Paul Brown, the Regional Manager for Middle East and Turkey at PFU EMEA Limited – a Fujitsu Company, speaks to Channel Post about their new Knowledge Suite which was inaugurated recently in the UAE
What sort of customers will PFU Knowledge Suite help?
All types of customers will profit from this facility. The entire concept is about channel enablement and customer engagement. That means that we will frequently organise events to showcase our latest document imaging technologies. We will also give partners and customers the opportunity to use this facility for their own events. ISV partners can organise events in order to show that their software is seamlessly integrated with Fujitsu document scanners.
Can you please share info about new products launched through the inauguration of PFU Knowledge Suite?
Recently PFU launched its low volume production scanners: the fi-7700, fi-7600 and fi-7700S . These scanners cater to the requirements of private and public organisations in the oil and gas industry. The fi-7700S is a key product for the Middle East with its 300 sheet document feeder and an integrated A3-flatbed.
In November 2017, the PaperStream Capture Pro software was launched in EMEA. This helps our customers to benefit further from their Fujitsu document scanners by automating and streamlining their information capture process.
Will you focus on end-users and SMB customers through the launch of the PFU Knowledge Suite?
The Knowledge Suite will be open to customers from all market segments. We are running specific Knowledge Suite events where we are addressing specific issues facing certain vertical markets and delving deeper into particular Fujitsu solutions. This will definitely also address end-users and SMB customers.
What sort of technology and market trends have you seen in the scanner business in the region?
For us as a document scanner manufacturer we have witnessed that paper documents are being integrated earlier into the business process and the digital document is then used throughout. We call this ‘Scan-to-Process’. New software packages are available to streamline this early integration into business processes.
In the early stages of document imaging, the adoption was mainly by large organisations in the public and banking sector and there was a greater need for higher-end scanning capabilities. Today, we are seeing document imaging technology being adopted throughout all verticals and a greater need for distributed scanning capabilities (capture at point of origin).
How was the year 2017 for PFU?
2017 was a good year for PFU, we have launched new products, including our PaperStream Capture Pro software, alongside one of our distribution partners, we had a presence at GITEX17 and we are looking to increase the team in the Middle East.
How do you support your customers in terms of after sales service, technical support and RMA queries?
Standard Warranty:
Every Fujitsu Scanner product includes a 1 Year Warranty, the service type used for the warranty is dependent on the segment the model belongs to:
- Advance Exchange Service within 1-2 days (Mobile, Desktop, Passport, Office, Workgroup, Departmental & Network segments)
- Next Day Onsite Repair (Low-Volume Production segment)
- Next Day Onsite Repair +1 Preventative Maintenance (Mid-Volume Production segment)
Extended Warranty & Service Plans:
We offer a broad range of options to extend the duration of cover, upgrade the service type or enhance the service level.
Technical Support:
Available in Arabic and English, technical support is provided free of charge throughout the support lifecycle of the product. Support can be accessed by telephone, by Email and soon, LiveChat.
Support Lifecycle:
Fujitsu’s policy is to support its products during their lifecycle, making consumables, spare parts, technical support and service available to its customers and partners.
The lifecycle is defined as the time during which the product is a current model, plus a minimum of 5 years from the date it is withdrawn from Sales and Marketing (End of Life date or EOL date).
After a minimum 5 years from the EOL date, the product enters EOSL (End of Service Life). This means parts and service are no longer available from Fujitsu. Consumables may continue to be available for a period beyond the EOSL date.
What do you expect from 2018? What will be your key strategies for 2018?
We continually review our product portfolio will be launching some exciting new products in FY2018, additions to the range that will enhance our overall offering. We also look forward to working with our channel partners in the Middle East.
What according to you would be the top three USPs of your products compared to your competition?
First and foremost, we are offering the most reliable and high-quality document scanners in the market. This allows our partners to sell Fujitsu document scanners and not worry about their customers having technical issues later. Second, we offer a unique front-end software solution that dramatically reduces time and costs while maintaining the highest level of image quality: PaperStream Capture Pro simplifies capture processes from scanning to data management and storage. Last but not least, we have a channel program that is second to none. We offer a wide range of content through our Channel Portal including certification programs and a special rewards program.
