West Coast Copiers is the premier solution, print, copier and MFP provider in Tampa Clearwater and surrounding areas.

The printing industry has changed over the last 10-15 years. More importantly, The role of the Multifunctional printer (MFP) has changed, starting with its name from copier to MFP. This client almost ordered another copier for the corner because that is how he always have done things.

In the early 2000’s an we were lucky to see a 2% connectivity rate across the customers they supported. This meant that the copier really was just that; a copier. It wasn’t until people started connecting them to their networks that they became MFPs with users relying on them for printing as well. It was then just a matter of time before people figured out that if you could push printing to the MFP, you could also scan from it. Suddenly scanned PDF files were everywhere.

The evolution of the MFP is really when we drove the business community towards document management. With scanning so readily available business owners saw that they could begin digitally filing their paper based records without the added cost of a dedicated scanner. These early adopters typically tried to emulate their file systems in Windows Explorer by carefully structuring a file system and naming the scanned PDF files. This was great for getting rid of the paper, but as volumes increased, it became quickly apparent that finding these scanned records was not as easy as first thought.

So a document menagement solution became the next logical step with many users simply looking for a way to scan, store and retrieve their documents. Thus our solutions department was born. Helping clients get rid of the paper while giving them a way to put hands on important information when the time comes. But like most things, technology changes and with it changed the expectations of the business market. More and more we were evolved into a solution provider as the MFP became less about printing and more about the flow of business information.

So where does the role of the MFP go from here you might ask? With image quality better than ever and the cost of sophisticated Optical Character Recognition becoming less and less, I see the MFP having strong potential for data mining and sharing. Already we are seeing a rapid expansion in the use of OCR in conjunction with the MFP. Data can now be reliably pulled from images and used to feed financial and CRM systems. With all of the talk around “Big Data” I would not be at all surprised to see the MFP become ground zero for the extraction of high value data from information being shared on paper.

The possibilities surrounding a changing business world are exciting and it’s not clear to many exactly where they’ll lead us. What is sure is that where document information is being communicated, it will likely continue to flow through the MFP.

Contact us at West Coast and see how we can transform your office into a core focused office instead of focusing on what it takes to keep it running.

www.westcoastcopiers.com

]]> http://wccbs.com/how-an-mfp-can-change-your-life/feed/ 0 http://wccbs.com/would-you-like-to-supersize-that/ http://wccbs.com/would-you-like-to-supersize-that/#comments Thu, 17 Jan 2013 01:46:14 +0000 westcoastcopiers http://westcoastcopiers.wordpress.com/?p=194 When it comes to copiers, printers, document management software or workflow solutions, it is out of the realm of your company’s core mission. These items are exactly our core mission and function. Keep your company on track to perform your core functions and away from doing all the analysis, research and implementation it takes to run an office efficiently. West Coast Copiers has been in the Tampa area for 36 years now. Our primary goal is to be THE premier office solutions provider in the Tampa Bay area. Whether it is a simple functioning copier or printer up to a sophisticated enterprise workflow and output solution.

Our analysis (or assessment) is a free service offered by us. We keep it simple and targeted to the client’s need. West Coast does not fit into a box plan and strategy being implemented by the larger box stores with multiple locations. We remain with the flexibility needed to make your analysis a success because we are not accountible to a board or upper management who are not out in the field daily.

There are many aspects of document output and workflow (make daily task simple) that someone in the industry usually can not consider. Even if it is just buying a copier to sit in that corner because that is the way we have always done it. The newer generation of copiers offer much much more. Below is a short list of some of the items we can address and offer for efficiency and cost reduction. After all, that is what it is all about, isn’t it?

• Enforce rules for color output or duplex printing
• Redirect print jobs from desktop printers to multifunctional products (MFPs) with lower cost-per-page.
• Recover thousands of dollars in output costs with accurate cost accounting that allocates individual job costs to specific users, departments, clients or job codes.
• Track costs by file size, paper size, media type, color or duplexing
• Mobile printing
• Scanning in many ways and formats. From scanning to email and folders to scanning directly into the core software you use everyday. (Yes, It can be done)
• Secure printing

We could make this list go on and on concerning what is available. This is exactly why you should just employ a free professional to evaluate what is best for your company. The right technology is key to maintain control of quality, cost and security for your document needs. No one understands this better than West Coast Copiers. From day one, your business needs the training and integration only a reputable and established partner can provide.

Yes, I know your next question…contact us by simply clicking the picture above!

Our copiers and printers offer control over color privileges, greatly enhancing your ability to track and/or enforce cost control.

To decide if color is the right choice for you, try to project your color output needs over the next few years.  Remember to include all color output from printers as well as any outsourced color printing and existing color copier products.  Very often there is an opportunity to save money by retiring or limiting printers while migrating printer color output to a larger multi-functional product since printer cost per color page output is generally higher.  Of course, you need to consider many issues when you balance a distributed vs. centralized approach to output.

While color is cheaper than it was, it isn’t free.  If your color volume is low and/or you work in an office environment where controlling color output costs is difficult, or your strategy for output calls for a monochrome “work horse” to drive your costs as low as possible, you should focus on monochrome devices.

The new generation

Our color and most of our monochrome MFP’s offer color scanning capabilities and color fax options, though these capabilities will come with higher price tags.

Once you have a working knowledge of your volume needs and how much of that is color or monochrome, you can then intelligently begin to decide what types of devices can serve that need. That is when we at West Coast Copiers are very valuable as your partner.

West Coast Copiers is by far not the biggest player in the market, but we have been here for over 36 years and work very hard to become the premier provider for the whole Tampa Bay and surrounding areas. You will not fit into a large corporate box program. You will fit into a program that works for you and into a company that has a client return rate unparalleled in the market.

We welcome you to contact us even if your contract is not up for a few years. Intelligent, free and professional consultation is a must in this economy. We can help return more of your bottom line to your company than your realize. Take us up on that challenge and see how we can help.

Part of your contract will probably include that we collect meter readings from your machine(s).  For some, that is over the phone.  For others, we send them a fax.  For all, it takes time to go to the machine, print out the counter sheet and fax it back to us.

We use two technologies, @Remote and FM-Audit On Site.

FM-Audit is a server based service that runs in the background to monitor the health, toner consumption and meter reporting for your Multifunction Devices (printers, scanners, copiers, etc.).  @Remote is installed on the machine.

The services monitor the health of your machines, and reports any anomalies to us so we can take pro-active action and dispatch a tech to fix the problem, possibly eliminating and most certainly reducing your downtime.  The service will also notify us of the toner levels on your machine so that as your toner nears its end of life, or your change it, we can ship another out so that as you replace the dead toner a replacement arrives just in time.  The service will report its meter reading to us on your billing cycle.  This will eliminate the need to assign employees to manually go to the machine, print out a counter sheet and send it to us.

Over all, it provides you with areas a worry-free service for your machines.

The only prerequisite is that your machines is hooked to the network (able to reach the Internet) or you have a server or dedicated PC that we can setup the service..

Give us a call, we’ll check out your situation and see if you’re ready.

Photizo group, the broadest, most comprehensive line of market intelligence and consulting services in the industry to date, defines optimization as “deploying devices in a manner that is most effective both in terms of asset utilization and user satisfaction/productivity.” This is what PrintSmart is about. Something interesting that separates us from the rest of the pack is the customization that we can bring to the table. Most, if not all, MPS programs out there apply their logic and program goals to a very vast and diverse world. This is exactly where PrintSmart differs. We are a locally owned business that answers to no corporate or manufacturers’ mandates. Our boss is our client. Period.

Our PrintSmart has done many analysis of print and copy fleets to loudly proclaim – Pennies add up! It is not unusual for us to save companies thousands and thousands on print output. Our typical client saves anywhere from 15 up to 30% over current cost. Our in-depth analysis uncovers visible and hidden. There is absolutely no made up or assumed data.

Click the picture above to contact us and see what we can deliver to your bottom line.

I have links and quotes from several sources but it all goes back to the Nikkei business daily. Here is the Reuters link. There are rumors also that Kyocera may be interested.

Why? Sharp has debt totalling $16 billion and is digging for funds to refinance money for short-term commercial paper and a large convertible bond maturing in September next year. While the company may not want to sell parts of its business, it will have little choice, more than likely, because they are desperate for money to refinance upcoming debt rollovers.

The Nikkei also reported that Sharp has also signed contracts with two overseas consulting firms to help it determine which assets to sell. Sharp stated on Friday that it is considering various options to improve operations and did not comment further. To be fair, Sharp is not currently negotiating the sale of the businesses that Nikkei has reported in their article.

What exactly does this mean for your company? Well if you are getting quotes or looking for new copier/MFP units, just be informed.  Current Sharp Models include the following:

MX-3111U, MX-M314N, MX-M354N, DX-C310, DX-C311, MX-3100N, MX-3110N, MX-M363, MX-4101N, MX-4110N, MX-4111N, MX-M453, MX-M503, MX-M5001N, MX-M5510N, MX-5111N, MX-M550, MX-5500N, MX-6201N

Now, of course the company who dropped off the quote may not be aware of these reports because it not confirmed by Sharp. Financial news is at times volatile.  But we do remember that it was rumors when Ricoh was buying out Ikon and that Konica and Minolta were merging. This did effect who you did business with if you had their equipment.

What to do?  Maybe nothing. Just be informed.  It may be wise for you to obtain other quotes from different dealers - did I mention West Coast Copiers?  You should make sure there is reliable service, parts and lease follow up and support later on.  Maybe Sharp won’t sell out at all. After all it is just rumors at this point.   Upside?  Copiers may be a lower priced commodity for a while if Sharp lowers its inventory.Down side? Well, we just don’t know yet. How is that Ikon working out for you?

Now, subscribe to this blog for updates if you would like. As far as getting quotes goes, contact West Coast Copiers and we would be happy to show you a difference in quoting. We always take into account your work flow and document path as a holistic approach. After all, if we actually save you money and provide beyond what you expect. You will only be happy with one vendor there after, right? The assessment and quote are always free….

West Coast Copiers

West Coast Copiers founder, Gordon Link, built this company from the ground up. Having come from a service background, Gordon still treats clients and demands that West Coast Copiers provide best service we possibly can. Our company has always had the same owner. Most of our staff has been with the company for over a decade. This type of continuity is unique in our industry and allows us to have a different perspective than our competitors. Our concern isn’t just the sale today but the one five and ten years down the road because we will still be here. West Coast Copiers was established in 1976 to meet the growing demand of service for office equipment in the Tampa Area. We are a local owned and operated business based out of Clearwater, FL.

Besides being local, established and client focused, West Coast brings the best offerings available through strategic partnerships. We do all the research and investigating before deciding on a partner. There is a laundry list of criteria that has to be met before we proudly represent any hardware or software.

Here is a partial list of partners and resources that are brought to the table after a thorough assessment and evaluation of your business needs:

• Lanier
• Lexmark
• Docuclass
• Square 9
• FM Audit
• Digital Gateway
• Falcon Technology Solutions
• Asset DB
• Nuance

Most of these are utilized in our own office and with our own processes internally. We specialize not only in office hardware but in delivering the hardware to use in the most effective manner according to your workflow and processes. The assessment is usually a free service and always with no obligations.

The next time you have a representative in your office and the discussion is all about speeds and functions of a machine, know instantly that you will not get the value that you are signing up for. Call us to see the difference.

West Coast Copiers

A partnership beyond the printed page

Solutions that improve processes and maximize efficiencies in any business’s print environment are vital and our PrintSmarter method is leading the way forward by easing the burden on IT departments and solving device utilization issues from department to department and person to person. Utilizing West Coast’s on-site team of experienced experts to support your key staff in the design and application of practical solutions to software that are customized and interoperable.

     West Coast Copiers are the innovators in the Tampa and Tampa Bay area for managed print services with our PrintSmart and workflow solutions. We are the pioneers in the managed print and solutions industry. No other company has the inside track on how best to help you and your company recover hidden costs that can be returned to delivering the best customer service in your industry. The West Coast advantage of customizing service and solutions through our PrintSmart program for your unique challenges is at no risk or upfront costs.

West Coast is a leader in state-of-the-art document solutions and support. We have a strong reputation based on Integrity, Reliability, and Client Focus. We have partnered with several of the world’s foremost document imaging manufacturers to provide you with the best technology available

COMPANY MISSION

“To educate businesses how using Technology can optimize their Growth, Profitability and Visibility, while minimizing the Impact on the Environment.”

Our success is based on our ability to understand your needs and provide flexible solutions.

Using PrintSmart, we have successfully changed the way many companies have done business in document workflow and have improved internal workflows drastically.

Our print volume reduction programs for businesses of any industry, along with our Eco-friendly initiatives make us leaders in the community. Our PrintSmart professional consultants work day-in and day-out providing unparalleled service to the Tampa and Tampa Bay area. Because of our historical singular business focus on the document industry, we enable companies to work smarter, not harder.

www.westcoastcopiers.com

]]> http://wccbs.com/workflow-efficiencies/feed/ 0 http://wccbs.com/tampa-bay-and-smart-business/ http://wccbs.com/tampa-bay-and-smart-business/#comments Tue, 01 May 2012 23:59:52 +0000 westcoastcopiers http://westcoastcopiers.wordpress.com/?p=96

Our new PrintSmart solution has many businesses here excited about joining our program. Why? Because we are building many success stories across many vertical markets. From Healthcare to the Financial market, West Coast Copiers is slowly changing the way our many do business.

While most companies in our field are struggling to incorporate a simple Managed Print Services program and getting the sales staff trained to look at opportunities, WCC has moved this Managed Print to a new level. How?

A simple Managed Print Program involves gathering your printing volumes through a simple analysis and take a stab at what your spending while hoping you buy into it all in order to sign a lengthy contract with them. You will not find that business model here.

What we do at WCC is incorporate the latest in analysis software. The most advanced solution for this sector is exclusively found employed at West Coast Copiers. We do not take simple analysis. WCC installs the proper data collection software and does a thorough unobtrusive walk thru of the main site and satellite offcies, if applicable. We conduct simple interviews with department heads and employees alike to find out not only what is being printed and why it is being printed.

What really sets us apart is our recommended solutions. Each business has a customized solution developed just for their particular needs. Some companies require a simple solution that very well may include only lowering the cost of print output. While other may require removing printers and replacing them with work-group MFP devices that bring new technology. Other alternatives may include a software solution and/or a mixture of the aforementioned solutions. The bottom line is that West Coast Copiers not only has mastered our business analysis procedures but we have invested in the best software, personnel and tools available.

Contact WEST COAST COPIERS today

www.westcoastcopiers.com

727-561-0033

We fully believe there is no other company in the Tampa Bay / Clearwater area that can bring the comprehensive solutions that allows your company not only to improve your bottom line but work smarter, increase employee productivity and employee satisfaction.

The benefits of implementing a document management strategy have been well detailed at this point. For years independent consultants like Pricewaterhouse Coopers and the Gartner Group have been providing metrics on the many advantages including reduced print, storage and clerical costs. These studies have also clearly illustrated our propensity for losing critical documents and the high costs associated with re-creating them. The benefits of automating repetitive business processes while enforcing business rules through workflow are also unquestionable.

So if there are so many benefits to be found, why have so many organizations waited until now to implement a document management strategy?

Who’s Up First?

In many cases the thought of moving to a digital process is overwhelming. Determining where to start is always a source of controversy. Every department has more than its share of paper so is one more deserving than another?

Start by identifying the “paperless” objectives of each department by the type of application to be converted. Common applications include human resource records, contract management and vendor invoice management as just a few.

Next, analyze the benefits of each application including reduced printing, storage, and paper based distribution costs such as overnight mail. It is important to note that of all the costs savings available, the single greatest impact can be found through reduced labor costs. Repurposing a single clerical hire at $25,000 per year is the equivalent to reducing printing by more than 140,000 pages per year.

Tip: Identify 2-4 high impact areas for improving document efficiency and focus on making these successful before moving on to the next area

 What to Manage?

Documents today are more likely to be received in digital form than ever before. In addition to the exchange of Word and Excel files, there seems to be an endless stream of emails with PDF attachments arriving every day.

While email has greatly reduced the impact of information being transmitted via facsimile, faxed records are still the number one source for exchanging agreements executed with a “wet” signature. This is especially true in the financial, mortgage and healthcare markets where digital signatures are more prevalent.

Add in reports being generated via mini or mainframe systems with the increasingly common HTML file and you have a wide variety of formats commonly referred to as “business content” Unlike paper which is typically captured as a scanned image once it has been finalized, content can be captured at any point in its lifecycle.

When to Manage?

With the ability to capture active content the opportunity to reduce document related costs is even higher. Distribution and storage costs are both less expensive with digital content and the costs to print, file, retrieve and re-file are virtually nonexistent.

Let’s start by looking briefly at the document lifecycle which is commonly viewed as a four stage process.

Creation; which is fairly self-explanatory refers to the origination of the document. Whether in Word as a contract, or Excel as a report information needs to be collected and presented as a document.

Managing documents more effectively at the time of creation is the Holy Grail of efficiency as typically these records can reside in a variety of storage media.

Many companies have tried to collectivize the “C” drives of their employees through the creation of a company share but the benefits to this approach are limited. Without the enforcement of standardized naming conventions, the ability to actually find a document with any level of efficiency is non-existent. Unless incredible self-discipline, the shared drive of an organization becomes the dumping ground for documents which will likely never be seen again.

A better approach is to utilize a document management system that incorporates automated tools for saving your Office documents directly to a secured area with a standardized naming convention. This includes the ability to archive emails and their attachments as well using the message properties such as To, From and Subject.

The added benefit of storing documents at their time of creation is their native text state. This allows you to refine searches through the use of key words or phrases within the content of your record.

Collaboration; is the exchange of information with the purpose of seeking feedback or editing. At this point the document has still not been finalized and can greatly benefit from tools inherent within document management such as revision control and check in/ checkout. These tools help to ensure that unauthorized versions are not accidently distributed and that the evolution of change is maintained throughout the process.

Management; regardless of the document type, some level of management will take place once it has been finalized. This could mean a simple “review and approve” or a complex workflow that requires routing, notifications and escalations. As the most critical juncture in the document lifecycle this is where the payoff from document management is most profound.

Document Management will enforce business rules such as who can approve an invoice at what level they can approve. It will conditionally route documents to the appropriate person based on any number of pre-defined guidelines. Finally it will make sure actions are taken in the proper timeframe sending reminders or escalations to superiors in the event they are not.

These are just a few examples of how workflow within a document management system can increase efficiency while reducing labor costs within the management phase of the document lifecycle.

Archival; as the final phase in the document lifecycle, Archival might be deemed as nothing more than en electronic file cabinet but it can also benefit greatly through the addition of workflow automation.

Typically most documents have a retention schedule associated with them. While retention could be based on an internal business rule, more commonly it is mandated by a governing agency such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Securities and Exchange Commission or by federal regulations such as HIPAA or Sarbanes Oxley.

With the introduction of workflow, documents can automatically be moved or destroyed based on a pre-defined retention period such as 5 or 7 years. In most cases documents are not automatically destroyed given the potential for the errant deletion of valuable business information. Instead, they are moved to a secure area where a manager makes the final decision regarding the disposition of these records.

During the archival process, emails notifications of a document’s disposition can be sent to management notifying parties of a pending destruction.

With digital storage becoming relatively cheap, many companies will hold their records indefinitely even with the use of a document management system. This practice offers significant exposure however that many organizations are unaware of. While many agencies such as the IRS mandate a defined 7 year retention schedule, you are required by law to provide any records available at the time of audit. This means that if 10 years of records are in existence at the time of audit, they all must be provided to the auditor.

The use of automated retention schedules can help avoid unnecessary exposure while mitigating risk of compliance during the audit process.

Conclusion

Providing sufficient forethought into the lifecycle of your documents will help you to build a better solution for managing them and increasing organizational efficiency. Armed with a thorough understanding of your processes, a document management professional can better help you to apply the available technology in a way that will optimize its effectiveness. Contact West Coast Copiers for more information.

CLICK THE IMAGE