Last week Kyocera Document Solutions America’s held their annual dealer meeting. I had every intention of attending until I ended up in the hospital the week before and was unable to travel the week of the show. Fortunately, I received a complete package of press releases, speeches, and other meeting-related information from Kyocera earlier this week and Frank Cannata was gracious enough to share with me his impressions of the three-day event. Although I wasn’t physically in attendance, here are my Top 10 highlights and initiatives based on what I gleaned from the information supplied to me by Kyocera and Frank’s comments.
1. Business in the U.S. and the Americas is up – KDA President Norihiko Ina reported that in a challenging economy Kyocera and Copystar dealers grew their business by 7.4 percent year over year in fiscal 2013. That was positive news, especially when one considers that Kyocera’s Canadian dealers enjoyed 10.9 percent growth, the Latin American Division grew 6.5 percent, Mexico grew by 10 percent, and Brazil grew by 2.4 percent year-over-year.
2. A focus on building stronger relationships with their dealer channel – Because the dealer channel remains vitally important to Kyocera, the company has expanded its resources and people in the field to drive their dealer’s growth. Staff was increased by more than 10 percent across the entire KDA Group. In addition KDA grew its portfolio of business applications to create more value and better document workflows for their dealer’s customers while also expanding their third-party solutions portfolio to create more sales opportunities with new customers. The company also improved their Kyocera Sales Excellence program, enhancing their focus on total document solutions. “All of these developments point to one thing,” said Ina. “We are 100% committed to being a dealer-centric company.”
3. A Total Document Solutions strategy – The meeting’s theme was Resolution 360, with the focus on growth initiatives designed to help Kyocera’s independent dealer channel better compete and strategically expand their businesses, leveraging Kyocera’s document imaging technology, business applications, and customized services. The goal, according to Peter Hendrick, vice president of Marketing at KYOCERA Document Solutions America, is to offer customers more than just solutions. “We need to offer resolution to their challenging document workflow issues. Ultimately, we need to find a complimentary set of hardware and software that eliminates a customer’s critical business challenges, and allows them to grow their business.”
This strategy on total document solutions isn’t limited to the U.S. market, but all countries across the Americas. One of the ways Kyocera will communicate its commitment to “Total Document Solutions” is through a strategic brand campaign that they’re rolling out across the Americas. “With solution in the word of resolution being the tie,” explains Frank Cannata. “It means uniqueness and making the dealers customers more successful while making the dealers more valuable to their customers.”
4. A continued investment in R&D – KDA’s parent company, KDC, continues to heavily invest in R&D efforts and manufacturing capabilities, including a new factory in Vietnam. “This strengthens our global ability to offer a balanced deployment of devices,” noted Ina. And to strengthen product reliability, KDA has established a mandatory dealer beta-test process before launching any new product at the request of their Dealer Advisory Council. For anyone doubting the long-term viability of Kyocera as a player in the industry, this ought to temper those thoughts for the time being.
5. A healthy array of new products – Expect to see 18 new products from Kyocera, including 14 new A3 MFPs, ranging from 25-70 ppm color and from 30-80 ppm black & white. Also on the docket are four MFPs, including a 62-ppm model. Key new features on these devices include tab printing, the addition of OCR for searchable PDF, wireless options, and a fresh look and feel to the TSi Home Screen of the devices. In addition, users now have the ability to print from their Apple iPhone or iPad via AirPrint to the ecosys FS-4300DN series.
6. Expanded HyPAS business applications. According to Ina this will give dealers the added flexibility to customize solutions for document workflow, mobility, security, compliance, and color management. Powered by Kyocera’s HyPAS technology, the newest releases will include:
- Kyocera HomePOINT: which allows security conscience customers to scan-to and print-from network directories;
- Kyocera Enterprise Cloud Portal: which will serve as a customizable high-speed on-ramp to the cloud, and;
- Kyocera QR Service Assistant: which helps technicians gather device information while performing on-site maintenance, including meter counts, toner levels, or access Kyocera Command Center.
7. The introduction of the Certified Total Document Solutions (TDS) Provider Program – The program is designed to elevate the training and support necessary for dealers to offer their customers total document solutions whether from a device-only sale, a device and business-application sale, such as an A4MFP and Teaching Assistant, or a comprehensive MDS take-down with fleet monitoring, supplies and services management, and workflow optimization. The training agenda educates dealers and their sales, pre-sales and post-sales teams, via online training courses, Webinars, and instructor-led classes. The comprehensive set of training modules provides dealers with a complete understanding of Kyocera’s technology—along with the latest skills they can use to resolve customer business challenges.
8. An enhanced warranty on ECOSYS printers and MFPs – As of April 1 KDA enhanced the warranty as a means to help dealers maintain healthier service margins and increase their business opportunities in mix-fleet deals, most notably MDS agreements. These products are now covered by Kyocera’s three-year bumper-to-bumper warranty, which is the same warranty as with the TASKalfa Series. “This means all parts will be covered for three years without any prorating due to use,” says Terry Knopsnyder, vice president of engineering. “This warranty expansion shows that Kyocera is absolutely committed to product quality and ensuring that you have the best possible products in the marketplace that you can present to your customers with absolute confidence.”
9. Seminars designed to help dealers grow – A dealer meeting isn’t complete without an array of seminars and this meeting featured four key seminars hosted by Kyocera staff. The first seminar focused on elevating a dealership’s MDS capabilities to the next level; the second on Kyocera beyond the hardware and technology; the third was designed for technicians and post-sales support staff; and the fourth on how to get the most out of customer’s untapped color potential. According to Frank Cannata, the educational sessions were well attended by dealers.
10. Lower attendance than last year – This may not exactly be a highlight, but Frank Cannata reports that attendance was down from last year—about 1,000, probably less, compared to 1,100+ the previous year. Personally, I spoke to a Kyocera dealer back in February who at that time wasn’t planning on attending mainly because he was not all that excited about the location of the event. Regardless, Frank tells me he thought it was a very good meeting overall and the Kyocera dealers in attendance were very upbeat. “The product line is improving and they seem to have their act together,” concludes Frank.
