Managed Print Services (MPS), along with other related services and solutions, offers a fundamental opportunity for growth to the manufacturers of printing equipment and their partners. As the market for this type of service is already mature, it forces companies offering MPS to differentiate through new offers. Nowadays, MPS is repositioned within the broad limits of the digital workflow transformation. While most manufacturers offer a rich portfolio to manage performance and productivity at the work place, most of the MPS providers encounter difficulties in key areas of this management – analytical vision, workflow automation and innovation. They need to deepen their competencies in this area and to expand their corporate reach through security management and participation in the Internet of Things (IoT). This would help manufacturers to become trusted partners for non-printing services.
Managed Print Services are a leading lever for accelerating digital transformation, through digitalization and automation of workflows. Although the organizations recognize this potential, only a quarter of them (23%) agree that MPS play an important role in digital transformation as of this day, and more than half of them (54%) expect this to happen in two years. While most manufacturers of printers have already expanded their portfolio with reference to the digitalization of the workplace, yet there are companies-traditionalists that offer print management, but are facing difficulties due to the complexity of the workflow automation.
Taking into account the increasing trend of cyber security threats, there is a growing concern about the devices in the IoT (Internet of Things) that can be the target of attacks, which in turn climbs up the security of the service management in the scale of Managed Print Services. Loss of data remains widespread in companies using Managed Print Services. In 2018, 65% reported at least one loss of data, i.e. an increase of 60% compared to 2017. In summary, only 30% of respondents confirmed to be fully sure that their print infrastructure is protected from all threats, both external and internal ones. Leading companies that offer MPS help businesses close those security holes through detailed security assessment services, although service levels vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Security is already at the highest level of IT cares for every business, no matter of its size. However, print security solutions and services are far behind the overall IT security in most organizations. Undoubtedly, the security of the print environment is often a neglected element in the overall IT security strategy. Meanwhile, an increased concern about more effectively managed access to information is observed. The current transition to third-party technologies, including mobile and Cloud-based applications, is changing the very way of working with business documents and critical business content. Employees, customers, all of them are now requiring 24x7 access to information behind and beyond the corporate firewall. Management and IT departments are under pressure to better control information management. Each organization has its own unique print environment, focused on data, document and information management, both in digital and in paper format. The lack of supervision in the office environment makes the business vulnerable to a data or device level breakthrough in the form of compromised software, unsecured network, or leakage of data/information. The end result is an extended working time for maintenance personnel, costs, fines and business reputation breaches. Neglecting the security of the print environment, as part of the overall IT strategy, place the organization at risk of significant internal or external cyber threats. Organizations should take into account the following:
- To draft a three-year plan on what is expected to be the level of complexity in ensuring the security of printing and documents. In the coming years, to create conditions in order to ensure the protection to printing devices will become part of everyday life. Those organizations that want to build a comprehensive print infrastructure security strategy need to look for solutions and services that bring security out of the device itself.
- To understand in detail what their current print environment is. To assess the existing document flow, to identify security threats and security gaps.
- To integrate the print security in the context of the organization's overall IT security strategy. To develop a long-term plan that includes measures for ongoing monitoring and management of print and programs related to document security. Manufacturers offer a wide range of device and data protection services, many of them are designed to be integrated within the existing document management and enterprise content management systems (ECM), thus providing additional protection and focus on issues related to the compliance with the regulatory requirements.
- To examine their existing suppliers of printing equipment. To make sure that any existing suppliers are part of this mix when assessing the need of printing and document security. These suppliers certainly have a full range of security solutions and services, as well as a clear vision on how the technologies they supply can meet the evolving business needs.
- To identify the industry-specific capabilities. Security needs and regulatory requirements vary widely in vertical markets. To seek a supplier of high competence in the field of document management that offers printing security services meeting your specific business needs.
Kyocera
Kyocera is a major developer of worldwide print and document security solutions and services. Kyocera is a conglomerate, dealing with the production of electronic products, based in Kyoto, Japan. Kyocera's strong focus on indirect sales allows the company to focus on medium-sized businesses. Kyocera continues to strengthen its influence among its partners through flexible and inexpensive print management solutions. Its print management application KYOfleetmanager is available as a host service for the company's dealers, providing proactive service and management of supplies of devices offered by different manufacturers. This Application can provide dealers with increased revenue opportunities and higher margins, thanks to a wider range of service offerings - such as evaluation, reporting and support services.
Kyocera is also developing its global customer service department so that its services can reach big business that can not be serviced by the dealers channels.
Proven approach in providing Print Management Services
Kyocera Document Solutions has adopted a five-step approach that includes Assessment, Design, Deployment, Management and Optimization. These include a wide range of standardized services, such as auditing of printers, proactive maintenance, planning of supplies, change management, reporting, reviewing and decommissioning of depreciated equipment.
From a hardware standpoint, Kyocera offers a wide range of A3 and A4 black & white and color multifunction devices, enabling customers to be offered a balanced Managed Print Service tailored to their needs. Kyocera’s key advantage is the reliability of hardware thanks to the ECOSYS technology that delivers long service life and is characterized by high reliability, low total cost of ownership (TCO) and reduced environmental impact. Kyocera has moved up in the ranking of manufacturers that offer a Print Management. Over the past year, the company’s sales of hardware have also significantly increased, which in turn created more opportunities to offer services related to Document Management. Its business consultants have specific goals associated with the professional services that demonstrate Kyocera's commitment on this market.
Kyocera is currently standardizing its services in all its business representative offices, by offering a service catalog for all its subsidiaries in Europe. In addition, Kyocera continues to the development of its Cloud strategy, by offering virtualization of print servers and cloud print solutions.
Kyocera's Managed Document Services (MDS) strategy is based on a 5-step process:
- Assessment - includes professional assessment of document flows within the organization, from audit of printing to financial indicators, the consumption and the energy costs. This in turn leads to cost-saving recommendations and which processes can be optimized.
- Design - involves offering an optimized combination of hardware, software, and process improvement. It consists of design solutions, print infrastructure and financial services.
- Implementation - includes hardware and software installation, change management, training, logistics planning, as well as effective and environmentally friendly decommissioning of the depreciated devices.
- Management - Kyocera’s management services use their remote support capabilities to deliver proactive monitoring and resource planning. They offer remote or on-site support and a regular review of the results that support accountability and allow a detailed assessment of the current status of printing infrastructure.
- Optimization - by using real-time analysis and optimization, Kyocera assesses on a regular basis the print environment in order to ensure that it meets the expected service levels for the service delivery period.
Kyocera's print security strategy is built on the approach of ensuring the protection of print and document infrastructure, including: device maintenance levels, identification by user, content management, compliance/standards and consultancy services. Kyocera offers a device protection service, plan to offer embedded applications for secure startup, security information and event management (SIEM) and TPM modules support.
Kyocera offers a wide range of security solutions across different platforms and models to provide wider protection for documents and content. Its proprietary nscale software is a content management platform available both as a Cloud service and onpremises. Designed to provide user access rights to the Company's ECM system, nscale provides a platform for secure and effective document management without using the Access Control List (ACL). Kyocera offers security services including a penetration test that simulates an attack on the client's computer system to look for security vulnerabilities by trying to access system’s data and functionality. Kyocera offers consultations on Business Process Modeling (BPM) as a professional service to identify customer needs and help them achieve compliance objectives and improve the processes in the organization of printing. In addition, cyber threat assessment is made available in order to verify the reliability of the client's network and to analyze the possible threats and risks associated with the applications that the client is currently using.
Kyocera offers two types of assessment: security assessment of printing and document infrastructure and evaluation, focusing more on the IT/technical approach. Network access, uncontrolled devices, alien forces, regulations, devices and applications are subject to analyze during the first assessment. IT assessment varies according to the type of industry, as there are different compliances and regulations on each market. Kyocera focuses on industries that include government institutions, finance, pharmacy, education and media.
Strengths
Kyocera's strengths include a broad portfolio of security applications based on proprietary technology and partner-driven solutions. Kyocera’s strategic moves by the recent acquisition of Ceyoniq and DataBank allow the company to expand its offerings in the scope of ECM and to target specific vertical markets and specific business applications. Kyocera is developing a strong and loyal indirect marketing program – a tool that helps the company to meet security needs of printing for small and medium-sized businesses.
Challenges
Kyocera strategy can be supported by improvements in the global standardization of service and solutions offerings by the company. Also, Kyocera aims at extending its portfolio by adding specific device-level support capabilities, integration with SIEM tools, event management and security-related information.
Choosing Kyocera
Organizations can rely on Kyocera when seeking an integrated security strategy that addresses the overall system of document flow. Kyocera should be on every list of suppliers when customers search for specific solutions in the field of security that target industries such as government institutions, finance, pharmaceuticals, education and media.
KONTRAX has been an official distributor, an authorized and certified Kyocera Service Center for Bulgaria since 1997. KONTRAX distributes the entire range of Kyocera laser printers and multifunction devices as well as the accompanying software solutions, consumables and spare parts on the territory of Bulgaria. The equipment is supplied directly from Kyocera Document Solutions Europe Warehouses in the Netherlands. Furthermore, Kyocera’s distribution channel in Bulgaria is maintained and assisted by the dealer network throughout the country. KONTRAX has its own dealer and service network in all the 28 district towns of Bulgaria. KONTRAX maintains constantly stocks of Kyocera's up-to-date brands of laser printers and multifunction devices, consumables, spare parts, etc.
Find more about the managed print services of your Organization on our website kontrax.bg or contact KONTRAX Consultants.
Technical Director Product manager Kyocera Service specialist
