The new Xerox UI as shown on the AltaLink C8035 A3 unit
Xerox unveiled a new portfolio of printers and MFPs to press and analysts at its New York City offices on Wednesday. The announcement is significant, and not just because Xerox says it’s the biggest product launch in its history. The new portfolio is built around Xerox’s previously released ConnectKey technology, which enables mobile printing, advanced security, a personalized user experience, and optimized managed print services capabilities.
The new portfolio consists of 29 models in two product lines: VersaLink and AltaLink. The 19 VersaLink models target small workgroups and distributed teams, and include both printers and MFPs. The AltaLink MFP line refreshes Xerox’s mid-range and is for a more centralized environment with larger workgroups and print volumes. Both lines will be available in the second quarter of this year.
The Xerox VersaLink C605 A4 unit
Both lines boast better print and scan speeds, paper handling, and color capability, but those improvements took second stage to features and capabilities built around ConnectKey. Xerox’s intent was to not only improve the user experience with its products, but to add value for its dealers as well.
From the user perspective, the new Xerox portfolio provides a consistent, personalized experience across all models through ConnectKey, which it calls a “smart workplace assistant.” It does so by providing a new, simplified user interface that is the same on every model. No matter which device the user prints from, he or she will see only their own familiar task options or apps accessible through a mobile-like “tap and swipe” touchscreen. “It’s a shared device, but you want it to feel like it’s yours,” said Tracey Koziol, senior vice president for Workplace Solutions at Xerox.
Those tasks and app options may be tied to an individual’s workflow. This is where ConnectKey can provide significant productivity gains through the use of apps that bring what Xerox calls “untamed processes” (i.e., paper-based and manual) into an automated workflow. Those apps may be custom built or downloaded from Xerox’s App Gallery. For example, data from a scanned invoice might automatically be entered into applications or stored in the appropriate location in the cloud or on the network. This is aided by the fact that all 29 products have built-in OCR standard.
“Today, the MFP is just a peripheral,” said Bertrand Cerisier, vice president, global marketing for Xerox’s Workplace Solutions Business Group. “We are bringing the MFP into the heart of business operations. It is a point of access to workflow–a means to connect systems that don’t talk to each other. The MFP can build bridges between two worlds.”
Adding Value for the Channel
Xerox placed a great deal of emphasis of the benefits its new product portfolio brings to its dealer channel, and that reflects the company’s renewed interest in the SMB market. Xerox CEO Jeff Jacobson talked about the importance of its dealers in his opening remarks. “We need to leverage our channel partners to truly penetrate the SMB market. [They] understand this market because they are close to the customer.”
Features that help dealers include:
Simplified service. The VersaLink and AltaLink lines are each based on the same controller. This makes it easier to do software installation and updates. It also simplifies servicing and parts inventory.
Simplified setup. The dealer has just one user interface to address, and much of the setup for common tasks such as send to email can be automated by using third-party apps. This can be done
More value-add options. Dealers can create value for its customers by building or downloading apps that are tailored to a specific need or user group. This is done through Xerox’s Personal Application Builder (PAB), which has two main components: The App Studio tool allows the construction of simple apps with no programming skills needed, and PAB Developers is an open platform where dealers can build more sophisticated apps
New revenue streams. The new Xerox portfolio and ConnectKey platform allow for enhancements to Xerox’s MPS program that are designed to create additional revenue streams and make MPS practical for even the smallest businesses. For example, scanning is now incorporated into Xerox’s MPS program. The company believes that 93 percent of SMBs do not have document scanning software. Xerox Web Capture uses preconfigured workflows to simplify document capture for small businesses. For the dealer, this could be an add-on charge for its MPS customers. Xerox charges the dealer $10 per month per user. Another revenue opportunity: Dealers can elect to place the apps they build in an online gallery where they are accessible to other dealers to purchase or license.
Training and support. Xerox is not only providing dealers with free training for ConnectKey and PAB, it is also building resources that dealer sales teams can use to demonstrate and show their value. This includes a solutions playbook, a workflow mapping tool, video case studies, and themed demo apps.
Better security. Xerox acknowledged that some customers are reluctant to talk about printing and document security, but security is still a strong selling point if those customers know they are getting state-of-the-art security features built into the product. ConnectKey provides a high level of protection in real time from both internal and external threats.
Focus on Dealers
The importance of the dealer channel to Xerox’s success was a central theme to the event, and Xerox executives reinforced that message in their one-on-one interviews. The company says it wants a more open and collaborative relationship with its dealers and not just to make sales. Xerox wants dealers to become part of the product design and solutions development processes, too. Fred Ramsay, global product marketing manager at Xerox, summed it up best: “The power is shifting to the reseller to build where the need is.”
