Technology Reseller - v24

01732 759725 SCANNERS 40 ...continued One-of-a-kind smart connected scanning solution opens up new opportunities for Alaris partners Alaris launches new category of scanning solution security, including a separate data path and control path to isolate confidential content for secure transmission, and can be configured to show the partner’s branding on its display. The INfuse Solution seamlessly connects to the Alaris partner’s business process and enables end- users to onboard content directly into that workflow ‘at the edge’. When a scan is successfully transmitted and form fields are validated, the end-user receives real-time acknowledgement and immediate exception notifications. This enables missing forms, signatures and other critical information to be corrected instantly, saving money and improving employee productivity. For Alaris President & General Manager Don Lofstrom, this last point is a game- changer. He said: “Exception handling and the opportunity for immediate corrective action is critical. Reconstructing and re- scanning documents is difficult and costly. Bi-directional communication enabled by Alaris APIs is a game changer. It places INfuse in a category by itself – a smart, connected scanning solution with IoT capabilities for today’s information capture market.” To help ISVs, SIs, VARs and developers make the most of the INfuse Smart Connected Scanning Solution, Alaris is providing the necessary technical toolkits and application program interfaces (APIs) through an expanded Developer Program. It is also introducing: n a new dedicated partner portal that provides resellers with access to training resources, sales support tools, marketing assets, incentives and qualified leads from demand generation programmes; and n an enhanced Managed Capture Services (MCS) proposition, featuring a new Alaris Scanner Management Platform that enables partners to monitor scanner operational data, deliver usage reports, manage alerts for customer scanners and integrate Alaris scanners into centralised device management solutions, such an existing Managed Print Service (MPS). www.AlarisWorld.com Alaris, a Kodak Alaris business, has introduced a new type of scanner – and new revenue opportunities – in the form of the Alaris INfuse Smart Connected Scanning Solution. Inspired by feedback from channel partners and end-user customers, the Alaris INfuse Solution integrates directly with existing applications and the cloud, providing enterprises with faster, more accurate onboarding of information into business processes and solution providers with a more cost-effective way to install and manage a fleet of devices. It has three main components: n A Partner Software Application , typically a cloud-based enterprise solution for invoice processing, medical records management, customer account management or other business process, provided by the partner and integrated with Alaris APIs; n INfuse Management Software , providing remote configuration and fleet management through a bi-directional API provided by Alaris, with easy end-user set- up – end users simply scan a QR-printed smart set-up sheet provided by the partner and they are up and running with no training required; and n An INfuse AX Scanner – a smart network scanning device, requiring no PC or software/drivers, that accurately and securely transfers data, metadata and finished image files directly into a business process. INfuse offers enterprise-level It places INfuse in a category by itself – a smart, connected scanning solution with IoT capabilities for today’s information capture market 50 of which it describes as very active. This figure is likely to grow again this year, following a doubling of Lifesize’s UK sales team to 8 people (any business won is directed through its channel partners) and the expansion of its product portfolio. Helmbrecht points out that there are a number of reasons why resellers might want to partner with Lifesize, such as the attractions of having a recurring revenue model; the fact that Lifesize sells exclusively through the channel; the reliability of the product itself, which helps maintain good relationships with customers; and the flexibility of being able to offer a complete end-to-end Lifesize solution or a customised implementation using components from other suppliers. “We work with a variety of different technology providers for customers who need that – companies like Crestron, Extron, AMX, all the different display manufacturers, whiteboards and so on”, he explained. “But the great thing with Lifesize is you don’t have to do that. You can just take our technology and drop it in a room with a network jack, power and a TV and be up and running in a few minutes. You can send something by DHL or Fedex to a remote office and the person sitting at the front desk can hook it up in a matter of minutes, with everything managed remotely.” He added: “Partners can offer customers a range, from very elaborate, integrated deployments in boardrooms and lecture halls to simple small meeting spaces, huddle rooms, where the customer is very budget-conscious and doesn’t want, or doesn’t have, the ability to spend a great deal of money. We can still give them a true enterprise-class experience. All the partner is doing is taking our equipment and perhaps a TV and deploying it very quickly and inexpensively, yet still have the ability to scale it.” For IT resellers that are seeing audio, video and web conferencing becoming more and more part of the day-to-day business workflow, Lifesize is definitely worth a closer look. From its broad product portfolio and 4K-capable cloud platform to its scalability and technical support capability, it is a reliable partner for the full spectrum of channel organisations.