer ranges as well as the X-Series inkjet models. The new solutions are also available on selected scanners including the ADS-2800W and ADS-3600W. Product and Solutions Manager Aaron Hopkinson, said: “With these new services we are providing channel partners with an opportunity to have a more solutions- based conversation around Brother products. Average sale prices are going lower and lower and for some standard resellers, it’s getting more difficult to secure revenue. This new offering allows resellers to have more meaningful discussions with business customers. Each is compatible with legacy hardware, Brother is always looking to receive feedback from channel partners about what sort of solutions end-users are looking for Order Supplies : enables users to order inks and toners directly from the menu of a Brother device, streamlining supplies replenishment for customers without the need for a fully managed service. Barcode Print+ : provides employees with the ability to print barcodes within documents without the need for a specialist or dedicated barcode printer. It will be particularly suited for companies that often use barcodes for document management. Remote Panel : new service allows IT departments or service providers to remotely diagnose and resolve print and scan device issues from the comfort of their desktop PC, meaning employees won’t always need to wait for an engineer to fix a problem with the printer or scanner. Request Help : empowers individuals to flag errors to service providers or IT managers immediately, directly from the device screen. By Pressing ‘Request Help’ on the control panel, a full diagnostic report can be created and automatically emailed to the IT administrator. Aaron Hopkinson BROTHER : Software Solutions