Good document processes will bring revenue growth

Check out how Director Aaron Yim successfully transformed Ricoh into a full-solution document services consultancy with their expertise in information management and document processes.

Managing Director Aaron Yim is an energetic, committed leader of Ricoh sales and service operation in Hong Kong. Transforming the company from a hardware and software provider to a full-solution document services consultancy has been a gradual yet successful process under his management.

Mr. Yim said, “We are the market leader of document management services in HK because we have continually developed our expertise to help improve companies’ information management and document processes. Our consultants work side-byside with company employees to oversee all parts of the process, from the purchase of hardware, software and storage solutions to creating the applications needed to speed their time to market on average by 13 percent. Where companies have adopted Ricoh’s Managed Document Services, we have seen the increased revenue that results from good document processes and archiving”.

He added that some lower-level managers still put document management as a low priority, because they may not realise that disorganized or inadequate processes can result in serious business risk and loss of revenue.

Yim said, “We are moving towards being an integrated outsourcing company with complete professional services for all types of companies and industries. We place our employees within the company structure not only to provide a full-range of document printing solutions, but also scanning, conversion services, IT services and business process outsourcing so the companies can concentrate on their core missions”.

Now celebrating its 50th year of service in Hong Kong, Ricoh is also launching new solutions for helping businesses to catch up with technological changes, such as its new communications solutions like video conferencing and mobile device management to help customers work anytime, anywhere.

In addition, it assists customers to move to cloud computing while providing the document archiving and storage backup as well. Each stage of the process must be handled efficiently. Improper or inefficient document handling can result in loss of revenue and time.

“Proper document management has a financial impact on revenue. Companies can pay according to the volume of our services they use. For the companies, this is a regular expense because Ricoh trains and employs the manpower needed to execute the proper processes,” Yim added.

Messy workflow systems can cause mistakes and can prevent companies from getting the right information at the right time to their customers. Having a totally integrated system can lower the initial costs and incur less capital expenditure, while making the document handling process faster and easier.

Ricoh sends their Managed Document Services (MDS) consulting analysts first to recommend the proper solution for each company’s unique situation, encouraging effective input/output devices placement and usage by providing a good office system design. After the consultation, Ricoh sends in a formal proposal and finally introduces the implementation of the recommendations once the proposal is accepted.

Yim said, “Often the biggest obstacle to implementation is resistance, either from employees who have a stake in their own systems, or from management, who only look at the expense and not the savings and efficiency once the system is in place. It is crucial to have a buy-in from a good sponsor within the company to effect changes, someone with hands-on authority and good links with senior management”.

He added that Ricoh overcomes such resistance through good communications and a clever teaching process, including videos, seminars and information about the effectiveness of going “green”, reducing carbon emissions and reducing inefficiencies. Going green often results in better publicity for companies as well.

Ricoh also maintains continuous monitoring over the life of a service contract, which usually lasts for a couple of years or more. Ricoh may recommend adding digital imaging, fleet management or other services as the result of the analyst’s recommendations.

Yim’s approach to selling MDS to various industries is also innovative. “Some customers come to us because they have seen other companies succeeding with proper document management. In other cases, we take a vertical market approach by attracting, for example, a law firm. From solving that company’s problems, we can share our experience with other law firms so they can learn how to keep up with the competition.

“We also concentrate on building up expertise in certain industries, such as accounting firms, architects, and financial institutions. Customers can accept our solutions if they can see others’ results and how these improved processes can help their own company’s bottom line. Banks, in particular, are working with compliance issues so they need on-site services rather than outsourcing of document management, for timely reporting to regulatory bodies and governments. It is important to have these processes embedded into the normal workflow”.

With years of experience and knowledge in managing documents and information, Ricoh HK believes that to be a one-top solution and service business partner is the way to move forward for the years to come