Q§A: Vendors Of Scanners

Representatives from five prominent scanner vendors answer questions about VARs, imaging, and the future of the industry.

1 What should VARs look for when selecting a scanner?

BancTec, Inc., Dave Conklin: The top consideration should be the productivity enhancements built into the scanner. These should include high-end features that result in an overall lower cost per page. VARs should look for scanners that support modular and field upgrades to protect the customer's initial investment.

Examples:

• Scalability of the scanner for speed increases
• Superior doubles detection mechanism (needed to ensure 100% detection)
• Scan-time deskew of the image from the raw grayscale data (rather than post-scan deskew of the bitonal image)
• Strong index-capture capability to minimize post-scan input
• Sophisticated image enhancement

Bell & Howell, Russell S. Hunt: A VAR should look for a scanner that meets the performance criteria of his customer's solution. Consider the following:

• Time to complete the job or a scanner's speed and the scanner's average throughput
• The reliability of the scanner for the workload required during peak periods (i.e. Is the scanner durable enough to support scanning 1,000 documents on Mondays when the average workload is 400 documents a day?)
• Serviceability of the scanner and the need for service (Is on-site service available from the manufacturer, or is this a non-service situation?)
• Image quality and the ability to eliminate poor quality documents (Are the documents of low contrast or hard to read? What is the condition of the documents? Can the scanned image of the document be read? Can the scanner settings be easily adjusted to account for differences in a batch of documents?)

Eastman Kodak Company, Joanne Boyd: VARs should look for the depth of vendor's scanner product line. Find a vendor with a proven track record and demonstrable quality service after the sale.

Panasonic Document Imaging Company, Nick Morisco: In selecting a scanner, the integrator must first understand the application. The actual needs of the end user are imperative in order to understand the end user's current and future requirements.

When VARs select a particular scanner model, they also select a scanner manufacturer, and now the VAR is making a business commitment. Whether it is short-term, or hopefully long-term, the commitment is a partnering effort for both parties to provide solutions and expand the business. Marketing, lead referrals, and product support come very much to the forefront here. VARs are always looking to offer their customer base and potential customers a reason to buy from them.

VisionShape, Dan Borrey:

• A vendor that commits to bring the VAR business, and does it
• A company that will not sell direct, but will instead work with the VAR and customer
• A product that fits the market the VAR is pursuing
• The best possible image quality
• Reliable on-site service and the longest warranty
• Sales personnel that know the imaging industry well enough to help the VAR complete a sale

2  What is the most common mistake you see VARs making with scanners?

BancTec, Inc., Dave Conklin: Some VARs invest in a product line that is not flexible or scalable. End users need the ability to expand production capability as they grow, and to take advantage of new technology with minimal impact. The solution provided by a VAR must take into account the ability of the scanner manufacturer to provide a proven migration path for the end user.

Bell &&Howell, Russell S. Hunt: VARs tend to misinterpret the rated speed of the scanner for the average throughput of a scanner.

Eastman Kodak Company, Joanne Boyd: VARs should not sell "short" on features/functionality to offer a lower price. They should not ignore reoccurring revenue opportunities surrounding the scanner sale, such as selling service agreements and offering appropriate enhancement/professional service.

Panasonic Document Imaging Company, Nick Morisco: The most common mistake most VARs make is also the most frustrating mistake. A VAR becomes comfortable with one scanner model and presents it as being the solution – without really understanding the customer's needs. A series of analyses will give the solution provider (the VAR) excellent insight as to the applications that need to be supported. First, what is the end result that the customer is striving for? Is it workgroup, departmental, or a sophisticated workflow system? Next, what type of document is being scanned, and what is its condition? How many documents are being scanned? And, what additional needs does the customer have? Remember that customers don't know all of their needs. It is "job one" of the VAR to determine the actual requirements.

VisionShape, Dan Borrey:

• Blindly trusting brand names
• Buying only lower prices – regardless of the application
• Selling only one model
• Not having a demo unit of their own to show prospects
• Not looking in depth at the features, warranty, image, and price/performance when comparing scanners

3  What can we expect from scanners in the next few years?

BancTec, Inc., Dave Conklin:

• Additional high-end productivity enhancements offered on mid-range platforms
• Optional grayscale/color capture capability with improved compression
• Programmable dropout of color and grayscale
• Simultaneous capture of bitonal and color or grayscale

Bell & Howell, Russell S. Hunt: We can expect scanners to incorporate more software-controlled features, better diagnostics, more robust software interface drivers, lower hardware prices, and improved paper handling.

Eastman Kodak Company, Joanne Boyd: Expect continued emphasis on color, as well as increase in focus on the packaged sale of service and support behind those products.

Panasonic Document Imaging Company, Nick Morisco: From a hardware perspective, scanners will have higher speed, greater reliability, and better price performance levels. Scanners will be expected to support color documents, have better compression rates, and have total onboard digital image processing. Network compatibility will also play a big role, as more and more scanners are exchanging images across a network.

VisionShape, Dan Borrey:

• More intelligence
• More connectivity
• More standard interfaces such as USB (universal serial bus)
• Total image quality control
• No manual re-scanning necessary

4 What can VARs be doing now to ensure their share in the scanner market in the future?

BancTec, Inc., Dave Conklin:

• Provide and invest in hardware and capture platforms that fit a long-term strategy.
• Provide connectivity to scalable subsystems that increase the end user's opportunity to grow and expand.
• Avoid integrating hardware products from manufacturers that are producing legacy technology. (Look for ongoing engineering development in the product line.)
• Be prepared to provide easy reformatting of interfaces to accommodate high-end hardware integrated into legacy systems.

Bell & Howell, Russell S. Hunt: VARs should understand the technology changes within the document imaging marketplace. They should gain an in-depth knowledge of their customers' needs and proposed solutions.

Eastman Kodak Company, Joanne Boyd: Color competency is a must for forward thinking VARs. VARs must invest in educating themselves as well as their end users in the importance and value of color scanning. In addition, VARs must focus on adding value around the sale of the scanner, again looking at service offerings available.

Panasonic Document Imaging Company, Nick Morisco: There are two fundamental business practices that VARs must employ to continue their success in the document management arena. The first is what we have been saying all along – know your customers and their applications. VARs are involved with vertical markets, so they can build on this knowledge. This is also important because, as new applications become known, scanner manufacturers will need this data as they plan for future scanner products. The second is support. VARs are the link in reviewing the end user and the vertical markets. The end users and the VARs will need to know all support issues surrounding the product solution.

VisionShape, Dan Borrey:

• Provide quality installation and training services.
• Establish long-term relationships (preferred) with vendors.
• Become "document savvy" and understand what makes and breaks scanners.
• Provide total solutions and hook up with a scanner vendor that can do so.
• Become knowledgeable about the industry. The customers certainly are.

5 Are you starting to position scanners as part of applications? If so, what do you feel are the advantages? If not, why not?

BancTec, Inc., Dave Conklin: We have always concentrated on providing a wide range of features and advanced scan-time functionality. BancTec scanners can be integrated into the vast majority of scanning applications in the industry.

Bell & Howell, Russell S. Hunt: Scanners are certainly a "part of an application" for the end user. A properly configured and selected scanner can either make or break the success of an application. The scanner capture is the initial phase of the total application.

Eastman Kodak Company, Joanne Boyd: Our channel associates typically have a specific vertical or horizontal application focus. They are positioning Kodak scanners as a fundamental component of the total application solution.

Panasonic Document Imaging Company, Nick Morisco: Obviously, Panasonic is very focused on applications. Knowing the customers' true needs gives everyone involved an opportunity to offer a true solution. Listening to the customers' needs is always an advantage. Knowledge is always an asset. Understanding the particular requirements of a customer can only enhance the viability of the solution process.

VisionShape, Dan Borrey: Scanners are part of document capture, so hardware/software bundling is essential. We favor "capture solutions," rather than relying on the scanning module of the document management software. This creates more opportunities for sales, support, and training revenue.


edited by Ann DeDad