Hitachi Koki: Connecting the future of business

Hitachi Koki Imaging Solutions (HiKIS) drew crowds at the recent Business Technologies Show with their latest offering-the i-copier and i-printer. In an exclusive interview, Office World News' Carrie Rivera had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Melo, Vice President, world wide marketing and LaDon Harrison, international marketing manager, about this new offering.

OWN-Can you explain the new i-copier and i-printer and technology it employs?

HiKIS---The i-copier and i-printer are digital print engines based on Hitachi's new Internet-powered Everest controller architecture. The Everest controller leverages the power of the Internet to allow users, dealers, and service technicians to remotely access product information, device configuration, service, and support from a standard web browser. The Everest controller technology supports four key software modules-- i-manage, i-service, i-billing, and i-print.

i-manage provides instant access to product information with quick reference PDF bookmarks and step-by-step instructional multi-media presentations. i-manage also provides remote device management by allowing customers to check the printer's status including media size, type, weights, capacities of all trays, and extensive usage statistics such as page counts by media size and consumable usage. A unique feature of i-manage is that the printer's web page can be customized to incorporate the dealer's logo, personalized messages to the customer, and hypErlinks to the dealer's web site to create a differentiated product for each dealer.

i-service allows service technicians to remotely configure the printer and network, run remote diagnostics for all subsystem components Via the Internet or modem, and program the device to send early warning notifications and other engine component usage reports via page or email without any interaction from the end user.

i-billing calculates the customer's actual usage information with their detailed service plan, allowing customers to actually print their own invoices. Customers and dealers can see toner coverage on a job-byjob, monthly, and quarterly time frame. This is based on the actual toner usage calculated from the number of pixels per page, as well as their actual monthly bill based on their current usage and service plan. The i-copier will even adjust the final invoice based on toner usage above the contracted allowance. Additionally, the i-copier and/or i-printer can be programmed to email monthly "click counts" for both copy and print jobs, eliminating the time-consuming month-end calls.

The i-print module allows customers to simultaneously print multiple copies of the same job to local or remote multiple engines through processes called "broadcast printing" and "i-broadcast printing." Using the IPP protocol, users can print to different engines virtually anywhere, provided they have the printers' IP addresses. Unlike cluster or tandem printing, the engines do not have to be the same model and they need not be close to a dedicated server.

OWN-How will this effect the office supply industry?

HiKIS--The impact of i-service on a dealer's service costs is clear to see when you consider that service calls for digital devices are increasingly related to non-hardware issues such as network configuration programs. i-service goes far beyond remote diagnostics to actual remote configuration and repair, eliminating expensive on-site service calls.

OWN-With this introduction, is HiKIS seeking to expand it's dealer channel?

HiKIS--Most definitely! We chose the BTA show as our venue for this most important announcement for several reasons, and dealer recruitment was certainly high on our list of desired outcomes. We felt that the i-copier/i-printer's capability to simplify billing, service and support would resonate in the dealer community. We wanted to send a clear message to the dealer community that Hitachi understands dealers' service requirements, the need to protect ongoing supply revenues, as well as the need to offer differentiated and technologically advanced digital products in an increasingly competitive environment. Judging by the response we received, we believe we hit our mark with resounding success.

OWN-How will this increase profit opportunities for dealers?

HiKIS-Given that most office products are leased or are on a monthly service contract, the ability to precisely track page activity and toner usage provides tremendous benefits to dealers and end users alike. Users of leased devices can be billed based on the actual toner usage, rather than an arbitrary contractual toner coverage number. Also, the ability to link customers directly to the dealer's site for re-orders is a clear benefit for increasing profit opportunities for aftermarket sales.

OWN-Can we expect an entire line of Internet enabled products?

HiKIS--The first Internet-based products will be based on our current high-speed Segment 4 and 5 products: a 62 ppm copier and 70 ppm printer. These products will be launched in late Q4 of this year, followed by a series of Everest-powered products within the Segment 3-4 range.