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Sharp Has a New Line of Monochrome MFPs

Sharp Has a New Line of Monochrome MFPs

Has the topic of upgrading the office printer been floating around meetings recently? Good news: Sharp has a new line of monochrome MFPs – eleven new MFP/printers, to be exact.

For years, Sharp has made a name for itself, delivering innovative devices which propel offices, board rooms, and educational institutions to the next level of collaboration and productivity. With the introduction of their new Advanced Series multifunction printers, Sharp is now changing the way businesses think about their printing environment.

Smile Business Products is thrilled to introduce the new line of multifunction printers. Read on to learn exactly why they’re so exciting.

What’s New With Sharp

Sharp already had a line of color multifunction printers under the Advanced and Essential series. Announced in August 2019, these A3 monochrome workgroup MFPs are the monochrome counterparts of the former.

Monochrome, or black and white printing, is an invaluable setting for offices which need to print large quantities of documents rapidly but still retain a professional quality. With the monochrome addition to the Advanced series, Sharp users can now enjoy the marriage of unbridled speed with the many leading-edge features which the manufacturer loads into its devices.

Key Features of the Advanced Series

Several key features set Sharp’s Advanced series printers apart from the competition. Whereas MFPs are designed to be the workhorse of the modern office – and many fine selections exist on the market – Sharp takes the idea further with numerous unique features not commonly found in other devices. Working with a Sharp color or monochrome Advanced series, MFP involves features such as:

  • MFP Voice Feature, which allows users to give printers verbal commands to keep the process entirely hands free. This feature also works with Amazon Alexa, introducing a new layer of integration into the workplace.
  • Adobe® Embedded Print Engine technology lets users direct print PDFs with new heights of accuracy and clarity.
  • Application Portal makes printer administration easier than ever by creating a central interface where apps can be added, updated, or removed.
  • Multi-layered, leading-edge security features such as proprietary Firmware Attack Prevention and Self-Recovery modes.
  • Greater paper handling flexibility to support heavier papers, sizes up to 12” x 18”, and even print media that isn’t paper.
  • Walk-up motion sensors to detect approaching users and wake the machine, so it’s ready to go when it’s needed.
  • Multiple finishing options including the stacking, stapling, saddle-stitching or corner-crimping capabilities.
  • For offices with demanding and dynamic print environments, Sharp MFPs rise to the challenge. Enjoy printing power and efficiency married within one convenient machine.

Advantages of Sharp Advanced Series MFPs

Sharp monochrome MFPs are the latest addition of devices designed to help transform an office into a lean, efficient beehive of productivity. Offices which rely on Sharp to power their most critical devices enjoy advantages such as:

An Emphasis on Collaboration and Streamlined Workflows

The many features of Sharp’s MFPs are designed to enhance collaboration and document processes across a department or organization. Employees can:

  • Distribute, access, and work with documents easily through Sharp’s connectivity software.
  • Leverage mobile scanning and printing to keep business flowing while on the go.
  • Standardize and collate file types to keep data organized across teams.
  • Maximize productivity with flexible printer and copier solutions.

Industry-Leading Security Features From End to End

Sharp approaches security from an ecosystem perspective, introducing more than simply strong passwords and access controls. With Sharp in the office, users enjoy a secure environment which focuses on the document workflow, introducing layers of security such as:

  • Firmware attack prevention installed on the printer.
  • Authority groups and whitelisting to keep unauthorized users and software away.
  • Remote device management to keep security centralized.
  • End-of-lease data erasure to prevent private information from leaking.

Demonstrated Environmental Commitment

The new monochrome MFPs in the advanced Series adhere to the company’s Green Products Guidelines, which have won Sharp the Excellence Award from ENERGY STAR for several years in a row. An office using a product from this lineup will consume less power, benefit from recycled materials and benefit from the ability to upgrade the devices easily.

Upgrade the Office Printer With a Sharp Monochrome Advanced Series MFP Today

Smile Business Products is thrilled to introduce Sharp’s latest lineup of monochrome MFPs. These robust, technologically-advanced devices complement the modern office which needs printing power and next-generation security balanced with a commitment to environmental sustainability. With an array of capabilities and features, they’re the smart option for a company’s next printer upgrade.

Smile helps companies develop robust productivity infrastructure to support sustained success. Contact us today to learn more about Sharp’s latest innovations.

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Windows 10S: The Secure Mode for Businesses

Windows 10S: The Secure Mode for Businesses

Regarding business security, computers need special attention. Sensitive data passes through them, and they’re critical for doing business who also requires contact with the attorney for employer disputes to resolve any employment issues quickly. Keeping the company machines security can create a headache. From choosing an antivirus to finding the right configurations, security is time-consuming and labyrinthine. However, many company IT departments are unaware that Windows provides many tools to help professionals secure their devices. Meet Windows 10S. It’s a security mode which locks down the Windows 10 ecosystem to create a solid groundwork for security.

Windows 10S is one of the most notable updates to the operating system in the past four years, especially for businesses. Read on to discover exactly what Windows 10S entails and why every organization should consider updating their Windows-based machines to 10S.

Introducing Windows 10S

Windows 10S is Windows 10 – in S mode. Released in 2017, this mode emphasizes Microsoft-verified security configurations to create a sealed layer of protection across the entire operating system. Although the S officially stands for security, Microsoft also notes that S mode is streamlined for speed and safe browsing.

When used properly, S mode increases machine performance and helps keep everything safe.

S mode is different from safe mode, a standard feature of every Windows operating system. Specifically, unlike safe mode, users can do everything in S mode that they’re able to do in the “regular” Windows 10. It also differs in its availability. According to Microsoft’s FAQ, S mode only exists for certain qualifying devices. However, every device running Windows 10 version 1803 or later has S mode enabled.

How to Check a Windows 10 Version

Checking to see if a Windows 10 device runs version 1803 or later is easy. Follow these steps.

  1. Press Start (the Windows logo in the bottom left corner).
  2. Select Settings (the gear symbol on the left vertical menu).
  3. Choose System (often found in the upper left-hand corner).
  4. Select About (at the bottom of the System navigation panel).
  5. Scroll down to Windows Specifications to find the version.

Any number between 1803 and 1903 – the current version as of 2019 – has the option to enable S mode if the correct license agreement was purchased. Read on to determine if this option is appropriate for the machine.

The Next Level Security of Windows 10S

Windows 10S is a viable option for businesses or other organizations which need increased security but aren’t sure what third-party options are most appropriate. Windows 10S locks down the operating system of the device by blocking third-party software and making it more difficult to access system files.

With Windows 10S, users enjoy a stripped-down version of Windows 10 which operates with a whitelist orientation towards software. This makes it dramatically harder for rogue software to install itself, or viruses to move through the operating system files.

For computers in many environments, such as school computers or corporate offices, that’s great. However, there are a few things to be aware of with Windows 10S:

  • It’s only possible to use Microsoft Edge, the native Windows browser. Chrome cannot be used.
  • Software not found in the Windows Store cannot be installed. Companies which rely on software not found in the Windows Store will have trouble using Windows 10S.
  • S mode is one-way. Once it has been disabled, it cannot be re-enabled.
  • If these restrictions pose no concern for a company, then S mode represents another layer of security which help keep devices locked up against cybercriminals. However, Microsoft does recommend that S mode is used in conjunction with – not as a replacement for – other traditional forms of cybersecurity, such as an antivirus.

How to Enable S Mode for Windows 10

Enabling S mode is a simple but highly technical procedure. Therefore, Smile recommends that companies without a trained IT specialist contact a technician. Likewise, it is also possible to have S mode installed by manufacturers when purchasing a new device.

However, for IT professionals, Microsoft has published the instructions for enabling S mode on qualifying devices. Please refer to the official documentation from Microsoft for this procedure.

Improve Company Security Today

Maintaining device – and therefore data – security remains among one of the most critical concerns for companies today. As businesses increasingly rely on digital capabilities to keep pace with markets and customers, there are more opportunities for criminals to steal valuable information.

Windows 10S is one option for companies seeking ways to secure their digital environment. It is a potentially cost-effective, and secure strategy for ensuring that corporate or school computers remain safe.

Smile Business Products is dedicated to helping you design efficient, secure business environments. Contact us today to discuss how Windows 10S can benefit your organization.

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5G and 6G: What to Expect in 2020

5G and 6G: What to Expect in 2020

With the exception of some selected cities who began offering 5G a few months ago, for the rest of us, 5G is almost here.  For the past year, the tech world has been abuzz with the word. 5G is expected to herald the next major revolution in telecommunications, unleashing new capabilities for the digital world.

Major providers such as Verizon and AT&T all have plans to roll out commercial 5G networks within the next 12 months in the United States, making the next generation of wireless connectivity available to the general public. For businesses, that means customers will be able to access a company’s digital presence faster and in more ways.

5G will affect the way businesses operate in the digital environment – eventually. Read on to understand exactly what this means, and why every business needs to prepare for this eventuality.

Life After 4G: Why 5G Matters

For the past decade, 4G has shaped today’s world into the connected, digital environment characterized by the mobile internet. It was a substantial step up from 3G, which introduced to the world the concept of mobile data. However, technology – especially wireless technology – has hit a plateau in the past few years as our devices are essentially limited by what 4G can offer. Devices simply can’t get faster and more connected because 4G can’t handle it.

5G promises to change that. Critically, 5G intends to take advantage of the frequencies on the wireless spectrum – the invisible lanes of traffic upon which the wireless internet flows – which currently aren’t being used because 4G cannot reach them. 5G devices will be able to reach these wider, less-congested lanes and therefore transmit data much faster than any 4G device could ever hope to achieve.

That’s why 5G is expected to create a revolution of sorts. It also has tremendous implications for the way wireless connectivity operates in our world, especially for businesses.

Current Forecasts and Predictions for 5G

The tech world is optimistic about the arrival of 5G, with many industry experts claiming that it will transform all of our technology utterly. 4G will remain dominant for some years to come. However, once providers establish the infrastructure necessary for a significant 5G presence, current forecasts predict:

  • Greater diversity of wireless devices: Among the most anticipated elements which 5G will introduce to the world is – at last – the reality of the Internet of Things. While it already exists in a way, the IoT will take advantage of 5G by making the oft dreamed about web of smart devices not just possible, but practical.
  • Decreased latency: Latency is the amount of time it takes to send and receive information across the wireless network. The more traffic on the network, the slower devices become – that’s why phones sometimes slow down in highly populated areas. 5G will solve this by opening additional lanes which are wider and reserved only for 5G devices.
  • More physical infrastructure: 4G needed towers strategically placed across the landscape to help move traffic. 5G will need 10 times the amount of infrastructure to handle the load of smart devices it will bring. It’s a tremendous investment opportunity, but it’s also cited as the reason 5G will remain expensive for years to come.

Implications For Businesses

Businesses can expect 5G to change the way they do business over the long run. Particularly, 5G will increase the rate at which businesses must digitize in order to survive. Businesses can expect 5G to transform existing network architecture to introduce:

  • An increased ability to collect, analyze, and act upon data.
  • More digital solutions to meet the growing demand for rapid transmission of large amounts of information.
  • The ability to more rapidly deliver services to customers.
  • Innovation around virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence.
  • Smart devices which improve visibility, efficiency, and control in business processes.
  • In short, 5G will unlock more applications for wireless technology in the business environment which are currently considered impossible. Forward-thinking businesses should anticipate and prepare.

What is 6G and What Will It Do?

Excitement about 6G arose about the time 5G was announced, as a reality in the future. 6G is yet another generation of wireless connectivity – estimated to bring still faster speeds which support new computing capabilities entirely. For now, however, 6G remains more than a decade in the future, with its capabilities largely undefined.

Transform Your Business Environment With Digital Capabilities

With 5G on the world’s doorstep, it’s time for businesses to start considering their digital future. While 4G will remain the primary iteration of wireless connectivity, the advantages of 5G for early adopters are significant. Like 4G and 3G, the next generation of wireless networking will change the way the world thinks about its digital environment.

Don’t wait until 5G gets here to start thinking about its effects. Digital transformation will help companies make the most out of 5G when it arrives in 2020. Anticipate it and be prepared.

Smile Business Products helps companies develop business technology strategies for the future. Start a conversation with us today to discuss how we can help you thrive in 2020.

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What the Partnership Between HP and Xerox Means for Office Technology Solutions

What the Partnership Between HP and Xerox Means for Office Technology Solutions

Every industry has its surprises, but a few witnessed a pair of longstanding rivals suddenly become partners. In June 2019, HP and Xerox surprised the office technology industry with an unexpected partnership. Widely described as a game-changer in industry news, the deal is designed to open up a new range of growth opportunities for both print technology leaders while delivering enhanced technology solutions to its customers. For Smile’s HP customers, there are some key elements to consider.

This new partnership means an increased array of offerings for customers using both HP and Xerox technology. Here’s an overview of this new and interesting partnership, and what it means for organizations seeking office technology solutions.

An Overview of the Deal

At the core, the partnership between these two printing technology giants leverages the strengths of each to access different markets and opportunities for growth. Both Xerox and HP will utilize each other’s leading-edge hardware and software. Xerox will:

  • Source certain A4 and entry-level A3 printers from HP, particularly for its strategically important AltaLink and VersaLink printers. These printers would retain Xerox branding, but be officially running HP engines.
  • Provide toner for these devices to HP.
  • Give HP access to DocuShare Flex, a cloud content management solution, and ConnectKey, a workflow solutions and device integration software.

In other words, Xerox will trade its software for access to HP’s hardware. In return, HP will:

  • Give Xerox access to its Device-as-a-Service program, known as the HP Partner First Program.
  • Make Xerox an authorized reseller of HP PCs, displays, and other electronics. Without a doubt, this surprise partnership will change the office print business as it’s currently known. Although further details haven’t been released, these few early terms shed light onto some of the effects which might occur. Read on to learn more about what this deal means for office technology, and what to expect.

On its surface, the deal is designed to take advantage of the best elements of each company to augment the value that each respective brand brings to its customers. HP gains a significant advantage with its newly gained access to ConnectKey, as it has struggled over the years to develop a rival software solution. Likewise, HP’s extensive line of hardware creates new market opportunities for Xerox to explore in its focus on developing yet more innovative office technology.

Without a doubt, this surprise partnership will change the office print business as it’s currently know. Although further details haven’t been released, these few early terms shed light onto some of the effects which might occur. Read on to learn more about what this deal means for office technology, and what to expect.

An Emphasis on Integration and Apps

Both companies have long been committed to developing productivity solutions aimed at improving workflow process efficiency. However, it is Xerox’s ConnectKey technology which largely took over the printing industry as the definitive workflow integration software. Although Xerox had created ConnectKey to be compatible with other brands, not all HP printers were capable of running ConnectKey. That will now change .

Likewise, HP is also bringing its own apps to the partnership. Under this deal, Xerox will also gain access to HP’s TechPulse, a software developed for proactive monitoring and issue detection in devices. In other words, users will gain the ability to not only fully integrate their workflow processes, but also a means to monitor the devices supporting their workflow at all times.

Together, this partnership means that HP customers will gain access to more tools designed to increase workflow and integration. For the workflow solutions industry, it means greater flexibility in the solutions which providers can offer.

Device-As-a-Service Is Becoming the Norm

Device-as-a-Service, or DaaS, is a new business model which combines hardware and software services in a single contract. It’s been identified by the IDC as one of the fastest accelerating innovations in IT. Its survey in late 2018 indicated that some 40 percent of companies engaged in or were planning to leverage DaaS. If you’re interested in starting a DaaS company, you may need to use a hardware inventory planning software to help you manage all of your equipment and devices. See here now to learn more about hardware inventory management software.

The HP-Xerox partnership will help DaaS become the norm across the imaging industry. For example, under the partnership, HP customers will be able to purchase a printer which comes already loaded with ConnectKey, TechPulse, and other necessary tools – rather than having to purchase each separately. Likewise, Xerox customers may soon be able to purchase or lease HP office tablets pre-loaded with ConnectKey or other print environment apps.

DaaS is one strategy which companies are taking to get into the hands of customers exactly – and only – what they want. Unlike buying each component and software separately, DaaS allows a more holistic solution that encompasses the lifecycle of the device and its associated processes from end to end. For Xerox customers, this means access to more devices that better integrate with the office workflow while HP customers will enjoy the ability to introduce more integration into their current devices.

Get Ready for More Options from the Xerox-HP Partnership

The surprise partnership between HP and Xerox will ultimately mean more options and capabilities for customers. The first results of this partnership will appear on the market during the second half of 2019. As a provider of HP hardware solutions, Smile is excited to work with customers to take advantage of these new options in the near future.

Whether you work with Xerox or HP technology, Smile can help you overcome your productivity challenges. Contact us today to learn more.

 

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Why Choose Sharp Professional Displays?

Why Choose Sharp Professional Displays?

Want to make a strong statement that incites and inspires engagement? A well-placed digital display will do the trick. Sharp is helping organizations change the way they think about visual communications by developing an extensive line of interactive and professional displays. From retail environments to the boardroom, Smile is thrilled to help companies develop a visual communication strategy which wows clients and collaborators alike.

Ever wonder why a picture is worth a thousand words? It’s because the brain can process images in as little as 13 milliseconds. Take full advantage of that with a Sharp professional display.

Make a Modern Impression with the Right Display

If there’s one thing that makes an impactful impression, it’s the blueprints of a company’s next big idea revealed on a 70-inch LCD in crystalline definition and stunning colors. Sharp’s line of professional displays is built to impress and excite. Their thoughtful deployment:

Takes Advantage of Their Versatility

Sophisticated technology doesn’t need to be difficult to use and with Sharp, it isn’t. Whether a company takes advantage of white-glove installation services or has its own specialists handle setup, professional displays are as easy to use as they are versatile. Digitally illustrate ideas in the boardroom. Make a statement in a retail location or use them in another innovative way in some other unexpected context.

Amplifies Marketing Efforts with Stunning Aesthetics

When it comes to advertising, companies need to be bold, innovating and aesthetically dazzling. Attract the attention of potential customers with a dynamic, eye-catching visual – Sharp professional displays are built for it. Taking advantage of technology such as 4K and ultra hi-definition resolution, it’s now possible to render visuals in breathtaking colors and ultra-realism. When looking for marketing options, you should consider the intelligent campaigns at veganmainstream.com.

Creates a New Way to Communicate

A pad of paper on an easel is boring, lifeless, and unlikely to encourage engagement. In contrast, LCD screens open the door for many new and innovative ways to communicate with customers, clients, and colleagues. Sharp professional displays introduce a dynamic element into a form of communication which was once considered static.

Improves Customer Experience

People want information – fast. With a professional digital display, conveying the necessary information is as easy as pressing a button. Likewise, digital signage presents an opportunity to pack more information into a smaller space, making such technology pack an extra punch when it comes to conveying important information quickly.

The Next Generation of Professional Displays by Sharp

Sharp isn’t just committed to encouraging every company to embrace digital signage. They’re leading the pack with technological innovation which delivers greater levels of sophistication than anything that’s ever been seen. At the top of the line, professional displays boast unparalleled aesthetics which go beyond realistic or breathtaking. Need to make a strong statement? Consider a device which has:

8K Resolution

Thought 4k was intense? 8k resolution is four times more realistic. That’s right – Sharp’s latest professional display can recreate images up to 8,000 pixels wide across its 70-inch screen. To put that level of resolution into perspective, that’s about three times the level of clarity created by the most high-end consumer digital cameras. Professional displays, such as Sharp’s 8M-B70AU combines 4K Ultra-HD technology with proprietary processing technology to upscale images to that level of resolution.

Next-Generation Color Expression & Mapping

In 2019, the latest in color expression technology has left the traditional 256 color palette far behind. With Sharp’s professional displays, viewers can enjoy the subtleties and depth created from 1.07 billion supported colors – far more colors than the human eye can see. The result? Perfectly faithful mapping of colors from media to display. There’s no more approximation or slightly tinged shades. Images will display exactly as they were captured.

Smile Helps Bring Visual Communication to Life

Communication is what makes ideas flow. Facilitate their transmission with technology built to impress. Smile is thrilled to be a dealer in Sharp’s professional displays and interactive whiteboards. As an industry leader in visual communication, Sharp is paving the way for a revolution in the way businesses think about visual communication with its next-level displays and monitors. Organizations of every shape and size can take advantage of this technology to inspire greater heights of engagement, innovation, and productivity.

The team at Smile is pleased to demonstrate their knowledge of Sharp’s line of professional displays. As an Authorized Sharp Dealer, we’re ready to help you discover the best fit for your organization. Contact us today to learn more.

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Need to Update Hardware for the New School Year?

Need to Update Hardware for the New School Year? A Managed Print Assessment Can Help

Every student knows that printing is a massive part of the school experience. Whether it’s rushing to print off an essay you got from an essay writing service reddit five minutes before class or mailing out thousands of school letters or reports, a campus often has a more demanding print environment than many businesses do. That makes it a priority to keep the printers in top shape at all times, upgrading and refreshing the print environment as necessary. To help with this, many schools opt for an assessment from a managed print service provider.

The slower summer term is perfect for upgrading and refining the print environment of a campus ahead of the fall when the students return in force. August is here, leaving just two short months before the fall rush. Thinking about getting a managed print assessment done on a school printing environment? The time to do it is now.

How a Managed Print Assessment Helps a School

Schools need printers both for academic and administrative uses, making their printing demands more vigorous than many offices. With more people using the printers constantly, things like efficiency and security take on new levels of importance. A managed print assessment is a valuable investment for schools because it can help identify areas for improvement and optimization. In particular, schools can:

1. Identify and eliminate weak spots in security.

Printers have long been identified as a weak spot in office security. However, in schools, they take on a new level of security risk due to the sheer volume of material passing across them each day. Likewise, hackers choose to target schools because they know it’s difficult to stay on top of the amount of data these institutions handle.

Therefore, a managed print assessment will identify areas in the print environment where weak spots exist. Schools will work with experts to develop a strategy which eliminates these weak spots, helping the institution to stay proactive with security.

2. Take advantage of workflow tools.

Like a business office, schools benefit from workflow solutions. Whether it’s helping students print their essays faster or making sure that staff always have access to the printing capabilities they need, workflow tools help a campus make the most out of its print environment. A managed print assessment looks at not simply the devices used, but also the processes which these devices support.

3. Emphasize efficiency with high-speed devices.

It may be tempting to buy a printer for life, but older devices hinder efficiency and productivity. In contrast, multifunction printers, with their ability to do everything, have long been a staple in enterprise offices. Schools, too, can take advantage of this technology. High-speed devices are quintessential for keeping up with the constant tide of papers which the average campus prints. A managed print assessment can help identify areas where devices such as MFPs may help improve the efficiency of a print environment.

4. Redeploy existing devices strategically.

Having the right printers for the job is only  half of the strategy for achieving an optimized print environment. These devices also need to be deployed physically to foster an optimum workflow. Therefore, before buying new printers to handle the increased printing demand, get a managed print assessment done. It can help a school with the layout of its physical printers to ensure the best accessibility, visibility, and efficiency – and potentially avoid yet another purchase.

5. Leverage dealer expertise.

Schools have a lot to think about when it comes to technology, and the vast array of printers available on the market may make the selection stressful. However, a dealer such as Smile can pinpoint the specific needs of a print environment, the guide the organization towards the choices which best serve its needs. Leveraging the expertise of a dealer streamlines the purchasing process for new printers,. saving time and money.

6. Rethink paper usage.

Like businesses, educational institutions also look for ways to reduce their environmental footprint and adopt greener practices. A managed print assessment assists with such initiatives by shedding much-needed light on the print environment. In addition to identifying processes and areas for improvement, these assessments often identify where it’s possible to reduce waste by eliminating unnecessary printing.

 

Avoid the Rush: Think Ahead About Printers

When it comes to what to do with the printers, it’s a heated debate between repair versus replace. Printers are the backbone of campuses as much as they are in offices – they need to be optimized, updated, and periodically replaced. The summer term is the best time of the year to think about improving a campus’ printing environment with a managed print assessment.

Technologically savvy students increasingly demand an environment that matches their digital literacy. A well-functioning print environment is one way to meet that expectation and support them in their studies.

Smile specializes in workflow solutions for educational institutions. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you.

 

 

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An In-Depth Look: Lexmark MFPs

An In-Depth Look: Lexmark MFPs

Running your business efficiently means constantly looking for ways to reduce cost, improve service, and increase productivity. Printing and managing paper documents efficiently is one way to streamline your operation, generate higher-quality documents, and cut your total printing expense.

With high-performing Lexmark multifunction printers (MFPs) on the job, you reduce the total number of devices required in your organization. No more fax machines, scanners, or copiers taking up space, consuming energy, or needing service. One MFP can do the job of all these machines, with a single contact to service all your equipment – and a single service agreement or contract to deal with.

Lexmark’s Family of MFPs

Lexmark offers MFPs that incorporate industry-leading technology that is affordable for every business – even home offices.

Which Lexmark MFP is right for your team or business? With Lexmark, companies have plenty of options.

Workgroup MFPs

For departments or teams of ten or less that print fewer than 3,000 pages per month, these models offer the same reliability, quality images, and performance of larger, more high-powered units. Offered in color or monochrome units with output levels beginning at 23 PPM, MFPs for small workgroups are designed to fit in small spaces, yet provide huge value.

Medium and Large Workgroup MFPs

When you need more throughput in your business, step up to this family of MFPs. With units that handle monochrome or color, these models handle up to 70 PPM. Lexmark high-performance MFPs include high-capacity toner cartridges and high-capacity paper feed/stacking.

Whether your needs are for workgroup or larger MFPs, you benefit from technology that keeps your offices running efficiently – saving time and reducing downtime.

Additional Lexmark Features

Lexmark incorporates many standard features that other manufacturers simply don’t measure up to:

  • With smart Lexmark MFPs, companies gain efficiencies such as printing from mobile devices – Android, iOS, and Google Cloud.
  • Implement Lexmark’s powerful software – Embedded Solutions Framework, Cloud Solutions Framework, and other included software to integrate your documents directly into business applications – without ever printing or touching a piece of paper or reviewing a document.
  • Lexmark MFPs incorporate their industry-leading e-Task touch screen that is easy to navigate with both text and intuitive icons.
  • Flexibility allows your business to specify what users are authorized to print in color vs. monochrome, saving additional expense in toner.
  • Lexmark MFPs are engineered with long-life components, ensuring reliability, and making your office more productive.

With Lexmark’s family of quality MFP’s, your business is positioned for efficient operation and growth in printing operation that meets the expanding needs of your organization.

 

Turn to Lexmark for a Business Advantage

Lexmark offers so much more than a full complement of choices in high-end office equipment. Their commitment to research and development offers businesses of every size and industry complete business solutions:

  • Content Management – Lexmark document management software facilitates ease of access to your documents, while also securing content from unauthorized access and enabling collaboration with customizable workflow.
  • Intelligent distribution and capture image workflow – Perceptive Intelligent Capture streamlines not only scanning but storing and distribution. Utilizing leading-edge Lexmark technology, scanned documents are classified by content, key fields are identified for indexing and organization, then workflow routes the documents to the correct individuals or departments.
  • Simplified and efficient document search and organization – create multiple methods and indexes that make storing and retrieving critical documents quick and reliable — no more digging through files or storage boxes to find information.
  • Full integration with other business applications – generate, store, organize and share documents from word processing systems, spreadsheets, email, and enterprise applications easily and seamlessly.
  • Records retention – Lexmark Retention Policy Manager ensures compliance with record retention mandates for every industry automatically. This reduces the cost of storing paper documents and brings a new sense of security with lower risk.

There are, of course, many manufacturers providing a variety of MFPs for your business. Lexmark offers so much more, with their IBM heritage and complete commitment to research and development that keeps their products and software a step ahead of the competition.

Smile – Your Partner for a Complete Lexmark MFP Solution

Smile can transform your business document management process from a jumble of printers, scanners, fax machines, and copiers from disparate manufacturers into an efficient operation with lower operating costs. Implementing the technology of Lexmark MFPs will offer your business many advantages:

  • Simplified service – one call to a single source when you need service or regular maintenance
  • Reduced energy costs – energy-efficient MFPs from Lexmark eliminate extra devices and lower your carbon footprint
  • Supplies – a common source of supplies and reduced number of office machines save time and money
  • Automation – storing documents digitally reduces dependency on paper and manual handling of documents

Contact Smile when your business is ready to leap forward in document management with high-quality, reliable Lexmark MFPs.

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Don’t Get Buried in Paper: Digitizing Your Document Load

 

At Smile, we’re in tune to the fact that business runs on documents. Documents cover a broad range of uses, and are necessary to conduct business and record all types of transactions:

  • Employee agreements
  • Payroll and personnel records which are easy to handle if you use this source-to-pay procedure
  • Technical bulletins and documentation
  • Purchase orders and outstanding invoices
  • Inventory and financial records

However, just because you  need documents does not mean you need paper.  Paper has many disadvantage that drag down the efficiency of an organization:

  • They must be printed – time-consuming and expensive
  • They are often copied and passed along to other employees or external contacts
  • You have to find a place for them – desktops, drawers, filing cabinets – even off-site storage
  • They can be lost or damaged
  • It may be difficult and labor-intensive to find the document you need – when you need it

There is a better solution to document management – digitization.

What is Digitization?

Many of your documents originate in digital form – spreadsheets, emails, Office, or other word processing applications. The challenge is to retain them in digital form, avoiding as much printing as possible.

Today’s multifunction devices are capable of so much more than printing. Technology now combines all the functions of printing, collating, and sorting documents with the ability to send and receive faxes, make copies and scan documents into digital formats. Scanning documents allows you to generate a digital image of paper documents that can be shared, emailed, and saved for future reference in server or cloud-based digital storage.

Putting this technology to work for business can save printing costs, eliminate the avalanche of paper documents, and make your office more productive immediately.

How Do You Get Started with Digitizing Documents?

There are many quality, full-featured scanners and multifunction devices on the market today offering the technology that can pull businesses out of a paper blizzard. Two industry leaders are Fujitsu and Panasonic.

Fujitsu Scanning Technology

Fujitsu has been a leader in scanning technology for years, offering businesses of every size and infrastructure a complete solution for digitizing your document load. Scanners from Fujitsu offer a blend of speed, paper handling ability, and superior image quality of scanned documents. Fujitsu scanners are offered to service multiple office organizational conditions:

  • Departmental scanners – where large document volumes and high throughput are required, Fujitsu sheet-fed or flatbed departmental scanners can do the job efficiently and reliably – handling up to 80 pages per minute (PPM).
  • Workgroup scanners – perfect for smaller groups or mid-sized businesses, workgroup scanners provide up to 60 PPM scanning performance, with the flexibility to scan documents to PDF, email, FTP, or even scan directly to printers.
  • Production scanners – when the ultimate in speed and capacity are needed, Fujitsu production models can handle everything you throw at them – up to 100k high-quality scans per day.
  • Network scanners – boost productivity with Fujitsu network scanners – ideal for sharing documents anywhere on your network. It’s as simple as logging into your network and pressing “scan.”PaperStream Capture software – standard with all fi Series scanners – gives you control over what information on your documents is important, to help organize your digitized documents into folders as they are scanned. This powerful software enables you to clean up your document backlog and move toward digital technology quickly and efficiently.
  • Not only does Fujitsu offer a scanner for every organization requirement – they back it up with industry-leading software.

Panasonic Scanners

Panasonic enables your business to transform paper documents and images into a digital form easily, with a variety of scanner models – one that’s right for the needs of your organization.

With performance that will handle any volume – from occasional use to non-stop document and image scanning, Panasonic offers high image quality and ease of use regardless of your organizational requirements:

  • Network Scanners
  • Departmental Scanners
  • Workgroup Scanners

Designed for high-volume corporate users, Panasonic’s PremierOCR/PremierCOMPRESSION software optimizes your PDF documents. This technology compresses files and utilizes OCR to help organize documents for simplified processing and retrieval.

Smile – Your Solution for Digitizing Documents

There’s no time like the present to get started with transforming your paper burden into digital documents. This does not only apply to future document use – you can benefit greatly from scanning your existing documents for digital storage. There are many benefits to be found from eliminating the binders and stacks of paper that already consume far too much valuable office space:

  • Facilitate sharing of documents easily – without copying or printing
  • Avoid loss or damage of important and confidential information
  • Improve security – digitally managed payroll services can be protected from unauthorized access, where paper is more challenging to protect
  • Productivity – filing and wading through stacks of paper to retrieve the information you need is replaced with quick and easy searches of stored digital documents

Smile offers complete printing services that make your office more efficient and streamlines business processes. With our industry-leading Fujitsu and Panasonic scanners, quality supplies, and exemplary service, your office will gain productivity while reducing operating expense.

Contact Smile today to discover how we can prevent your organization from being buried in paper documents.

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What Are Your Toner Recycling Options?

Businesses of all sizes print a wide variety of documents every day. Although business documents have many variations, they all have one thing in common – they require ink or toner to produce a printed image. Toner cartridges are very convenient for refreshing your printing capability quickly and easily. Changing a cartridge is such a minor task that many are casually discarded and wind up in landfills every day.

The amount of print waste each year is astounding when you consider that nearly 350 million cartridges are thrown away every year, creating an undeniable environmental impact as suggested by Kenny Habul Greenwich, CT. As intelligent business people and citizens of this planet, it’s important to take responsibility for the hazardous chemical waste that toner cartridges represent.

To make matters worse, some printer owners may discard cartridges before they are totally empty, adding ink waste to the issue, which can also estimate weigh of a dumpster. Ink contains many chemicals that are damaging to both humans and the environment:

  • Butyl urea that helps prevent paper curling
  • Cyclohexanone to promote adherence of the ink to polymers
  • Color dyes which offer hazards of their own, including Sulphur
  • EDTA which contains ethylene glycol and other contaminants
  • How can businesses take charge of ink waste and eliminate the problem of discarded ink cartridges?

Toner Cartridge Recycling Benefits

Recycling toner cartridges has many benefits for businesses of all sizes:

  • Saves money – ink recycling programs reduce your total printing costs over purchasing new cartridges
  • Reduces ink waste – better utilization of resources
  • Environmentally friendly – keep cartridges and chemicals out of landfills and reduces your carbon footprint

When it comes to an ink recycling program, there are options:

  • Just throw used toner cartridges in the trash (obviously not a preferred option)
  • Refill them yourself – kits are available that allow you to open and refill your own cartridges. The problem with this approach is potential leaking, exposure to hazardous chemicals, and possible damage to printers and voiding your warranty.
  • Return used toner cartridges to the supplier or manufacturer. Some manufacturers will accept them for refurbishing and refilling.
  • Retail office supply stores offer recycling programs that allow you to drop off spent cartridges, often with a partial credit toward purchasing replacements.

Even where there is no financial benefit from participation in a recycling program, it’s still the responsible approach to handling empty ink cartridges. Fortunately, many businesses have taken advantage of ink recycling programs, due to some basic recycling facts:

  • Recycling saves energy by reducing the number of new cartridges produced
  • Raw materials are saved including water and oil utilized in manufacturing processes
  • Approximately 11 cartridges are discarded every second
  • A typical ink cartridge can be recycled 5-7 times, and often more

How Does an Ink Recycling Program Work?

Ink and toner recycling programs save waste and money, with a complete remanufacturing procedure. Once recycled cartridges are received, the multi-step process begins.

  • Cartridges received are inspected and tested to ensure the electrical components and circuitry are intact and meet specifications
  • Toner cartridges that pass inspection are opened – often with highly automated equipment. Internal materials such as foam are removed
  • Cartridges are cleared of any remaining ink and thoroughly cleaned, then prepared for filling
  • Using specialized equipment and proprietary techniques, cartridges are filled to the exacting specifications of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), including ink formulas
  • Filled cartridges are securely sealed to prevent leakage and to ensure clean installation and operation
  • Testing is performed on every cartridge to provide confidence in quality and performance. Standard print quality results are examined and verified.
  • Cartridges are finally cleaned, labeled, polished, and placed in heat-sealed, vapor resistant plastic, then boxed for shipment

Throughout the process, rigorous quality control is integrated into the process to ensure a quality product that meets all OEM specifications.

What about cartridges that are received, but are not viable for remanufacturing – are they headed for the landfill? Not at all. Toner cartridges that don’t meet the quality requirements for recycling can still be a value.  In many cases, these cartridges can be disassembled and cleaned, with the plastic components then being ground for reuse in manufacturing processes.

Smile Makes Toner Recycling Easy

Smile makes implementing a successful toner recycling program easy for our customers. Especially when combined with complete managed print services, our ink recycling program makes smart business sense and reduces your printing costs. Our toner recycling process just makes good business sense, and could not be simpler:

  • Retain your empty cartridges for Smile to pick up
  • We pick up and remanufacture your empty toner cartridges
  • OEM compatible, quality cartridges are delivered to your business, ready for use

With managed print services (MPS) Smile includes monitoring your covered printer devices’ ink supplies and ensures they’re always in top operating condition – including supplies such as ink and toner.

Contact Smile for information on initiating a cost-saving ink recycling program for your business.

 

 

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The Power of the Referral: Stepping Up Your Customer Service is Invaluable

Businesses excel today not only from providing excellent products and services offline and online by giving the responsibility of shipping to QRC Logistics, Ltd like services, but through focusing on premier customer service that adds value to customers at every level. Customer service does not just mean reacting to angry calls or emails from a manager or someone with purchasing authority.Calls from customers can be dealt with ivr, unless the inquiry is more serious. Real customer service means cultivating a culture where every call, problem, or question is responded to with respect, courtesy, and an earnest desire to help.

Certainly, complaints are prevalent across social media, including the ever-popular “never deal with this company” comments so common from disgruntled customers. Such opinions circulating across the web, or negative product reviews on eCommerce sites, can turn away would-be clients in a hurry.

An article published in the Harvard Business Review several years ago expressed the mindset that what a customer is prepared to tell others about your business can boost your revenues as much as what the customer purchases. That philosophy is just as true today – perhaps more so.

Gaining positive reviews from customers has the opposite effect, gaining confidence for your goods and services and attracting new business. Making that happen is the challenge presented to marketing teams and customer service organizations. Together, these organizations can benefit from the power of the referral.

First – Make Your Customer Happy

It may seem obvious, but the first step in receiving great referrals is by creating happy customers up front. There are many ways to nurture good feelings with your clients and customers. Communication is the key establish a good network between the business and customer with the help of LINE Official Account.

Leverage self-service. If your customers can locate the information they need easily in product documentation or online, it’s most efficient for both them and your customer service team. This generates an impression of your desire to provide the customer with the information they quickly and easily.

Use technology. More customers are using personal devices to seek out the information they need. Create friendly, easy-to-use apps that provide product information, instructions for use or assembly, and even instructional videos. Facilitate instant messaging or direct contact to customer service teams when needed.

Know your customer. Retain information related to customer habits and purchasing trends. This will help you target a meaningful audience for soliciting referrals. If you’ve had payment problems with a particular client that resulted in possible ill will, they’re not likely to shine a positive light on your business, even if the problem was their making.

Document experience with customer service calls and other contacts to track satisfaction levels and problem resolution. Your customer service goal should always be to handle complaints or questions courteously and effectively with the first call – hopefully with a single team member. This helps you build a customer profile valuable when seeking out referrals.

Build confidence. Customers must know that you’ll be there when they need you and that you’ll do everything possible to gain their trust in your company and services. This should be a major factor in training customer service resources. They are essentially marketing your company, so be certain they understand that aspect of their role.

Encourage Feedback

A Marketing Consultancy can tell you how important feedback is. Now that you have a profile of happy customers, make it easy for them to provide referral information that you can apply to your website, social media, targeted marketing, and traditional advertising.

Soliciting surveys often results in a low percentage of respondents. Referrals that are easy to provide are more meaningful to your prospects, leading to higher conversion rates. Then, you can use a customer feedback analytics software from sites like https://www.challengerinc.com/loop/.

Include requests for referrals with billing or other post-sale documents and calls. Some customers are more open to becoming actual contacts for potential customers than others, but many will offer their positive opinions or thoughts that are invaluable to your content marketing services outreach.

Referrals can be obtained from many sources: email exchanges with customers, support or inquiry phone conversations, social media, etc. Make the most of all resources to solicit referrals or to open lines of communication for future referrals.

Attracting Powerful Testimonials from Your Customers

Gaining customer confidence and referrals that generate conversions requires attention to how business is conducted and how employees are trained.

  • Publicize your business effectively – keep your name active on social media, including popular sites such as Twitter, Tiktok, Facebook, and LinkedIn. By buying tik tok views, you gain a sense of perceived credibility with other users which will increase the chance of real people engaging with your content and following you.
  • Invest in training – ensure your customer service employees understand the value of their customer interaction from the clients’ side of the call.
  • Quality first – customers first want quality merchandise and services. Providing a quality experience generates positive referrals.
  • Be the experts – building confidence in your goods and services ensures that customers will point in your direction when friends or colleagues search for products in your market.
  • Honesty and integrity – never over-promise, and never under-deliver if it can be avoided in any way. When the unavoidable happens beyond your control, be upfront with the customer, and offer alternatives or other proposals to demonstrate goodwill and integrity.
  • Excel with customer service – this is after-all your face with the customer, and a primary opportunity to create harmony with your customers. It’s your opportunity to generate raving testimonials and a marketing advantage.
  • At Smile, our focus is on innovation and technology that simplifies and enhances our clients’ businesses. We place a high value on every customer referral and consider word of mouth and customer testimonials our most important and effective marketing tools.
  • Express to customer service teams that they are the best marketing tool for your organization.

Smile Values Our Customer Referrals

At Smile, our focus is on innovation and technology that simplifies and enhances our clients’ businesses. We place a high value on every customer referral and consider word of mouth and customer testimonials our most important and effective marketing tools.

Contact Smile today to discover how we create our own customer referrals from satisfied clients and keep our customers coming back.

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5 Ways Community Involvement Benefits a Business

In the era of corporate social responsibility, an emphasis on community involvement goes a long way. It allows a business to demonstrate its company values and reflect an attitude of reciprocity to a community. Long gone are the days when a company could roll into town, advertise, then sit back and enjoy the benefits. Community involvement is one way that companies can earn their customers by showing that they care.

However, community involvement isn’t just about being active in the community for its own sake. There exist several benefits which directly – and significantly – impact a business in positive ways. Here are five of those major benefits which show why community involvement is good for business as well as the community.

1. Community Networking and Collaboration

Community involvement brings businesses into contact with other local businesses. While some will exist within the same industry, many others will offer complementary products or services. Reaching out and working with such organizations helps support a local economy.

Ever walk into a store needing to buy something, only to discover that store was out – but, helpfully, the salesclerk knew another business down the street carried the item? A thoughtfully offered recommendation to another business reflects an interest in making sure that customer has the right item, not something which could be sold to them but doesn’t quite meet their needs.

2. Volunteering Increases Employee Morale

It might be counter-intuitive but asking employees to volunteer their time in the community – and rewarding them for doing so – actually has a positive impact on employee engagement. Just a few years ago, UnitedHealthcare found that volunteering helped 71 percent of surveyed employees feel better about their company. These employees reported a higher degree of job satisfaction and displayed greater levels of engagement at work after volunteering.

For local businesses, volunteering is particularly powerful because employees tend to live and work in the same community. They’re therefore more invested in the issues occurring there. By taking an interest in these issues and rewarding employees for getting involved, a business sends a strong message about its commitment to caring about the things which are important to its employees.

3. Attract and Keep Local Talent

Community involvement is a great way to attract and keep local talent. It increases visibility for a company in an area while sending a message that this company is serious about doing good in the world. It works. Creative, high-performing individuals want to be associated with organizations which operate big-picture style, and which seem to take on causes larger than simply turning a profit. In other words, community involvement is one way that companies indicate that they’re not just in it for the money but for the greater good.

Likewise, community involvement is becoming increasingly critical to attracting potential employees at all. An organization’s commitment to social issues is a deciding factor for 64 percent of millennials when choosing to even apply for a job.

 

4. Gain an Edge Over Big Corporations

As any small business knows, it is exceedingly difficult to compete with organizations which have vastly more time, customers, and resources at their disposal. However, community involvement represents a major advantage which small and local businesses have over national competitors.

Such businesses naturally have closer ties to a town or region because it is more likely that their employees live and work in the same area. Therefore, involvement in that community is more natural and genuine, because the business naturally has a vested interest in the wellbeing of the community. A very large corporation might be able to address larger issues, but a smaller business will have more on-the-ground awareness of things happening on a very local level.

Avensure tribunal support for employers will guide you through the entire process. Contact their employment tribunal helpline team for free employment tribunal advice if you’re an employer.

5. Build Brand Awareness

At its core, community involvement creates critical brand awareness for a company while establishing a positive reputation. As noted, consumers are taking an increasingly greater interest in what companies are doing beyond simply turning a profit. These activities have the potential to make or break consumer trust, something which has become critical in today’s economy.

In 2019, there is such a thing as bad publicity. Businesses should embrace the visibility which comes with community involvement to help build brand awareness in the right ways. In addition, custom neon signs are also a cost-effective way to build brand awareness within your community.

Smile at Community Involvement

Community involvement brings many great benefits to companies, particularly small businesses. It’s the era of corporate responsibility, and consumers want to see that companies are committed to more than simply themselves. Community involvement tells consumers, employees, and the wider society that a company is serious about being the change it wishes to see.

Smile engages in community outreach to help bring the latest technology into classrooms. Contact us today to learn more.

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Can Sustainability Actually Save you Money?

Environmental friendliness and the modern office might seem at odds with each other, but methods do exist to reduce waste and mitigate a company’s carbon footprint. In fact, a whole industry has sprung up around these two green initiatives and they’ve taken the modern office by storm. Paper reduction and ink recycling programs are two ways that an office can achieve a sustainable printing environment. However, what does that really mean when the average employee prints almost 10,000 pages per year?

These strategies cause little disruption to the average office’s current workflow but pack a punch in cost and, yes, tree savings. Read on to learn more about recycling benefits and how sustainability can actually save office money, learn about finances done right.

State of the Printer: Actual Yearly Paper and Ink Consumption

Offices use a lot of paper. Whether it is someone printing off two dozen copies of a PowerPoint presentation, or reprinting a document because of smudges or ink streaks, the only thing as central to the office as the printer is the overflowing recycling bin.

Printing is also one of the most wasteful aspects of a business. The EPA estimates that the US consumes about 30 percent of the world’s office paper. However, only about 68 percent of all paper in the US is recycled. The rest went to the landfill, or about 18 million tons – the equivalent of 7.2 billion reams of standard printing paper.

Another major environmental impact occurs in toner and ink cartridge waste. Cartridges, in particular, are made from plastic and metal. They’re designed to withstand the rigors of the printer and to survive heavy use. Their manufacturing process reflects this: one single cartridge puts 10.6 pounds of CO2 into the air.

We’re throwing out 375 million ink and cartridge toners every year. Likewise, because they’re made of materials designed to withstand everything, these cartridges don’t break down. Every single cartridge ever manufactured since the first printer in the 1960s still exists somewhere.

Spend Less Money for a Higher Yield with Remanufactured Cartridges

Cartridge recycling has existed for at least the last two decades. However, it’s begun to gain popularity in the past five years as companies – and printer manufacturers – discover the many recycling benefits associated with it. It’s completely possible to clean them up, refill, and resell them. This is known as remanufacturing. It’s a great way to acquire high-quality, high-yield toner cartridges for a fraction of the cost.

Remanufactured toner can cost up to 70 percent less than OEM cartridges, although the average hovers around 20 percent. This savings occurs because refurbishing cartridges are far less resource and labor intensive. These cartridges also perform as well as if not better than OEM cartridges. Just make sure to select a reputable vendor which tests its cartridges according to industry standards.

Adopting recycled cartridges is a high-impact but low-disruption strategy to significantly reducing an office’s carbon footprint. In fact, many ink recycling programs make it as easy as possible by scheduling pickups, so a business doesn’t need to do anything more than collect up the empty cartridges. A company thus not only spends less money but also less time.

 

Optimize with a Managed Print Service

Managed print services are well-known for their ability to reduce operational costs in the printing environment overall. Much of this occurs through the reduction in printing volume, especially through the elimination of unnecessary printing. While this has positive impacts on the environment, many of these providers can also take it a step further, assisting with the transition towards a greener office. A managed print service provider can:

  • Help companies develop energy-efficient printing infrastructure.
  • Implement software which tracks an office’s carbon footprint.
  • Partner with companies with tree-planting initiatives.
  • Acquire cost-effective recycled or remanufactured consumables.

Want to go green but are out of ideas? Contact a managed print specialist with expertise in environmental impact reduction.

Extended Yield Cartridges: A Secret Weapon

Extended yield cartridges are cartridges which have been modified to provide a greater printing capacity than what would otherwise be possible from the cartridge’s original design. In other words, whereas a regular cartridge may print 100 pages, an extended yield cartridge might print 120 or even 150 pages. Combined with the cost savings of remanufactured cartridges, extended yield cartridges are capable of quietly delivering a punch when it comes to the consumption rate of print supplies.

Smaller offices, and offices which don’t have particularly demanding printing needs will benefit most from extended yield cartridges. A slower rate of consumption means fewer cartridges get used at all.

Sustainable Printing and Ink Recycling Programs with Smile

Sustainable printing is a realistic goal for many offices. In fact, it may be a necessary goal because consumers increasingly care about a company’s commitments to the wider world. Adopting green printing practices such as participation in ink recycling programs is easy and delivers results without disrupting an entire office workflow.

Interested in developing a sustainable printing environment? Contact Smile today to get started with an audit of your print environment.

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When is it Time to Update Your Printer Fleet

Printers play a huge role in most businesses and are considered a staple of the modern office. Nonetheless, just like other machinery, they need to be repaired and even replaced. Although the modern printer life expectancy has increased, other technological advances make periodical upgrades important.

However, since printers – especially high-end ones – represent a significant investment for most companies, an office might be inclined to hang on to a printer for as long as possible, squeezing utility out of a device long past its natural lifespan. Sure, a new printer is expensive. However, using ancient devices to perform modern tasks is just asking to throttle office productivity which eats into costs in the long run.

Here are some insights into how to plan for a new printer when the moment comes. It’s not as scary as it might seem at first.

Planning for a New Printer

The average lifespan of an office printer is about four to five years. In a world of rapid technological advancement, that’s quite a little while. To put it into perspective, it’s only been 5 years since Microsoft unveiled Windows 8, the short-lived Flappy Bird was a global phenomenon, and the iPhone 6 was the latest version.

Likewise, five years is a lot of time for businesses to change and evolve, transforming their printing needs. Therefore, when planning for a new printer, consider the following:

  • How has the workflow in the office changed since this printer was first deployed?
  • What features do modern printers have which might augment office workflow?
  • Is the security up to date, or does this device lack critical patches and technology to make it secure?
  • Can the print environment footprint be reduced to make space for other high-impact tasks in the space? For example, would a multifunction printer make more sense than four separate devices to print, scan, copy, and fax?

What’s in a Budget?

Buying a new printer can certainly be expensive but hanging onto an old one can drive up print-related costs dramatically. In addition to the cost of the printer itself, organizations also need to account for the costs of:

  • Paper
  • Ink and toner cartridges
  • Maintenance, repairs, and spare parts
  • Outsourced print jobs
  • Software
  • Personnel time
  • Utility usage

Like with considering the way an organization’s printing needs change over the lifespan of the printer, it’s also important to consider the way the auxiliary costs of owning and operating a printer will change as well.

How a Managed Print Provider Can Help

Managed print services can greatly reduce stress when it comes time to update the printer. Not only are such services experts in the manufacturer lines they carry, but they can help identify needs which a business has but doesn’t realize. This foresight represents a tremendous advantage for a company in the long run. However, a managed print provider can also:

  • Conduct an initial assessment to help narrow the printer selection.
  • Help reduce auxiliary costs overall with print tracking and policy.
  • Provide financing options to lease or make payments on printing equipment.
  • Include maintenance specialists in a contract to keep the in-house IT staff free.
  • Monitor a fleet for security on an ongoing basis.

5 Signs the Printer Life Expectancy Is Past

Beyond simply a feeling in the gut that the printer’s life is over, here are five salient signs that a printer needs to be replaced.

1. Constant mechanical problems.

If the printer is spending more time down than running, it’s time to replace it. Broken printers drive up repair costs, cause employees to lose work time, and produce poor print quality.

2. Difficulty finding supplies or spare parts.

It’s a very bad sign if eBay is the first choice for supplies or spare parts which fit a model because no other more reputable source exists. If it’s hard to find consumables or spare parts, it’s time to update.

3. Skyrocketing maintenance costs.

Modern printers, especially multifunction printers, are easy to work on because printer manufacturers understand the need to get a printer up and running as quickly as possible. If the office has to call a specialist who charges absorbent rates because he’s the only guy in town who knows how to work on that model, it’s time to update.

4. Frequent print outsourcing.

Are employees constantly running to the local print shop to print jobs because the printer simply cannot handle it, or because doing so would tie it up for hours and inconvenience everyone else? Then the office printer is not able to keep up with the company’s printing demands and needs to go.

5. Noticeable technological shortcomings.

Modern printers have sleek touchscreens, WiFi connectivity, and automatic duplex printing. Does the office printer look like it’s from the 1970s? It’s definitely time to update.

 

Choosing a New Printer with a Smile

It’s important to update the printer – printing equipment needs to be periodically refreshed. Buying a new printer can be stressful, but with the guidance of an imaging expert, it isn’t.

Smile provides purchasing insight and managed print services to companies in California and western Nevada. Contact us today to get started.

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What Are the Weak Spots in Your Wireless Devices?

With more and more critical business operations occurring online, device security is gaining an extra level of security. Wireless devices now come in a startling array of forms, ranging from recognizable laptops and phones to everyday items where it’s easy to overlook their connection to the internet.

The average modern business is a treasure trove of sensitive and valuable data – and hackers have noticed. Almost half of small businesses in 2018 experienced a cyber-attack. Of those, 44 percent experienced between two and four attacks, making small businesses the most common target for hackers last year.

Cyber-attacks occur through a myriad of creative ways, many of which take advantage of forgotten wireless devices or those which have been configured incorrectly. Read on to gain insights about how bad actors manipulate devices to acquire access to sensitive materials, and what to do about it.

Features of Secure Wireless Devices

There’s no such thing as “The Ultimate Secure Device” which a company can simply set up and forget about. Most security relies on a combination of correct configuration and the software to make it happen. However, all secure devices have a few traits in common. These include:

1. Encryption.

The FTC recommends that businesses encrypt access points such as wireless routers. In addition, strongly consider the use of VPNs, or virtual private networks, to hide or encrypt network traffic. Both measures help prevent eavesdroppers from watching network traffic for unsecured data being transmitted.

2. Strong passwords.

As a rule, if a password appears on any widely disseminated list of common passwords, it’s a bad one. Strong passwords are difficult to guess and result in more failed access attempts which are noticeable on a network.

3. Segmented networks.

Secure networks are segmented so that users can’t access the entire network. Often, businesses use multiple routers to maintain completely separated networks for public users and internal purposes. Traffic is spread out, making both networks faster, and the public can’t peer into the network traffic of the business.

4. Wireless intrusion detection/prevention.

Secure wireless devices have a means for detecting and protecting wireless intrusion. These measures automatically disconnect unauthorized devices and identify misconfigured or rogue access points which might be used to access the network.

5. WPA2 or WPA3.

WiFi Protected Access, or WPA, is a security protocol and certification program to secure wireless networks. WPA2 is the most widely used protocol, but WPA3 was released in 2018. However, in April 2019, WPA3 came under scrutiny for a potentially serious design flaw compromising its security. It’s too early to confirm this, and IT security professionals should follow its developments.

What Devices Present the Biggest Risk?

There are two device types which are common in most offices but nonetheless present the biggest risk. Securing these goes a long way to keeping valuable company and customer data safe. These two items are:

1. Printers.

WiFi-connected printers constitute the most overlooked wireless device in the office space. Consequently, they’re one of the biggest targets for hackers. All manner of sensitive data passes through the modern printer, and this is compounded when it’s a multifunction printer which also handles scanning, faxing, and photocopying.

2. Personal devices.

Bring your own device policies are becoming increasingly common. However, they also open up a world of security headaches for IT professionals. Personal devices can’t easily be tracked or monitored for intrusion, may have malware, and may cause sensitive data to be spread beyond company walls. While it might be tempting to ban them as a result, these devices also bring an incredible amount of flexibility and functionality for employees to do their jobs.

Managed IT Can Help Harden Weak Spots

Companies can harden their device security by taking steps to ensure that all devices are governed under a clear policy. This requires an audit of the wireless devices currently being used in a workplace, including WiFi-connected smart devices. Managed IT or network services can assist with this, as such specialists will be more aware of the many devices which companies frequently overlook. Additionally, managed network services can:

  • Assist with developing a clear BYOD policy for staff which supports security.
  • Help educate staff on safe practices regarding data and cybersecurity.
  • Update security protocols and properly configure wireless devices.
  • Monitor networks in real-time for intrusion and unauthorized use.
  • Upgrade devices and hardware to align with current best practices.

Keep Security Current with Smile Business Products

Even startups and small businesses require robust security right from the gate to thwart the creativity and tenacity of today’s hackers. Likewise, the profusion of wireless devices means that it’s easy to overlook a device – which in turn creates an opening for malicious behavior. However, with managed network services, an IT expert who has seen all the tricks can help get a company’s device security in order.

Reach out to security professionals at Smile today to get started analyzing your wireless devices for weak spots.

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Reduced Budget? It’s Time to Control Your Printing Costs

Reduced Budget? It’s Time to Control Your Printing Costs

Budget reductions mean tough decisions for small and large businesses. For companies or departments that are handed a new (and smaller) annual budget, the next step is carefully examining all aspects of operations for any waste or inefficiency. There’s one area that pops up almost every time: the business print environment.

Printing represents one of the most common areas of waste for businesses – and it costs a lot of money. When faced with budget reductions, companies can no longer afford to have unchecked and out-of-control printing processes. This major pain point for businesses is why companies are increasingly turning to Managed Print Services (MPS). Here’s how these solutions cut the fat in a print environment and help businesses made the best of a reduced budget.

How do Managed Print Services and Document Management Solutions Save Money?

The push-back is common: why would a business spend money on MPS solutions in the wake of budget cuts? Spending any new monies during a time of cutting as many costs as possible seems counter-intuitive. In reality, effective management of a document and print environment simplifies and consolidates dozens of processes – which saves companies up to 30% on printing costs by:

  • Managing print devices: Decrease unnecessary IT calls for printer downtime, print driver issues, and maintenance.
  • Controlling supply spending: Purchase the right consumable print supplies at competitive industry pricing – and never run out of toner again.
  • Establishing better document processes: Improve document access and security while eliminating unnecessary printing and resource consumption.

For most businesses, a brief budget audit will show that consolidating the costs from these operations into a single, streamlined process will deliver powerful returns. Organizations can see how much they’re actively saving anytime with a MPS provider through simple online printing service management tools and dashboards.

Stop Overspending on Toner and Printer Ink

Several years ago, the Gartner Group published findings from a large research study demonstrating that businesses spend up to 3% of revenue on printing. Not surprisingly, a large portion of this spending is from toner and printer ink. Still, companies are rightly wary of cutting costs by turning to cheap third-party inks, which have a very inconsistent track record for quality. While some third-party inks are competitive to brand names, others can wreck printheads and lead to low-quality output.

MPS solutions present businesses with another option. Remanufactured cartridges offer all the same reliable benefits as brand name cartridges, but at a fraction of the cost. To be considered a “remanufactured” cartridge, a used cartridge undergoes a process of chemically cleaning and drying, refilling, sealing, and testing against the same standards as the original brand-name products themselves. Not only can MPS providers offer businesses remanufactured print cartridges, but can provide even more savings through competitive pricing on these products.

Budget Cuts Happen in Any Industry – Smile Has the Solutions

Budget cuts can happen anywhere – and print needs will vary significantly between organizations. These needs aren’t just dictated by structure, but also by compliance rules and federal and state-level regulations. At Smile, we have dedicated teams with expertise in these regulations to help organizations facing budget downsizing maintain compliance and save money.

1. Government Agencies

Security is the cornerstone of effective document management in federal and state-level agencies. When budget cuts happen, these organizations cannot compromise on security — but it’s not enough that documents are protected if the right users cannot readily access them. Smile’s exclusive solutions balance the highest levels of document security against ensuring that the appropriate users have access when and when they need it.

2. Health Care Facilities

Managed Print Services are very useful in documentation-heavy industries such as health care for eliminating waste and cutting costs in the event of budget cuts. However, for these organizations, choosing an inexperienced MPS provider can lead to catastrophic results. HIPAA-compliant document management software and processes are essential to maintaining compliance with federal protections for health-related information. In the print-environment, this means selecting hardware such as MFPs with encrypted, removable hard disks to avoid breaches of healthcare data that may be saved on flocked printers which are still very common.

3. Educational Institutions

Schools have unique and variable needs in a print environment – and almost always, tight budgets. Universities might need a keycard-release system to charge users to print from a library MFP, K-12 institutions may need a complex rule-based system for color vs. grayscale printing, and students may need to access cloud-based documents in classrooms or groups. Smile meets the needs of these schools through customized solutions for each client.

Budget cuts don’t mean businesses have to sacrifice the quality or security of their document management and print environments. MPS solutions represent an effective way to reduce the cost of printing while streamlining and improving print processes across an entire organization.

Ready to see how much your business can save with Smile’s Managed Print Services? Contact us today and discover how a simplified, streamlined, and secure print environment can meet your budget needs.

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How Your Business Can (Smoothly) Undergo a Digital Transformation

There are two powerful truths about digital transformation in business. The first is that it’s no longer an option, and digital transformation is essential to remain competitive in today’s market. In fact, Forbes found that companies that employ digital-first strategies enjoy a 25% increase in revenue. The second is that, for those who have not yet completed (or even started) an organizational transformation to digital processes, UI, and business culture, it’s not too late.

Best Practices in Digital Transformation for Businesses

While most companies have at least started a digital transformation, it can be challenging to navigate this complex process, and there are plenty of pitfalls. Here are some industry best practices to empower companies to take on this vital task.

1. Embrace Change and Approach Digital Transformation with Imagination

Embarking on a digital organizational transformation is more than just digitizing processes, but instead renovating the way a company does business, provides its services to its customers, and operates internally.

Can customer service reps also monitor social media posts in addition to their phones or inboxes as a method of responding to customer problems? Do marketing staff or analysts employ innovative big data strategies optimize funnels, monitor bounce points and lead captures? A big part of digital transformation imagines what a business can do with available technologies in totally new and innovative ways.

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2. Understand the Difference Between “Going Digital” and Digital Transformation

When asked about their companies’ digital transformation processes, some business owners will report “We’ve done that – all our documents have been converted to digital and stored in the cloud.” While digitizing documents is a key stage in a digital transformation journey, it is not the defining factor.

For businesses stuck on the digitization stage, one proven tip is to ask how new technologies can change the way a company does business – rather than merely improving upon existing processes with digitization, hire the best web design services to have a well designed website that attracts a lor of users.

3. Focus on the Customer at All Stages of Digital Transformation

For businesses who don’t know where to start, or who get stuck somewhere along the way during a digital transformation, it’s key to focus in on customer experience.

“Every digital transformation is going to begin and end with the customer,” said SalesForce co-CEO Marc Benioff. Optimizing workflows, regardless of where they are in an organization, should all contribute to overall better customer experience. If you work from home, it’s also great to use a virtual office as it means you can keep your home postal address private, which is very important. Of all of the virtual office services available, we have found that Virtually There offer the best virtual office service, so head there for the best deal.

Implementing New Methods and Improving Workflows

The services and processes in a business model before and after a digital transformation can likely look very different. However, how can businesses get there? The method of implementation will vary from company to company. Here are some good workflow improvement ideas and guidance for initiating a digital implantation plan:

  • Establish responsibility: There is no required position for project leadership, such as a CTO or Chief Digital Officer. However, ensure that this person understands the purpose, goals, and strategies.
  • Set goals and benchmarks: Digital transformation is data-driven by design. Whether it’s a marketing goal or analyzing internal IT tickets, make sure these goals are measurable over time, this digital marketing agency in Sydney can help you performing the transformation in a very smooth way.
  • Communicate with employees: When a change goes live, don’t forget to collect feedback from users. Changing business culture relies on empowering staff to suggest ideas and make decisions.
  • Specify to the customer experience: For every new process or workflow, ask the question “how will this improve the customer experience?” Continue asking this for every iteration.
  • It’s possible, if not likely that businesses will encounter some internal pushback from somewhere within the organization during a digital transformation process. This is normal! Part of shifting a business culture towards innovation is overcoming the very natural discomfort around change. When encountering roadblocks, empower those who are uncomfortable with the authority to communicate their experience and concerns. It might be wise to work with Laravel support companies that offer a wide variety of solutions.

Businesses Don’t Have to Do Digital Transformation Alone

Businesses are experts in their field of work. This means that it’s okay if an organization doesn’t specialize in digital transformation. Today’s market has created excellent conditions for partnerships in business technology. Outsourcing strategic planning and road mapping for digital transformation can help a company discover opportunities and new methods of doing business.  If you need help to start an ecommerce of your brand, many recommend to seek experts in shopify web design.

At Smile, we work with organizations to transform their processes from the ground up. Our assessment process involves hardware, software, and business data audit, but it doesn’t stop there. We talk to company leadership and employees personally to discover how business culture and processes work day-to-day. This helps us to learn where the most significant and most fruitful opportunities for digital transformation exist for every client.

Ready to book an assessment with your Smile representative? Contact us today to schedule a comprehensive organizational assessment and start your digital transformation journey.

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How Vulnerable is Your Business WiFi Network?

Businesses are now more vulnerable than most executives think. Today, it’s more likely to experience a security breach than not – over half of businesses get hacked every year. Sometimes, these breaches happen because businesses don’t adhere to a standard, current best practices in security systems and protocols.

Other times, the sources of security breaches are much more subtle and easy to overlook. Here are some common (and less common) sources of high-risk security vulnerabilities in business networks, as well as strategies for companies to address them.

Commonly Overlooked Business WiFi Risks to Avoid

Consider the well-known, high-risk security concerns for the average business. These are the “red flag” items on standardized risk assessments, like client information database breaches and DoS attacks. However, today’s cybercriminals are finding new methods of exploitation, leading to a new set of best practices in business security networks. Staying abreast of these developments can be challenging for a busy company, and some of the most common missteps include:

1. An Unprotected Print Environment

All devices on a business network, including printers, MFPs, and copiers, represent an area of risk that may fall outside the typical security priorities of an IT department. However, security research groups have identified printers and print networks as a potential source of security breaches and stolen data for businesses.

Not only should best practices for print security receive attention and action (such as setting an appropriate IP address status and password-protecting connected printers), but the entire print network as well. Source devices such as desktop computers and mobile devices sending data over WiFi should all be considered as points of risk.

2. Out-of-Date Drivers and Firmware

For most IT departments, managing hardware drivers is a complicated task in and of itself. For a busy office with a variety of devices, perhaps with satellite offices and remote users, maintaining up-to-date drivers and firmware across an entire print fleet can be a significant pain point. However, this challenge also presents cybercriminals with an excellent opportunity to discover weaknesses in business networks.

Ensuring that the entire organization is operating with the latest firmware updates and patches as released by the manufacturers is an essential part of maintaining good overall network security. Similarly, building systems that push out regular driver updates to users across all connected devices protect the system from vulnerabilities before and during data transit to printers or other connected devices.

3. Unmanaged User Behavior

The effectiveness of a security system relies on the quality of user behavior within that system. Even a robust system could be compromised by an employee clicking a link in a phishing email, an out-of-date firewall, or even accessing a network site on an unanticipated device.

Mobile device security also represents an increasingly large portion of business WiFi attention. Business mobile device management focuses on both business-owned mobile device security protocols, and private or guest devices on a network. User behavior while connected to a business network, including email and app usage, can impact a network’s security.

Effective Monitoring Helps Businesses Track Real-Time Vulnerabilities

Ongoing network monitoring is another critical component of business network security. Live analysis of WiFi traffic through network servers and routers can help an IT department understand user behavior and needs, as well as minimize the response time during a breach.

Collecting and monitoring data passing through a business WiFi network can help an organization get in front of issues before they become a serious concern or become exploited by a cybercriminal. This is equally important for remote monitoring of satellite offices.

How Managed Network Services Protect Businesses

To stay abreast of a constantly changing environment, many businesses are choosing to outsource their network needs. Managed network services are ideal for organizations who don’t have the expertise to maintain a robust security system alone. By outsourcing network security, businesses benefit from the latest security protocols across their entire network, active monitoring for vulnerabilities, and immediate response in the event of a security breach.

Effective network security begins with a comprehensive assessment. To determine the security status of a business network, a thorough evaluation of connected hardware and software is essential to gain information about any potential vulnerabilities. At Smile, we work with each client individually to assess their unique network arrangement, user behavior, and processes to close security gaps and protect businesses and their customers.

Ready to take control of your business network security? Contact us today to schedule an initial assessment and set a roadmap to security for your systems and data.

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Join Smile’s Team for an Exciting, Innovative Career in Tech

Want to work for a tech company that is inspiring, creative, highly-reviewed, and fun to work at? Consider joining the team at Smile! Smile Business Products is a tech company based in Sacramento, CA with offices in both California and Nevada. As a company, Smile offers some of the only services of its kind available: a one-stop-shop for office hardware and network services for businesses. The organization has received multiple recognitions and awards, such as Sharp Electronics’ Elite Dealer for multiple years, including 2018, and draws much of its philosophy from a culture of creative innovation. In the words of Joe Reeves, CEO, “We’re a leader, were an innovator, and we see the future.”

What are the Benefits of Working with Smile Business Products?

At Smile, the quality of the team members’ lives matters, not just their job functions. Since its founding in 1997, Smile has worked to nurture a positive culture of creativity and teamwork. Employees also enjoy great benefits such as:

● Competitive Pay: Smile offers industry-competitive pay and commissions where applicable.

● Excellent Benefits: The benefits package includes medical, dental treatments in clinics like the one from this Utah family dentist, vision, and life insurance. Smile also has a 401k package and generous vacation days and holiday schedule!

● Education and Training: Smile is invested in every team member and offers tuition reimbursement as well as ongoing training opportunities.

While an excellent education has immense value, so does amazing on-the-job experience. So, Smile is interested in applicants who feel that their training—whether it’s a formal degree or amazing professional experience—has given them the skills they need to succeed.

A Positive Culture of Creativity and Innovation

When new clients start services with Smile, they understand that their goals and Smile’s goals are the same. The objective of Smile’s work is to empower clients to become more efficient, more productive, and better. This philosophy carries over to Smile’s own work culture.

1. Discover Careers that Focus on the Future

Smile is all about innovation in technology. This has inspired a culture of imagination and creativity, as well as proactive, unbeatable customer service. Over the past 22 years, Smile has responded to the needs of its clients with new services tailored to ever-changing technology needs and is always looking forward to the future.

2. Meet Customer Needs with Powerful Tools

As Smile evolved to meet the needs of its customers, it has developed some incredible tools such as the NOC (Network Operating Center). Working at Smile means team members have the opportunity to solve client issues and provide them with amazing solutions from a place of expertise – whether it’s phone communications, managed web services, printer issues, or myriad other services – all from the same point-person. This leads to an effective, satisfying customer experience, and a fulfilling sense of accomplishment and ownership for team members.

3. Enjoy the Benefits of True Team Effort

Smile relies on its incredible teams and celebrates wins with recognition, bonuses, and all the support staff needs to succeed in their jobs. Management goes the extra mile to understand the day-to-day realities, challenges, and successes of team members to better support them and foster an environment that meets their needs. As a way to give back to the team, Smile offers not only great benefits, but also fun company events, profit sharing and initiatives, and more.

4. Stay Abreast of Innovations and Exciting Developments

A significant philosophy that drives Smile is one of innovation. Team members not only get to discover all the latest developments in the industry but apply those changes to the services they provide to customers. This makes Smile an exciting place to work and grow.

How to Learn More About Joining the Team

For over 22 years, Smile has become so much more than an equipment supplier to its clients. Smile has transformed customer service in managed print, and network managed services, document management, communication services, and more. “If someone were to come to Smile,” said Reeves, “and see the investment we’ve made in people, processes, technology, they would realize that Smile is unique!” To learn about current open positions, check out Smile Careers for job openings. Smile Business Products is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Have questions, or want to learn more? Contact us today to discover more reasons to join the Smile team!

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Bringing the Product to Your Customers: The Mobile Showroom

Marketing has been due for innovation, and the mobile showroom has it in spades. Here’s what businesses need to know about mobile showrooms and how forward-thinking companies like Smile are utilizing them.

Fully Functioning Demo on Wheels, Mobile Showrooms and What They Mean for Businesses

In concept, a mobile showroom bus is a fully functioning demo on wheels that acts as a showroom featuring company products. Mobile showrooms on city streets leave a much grander impression than static billboards or ads painted on the sides of cars. These marketing presentations make for an exciting experience, by using a display bus, they reach customers on the street and generate interest. Although the use of a display bus as a marketing installation is relatively new, they gain a lot of attention, and that’s good for marketing. This is a revolutionizing concept that brings products to the customers and takes advertising to a whole new level. For more on good marketing, check out the job done by these seo experts london agency.

Here’s What Smile’s Mobile Showroom Features

Smile’s mobile showroom is something everyone should see. Not only is the mobile showroom practical, but offers a new, fun context for shopping office devices. Smile has included a rich variety of office products for display ranging from advanced business phone systems to office copiers/printers and water systems that generate clean drinking water out of thin air.

Sharp MFP’s

One of the most exciting products to be seen in Smile’s mobile showroom is Sharp’s multifunction printers. These printers are sleek in design and powerful in application. These printers come in a wide variety that will suit the needs of any office environment and ultimately make it more efficient. Sharp printers are well known for their ease of use, longevity, and superior performance. Make it complete with Smile’s managed print services.

4K Sharp AQUOS Interactive White Board

The 4K Sharp AQUOS Interactive White Board has been gaining traction as one of the best tools on the market for education and corporate environments. Combining the concept of a traditional whiteboard with the best in presentation technology, these products are making waves and are a spectacular sight in Smile’s mobile showroom.

Fully Functioning Office Environment with Microsoft Office

Smile’s mobile showroom is more than a display. It features a fully functioning office environment powered by Microsoft Office.

Skywell Water Machine

The Skywell Water Machine in Smile’s mobile showroom is something worth checking out. This incredible machine furnishes a crisp, clear, and clean water supply for home and office environments. By taking particles from the air, purifying them, and converting them into drinking water, the Skywell is one of the most coveted appliances in any office.

PaperCut Software

One of the most cutting edge software products on the market, PaperCut, is also featured. This impressive software tool can be used to track printer users and helps facilitate output management. These benefits can reduce wasted paper and printing costs. Office managers with compatibility concerns can rest assured that Sharp products sold through Smile BPI are fully compatible with PaperCut software. More companies have been shifting towards investing in user tracking software to help manage unnecessary paper consumption and enforce security measures. Documents flowing through offices every day can be used malignantly to siphon, sell, or otherwise use company information in a way that would be extremely damaging. PaperCut software steps in to prevent these issues by closely monitoring the users that interact with sensitive documents. This software ensures safe and secure document management. The software generates reports showing who used the printer, how they used it, and even their department.

Mobile Showrooms, Accessibility, and Interactive Sales Strategy

The key advantage of the mobile showroom as a marketing presentation is accessibility. It acts as an interactive sales strategy that draws people in and gives them an experience. These experiences are much richer than driving past an ad on a billboard in your 1967 GT 350 Mustang.

Take a look Into the Future with Smile

Smile’s mobile showroom is just a taste of what this remarkable company has to offer. Check it out and dive deeper into their products, they have something for every office. According to https://web20ranker.com/influence-gmb-ranking-factors, after seeing their mobile showroom it’s clear that this isn’t just the latest marketing gimmick, it’s an experience. The mobile showroom is a truly unique way to display their many fine products and leads customers to learn much more than they could glean from a traditional advertisement. Don’t hesitate, check out Smile today and see what they can do to revolutionize the office.

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What to Look For in a Service Provider

Office hardware services are a fantastic way to save money and enhance both efficiency and productivity in business today. Firms that do not utilize these services can end up lagging behind competitors or over spending. Here’s what managers should look for in a office hardware service and how they should go about choosing the best fit for their business.

What Is a Managed Network?

Managed networks are outsourced networks which are built, operated, secured, and managed by third-party service providers. It provides some or all of the required network solutions. Cloud services deliver managed networks or installed by the service provider.

These networks provide hardware resources like servers, routers, and switches, along with operating systems and firewall software to secure the data stored in it. The service provider maintains the entire system. Other services that may include managed LAN managed WAN, managed gateway, managed wireless networks, and automated network support services.

What Are Print Hardware Services?

Another thing to look into are managed printing services which handle the maintenance of office printers and copiers. Printing hardware requires traditional maintenance with occasional repairs. The key is to find the provider with the knoweledgeable and reliable technicians that can sevrice the machines with ease and avoid downtown to customers.

Choosing an Office Hardware Service Provider

Choosing the right service provider for a company can be tricky. The first thing companies will have to do, is to find providers in their area. Not all service providers are available in every area. However, some will have very large service areas, such as Smile. It’s important to compare plans and pricing, including extra fees such as set up, delivery and installation. It doesn’t matter whether it’s managed network services or traditional copier/printer mainteance, it’s imperative that plans and pricing are reviewed in full to make sure both parties are satisfied with the terms. 

If a company wants to switch service providers, they should check if there will be any extra fees, costs, or complications with their contracts. There may be fees from the existing provider for ending the contract early.

Finding the Right Tech for the Job

Providers needs to choose the right technician for the job. Depending on the complexity of job, a certified engineer may be needed. Ask questions about who is assigned to the job, or install, and make sure the particular engineer or technician is on site. Many times promises are made but then when it comes time for installation, the promised engineer to technician gets pulled for another job.

Look for Certified Service Providers

Certification is one of the absolute musts on the checklist when shopping for a office hardware or network service provider. Service providers that are certified stand above competitors and customers can rest assured in knowing that they are partnering with masters in the field. Being certified is a major benchmark for quality among service companies and ensures a high level of professionalism and expertise.

What Certifications are Available for Service Providers?

Depending on the level of support a provider offers, ISO 27001 is the largest certification needed for service providers. Other certifications are HIPPA-HITECH for the medical field and SSAE-18 SCO1 Type 2.printing services. Also look for technicians with a CompTIA certificate as a minimum.

Service Checklist When Planning Future Scope of Work

Managers should keep a checklist when looking into office hardware maintenance services. Among other things, this checklist should encompass the future scope of work the company plans to take on. Knowing the scope of future work will help determine how many features and extra services the firm will require. Knowing what services won’t be needed can save a lot of money.

Choose a Sharp Platinum Level Service Provider

Sharp Platinum Level service providers are dealers who have shown excellent customer service and support. Customers receive professional, and reliable service for their high performing multifunction copiers. Being a Sharp Platinum Level Service Provider is the highest honor and reserved for the best service providers in Sharp’s industry. Smile has been a Sharp Platinum Level Service Provider for the past 5 years.

Partner with a Service Provider You Can Trust, Partner with Smile

Get in touch with Smile and start enjoying the worry-free benefits of a managed service today. Trust is one of the biggest factors of all when deciding on a hardware service provider, especially when planning to engage in a long-term business relationship. No one wants to waste money and get trapped in a sticky contract with a business that can’t deliver. This wastes time and money, and in today’s market firms can’t afford to lose either one. Smile is associated with Sharp, a trusted industry leader, and as a service provider they offer some of the best features for the price.              

Get in touch with Smile and start enjoying the worry-free benefits of a managed service today.

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