In a document imaging industry that’s become increasingly data driven, you can’t underestimate the impact of having accurate and detailed data at one’s fingertips. When it comes to sources of accurate and detailed data within the document imaging space, one of the first players that come to mind is PrintFleet.
This is a company that understands the true value of data. As the PrintFleet Website states, “Data-driven automation is making things faster, better, less expensive and more efficient.”
Indeed, and nobody understands that better than PrintFleet, a company responsible for managing more than 5 billion pages monthly worldwide.
Background Story
Originally founded in 2003 by Brian Cosgrove, the owner of Multi-Laser, a remanufactured toner company, PrintFleet was incorporated as a standalone business in 2005. Throughout its history, the company has been focused on its mission of providing timely, reliable data to enable automation of processes and high-value applications for the global imaging industry.
From the outset, Cosgrove, who now serves as chairman, recognized the value of identifying which toners were in demand and went about hiring a team of developers to design a software system to capture, analyze, and report on key device metrics from networked printers and multifunction devices. From that simple concept, Cosgrove and his team shaped PrintFleet into a company that specializes in the development of data-driven device management and assessment software solutions as well as training, business development and support programs for dealers, distributors and manufacturers in the imaging industry.
An industry trailblazer, PrintFleet was the first to offer a rapid assessment tool, a comprehensive dealer hosted remote print monitoring application, and various professional development and training programs, all of which have propelled it into the upper echelon of the print management industry.
Today, PrintFleet’s family of print management software solutions ranges from simple rapid assessment to advanced, independently hosted device management. Its software, along with its sales, marketing and technical support programs help dealers forge stronger customer relationships.
Chris McFarlane
Something for Everybody
“At the heart of PrintFleet’s offerings is its DCA (Data Collection Agent) which collects the data that powers PrintFleet systems as well as our partner systems,” explains Chris McFarlane, CEO. “Often people know that they use our DCA, but they don’t know that the entire MPS program they are on is fully powered by PrintFleet. This is because we were [and are often still] white labeled.”
A prime benefit of partnering with PrintFleet is that the company is truly agnostic.
“We will work with all manufacturers, any distributor, or service provider in our space, resulting in a lot of devices, countless environments, and unlimited ways in which to collect, distribute and display data,” states McFarlane.
That agnosticism has been an advantage not only to the OEMs but also for the various channels that rely on PrintFleet. The company manages data in a manner that ensures only parties contractually authorized to view information are empowered to do so. In this regard, the dealer’s critical customer information is not shared inappropriately with OEMs or distributors, something that’s extremely important for the dealer channel.
An Ounce of Prevention
PrintFleet allows dealers to develop proactive supplies and service programs via status alerts based on event and occurrence thresholds, triggers, standard and vendor error codes as well as LCD screen text. This alert functionality allows visibility into performance issues and device status before problems arise and impact end user experience.
The software can generate a single alert to notify dealers when an event begins and ends, allowing for better management of the customer print environment. Dealers also have the option of being notified when selected alert conditions occur multiple times over a specified time period. These occurrence thresholds can eliminate the need to send a technician to a client for trivial issues such as paper jams and allow technicians to be dispatched only when problem thresholds are met.
Dealers also appreciate how PrintFleet offers several views of device data, allowing them to see the information they want and how they want to see it. Views include:
- Technical View – This provides basic information about devices, including the name, supplies status, device status, yesterday meter count, serial number, IP address, location, and last active date.
- Supplies Order View – This displays supplies-related information, including toner levels or status. Supplies can also be ordered from the Supplies Order View.
- Alerts View – This displays the customer name, number of devices that have recent alerts, and a link to view alert details for each device.
- Maps View – This allows for the uploading of images of office floor plans that can then be used to place images of printing devices, computing devices, people, and other miscellaneous items. PrintFleet automatically updates the status of the devices, allowing the dealer to quickly identify and locate devices requiring attention.
The end result of implementing a proactive data-driven service such as PrintFleet is increased device uptime, reduced inventory of parts/consumables, improved first call resolution rates, and a better end user experience.
The PrintFleet Difference
When asked how PrintFleet differentiates itself from competitors, McFarlane hones in on data collection, accuracy, and support. He reports that when PrintFleet is tested side by side against the major players, it stands out from the pack. And the program is destined to get even better in the near future.
“We’re coming out with more information about our data accuracy because it is a point of difference,” states McFarlane. “We’ve been working closely on algorithms with the manufacturers, distributors, and others to put those catalogs of understanding together so we can help streamline what the information really means.”
Ultimately it all comes down to the accuracy of the data.
Let’s not forget ease of use as another reason why dealers, resellers, OEMs, and distributors choose PrintFleet.
“We take the technical complexity out of it with both our Vision and LINK solutions,” states McFarlane. “With our LINK Supplies Fulfillment, once you have a device set up, in terms of ordering toner, you don’t have to do anything; it will order its own toner. The setup is literally three steps, including installing the DCA. The DCA is now much easier to manage and can be done remotely, and in some cases we do that for you depending on the program. A dealer can simply input the ship to information and have the toner delivered automatically. That’s how simple we want it to be and that’s what we’re continuing to do.”
In Good Company
As the number of pages managed by PrintFleet has grown exponentially over the years, perhaps the most notable difference between the PrintFleet of today and the PrintFleet of 2003 is the size of its global footprint as well as its ever expanding relationships with major OEMs and distributors.
Indeed, you can often judge the quality of an organization by the company it keeps and PrintFleet is in good company. Among the OEMs that PrintFleet has partnered with over the years are Canon, Epson, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Memjet, HP, Océ, OKI, Ricoh, Samsung, and Xerox—a veritable Who’s Who of OEMs.
Working directly with the various OEMs ensures that PrintFleet maintains leading-edge technology and the largest model database in the industry. The company’s extensive database encompasses more than 22,000 device models.
PrintFleet has strong relationships with some of the document imaging industry’s most prominent distributors and service providers as well, including LMI, Synnex, Parts Now, SP Richards, VOW/Vasant, Greenman, GreatAmerica Financial Services, Supplies Network, and Clover Imaging Group. A new North American relationship with Katun kicks off in 2016.
This worldwide network of distribution partners is an essential resource for dealers looking to take advantage of state-of-the-art automated business processes and outsourced MPS programs.
Distributors select PrintFleet for a variety of reasons, including:
- Industry leading reliability and product support
- Easy access to device data to enrich a managed solutions portfolio
- Predictable order flow and reduced inventory
- Support for transition from transactional to contractual business models
- The ability to leverage the PrintFleet brand and its extensive customer base
- Reduced fulfillment costs through web services and automation
Caring for the Customer
It’s virtually impossible to market software without a strong support organization and that’s another PrintFleet strength.
“We offer the best data and support for a reasonable price,” states McFarlane.
When a dealer becomes part of PrintFleet’s customer network they become part of a community dedicated to their success. They can then count on access to a cross-functional support team that provides top-notch technical, marketing, product development, and sales resources.
Program support is another important element of the PrintFleet support equation and dealers can rely on a designated Customer Experience Representative who will work with them in the early stages of their program and will continue to help them for the life of their program. These Customer Experience Representatives are the dealer’s first point of contact at PrintFleet and are instrumental in helping the dealer integrate the technology and business processes required to ensure their success.
Changing with the Industry and its Customers
As an industry leader it’s imperative for PrintFleet to stay on top of the latest document imaging industry trends while continuing to enhance its products to meet changing user requirements.
“The software industry has changed to the ‘as-a-service’ model and we have ensured our solutions work in the ‘as-a-service’ world, and we will continue to expand this model with our LINK and Vision solutions and others that will enable partners to use device data for exactly what they need,” says McFarlane.
He adds that PrintFleet remains focused on getting people the data that they want and only what they want. “Some customers only want meter reads, and in the future that’s something they’ll be able to get without everything else,” notes McFarlane.
What’s Next?
One can’t expect an industry leader such as PrintFleet to remain complacent, so there’s plenty more to come. In early 2016 expect to see more LINK partners added to its network of distributors and service providers as well as an increase in remote management of DCAs, including an embedded DCA for Samsung XOA devices. The company also has its sights set on continued global expansion. At this point about 45 percent of the company’s business is outside North America.
Connecting with PrintFleet
There are still plenty of opportunities for dealers to connect with PrintFleet and the company makes this very easy.
“In terms of us being agnostic, you don’t have to leave your current provider—if you want automated toner or supplies fulfillment through one partner but use another system, all we need to do is install a DCA,” says McFarlane. “You don’t have to change your entire program; it can be really simple. We want to work with everyone in terms of dealers, resellers, distributors, and our partners’ ERP solutions; we want to be agnostic across the board.”
That’s a strategy that’s been working for PrintFleet for a long time and with the company still on an upward trajectory there’s no reason to change now.
