If there’s one thing we can safely say about the future of work, it’s that we are going through a significant period of change. With technological, social, environmental, and generational shifts impacting our priorities, work can no longer be defined as a physical space we go to, nor does it relate to a set schedule of ‘on’ hours each day. And while the events of the past year have brought an increased focus on what the future of work or the “next normal” will be, in reality, work has been evolving steadily for years. Today we can stay connected from almost anywhere, from homes, offices, to the air, or even on a cruise ship! This capability was critical for organizations to manage through the pandemic and will continue to be a key priority in the months and years that follow. (more…)

Secure Cloud Information Management (SCIM) is the right cloud-based document management system to help your business adjust to post-Covid realities. Reflecting on this past Covid year anniversary, I wondered; have small and midsize businesses (SMBs) adapted to the accelerated work from home trend? What steps has your business made to adapt to the new working reality? Most SMBs weren’t set up for Work from Home (WFH), and still aren’t, facing daily productivity and security issues. Have you created an email chain to chase down a document? Or TRIED to retrieve a document that resides in a system not accessible from your home network. FRUSTRATING. This happened to a colleague a few weeks ago! These challenges can cause unnecessary bottlenecks for your employees. And pose a security risk to your business. Discover how to gain control over your documents and minimize the security risks of WFH by levering a cloud-based document management system. (more…)

Power PDF 4 provides powerful PDF management that’s built for business users. Learning is fast since it works like Office desktop products. Since Power PDF meets simple to complex needs and provides strong security, IT teams can standardize on a single tool. Check out our blog, The Power of PDF Software Tools and learn the benefits of using Power PDF for your business. The new release takes a huge leap forward in search and redaction accuracy through Kofax’s award winning OCR technology.  Integration has expanded, including Microsoft OneDrive.  And there is greater adherence to accessibility standards.

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As we wrap up an extraordinary and difficult year – I invite you to share a moment of gratitude and optimism for what’s to come in 2021.

Despite the continued challenges we face as Canadians during the pandemic – Konica Minolta remains hopeful, optimistic and committed to helping our customers rethink what’s possible when it comes to technology.

And for every challenge we have faced, we have also seen our customers and partners pivot their businesses to capture new opportunities.

Firstly … We continue to disrupt and transform the Graphics Communication and Industrial Print markets who have faced extraordinary difficulty this year …

Our wide format, embellishment and our new Accurio digital press technologies have been helping customers produce floor graphics, safety signage, and more.  With the boom in online shopping has also come a renewed importance and tremendous appreciation for compelling packaging and labeling.  And our technology solutions lay at the heart of these trends.

With so many Canadians working remotely at home – our digitization, information management, cloud and cybersecurity solutions have never been more important.  We’ve seen our market share continue to increase in these areas as every business accelerates their own digital transformation.  With an increasingly remote work force and growing security threats – Konica Minolta is uniquely positioned to help our customers adapt and thrive in 2021. (more…)

Today’s customers are looking for fast, cost-effective, easy-to-order services. And in 2020, these targets are achievable for your business by utilizing digital print technology and workflow automation software.  As discussed in our last article, Judge a Book by Its Cover, the landscape in which today’s professional print businesses operate has transformed.  Digital print is not a replacement for your traditional offset printing capabilities. It’s an enhancement to your printing portfolio and product offerings. And invites a new stream of clients and revenue to your business. It’s like asking a woman to choose between a heel and a sneaker for a hike. Both shoes serve their purpose in the proper context. As do both printers. Digital print is designed to fill the gap that exists in the marketplace. Offset printing is great for large runs, such as newspaper printing. SMBs usually don’t have that need. By not investing in digital print, you are excluding potential clients who are looking for fast, budget-friendly printed materials. (more…)

Packaging is any product’s first impression on the customer. Contrary to the saying don’t judge a book by its cover, consumers definitely judge based on packaging. Marketers have long known this; it’s one of the classic 4 Ps of marketing. Now, where does packaging fit in today’s digital-first, experience-driven economy? Who has access to high-end packaging? The answer is: we all do. Packaging is an integral part of the new marketing ecosystem. And with the always improving digital press and printing capabilities of a modern print shop, the affordability and accessibility of great packaging increases. These advancements have contributed to the changes we are currently seeing in today’s marketplace. (more…)

Ransomware has quickly become the cybercriminal’s favorite form of malware. As a reminder, ransomware is malware that hackers use to enter a network or device, encrypts files, hold them hostage, and then demand a ransom to return those files back to the victims. In recent years, universities, municipal governments, small businesses, and even large corporations like Honda have been victims of ransomware. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided the perfect environment of uncertainty and disruption for ransomware to thrive. (more…)

The massive shift towards a work-from-home model in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic brings up the critical concern of home network security. A simple home network lacks the sophisticated security protocols that would be present within organizational networks and opens more endpoints for cybercriminals to exploit as your employees work from home.

Here are some security tips to consider that can help strengthen your organization’s security posture in this new normal of remote work. (more…)

Many organizations have recently found themselves scrambling to keep business running as usual while ensuring their staff and clients stay safe. COVID-19 has been testing the planning and preparation of IT Departments around the world.

Below are 5 measures that all business leaders should implement to keep their users productive in the face of disruption: (more…)

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on a fair share of negativity in the business world, yet many technology companies are taking part in a global effort to support our economy during this period of disruption. Below are several examples of major technology partners providing free offers or lower cost solutions due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Microsoft: 6-month Office 365 E1 Trial

Microsoft created this trial as a direct response to COVID-19. Office 365, and more specifically Microsoft Teams, is a great solution for helping remote employees stay productive, connected, and collaborative. This trial can easily be upgraded to a paid subscription after the 6 month trial period. (more…)