Three ways intelligent devices address core business needs around automation, security, and collaboration

What is an “intelligent device?”

An intelligent device drives business intelligence. According to Forrester Research, business intelligence is “a set of methodologies, processes, architectures, and technologies that transform raw data into meaningful and useful information. It allows business users to make informed business decisions with real-time data that can put a company ahead of its competitors.¹”

At first, business intelligence focused on reporting and analytics. As technology evolved, new opportunities have also developed. Faster, more efficient data capture means a more agile business. Mobile and remote workforces mean a wider range of talent available and new possibilities to build customer relationships, support, and sell.

Together, data capture plus workforce mobility represents two trends that can give businesses a significant competitive edge through real-time information, increased productivity, and better overall customer experiences.

Intelligent devices, then, drive business intelligence by empowering speed and agility. They act as digital on-ramps for data and document distribution, storage, protection, and access. Printing and document finishing become simpler through custom configurations and intuitive interfaces. Plus, these devices promote financial and eco-friendly practices by reducing waste.

Let’s take a closer look at the three primary drivers that make these devices intelligent.

Intelligent devices help break down all these process gaps by making it easier to share documents, control access and move them into digital workflows, or simply just print. Advanced, but simple to manage security, gives your intelligent device capabilities like:

• Mobile printing. Cloud-print platforms and mobile print functionality enable employees and guests to use local printers without connecting to the network. Intelligent devices support almost any mobile device or workstation, unlike some mobile print solutions that only support a single platform or application.

• Secured print release. Both employees and guests can send print jobs that will only print after authentication or keying in a release code. You make sharing easy while keeping everyone’s information secured.

• Document access rights. Pass-through authentication keeps your electronic content management systems secured while simplifying access for those users who need access. Local or in the cloud, only authorized users can access or see content repositories for sending or retrieving documents.

Advanced collaboration and sharing

The value of automation and security comes from their ability to enhance your ability to protect, manage, and connect your people. Sharing data, content, and ideas drive innovation, customer service, and sales.

While intelligent devices have amazing automation and security features, their real benefit comes in the way they bring people and information together. Some ways they can do this include:

• The connected cloud. Your teams will find it easier to collaborate when you bring paper and digital together in your cloud apps such as OneDrive®, Dropbox™, SharePoint™, or even a local network folder.

• Data capture. Key data collected and recorded from your documents via optical character recognition (OCR) makes data available to everyone on your team faster, informing decision-making, inspiring ideas, and accelerating processes.

• Automated routing. By eliminating extra manual steps required to move paper, your people have more time to spend on their core focus — creating and delivering the absolute best customer experience possible.

Are you ready to take your devices beyond print?

Many multifunctional printers have moved far beyond print. Today, they offer automation and security that can empower your employees to share and collaborate more effectively. Their ability to break down siloes and make data and information available positions them as integral business intelligence tools.

Explore the many ways our intelligent devices do more than print, and how our workplace services can help your business stay connected, secured, and productive. Get in touch with us to find out more.