Three years ago Minolta`s Integrated Systems Information Exchange division (MiSix) implemented its first software solution at Hollard Insurance with the aim of maximising office equipment efficiency, containing costs and increasing profits.
Today Hollard can focus on its core business while Minolta manages and monitors the performance of Hollards` devices. The state-of-the-art software solution incorporating four major software components has resulted in lower overheads, reduced waste and misuse and a healthier bottom line for Hollard.
MiSix product manager, Mohammed Vachiat, says Hollard in (month and year) signed an outsourcing deal with Minolta to replace the company`s network printers with central multifunctional devices (MFPs). "Hollard wanted a system installed that would help with the tracking of print and copy costs because the MFPs were being shared by different departments. We had to offer an enterprise solution that would result in reports that covered usage in all three Johannesburg-based Hollard buildings," says Vachiat.
MiSix`s solution was to install Equitrac Print and Copy Management and connect the three buildings via a wide area network that could combine the management information from three local area networks onto one report.
Vachiat says the Equitrac solution allows Minolta to provide Hollard with comprehensive reports on the number of prints and copies made by user and by department. "It gives each department the ability to monitor and manage their own print and copy costs by drilling down to establish what individual users are printing and copying," he says.
Equitrac also tracks printing on traditional laser printers, which allows the company to identify areas where it is spending too much money and where printing would be better channelled through MFPs. "At Hollard the installation of Equitrac resulted in hundreds of desktop printers being removed and replaced with MFPs," says Vachiat.
MiSix recently implemented e-document delivery solution - RightFax - at Hollard. Rightfax allows users to send faxes directly from their desktop computers, saving time and money. Users can also receive faxes directly into e-mail.
"By removing many of its manual fax machines, Hollard has dramatically cut its print and service costs," says Vachiat.
The implementation of custom integration software - ScanWorks - developed by MiSix allows users at Hollard to scan documents on MFPs and e-mail them directly to an e-mail address. Vachiat says this functionality has also been integrated with RightFax, allowing users to scan and fax documents directly from MFPs via the RightFax server.
Vachiat says on-site Minolta software engineers at Hollard use Minolta integrated PageScope device management software to monitor the Minolta MFPs live over the network to identify shortages in paper or toner. It also highlights potential errors and end-of-line parts before users notice them. "PageScope allows the engineers to carry out preventative maintenance and keep the document management process running smoothly," he says.
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