Kyocera Mita America Awarded Highest Ranking in Copier Customer Satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates; Kyocera Ranked Highest for Copier/Multifunctional Product and Overall Customer Service Among Business Users

Business Wire, Nov 14, 2005

FAIRFIELD, N.J. -- Kyocera Mita America, one of the world's leading document imaging companies, today announced it has received the highest ranking in the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Copier Customer Satisfaction Study(SM).

According to J.D. Power and Associates, over the past several years, Kyocera has partnered with its dealers to bring new products to the marketplace and to train sales and field personnel to emphasize a high level of sales and service satisfaction. The study indicated that Kyocera's success is an example of a paradigm shift in the copier industry. Today's decision-makers are not only looking at the product but are also evaluating the entire experience with the brand. This includes the dealerships' sales and service capabilities. Once business customers are assured they have a reasonable product at a good price, sales and service become the key differentiators for today's copier brands.

The Copier Customer Satisfaction Study is an independent, industry-wide research study that measures the satisfaction of copier users based on three key factors that define the customer experience -- product, sales and service. The study is based on responses from 1,730 business and technical decision makers at small, medium and large businesses spanning a variety of industries. Respondents were surveyed in the first 18 months of copier ownership.

"This J.D. Power study is a strong testament to the strength of Kyocera's offerings and to the dedicated efforts of the independent dealers who proudly represent us in their respective local markets," said Michael Pietrunti, president and chief operating officer, Kyocera Mita America. "We are pleased to see that Kyocera's efforts to use advanced technology to make business life simpler, as reflected in our 'People Friendly' campaign, is having a positive day-to-day impact on the everyday users of our products."

Kyocera Mita America received the highest industry scores for sales and service support, highlighting the quality of its sales force. Its sales representatives were praised for their professionalism, their ability to advise customers with regard to product needs and their management of the paperwork and/or finance process. The company also received strong scores for its products and on service attributes, including the honesty of its technicians and the quality of work performed on machines.

The J.D. Power and Associates research outlines the issues that are required to evaluate satisfaction with copier/multi-function devices. These issues are grouped as follows:

--Satisfaction with the sales process, including salesperson interaction and the dynamics of the delivery process.

--Satisfaction with product performance, including copier features (e.g., finisher, control buttons, etc.) and ease of use.

--Satisfaction with the servicing of the copier device, including service initiation and responsiveness and quality of work performed.

--Satisfaction with the cost of the copier device, including cost-per-impression and overage rate.

Survey Methodology

The 2005 Copier Customer Satisfaction Study(SM)is based on answers from 1,730 respondents who have authority for the procurement of business machines and who purchased/leased a new copier/MFP between January 2004 and October 2005. The survey was conducted online between August 23, 2005 and October 14, 2005.

About Kyocera Mita America, Inc.

Kyocera Mita America, Inc. (www.kyoceramita.com/us), headquartered in Fairfield, N.J., is a leading provider of computer-connectable peripherals, including network-ready digital copiers/printers, laser printers, color copiers/printers, digital laser facsimiles, and multifunctional and wide format imaging solutions. Kyocera Mita America is a group company of Kyocera Corporation, the world's leading developer and manufacturer of advanced ceramics and associated products, including telecommunications equipment, semiconductor packages and electronic components. Kyocera Mita America, the only document solutions company with third-party certified sales data, has earned numerous honors for its products' high performance, reliability and cost efficiency. In 2005 alone, Kyocera Mita America earned the Industry Analyst award for the most reliable copiers and multifunctional printers (MFPs), BERTL's Best Award for the most cost-efficient digital imaging product line, and BERTL's Best Award in the category of Best Workflow Management Application for KYOcapture. Kyocera Corporation's consolidated net revenues totaled $11 billion during the year ending on March 31, 2005.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.