Win Imaging Customers With Service Before The Sale

In an industry where many vendors are promoting their own service and support packages, imaging integrator MTM Inc. (Madison, WI) continues to offer its own repair and maintenance programs to customers. MTM's reputation for outstanding microfilm and digital imaging hardware service and support is one factor in attracting and retaining customers like Sub-Zero Freezer Company, Inc. (Madison, WI). A manufacturer of high-end appliances, Sub-Zero called MTM to repair a Minolta MS 2000 digital reader/printer, which the manufacturer was using in conjunction with Eastman Kodak software to fax or e-mail microfilm images.

While there, MTM technicians learned that Sub-Zero was beginning to convert some of its paper forms to digital with conversion services provided by a service bureau. The service bureau contracted to convert QA (quality assurance) cards to digital images and send them back on CDs was months behind. MTM took over conversion of the images at its own service bureau, and Sub-Zero continued to download the digital images to a PC hard drive. However, data was still being manually posted to spreadsheets, which were reviewed by Sub-Zero employees. MTM suggested that the manufacturer consider a digital imaging solution to reduce the labor and time lag required to maintain a record of QA results.

Convert Customers From Outsourced To On-Site Imaging
MTM designed a system in which the QA forms are scanned using an M4097D from Fujitsu Computer Products of America (San Jose, CA), a mid-volume duplex scanner with a rated speed of 90 ipm (images per minute). Sub-Zero also purchased the ScanRight VRS (Virtual ReScan) Option, which automatically adjusts image quality and skew for a variety of document sizes. The legal-sized QA forms are captured and their data extracted using TELEform, a forms processing application from Cardiff Software, Inc. (San Diego). TELEform is able to gather information from check boxes and handwritten sections. A bar-coded serial number on the back of the form is used to automatically populate the indexing field. The data and images are managed using OnBase from Hyland Software, Inc. (Westlake, OH). "As soon as a fridge comes off the line, the company has feedback on the tests, and any necessary adjustments can be made then and there," notes Steve Spielbauer, senior sales consultant at MTM.

Sub-Zero's QA solution has multiple users for whom MTM provided detailed training. The system administrator training, which covers adding new users, managing security, and monitoring disk space, requires a total of about eight hours. Less expensive and more efficient than outsourcing, this investment can be used to address other document management issues at Sub-Zero, or used to collect more QA data from sources such as mainframe applications.

Spielbauer says that manufacturing has been a very good market for MTM, but paper-intensive departments such as accounting are more common than those involved directly in the manufacturing process. In the future, Sub-Zero has the option to add automated workflows or integrate the system with other applications. In the meantime, MTM will, of course, be on hand to provide service and support for Sub-Zero's hardware and software purchases.