PrintIT issue48

PRINT.IT 25 www.printitmag.co.uk 2018 PREVIEW We will see more consolidation in 2018, as the market declines and conditions become more competitive infrastructure is often overlooked. To deal with the threat to device- based company data, Develop has launched an industry-leading security service, known as ineo SECURE UK, offered exclusively by authorised Develop resellers. Highly trained professionals will configure the security features of Develop devices, either prior to installation or at the user’s premises, customised to the individual user’s requirements. Ben Gaston, sales director, Toshiba TEC Diversification will continue to be the number one trend in 2018, as the industry is yet to reach the end of this transformative journey. As time goes on, we will see clearer demarcation between two different and opposing ways of operating. There will be those that are progressive and prepared to diversify their offering and approach – shifting their sales dynamic to ‘help’ rather than ‘sell’. However, others will stubbornly stick to what they know, with a focus on shipping and servicing hardware. The latter will continue to struggle in a commoditised space as their differentiators are diminished, while the former will continue to expand their customer bases. Shaun Wilkinson, MD, UTAX (UK) Ltd Printed paper will continue to be at the centre of business activity, but, as ongoing uncertainty surrounding Brexit and the impact it has on business confidence continues, organisations will be looking to take control of costs while optimising workflows. This opens doors for print and document management solutions that enhance, streamline and digitise processes and ensure control. Cost management through rules-based printing will be key. Successful print resellers will be those who truly solve the problems of their customers and grow consultancy-based sales. Phil Jones MBE, managing director, Brother UK Customers continuing to demand greater ROI may spark the return of ‘cold tech’. This trend first started in the early 2000s, when there was a demand for technology that provided a rapid return on investment (ROI) within the same financial year, delivering immediate impact on the bottom line. The re-emergence of this trend may contribute towards an uptake in managed print services. This involves leasing printers, so customers get systems that can be refreshed every few years with new models that offer the latest productivity gains. Jamie Brothwell, print general manager, Exertis Further consolidation. Last year I predicted that we would see consolidation within the print market and sure enough this is exactly what happened, with the headline acquisitions of HP/ Samsung in the vendor world and Apogee/Danwood in the reseller channel. I believe we will see more consolidation as we move into 2018, with further brand and reseller collaboration as the market declines and conditions become more competitive. Michele Mabilia, senior product marketing manager, OKI Systems (UK) Ltd Driven by the imminent enforcement of GDPR and the thought of heavy fines for non- compliance, data protection will be one of the top business concerns next year. As a result, businesses will be paying attention to print security more than ever, with an increasing number developing print security strategies. The knock-on effect here will be an increasing demand for methods of digitising documents and a growing number will adopt a more digital workflow. Pete Pearce, product & applications marketing manager, Canon UK Security will continue to be a huge focus as businesses are beginning to acknowledge that printer security and robust document management protocols are key elements in the wider security ecosystem. Employees also expect access to cloud storage and mobile print capabilities as standard, meaning connectivity will also need attention. From a Canon perspective, we will continue to grow our P2P offering, supporting businesses through digital transformation. We are also broadening the ability for customers to benefit from a Canon solution by continuing our shift to SaaS and Cloud services. This will offer customers real choice, spanning traditional ownership, access to services in the Cloud and the ability to abdicate processes to Canon in a fully outsourced and managed service. Jason Cort, director of product planning and marketing, Sharp Europe Undoubtedly, compliance standards, particularly GDPR, will be a big driver for sales of document management systems in Europe. As a consequence, we could see the digitisation of paper- based documents into workflows greatly accelerated and even less inclination for people to print. Businesses will increasingly demand affordable and simple solutions for protecting their information and vendors that can offer a holistic perspective on IT security, not just from a hardware point of view. Eric Crump, director of strategic alliances, Ringdale There will be a continued focus on security through 2018. Compliance concerns will take a front seat with the looming GDPR deadline taking effect in May, when it is estimated that less than 25% of organisations will be ready. Dealers will have to align their strategies to meet the security and compliance needs of customers, especially as most are not ready to consult around compliance matters, while printer vendors will focus much of their efforts on ensuring their output devices meet similar security standards as other vendors claiming to already have the highest security. Security is set to take centre stage in 2018, as GDPR comes into force. Vendors like Develop, with its ineoSecure service, are helping customers to protect data on office MFPs continued...