01732 759725
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VOX POP
...VOX POP continued
Nigel Allen,
Marketing Director,
KYOCERA
:
“The issue which is having the
biggest impact on the UK market across
the board is of course Britain’s proposed
future exit from the European Union.
While we can’t predict the exact details
or timescales, we have no doubt it will
affect the market once agreed and put into
process.
“More specifically, in the business
world we’re being driven by the same
trends as any other technology company
- the changing workforce and a move
away from traditional office based IT
consumption. We’re also seeing a crossover
between personal and business devices, as
well as a shift towards cloud.
“This, in turn, impacts on our products.
We’re seeing a growing demand from our
users for software solutions. They want
cloud printing solutions and apps that they
can use across their devices, which need
to be more easy-to-use and efficient than
ever before in the new time-poor world.”
Wayne Snell,
Product Manager,
DSales
:
“The need for MFPs to interface with users’
mobile devices is now having the biggest
impact on the market. That’s why Develop
is including Near Field Communications
(NFC) for simple mobile device connection
into most of the new Develop ineo MFPs
for the office.
“Users want to be able to print from
and scan to their mobile devices straight
to an MFP, cutting out the need to use a
desktop PC. Another emerging trend is
the requirement for the MFP to connect
directly to the customers’ cloud account for
scan-to and print-from applications.”
.
co.uk
What’s having the greatest impact
on the market currently?
Scott Walker,
Head of Business
Development,
ZenOffice MPS
:
“Certainly
Brexit! A lot of sectors are being cautious
on moving forward with projects until they
see how everything pans out.
“On a positive note, the range of new
technology out there is incredible. Xerox
has recently released their award winning
version of ConnectKey which is full of smart
apps allowing organisations to make their
document processes even more efficient.
“Beyond that, I haven’t seen a drop in
the demand for managed print services.
If anything, clients are wanting to get as
much from their service providers as they
can, which is opening the door to software
solutions on top of the need for their MFDs.”
Mark Smyth,
Operations Director,
Vision
:
“Some of the largest market
impacts we have experienced have come
from new developments with hardware
products where new operating platforms
such as Android and tablet displays have
been introduced and the use of software
solutions and apps.
“There are also a number of robust
options available for managed print and
document solutions and we have identified
more impact and market penetration
with new innovative ways to truly make
businesses more efficient with mobility,
apps and capture, workflow. The strong
message from most clients is ‘we want
innovation and a clear roadmap for
continued development and improvement.”
Steve Hawkins,
Group Managing
Director,
Xeretec
:
“The greatest impact
we have seen surrounds the uncertainty
of the market place throughout the Brexit
process. This has not really been about the
decision; more the process leading up to it
and the uncertainty that was created.
“Interestingly, since the actual decision,
we have won more new managed print
agreements than in the previous two
months, which hopefully shows normality is
resuming. The key trends in our customers
continue to be around driving cost
reduction, improving service delivery and
improving efficiencies.”
Joe Doyle,
Marketing Director,
Annodata
:
“Cloud computing is
undoubtedly having the biggest impact on
the market at the moment, and this will
only accelerate for the foreseeable future.
End-users are under growing pressure to
do more with less, be more efficient and
digitally transform their processes and are
quickly turning to the cloud to achieve
what they need to achieve. Cloud-based
print services, for example, offer businesses
more visibility over their print practices and
outputs, offer significant cost savings and
lower the overall management overheads
for internal IT teams.
“We’ve been making changes within
Annodata over the past few years to make
sure we can take our clients to cloud and
ensure that they can take advantage of the
significant benefits that it offers.
“Another key trend we are seeing
at the moment, is that many businesses
are now actively looking to cut down on
the number of suppliers that they are
working with. It is a nonsense, not to
mention inefficient, to use one supplier
to provide your print, another to supply
your communications and someone else
to provide your IT and desktop. All of
these services are connected to the same
network and are increasingly becoming
unified in their application, not to mention
the fact that it’s just impractical today to
PART 2:
THE RESELLERS’ PERSPECTIVE
BIG PAD, Sharp’s Interactive flat panel
display (model PN-70TW3)
Colin Griffin,
Blackbox Solutions
Wayne Snell,
DSales
Nigel Allen,
KYOCERA
Matt Goodall,
Office Evolution
Steve Hawkins,
Xeretec
Continued on page 22...
