Canon recently launched the imagePRESS V1000, imagePress C270 and C265, and imagePROGRAF GP series. As these are enterprise devices, you must be wondering why we would be interested in them.
It all comes down to the fact that you’re no longer just buying a printing device. It’s worth noting that printers offer more than just a means of printing documents these days. While THAT buzzword, digitalisation, has been bandied about freely in recent years as a spirited call to action, it also threw up thorny issues that have subjugated progress into the spotlight. The barriers to entry for most small companies run the gamut of pain points, from a ‘simple’ matter of the cost of new technology to institutionalised resistance to change.
It’s something that Canon is naturally concerned about–they shared that IDC predicted that 33 per cent of all business contracts will be digital by 2023, while print volume in Singapore is expected to drop by over 80 per cent; not something you want to hear as a printer company. However, there is a gap in the market: IMDA’s studies find that SMEs are behind when it comes to going digital, and the challenges involved in integrating new technology are one of the top three obstacles faced by Singapore businesses.
While Canon is known for its expertise in the printing space, the company has also built up its cloud and SAAS offerings, which work in tandem with its more traditional print solutions. As such, they’re well-placed to be a one-stop shop that fits the needs of SMEs.
At the heart of this solution is MyFile, an automated process that minimises human intervention in archiving or digitalising printed documents. After batch scanning documents with Canon’s Multi-function Device, MyFile automatically uploads to the cloud, separating and indexing them. This makes the scanned documents searchable and retrieving documents easy. And thanks to indexing, you can extract specific data entries.
To value-add, Canon offers Therefore, a Document Management Solution with reporting tools that process the data extracted to analyse and reveal insights that can help companies improve their business processes and decisions. But the dealmaker, if you can call it that, is that Canon functions as a solutions provider, meaning that they will help with issues such as migration of existing data, so companies only need to deal with one vendor who’s fully cognizant of the processes from start to finish.
Perhaps for small businesses, this consolidated approach might just be the ticket.
