Technology Reseller - v15 2018

01732 759725 SCANNERS 34 The Imaging Channel Program is the hub through which we provide a significant amount of resource to support our partners – marketing material, knowledge and insight, presentations, product-related information, community news, promotional activities and such like. Then, within that, we have an Imaging Rewards Program to reward resellers for their contribution to our success. In the UK, we have close to 2,000 participants in our Imaging Rewards Program and I would encourage all resellers to get involved. As well as giving points for sales, which partners can exchange for a variety of items, the program from time to time includes additional promotions. Last year, we ran a Japan incentive and took six channel partners out to Japan to experience Japanese culture and see where our products are made. This was so successful we are running our ‘Trip of a Lifetime’ Japan incentive again, from the beginning of November through to the end of March 2019. Every sale you make goes into a draw, so even if you make only a couple of sales, you could still be on the trip. Our third element is the Imaging Alliance TR : How are you helping resellers to profit from these trends? BF: As a manufacturer, we differentiate ourselves by being 100%-focused on the channel: everything we sell is sold through a distributor and a reseller, so we invest a lot in the channel. In fact, in 2017 the Fujitsu Imaging Channel Program won Incentive Marketing Association Circle of Excellence awards in both the ‘Consumer Offer/Branding Program/Customer Loyalty’ and ‘Sales Incentive’ categories – the first time a single program has received awards in both categories. Programme for people who may not sell scanners but who are significant influencers, typically ISVs, integrators, coders. Three years ago, we created a programme for them, with its own portal where they can access our SDK, sample code and supporting information and share experiences and issues they have with our products. We felt this should be a separate community because the things they want to talk about and the help and support they need are different to those of our reseller partners. That said, we do try to cross-pollinate these communities because sometimes our resellers will need solutions that we don’t offer, but which people within our broader ecosystem can provide. TR : Are you increasing the number of channel partners you have? BF: Yes, over the last couple of years quite significantly. We now have more than 5,500 resellers in Europe, of which nearly half are in the UK. It’s not just the promotional elements – the Japan trip or the rewards programme – that attract partners; it’s the real value that’s in it for them. ...continued Now with LAN interface Canon’s new imageFORMULA DR-G2 series scanners are the first production scanners to have both USB connectivity and an embedded LAN interface that removes the need for a dedicated PC or software application. Faster (up to 280 images per minute in colour at 300 dpi) and quieter than previous models, they come with a 500-sheet document feeder and are able to scan batches of mixed paper sizes and thicknesses. Using folio mode, they can scan documents up to A1 in size. A barcode and 2D code recognition feature gives users the ability to separate batches automatically, sorting them into multipage files using barcode information for naming/indexing. An SDK enables customers to create bespoke applications. Lower entry point Alaris has expanded its S2000 Scanner line with the addition of the Alaris S2040 Scanner. The 40 pages (80 images) per minute device has the image processing power of the S2050 and S2070 models, but at a lower price point (£576) for customers who want a more affordable solution. It comes with the latest Alaris Perfect Page image enhancement technology and Smart Touch Software, which eliminates multi-step scanning processes with one- touch simplicity. Users can configure up to 20 different functions, making it quick and easy to perform common tasks, such as scanning a document to a file location or cloud service. Scanning on the move Epson has launched its smallest and lightest A4 scanners to date in response to the growth in mobile and flexible working. The DS-70 and DS-80W can scan anywhere at speeds of just 4 seconds per page and can handle paper weights from 35gsm to 270gsm. With built-in Wi-Fi, battery and LCD panel, the flagship DS-80W can scan up to 300 pages on a single charge. Both models come with Document Capture Pro 2 and Epson Scan 2.0 software and TWAIN driver support, making it easier to scan, save and share information around the business. Subscription pricing Alaris has introduced new purchasing options for its information capture solutions, including Alaris Capture Pro Software and Alaris Info Input Solution. In order to reduce the acquisition cost for customers, both these solutions are now available on one-year subscriptions, as an alternative to existing perpetual licensing options. As well as being more affordable, subscription-based pricing gives customers the flexibility to scale up or down in line with business needs. An IDC white paper sponsored by Kodak Alaris ( Automate Your Information Capture Workflow , August 2017) identified the acquisition cost of solutions as the largest hurdle for businesses to clear when automating document-based workflows. Easier integration IBML has launched ISIS and TWAIN drivers for its DS series of high volume desktop production scanners, making it easy to integrate the devices with most document capture solutions.The DS 1155 and DS 1210 scanners are well suited to applications in banking, insurance, healthcare and government that require a scalable platform that is easy to implement and can be upgraded to automate key business processes at the point of capture. They are also ideal for digital mail rooms and other environments where space is at a premium and the workload high. With a rated speed of 210 pages per minute (ppm), the DS 1210 is claimed to be the fastest desktop production scanner in the world. Another of the scanners’ selling points is intelligent scanning technology, which can reduce the time spent on pre- and post-scanning that typically makes up more than 75% of the total scanning cost. www.ibml.com New business scanners epson.co.uk