Keypoint Intelligence – Buyers Lab (BLI) has announced the winners of its BLI PaceSetter awards in the MFP Platform & App Ecosystem and MFP Cloud Ecosystem arenas.
The first award recognises the document imaging OEM that offers the most robust device-embedded software platform and associated ecosystem of apps. The second award honours the vendor that is setting the pace in MFP cloud-readiness and associated cloud services offerings.
The winners for the 2019–2020 time period, based on research conducted for the North American market, are:
RICOH USA, INC.
BLI PaceSetter 2019–2020: MFP Cloud Ecosystem
XEROX CORPORATION
BLI PaceSetter 2019–2020: MFP Platform & App Ecosystem
“Today’s smart MFPs now deliver functionality that stretches far beyond printing, copying scanning, and faxing,” said Jamie Bsales, Keypoint Intelligence’s Director of Solutions Analysis. “When used to its fullest, an MFP will act as the hub of many of an organisation’s document-centric tasks, most notably where paper and digital documents converge.
“These abilities are driven by underlying software platform technologies and the apps and cloud services layered on top that let customers leverage the MFP functions, so robust offerings in these areas are essential.”
To determine which OEMs lead the market in these areas, analysts at Keypoint Intelligence conducted an in-depth evaluation of the offerings from nine of the leading document imaging OEMs. The study focused on dozens of points of differentiation divided into key strategic areas: Platform Technology, Developer Support, Market Approach and Dealer Support, App Portfolio, and Cloud Services. After gathering all the data, the Keypoint Intelligence team used a proprietary rating scale to calculate individual scores in the areas studied.
Ricoh was one of the pioneers in developing embedded software platforms able to extend the functionality of the MFP, and the company is now in the vanguard of the shift to cloud-ready MFPs. Ricoh Smart Integration is an IoT technology platform that enables cloud-connected apps that run on the company’s latest MFPs and other devices. And the Ricoh Cloud Workflow Solutions portfolio comprises packages of cloud connectors, customisable workflows, and device-agnostic services that let customers digitise common business processes without requiring additional investments in onsite software or IT resources.
When it comes to an ecosystem of apps designed to expand the functionality of an MFP, Xerox really shines. The company is setting a high bar for the industry with both its robust and flexible ConnectKey platform and its rapidly expanding portfolio of productivity-enhancing apps that run on it. The key to this success is the Xerox Personalised Application Builder program, through which Xerox provides the tools, training, and marketing resources to help partners create solutions that run on compatible Xerox MFPs. The result is a much larger portfolio of MFP apps than any other OEM currently supports.
