Service innovation drives efficient print strategy Borough of Newham Local Government – Case Study

Service innovation drives  efficient print strategy 

Summary of Key Benefits manage the fleet of 47 networked MFDs proactive, pre-emptive maintenance A Canon remote access solution has at Dockside. We needed a variety of skills procedures. spread across various ICT teams, but often delivered major benefits to London iWMC is a web-based network device the only way to resolve MFD downtime was Borough of Newham (LBN) and its fleet management solution designed to reduce by physically going to the device in question of multi-functional devices (MFDs). Two the total cost of ownership of MFDs and to identify the problems and then trying to staff now support the 140 colour and ensure maximum uptime. It enables black and white MFDs, the ‘first time fix’ rectify the problem if possible. Often the administrators to monitor, manage and rate has increased by 30%, and rebooting problems were relatively straightforward — control multiple networked MFDs across an the fleet now takes just 6 minutes instead paper jams, covers left open, or incorrect organisation, accessing device information of almost 7 hours. The solution also PINs, for example — and ICT could have in real time and monitoring individual MFDs provides vital data about the role of print told users how to solve them with a simple constantly. iWMC sends notification alerts within the Council, helping management phone call. It wasn’t the most effective or to speed resolution of errors such as paper determine its future print strategy. efficient use of our staff’s time. jams, open covers, etc. The stated customer benefits were many fewer service calls, Overview “Remote diagnostics and maintenance technology is common in IT, and we significantly reduced administration, and The London Borough of Newham is the believed that a similar approach could much more satisfied users. 15th largest of London’s 32 boroughs. deliver significant benefits to our print Located just three miles from the City ROSK was installed by Canon on each of operation — for example, improve our user of London, Newham takes in much of LBN’s MFDs. It is a remote access utility experiences, increase staff productivity, and London’s revitalised docklands and is that mirrors the device control panel’s in general make better use of staff resources home to and the ExCel functionality to allow both seated and and MFD uptime. In addition, we knew that international exhibition centre and, of remote users to operate the device. In LBN, we could then better understand the trends ROSK enabled TAG to remotely interact with course, was one of the host boroughs for in our print usage, which would ultimately MFDs exactly as Canon service engineers the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. help us shape our future print strategy.” would if on-site, performing maintenance LBN’s 254,000 residents represent the and advanced fault diagnostics, including UK’s youngest, most diverse population: Solutions upgrading device software and firmware. over 40% are aged under 40 and over 100 What was needed was a solution that gave languages are spoken in the borough, both the ICT department at Dockside and The combination of iWMC and ROSK from Albanian to Zhuag. Canon’s Technical Assistance Group (TAG) transformed the service operation at LBN. This was achieved by providing an enhanced The Council’s headquarters at remote access to the fleet to monitor the status of the MFDs to pre-empt and solve ‘first line of service support’ that enabled Dockside, opposite London City airport, the ICT team to rectify many problems accommodates in excess of 2,000 back problems. Ideally, the solution would also provide ICT with data on LBN’s print usage. independently. Explains Gary Sussex: office staff. LBN has been a Canon “Because our ICT team can see which customer for almost 20 years. In addition Through the initial scoping phase, several devices are being used, what’s being printed to a central internal print facility, across factors emerged that made LBN fertile and even the error messages on the MFD the borough it operates over 140 Canon ground for such a solution. First, as a display, we can either resolve problems over colour and black and white MFDS, 47 of longstanding customer, there was an the phone or send a BSG assistant to the which are distributed over nine floors at established partnership between LBN and MFD. We can also identify potential sources Dockside. LBN manages the fleet using Canon. Second, the way LBN’s ICT handled of downtime before they even happen, and Canon’s document accounting solution, service requests suited the implementation head them off — for example, by identifying uniFLOW, which controls fax, print and of a new remote service model. Users when a machine is about to run out of toner scanning processes and allows the ICT who encountered problems first had to and replenishing it without disruption to department to administer one system call a helpdesk in the ICT department, who users. It makes life so much easier.” with one set of user accounts and one if necessary would then contact TAG for database. assistance. In addition, dedicated internal Where the ICT engineer or BSG assistant Facilities Management staff — designated cannot resolve an issue, he or she calls Challenges the Business Support Group (BSG) — were TAG and senior Canon engineers then Like other local authorities with the tax on-site within each service area to act as a use ROSK to access more in-depth service paying public as their key stakeholder ‘first line of support’ and available to carry modes with a view to either ‘remote fixing’ and shrinking budgets, LBN needed to out instructions from TAG if necessary. the problem or establishing for certain the cut costs and increase efficiencies as an need for a field visit and identifying any parts The implementation involved Canon’s organisation. Gary Sussex, Newham’s ICT that are required. As a result, the ‘first-time iW Management Console (iWMC) and Services Manager, explains that the Council’s fix’ percentage has improved, because Remote Operator Software Kit (ROSK). internal print processes were an area where engineers arrive prepared with the expertise Together, these provided the BSG and TAG improvements could be made, particularly in — and the parts — to get machines up and with appropriate levels of remote access service support. “The support requirements running quickly, with big benefits for both to MFDs to identify faults, remedy them LBN users and Canon’s service teams. were spread over a team of 20 staff to where possible, and even carry out certain London Borough of Newham – Case Study

Achievements an engineer almost seven hours — that’s an “Rebooting involved resetting The service model at LBN demonstrates entire working day!,” he says. “Now, after each device individually, remotely rebooting the fleet using iWMC, that, when used in conjunction with trained which at ten minutes per operators and a customer’s internal ICT jobs appear immediately in the print queue. department, the iWMC and ROSK solution In total the process takes six minutes.” MFD would take an engineer delivers highly effective and efficient service In fact, so successful was the iWMC/ROSK almost seven hours. Now, support to the end users. solution that it was extended beyond after remotely rebooting the For LBN, among the most significant Dockside to the Council’s entire MFD fleet of fleet using iWMC in total the benefits were time savings and greatly 140-plus machines. process takes six minutes ” improved productivity, as Gary Sussex Another major benefit was the data, and in explains. “Before iWMC and ROSK, if our effect the intelligence Gary Sussex and his on-site team couldn’t resolve the matter and team can now apply to the print function the MFD had to be taken off-line, we could within the Council. “This information is face up to 24 hours of downtime while the priceless,” says Gary. “Using iWMC and call was placed to Canon, an engineer visit uniFLOW we can allocate and recover was booked and took place, and action was print costs from each cost centre, which taken. If a new part was needed, the MFD streamlines the budgeting process for could be out of action for longer. In the both ICT and the customer, and a true case of ‘mission-critical’ devices, such as understanding of how we print — who’s colour MFDs, the inconvenience could be printing what, where, and how — allows considerable. management to determine our future print “Thanks to the combination of iWMC and strategy. For example, knowing the print ROSK, we have reduced the ICT staff required usage both in our internal print facility and to maintain the MFD fleet at Dockside to on the distributed MFDs means we can two, who in addition now support the whole implement a job ticketing solution that 140-strong MFD fleet, allowing the previous routes print to the right printer for the job. In staff to concentrate on delivering other key fact, in many ways iWMC and uniFLOW is ICT projects. Now, if a field visit is required, our print strategy.” the Canon engineers can execute in-depth In a further development, Gary Sussex and service routines remotely, and establish in his team at this innovative ICT department advance which parts are needed to complete can now combine the print data generated the repair. Our ‘first time fix rate has by uniFLOW, iWMC and ROSK with data from increased by 30%.” other components of the ICT infrastructure, As the most striking example of improved including the telephone system. This gives machine uptime Gary cites those occasions the department a view into how employees when the entire MFD fleet at Dockside use ICT, even down to establishing an will be rebooted. “Previously, rebooting ‘IT cost-per-employee’. Says Gary: “This involved resetting each device individually, intelligence really means we have achieved which at ten minutes per MFD would take the core objectives of this implementation.” “Using iWMC and uniFLOW we can allocate and recover print costs from each cost centre, which streamlines the budgeting process for both ICT and the customer, and a true understanding of how we print — who’s printing what, where, and how — allows management to determine our future print strategy. In fact, in many ways iWMC and uniFLOW is our print strategy.”

Gary Sussex ICT Services Manager London Borough of Newham

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