Im advisor autumn 2016

AUTUMN 2016

Business Insights for Solution Providers

Find out how Zebra is providing Visibility that’s Visionary OUR LATEST NEWS | UPDATES FROM THE CLOUD | INGRAM MICRO & COMMS-CARE | MANAGED SERVICES | EXPERT INSIGHT & TIPS FOR THE CHANNEL

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Ingram Micro Advisor

Contents

Ingram Micro Advisor AUTUMN 2016 www.ingrammicroadvisor.com

16 WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

EPSON IN PRACTICE

The latest range of mobile computers, wearables and ultra-rugged scanners from Zebra Technologies

Find out what happened when hf Chocolates installed an Epson ColorWorks Label Printer

A NEW ERA FOR INGRAM

29

A word from our returning Company Chief Executive Matt Sanderson

Here's 5 tips to freshen up training programs

OPPORTUNITY FOR 30 INCREASE WAREHOUSE PRODUCTIVITY

INGRAM TAKES ACTION WITH FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

WITH HONEYWELL

Learn about our work with Action for Children

INGRAM MICRO WELCOMES NEW APPRENTICES nonsequae verorit volupta soluptas aut

VENDOR NEWS Hear about our newest vendor and updates from Zebra

UPDATES FROM THE CLOUD Uncover and discover digital transformation

FROM STODGY AND BORING TO SOCIAL AND INSPIRING

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YOUR HOT-DESKS 34 ARE WORKING HARD ENOUGH?

INGRAM MICRO AND COMMS-CARE: THE PERFECT PARTNERSHIP

Targus give us a few tips to ensure you are maximising your capabilities

Hear from Comms-care Sales Director Rob Darby on our latest acquisition

EPSON RETAIL SOLUTIONS FOR POINT OF SALE Discover how you can gain versatility and control in retail environments

HONEYWELL EXPLORES ADAPTABLE SOLUTIONS FOR VERTICAL INDUSTRIES PRINTSENSE Push past the competition with the managed print service from Ingram Micro UK.

39 USE LINKEDIN LIKE A PRO 7 tips to help you reach your social potential

Ingram Micro Advisor

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LETTER FROM MATTHEW SANDERSON

A New Era For Ingram I would first and foremost like to welcome you to our brand new publication Ingram Micro Advisor. We hope that this online magazine provides you with technical insight into the channel and keeps you updated with the latest news and trends from Ingram Micro UK. The last few months have seen lots of changes here at Ingram. As of May, we have acquired technical service provider Commscare, which has permitted us to expand our service capabilities into; pre-sales support, configuration, professional services, maintenance and managed services. We have also made significant investment in both sales and support functions to enable reseller growth, with particular focus on empowering our SME customers. In support

our associates have thoroughly enjoyed

of this initiative waiting times for trading

being part of. We have held a 24 hour bike-

approval have been cut from 1 week to 48

a-thon, an Ingram Bake off and a number of

hours and the process has been migrated

raffles and giveaways which have raised in

to an entirely online system. In addition, we

excess of £6000. Find out more about our

have launched a brand new website and

upcoming activities on page.

will soon be launching a loyalty program to allow our partners to gain additional rewards

The future looks brighter than ever for

from Ingram Micro.

Ingram Micro and our partners, and I’m happy that you’re here to share it with us.

In keeping with the theme of change

We look forward to helping our customers

we have also been actively seeking new

to 'Realize the Promise of Technology' and

partners to work with who offer products

as always, we thank you for your business

that Ingram will, for the first time, be

and support.

distributing. Drones, home automation and security technologies touch upon just a few of the new ranges that we are currently investigating and will be rolling out in the

Sincerely,

near future.

But perhaps one of our proudest achievements is the continued support of our chosen charity, Action for Children. A dedicated Ingram team has been pivotal in organising fun and creative activities that

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Ingram Micro Advisor

Matthew Sanderson Country Chief Executive U.K. & Ireland

NEWS

COMMS-CARE TRANSFORMING OUR SERVICE CAPABILITIES

Ingram Micro Announces Credit Expansion Roll Out Ingram Micro UK has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering reseller growth by both increasing credit limits and extending terms for more than 1500 SMB customers.

This news follows Ingram Micro’s announcement of an enhanced on-boarding procedure with a simplified and quick process to start trading, supported by a highly skilled new business team. Additionally, resellers will soon have the opportunity to join a loyalty program to gain further rewards from Ingram Micro.

Tony McMurray, Finance Director at Ingram Micro U.K. & Ireland commented, “By granting and extending credit terms to a large number of SMB customers, we are expressing our commitment to their sustained growth and continued success.

We hope that this scheme combined with other newly launched initiatives demonstrates our willingness to work with our customers to achieve mutually beneficial results.”

Ingram Micro Inc. recently announced that is has acquired UK-based company Comms-care, a leading provider of technical services to the IT Channel. The acquisition will enhance our high value service capabilities – putting Ingram Micro at the heart of business and technical transformation for partners and their customers.

With this acquisition, Ingram Micro UK can now provide a complete suite of services from pre-sales support to deployment and disposal, enabling us to transform our customer’s capabilities.

Rob Darby, Comms-care Sales Director, commented ‘We are incredibly happy about how well Ingram has seamlessly integrated the Comms-care offering into their operations. With Ingram and Comms-care as a joined force we feel that we can offer our customers a unique and truly end-to-end solution.

Following the acquisition we have already seen great opportunities develop and we are looking forward to what the future holds for our combined Ingram/ Comms-care forces.’

Find out more about Comms-care on page 10.

ABOUT INGRAM MICRO INC. Ingram Micro helps businesses Realize the Promise of Technology™. It delivers a full spectrum of global technology and supply chain services to businesses around the world. Deep expertise in technology solutions, mobility, cloud, and supply chain solutions enables its business partners to operate efficiently and successfully in the markets they serve. Unrivaled agility, deep market insights and the trust and dependability that come from decades of proven relationships, set Ingram Micro apart and ahead. More at https://uk-new.ingrammicro.com/

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NEWS

Ingram Takes Action with Fundraising Efforts For 2016, Ingram Micro UK has joined forces with Action for Children to raise crucial funds to help vulnerable and neglected children, young people, and their families, throughout the UK. Through 650 projects and services based around the UK, the charity helps and supports people in areas as diverse as disability respite therapy, foster care, adoption and child neglect.

TO DATE WE HAVE RAISED £6300 AND WE'RE NOT DONE YET. COMING UP THIS YEAR WE HAVE: Premier League Sweep Stake • Snowdon Trek • Dell Challenge • Christmas Present Giving and Raffle 2016 • Together with Action for Children we hope that these activities go some way to making sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential.

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Ingram Micro Advisor

We kicked off our fundraising in December of 2015 by encouraging associates to pick a gift tag labelled 3-16 from one of our Christmas trees. Ingram colleagues were then tasked with purchasing a gift for a child of the age specified on the tags. A raffle was also organised to encourage further charitable donations, successfully raising £1,622 and collecting over 250 presents!

Since then we have really caught the fundraising bug and have already held a great number of philanthropic events. From marathons to Fifa tournaments, bake offs to sweepstakes, our dedicated charitable committee has been hard at work organising fun and exciting activities that encourage employee engagement while raising funds for an extremely worthy cause. Recently our offices in Milton Keynes played host to a 24 hour bike-a-thon with 37 riders taking it in turn to cycle a whopping 480K. Through their combined efforts our team was able to raise over £2000.

Jackie Ball, Head of High Value Fundraising, Action for Children, commented, ‘We are extremely grateful for the generous and continued support of Ingram Micro over the past year. Employees have been tirelessly supporting Action for Children in a variety of ways, including raffles, 24 hour static bike rides and triathlons.

With the support of Ingram Micro we can reach even more children, young people and families that need our help – Thank you Ingram Micro!’

NEWS

Trust X Alliance – Forging Partnerships That Build Businesses

Ingram Micro Welcomes New Apprentices to Milton Keynes HQ After a rigorous selection process, seven apprentices have joined Ingram Micro on a Technical Sales Apprenticeship Programme at their UK Head office in Milton Keynes.

The apprentices will be working towards a Level 3 Diploma in Sales and a Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Sales. The two year journey will entail sales training, accreditations with identified vendors, a networking qualification and an outbound course in the lakes and mountains.

Along with this they will gain the practical application of newly acquired essential business skills and an understanding of how to deliver value add services to B2B customers. They will be managed by Sales Manager, James Elburn, who brings over 10 years of industry knowledge, expertise and experience.

Successful for 20 years in North America, the Trust X Alliance initiative landed in Europe in 2014 and since then this partnering community has grown to meet its target of recruiting over 30 partners across the UK. It’s a framework that allows trading alliances to be built and promotes growth.

Sponsored by some of Ingram’s key Vendors; partners meet together 10 times a year to share best practice, their concerns and problems and to trade together. It’s a C-level group, from which businesses who participate grow and learn in a trusted environment. Specialist speakers attend the meetings to give insights and professional guidance on business matters such as law, HR, tax, international trade, M&A and many other specialist topics.

But don’t take our word for it. Hear from our members on their experiences since joining the Trust X Alliance.

To find out more about the Trust X Alliance and register your interest visit: http://trustxalliance.com/

Learning & Development Lead, Andy Kingman said “This is an exciting time for Ingram Micro, entering into the world of apprenticeships for the first time. It has been a pleasure working in partnership with the PDS group through the recruitment and design phase of our programme, and I look forward to seeing our Apprentices grow within the business” If you are looking for available job opportunities at Ingram Micro-check out our LinkedIn jobs or alternatively send your CV to iwanttowork@ ingrammicro.com

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NEWS

FOLLOW THE ZEBRA

Ingram Micro Expands Vendor Portfolio with be quiet! Partnership Ingram Micro U.K. & Ireland is officially the new distributor for be quiet!, a premium brand of power

Zebra makes businesses as smart and connected as the world we live in.

Find out what you can gain.

Where will the workforce mobility revolution take you?

Discover the opportunity, see why it pays to act now and learn how some key decisions could make all the difference.

Click here to view Zebra’s whitepaper

supplies, PC cases and cooling solutions for desktop PCs. Consistently the leader in the German PC power supply market since 2007*, be quiet! is one of the most successful PSU brands in Europe.

This latest partnership supports Ingram’s aim to focus on new and innovative product ranges that will appeal to resellers and promote mutual growth.

The enduring success of be quiet! is attributed to the brands commitment to supply products that offer innovative engineering concepts coupled with an uncompromising choice of premium materials and world-class manufacturing.

Raj Pandya, Head of Commercial Management Ingram Micro U.K. & Ireland commented, “We are extremely excited to be able to deliver new technologies and opportunities to our channel partners and we are thrilled that be quiet! has trusted us with the distribution of their premium products that embrace an exceptional level of precision and quality. We hope the inclusion of this new vendor will appeal to our customer base and will permit Ingram’s further expansion into new categories.”

For more information on the complete be quiet! product range please visit https://uk-new.ingrammicro.com/

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Ingram Micro Advisor

ZEBRA’S MANUFACTURING END USER CAMPAIGN Zebra’s Manufacturing 2020 end-user campaign capitalises on their track and trace and process compliance capabilities. Offering powerful solutions to manufacturers, the campaign is designed to drive significant revenue opportunity for our enhanced product portfolio.

Take a look at the campaign on Zebra’s PartnerConnect portal: Click here to view Zebra’s Infographic

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Ingram Micro Advisor

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DID YOU KNOW

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to our company ROB DARBY

Sales Director, Comms-care

10 Ingram Micro Advisor

DID YOU KNOW

Ingram Micro and Comms-care: the perfect partnership Rob Darby explains how Ingram Micro’s acquisition of Comms-care will create value for channel partners.

When Ingram Micro announced it was acquiring Comms-care in May 2016, it said that the addition of our company would ‘support its strategy to expand its global capabilities and expertise in fast-growing, high value markets’.

In many ways, Comms-care is the perfect fit for Ingram Micro. For those of you who don’t know about us, we’re a leading provider of channel IT support and service solutions to around 850 channel partners and currently have over 30,000 active support contracts in place.

Our commitment to the channel means we have become the UK and Ireland’s number one choice for resellers looking for a trusted ‘channel only’ specialist technology partner to fulfil their clients’ support and service requirements.

White-labelled IT support We have in-house extensive technical resources and over a decade of channel experience, coupled with a robust and genuine customer care philosophy to ‘go the extra mile’. All of this results in reduced costs, improved service and greater operational efficiency across our channel partners’ end-user customers’ businesses.

We manage all aspects of the support services spectrum, from design, consultancy and installations to maintenance services and complete managed services, covering technologies

such as voice and unified communications, security and wireless with support on devices that include servers, desktops, routers and switches amongst many others.

Our professional services capabilities include everything from initial consultancy with clients through to concept design, deployment and support.

Bridging the skills gap What does that mean for Ingram Micro’s 5,000 resellers in the UK? In a nutshell, we can provide the skills and services that channel partners may not maintain in-house so that they can fully meet the needs of their end-user customers.

We enable our partners to build a wide range of white labelled support, professional and managed services into their portfolios by leveraging our investment in highly skilled technology professionals, expertise and know-how.

We are recognised and accredited by the world’s leading IT vendors including Microsoft, Cisco, VMWare and Citrix, giving our partners peace of mind that we are at the forefront of technical capabilities and will always deliver value to their customers.

point of delivery wherever our partners wish to operate, even when they do not maintain their own physical presence in a specific geographical area.

It means that reseller partners from small businesses all the way up to large nationwide organisations rely on Commscare to deliver the professional, managed and support services that they don’t maintain the skills or resources internally to provide.

Some of our partners outsource an entire service line to Comms-care, whether that’s Cisco support or Office 365 deployment; others choose to work with us on more transactional services such as break/fix maintenance contracts.

From Comms-care’s point of view, our acquisition by Ingram Micro opens up a whole new set of opportunities for us to work with new channel partners across the UK and Ireland. My role as Sales Director will be to lead our efforts to ensure as many of you as possible get to know about the solutions we provide, how we can help address the technical skills gap and the difference we can make to your customers.

I look forward to meeting you soon, but in the meantime please do not hesitate to contact me at rdarby@comms-care.com – you can find out more about the services we provide at http://www.comms-care.com/ Rob Darby, Sales Director, Comms-care

And because we cover the whole of the UK and Ireland with technical support and expertise, we can provide services at the

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CLOUD UPDATE

Uncover and Discover Digital Transformation Cloud is the new normal Cloud has become the new norm, with adoption rates continually increasing each year. By 2018, at least half of IT spending will be cloud based, reaching 60% of all IT infrastructure and 60-70% of all software, services, and technology spending by 2020 (IDC, Worldwide IT Industry Predictions 2016). Cloud represents a fantastic opportunity, we all know it costs far more to acquire a new customer than retain and increase your profits via a new one. Cloud enables you to build a continuous and increasing revenue stream with customer loyalty and growth opportunities.

The world is transforming Digital transformation is taking place around us and offers a new world where customers want a self-service, on-demand,

24/7 buying experience. Your go to market needs to be geared to a younger online audience who consume digital content and expect superior online engagement. It’s clear that UK businesses are transforming to meet a new era for their customers, with a recent Ingram Micro survey revealing that 71% of organisations will have a digital transformation plan in place within two years.

Ingram Micro Ecosystem of Cloud Ingram Micro is a master Cloud Service Provider (mCSP), offering channel partners access to a global marketplace, expertise, solutions and enablement programs that empower organisations to configure, provision and manage cloud technologies with confidence and ease. Partners can

44% of Business and IT Professionals believe that cloud computing is a very important part of a digital transformation strategy Source: Ingram Micro Cloud UK, Digital Transformation Survey 2016

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leverage a dedicated cloud business unit created at Ingram Micro with specialisms in cloud marketing, sales, operations, service delivery and support. In addition to these benefits, partners can also receive access to sales and marketing resources, support services, and partner programs designed to position them for success as cloud solution providers.

The Ingram Micro Ecosystem of Cloud is a business community that operates under a simple concept. Ingram Micro will drive increasing connections linking leading cloud service providers, with the various channels that solve business problems with cloud technology, for customers of all sizes. In this hyper connected world, the Ingram Micro Ecosystem of Cloud will support the needs of all members of the ecosystem.

CLOUD UPDATE

By removing the complexity in procurement, management and support that is too often inherent in cloud technologies, the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace enables partners to seamlessly manage the complete end-customer subscription lifecycle from a single, automated platform, provided and supported by Ingram Micro.

Using the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace, partners can: 1. Identify best-fit cloud solutions from a portfolio of solutions 2. Purchase and activate cloud solutions 3. Configure and manage solutions for multiple end customers from a single pane of glass 4. Add new features, services or customers with just a few mouse clicks 5. Download unified billing data which can be used in a PSA tool of choice

0871 973 3060 cloud@ingrammicro.co.uk Cloud Distributor of the Year

Ingram Micro Advisor 13

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Mobilized data is key for coordinated care and optimised workflows and can also help reduce errors, patient wait time and administrative paperwork. A 2-in-1 device delivers a full tablet experience for the most demanding mobile workloads with built-in security features. When you sell products like the Lenovo Miix 700 through Ingram Micro, you get the channel support and opportunities for a more robust margin.

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360

COVER STORY

Warehouse Management Solutions That Earn Their Stripes Every Day With its latest range of mobile computers, wearables and ultra-rugged scanners, Zebra Technologies is revolutionising Warehouse Management Solutions, with impressive results. If you’re looking to add something new to your portfolio, Zebra is a brand with impressive numbers and the DCPOS team at Ingram Micro is ready to provide the sales support you need.

Using Real-Time Information To Create A Smarter Warehouse Knowing what things are, where they are and where they’re going next is critical to an efficient operation. That means a lot of scanning. barcodes, checkboxes, forms and signatures are all in the mix. Speed and accuracy count.

Deliveries have to go out on time, you can’t afford out-of-stocks, and customers won’t buy from you again if you send them the wrong product.

No-one knows this better than Zebra. Their market-leading devices successfully meet these challenges head on – putting them on the wish list of any company that manages a warehouse.

So let’s take a look at the devices mobilising the warehouse revolution.

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See why the warehouse offers a huge opportunity for positive transformation.

Watch: Zebra Warehouse – Optimization of Processes and Space.

COVER STORY

Zebra TC8000 Touch Mobile Computer Increases Productivity By 14% Breaking new ground with a move away from the standard ‘gun’ design, the TC8000 warehouse mobile computer boosts productivity by a remarkable 14%. That equates to each worker doing an extra hour every day. But it’s not just the company’s bottom line that feels the benefit of this device. Zebra minimised the ‘tilt and verify’ motion required to interact with the device and made it 33% lighter to minimise fatigue. Another innovation inside the TC8000 transforms legacy Terminal Emulation (TE) ‘green screens’ into userfriendly All-Touch TE screens. This minimises the number of interactions required to complete a task and reduces typing errors by 60%, making the TC8000 a game-changer.

Cutting An Impressive Figure With Wearables People get more done when they can use both of their hands. It sounds obvious, but many warehouses are still using technology that leaves workers with one hand tied up, holding a scanner or another device. Zebra’s Total Wearable Solutions set workers free.

The WT6000 Wearable Computer - 15% More Productivity And 39% Fewer Errors Armed with the WT6000 workers are 15% more productive and make 39% fewer errors, driving efficiency and cost savings. This is thanks to the larger touchscreen display and a user-friendly interface. With a tap, you can pair the WT6000 with the RS6000 Bluetooth Ring Scanner, the HS3100/HS2100 Rugged Headset and Zebra’s TekSpeech Pro 4 software, thus allowing workers total hands-free mobility.

Fast facts on Zebra’s Total Wearable Solutions •The WT6000 is smaller and lighter than other wearables.

•Built with the latest data capture and voice technology.

•The only dedicated family of enterprise wearable devices built on Android and backed by Mobility DNA.

See more on wearables: https://www.zebra.com/gb/en/products/ mobile-computers/wearable-computers.html

Fast facts on the TC8000 • Voice interaction and hands-free proximity scanning make it easy to use even when your hands are full.

• Captures a whole form in a single scan – barcodes, check boxes, text fields and signatures.

• Battery life lasts three shifts and no need to power down the device to swap batteries.

See more on the TC8000

15% more productivity 39% fewer errors

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360

360

COVER STORY

The 3600 Series Ultra Rugged Scanners – Unstoppable And Unbeatable All the products covered so far are designed to cope with the daily knocks of warehouse work. But Zebra’s 3600 Series is the ultimate in rugged scanners. Dustproof, dirtproof and waterproof, it endures where others would crack under the pressure. Drop it from 8 feet and it’ll bounce back to provide a class-leading scanning performance, keeping warehouse operations on track and inventory moving.

SEE THE BIGGER

PICTURE FOR

ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES

Fast facts on the 3600 Series Ultra Rugged Scanners •23% percent more durable than any other scanner in this class.

•Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy provides lightning-fast wireless communications and maximum energy efficiency.

•First-in-its-class battery ‘charge gauge’.

See more on the 3600 Series

50,000 scans per charge 14 hours of power

Warehouse Management Solutions is just one part of Zebra’s offer. This company has provided more than 40 years of technology expertise, leadership and innovation. See why they are still ahead today.

Watch: Zebra Visibility that’s Visionary

Want to know more about selling Zebra Technologies Warehouse Management Solutions?

It doesn’t matter if you’re new the warehouse management sector. The Ingram Micro DC POS team will be your trusted advisor through the whole sales process. From technical expertise to awareness of your marketplace and your customers’ commercial requirements, they offer a full set of valuable skills. You can feel confident selling in this sector as the team will work with you from initial request right through to deployment.

Find out more. Call us on 01908 807699 or email dcpos@ingrammicro.co.uk

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Full HD IPS Display IPS (In-Plane Switching) technology highlights the performance of liquid crystal displays. Response times are shortened, colour reproduction is improved, and users can now view the screen at virtually any angle.

4K 24UD58 27UD58 27UD68 27UD88

IPS 22MP48D 22MP58VQ 22MP68VQ 23MP68VQ

24MP58VQ 27MP58VQ 24MP88HV

LG 24MP88HV

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4K UHD IPS The breathtaking clarity and fine details of 4K UHD will amaze, even when viewed up close thanks 8.3 million pixels on a screen with resolution of 3840 x 2160. That's four times the resolution of Full HD.

LG 27UD68

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HOW IT WORKS

Epson Retail Solutions for Point of Sale Just the ticket for smarter printing Retail is a fast-moving, ever-changing sector, especially when it comes to Point of Sale (POS). Now, more than ever, retailers are looking for fresh ways to engage with customers and keep them coming back. Gone are the days where a receipt is no more than a record of sale, or a label simply an information carrier. Today, they have become an opportunity to communicate with customers –to promote products, and deliver offers and discount deals.

Epson’s Retail Solutions give retailers maximum versatility and control over these items.

We’re looking at one receipt printer and one label printer to demonstrate the difference they can make.

Good news for resellers Retail is a huge market and Epson’s Retail Print Solutions represent an ideal opportunity to tap into the inherent profitability this brings. From convenience-sector outlets, to speciality stores, hospitality venues and grocery shops, the scope couldn’t be wider, and our team at Ingram Micro can help you take advantage.

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Introducing the Epson TM-T20II Series. Full speed ahead for receipt printing Take a moment to consider the sheer number of receipts a shop hands out to customers in an average day, week, or month, and you can see why each receipt needs to work as hard as possible. With the TM-T20II series, retailers deliver so much more than a transaction record. They can turn it into an added-value offer by including a voucher or discount at the same time, turning it into a positive customer experience and another sale.

The TM-T20II series is convenient to install as it integrates easily with retailers’ existing IT infrastructure. It’s also quick and reliable, meaning more revenue for retailers and less queuing for customers.

Introducing the ColorWorks 3500.

Re-inventing tags, labels and tickets For retailers needing a reliable combination of quality, versatility and high speed outputs, the ColorWorks3500 is designed to deliver.

It’s perfect for customising and printing full-colour labels, from print packaging, to ID-barcode cards, to product information and pricing labels. It’s all done effortlessly on one machine.

Best of all, it puts the retailer in control.

They can say goodbye to the cost and inconvenience of outsourcing their print.

With the ColorWorks 3500, they can print short runs of any items they need when they need them – meaning less waste and less storage. Plus, it gives retailers the ability to set up a promotion and print vouchers in minutes. Ideal for on-the-spot customer offers, quick price reductions or to react to what the shop down the road is doing.

Want to know more about selling Epson POS and label printers?

These are just two products in Epson’s hard-working Retail Solutions range.

To find out more about the market and potential margin, get in touch.

Call us on 01908 807699 or email dcpos@ingrammicro.co.uk

EPSON CASE STUDY

Epson in Practice HF chocolates installs Epson colorworks label printer Based in Milton Keynes, hf Chocolates imports chocolate and confectionery products in bulk from suppliers throughout Europe and the US. More recently, it has added a number of British suppliers to its range.

Company background The company supplies products as they are or re-packaged to the retail trade – mainly the independent or specialist sector – and wholesalers. It also offers an ‘own label’ design and print service to customers that require low quantities of items with their own logos and branding.

Prior to investing in the ColorWorks C7500 printer, the company was using a desktop vinyl printer and cutter that was good for quality and handling a variety of labels but was very slow and impractical for anything other than short runs. Ambrose Boyd, Commercial Manager, hf Chocolates, says: “For us, being able to produce bespoke labels on demand was really about gaining flexibility and the ability to respond quickly as buying pre-printed labels was simply too cumbersome and not at all cost effective. We had a clear idea of what we needed – a fast printer that could print high quality consistently and was cost-effective, not just from a purchasing point of view but also running costs and manning levels.”

The solution The compact ColorWorks C7500 colour label printer was supplied by Epson Colour +Plus Gold Partner KTEC and has been developed to help manufacturers meet a wide variety of in-house, on demand, customised labelling requirements.

It incorporates Epson’s permanent PrecisionCore Micro TFP line printhead

which has been specifically developed for use in the commercial-grade, industrial labelling market and lasts for the lifetime of the printer. Using Epson DURABrite Ultra pigment ink, the ColorWorks C7500 produces fast-drying labels that are smudge, water and fade resistant. The printer is easy to use, integrates into most operating systems and features an auto-cutter as standard and an optional rewinder for roll-to-roll printing.

Game-Changer The ColorWorks C7500 was installed and set up by one person in a day, with very little disruption to the company’s day-to-day production. Ambrose says the printer has been a game changer for the business: “On our previous printer we could print around 98 labels in 45 minutes; on the ColorWorks C7500 we’re producing 200 plus labels in a few minutes! It’s now very easy for us to produce short-runs of customised labels and because of its speed, all labels can be printed as and when needed so we don’t need to hold large quantities of stock. The whole production workflow is much smoother and more cost-effective.”

new printer. It makes perfect sense that the more labels we can run through it the better, not only from a speed point of view but it also cuts our staffing and production costs considerably.”

David Spratt, Head of Sales, Business Systems, Epson UK, says: “The ColorWorks C7500 is the ultimate in short-run colour printing and has been developed for businesses who want the flexibility to reliably meet their label printing needs. hf Chocolates can now produce outstanding quality, individually-customised colour labels in-house, on-demand, at a low cost per label and without the costs associated with producing and stocking preprinted labels.”

Future Expansion In the future, hf Chocolates are looking to expand its range of labels which will be produced using the ColorWorks C7500.

Ambrose says: “We’re currently looking at what jobs can be moved over to the

Ingram Micro Advisor 23

VERTICAL SOLUTIONS

Adaptable Solutions for Vertical Industries Honeywell may be best known for their work in the heating control market, but they also have an enviable track record in a number of other industries. Now in their 110th year, Honeywell has also had great success offering engineering services and aerospace systems to customers around the globe.

The HSM unit is dedicated to building solutions that enable customers to boost efficiency and cut costs. The inclusion of Datamax-O'Neil and Intermec products in the Honeywell portfolio gives customers everything they need to complete data capture solutions for print and scan in all the key verticals.

Warehouse and Distribution Improving productivity, accuracy and

24 Ingram Micro Advisor

throughput are key goals of many warehouse and distribution centre operations. Honeywell devices, like the Granit range of industrial scanners, improve real-time data capture operations at the point of transaction.

Highly portable, wireless units like the SF61B series offer totally flexible solutions that are suited for use in large warehouse environments, ensuring accurate data integration with enterprise systems using robust wireless connectivity.

Every scanner has been ruggedised to survive in the most challenging environments and as such, are ready for use in any role. Backed by the smallfootprint PC43t label printer, Honeywell has every aspect of your operations covered - receipt, cross-dock, putaway,

pick, replenishment, packing, dispatch, stock taking and perpetual inventory – giving you the data you need to manage people, stocks and equipment more efficiently.

Retail The ability to replenish and manage stock effectively relies on capturing data at every stage of the sale process. Accuracy is key to reducing manual overheads and providing exceptional service. Honeywell understands the critical nature of these tasks and has developed a suite of 2D scanning products to assist in ensuring their successful application.

Improving levels of service, the Voyager range of barcode scanners (12xxg, 14xxg and 1602g) connect directly to inventory

VERTICAL SOLUTIONS

management systems, updating stock levels automatically with every sale. Consequently inventory can be replenished before it causes issues and potential loss of custom.

What’s more, the Dolphin range of wireless handheld computers provides shop floor staff and warehouse operatives with instantaneous access to updated stock information so they that can provide a greater level of service.

Behind the scenes, warehouse operatives are facilitated to better manage the relationship between stock levels and ordering using a combination of wireless scanners and barcode printers that are flexible for the new norm of multi-modal warehouse environments.

Healthcare Decades of experience working in the healthcare industry has seen tens of thousands of Honeywell products installed in facilities worldwide. Honeywell has developed the expertise to create innovative disinfectant-ready housing that endeavours to minimise the risk of spreading infectious diseases while also executing the “5 rights” of patient safety.

Devices such as the SF61B healthcare pocket scanner provide a solution that is small enough to tuck neatly in a pocket, but powerful enough to capture real time patient data. The PC23d 2"-wide desktop printer is perfect for space-constrained settings, and offers tailored solutions for medical wrist identification, as an example as well as labeling in laboratories “ The exceptional speed and functionality of these devices enables the precise management of patients treatment regimes, thus supporting the improvement of healthcare outcomes.

With the Dolphin range of discreet wireless handheld computers, clinician professionals are able to access and update key patient data wherever and whenever required and can be linked to the PC23t and media for patient

The Dolphin range of mobile computer provides connectivity and form factor options that bring the office to workers or technicians in the field

wristbands . Additional inventory and record tracking is available with the use of the PC43t barcode printer, providing a low cost way to tag potentially life-saving assets and prevent loss as they are moved throughout sites.

Field services Meeting service level agreements is a process heavily reliant on communication with remote field workers. The Dolphin range of mobile computer provides connectivity and form factor options that bring the office to workers or technicians in the field. With the option of reliable Honeywell wireless networking or 4G cellular connections, Dolphin handheld computers provide instant access to order history and customer or asset records. Having this data at their fingertips ensures that remote workers are properly equipped and informed, boosting productivity and the level of service offered to customers. The real-time capture of data enabled with Honeywell devices and partner solutions, provides businesses with the supporting insights and information required to further improve their products and services moving forward.

For more information please contact our DC POS team on 01908 807699 or email dcpos@ingrammicro.co.uk

Ingram Micro Advisor 25

INFORGRAPHIC

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Despite the mainstream adoption of digital communication methods, printing is set to remain key in many business processes. And with SMBs struggling to understand, let alone control their print costs, it’s the perfect opportunity for Ingram

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Push Past the Competition with PrintSense

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26 Ingram Micro Advisor

Micro partners to deliver a simple, flexible managed print PrintSense.

PrintSense.

PrintSense. service that will help capture ongoing revenue opportunities in Active Foundations Services an increasingly commoditised market.

What is PrintSense? have high levels of paper invoices, PrintSense refreshingly secure, efficient business critical paperwork and paper and transparent, PrintSense is the reliant processes which would justify PrintSense.

PrintSense. complete managed print service from a Managed Print Service (MPS). Ideal Foundations Services Ingram Micro. With PrintSense, customers for any business that has over 50 are able to gain control of and save money members of staff, more than 10 desktop on their printing costs, whilst also receiving print devices and/or a number of or a automatic toner replenishment and next number of multi-function printers. The day business maintenance (including all more critical paper is to their business parts and labour). Helping them to reduce processes, the more valuable PrintSense downtime and increase efficiency. can be to them, and to you.

PrintSense.

Who is the ideal PrintSense Services Customer?

It makes sense that organisations that consume more paper are better candidates for print cost savings. Paperintensive professional service businesses such as law offices, accounting firms, and marketing agencies are prime candidates.

Manufacturing companies, financial institutions and investment firms also

In most organisations, print operations and budgets are managed at the departmental level, while maintenance and support issues fall under the IT department. Managed Print Services are typically purchased on a corporate level, spanning an entire organisation to realise economies of scale. So, to successfully sell MPS benefits you will need to find an executive advocate.

Ingram Micro can fulfill this role.

INFORGRAPHIC

How does PrintSense Work?

1. Choose a HP printer with astonishing discounts 2. Choose the NBD Care Pack 3. Choose lease or transactional 4. Back to back PrintSense Contracts 5. Install Data Collection Application (Easy as 1,2,3) 6. Pay quarterly in Arrears

What we do | All the hard work For further details about PrintSense contact our specialist team today.

Call 0871 973 3338 Email ukprintsense@ingrammicro.com

Ingram Micro Advisor 27

For more information, contact your Ingram Micro account manager 28 Ingram Micro Advisor

MARKETING TIPS

Stodgy and Boring to Social and Inspiring 5 Tips to Freshen Up Training Programs

Everyone wants daily learning opportunities.

We try to follow the 70/20/10 rule and have training that is 70 percent on-the-job experience, 20 percent learning from others, and 10 percent formal education MEGAN MCGRADY

Senior Instructional Designer, Ingram Micro.

A new and improved program, with an emphasis on professional development, can go a long way toward increasing employee retention and improving morale and productivity. These five tips will help you nurture effective training programs that connect to your company’s objectives.

1. Create more informal training opportunities.

Include options for on-the-job training, mentoring and coaching. Training is most effective when it’s on the spot and tied to action rather than theoretical.

2. Make training more social.

Your organisation is filled with experts. Let them share their knowledge via blogs, learning management systems and message boards. Social media lets those with hard-earned experience and unique perspectives provide valuable insight to co-workers.

3. Appeal to all types of learners.

When you offer webinars, mobile apps, printed materials and face-to-face meetings, employees can choose the training that suits their learning style, and they will retain more of the core concepts they need. “Employees need smaller learning vignettes that let them access knowledge and skills in different ways,” says Christine Dunham, Senior Performance Specialist, delivery, Ingram Micro.

“Offer a combination that addresses employees’ short attention spans, time constraints and love of technology.”

4. Measure results.

Training should be tied to your organisation's competencies and business goals.

After professional development activities, conduct focus groups to ensure the business is getting the results it expects. Identify quantifiable results that show behaviours are changing and employees are applying new skills.

5. Take the pulse of the program’s reputation.

Is enrollment dropping? Do people know what the training department does?

And, most importantly, are training leaders asked to participate in strategic meetings? Answering these questions will help you understand if your program needs to be revamped for 2016 and beyond.

Ingram Micro Advisor 29

VERTICAL SOLUTIONS

Increasing the Opportunity for Warehouse Productivity with Honeywell Supply chain management has come to the fore of modern digital transformation programs, representing a series of business processes that will deliver significant efficiency and cost gains as they are improved. The largest savings come from greater supply chain transparency – the ability to collect and manage data at an increasingly granular level.

30 Ingram Micro Advisor

VERTICAL SOLUTIONS

Refining the tracking process helps to avoid time-consuming tasks such as stock takes, thus immediately improving productivity of the workforce.

As a result, warehouse managers are being expected to deliver details of every item of inventory passing through their warehouse in real time. In order to deliver effective insight into the movement of stock and materials, they need to be able to accurately track every unit as it passes through the warehouse.

Refining the tracking process helps to avoid time-consuming tasks such as stock takes, thus immediately improving productivity of the workforce.

Simplified Stock Scanning is Vital Honeywell heavy-duty industrial scanners have been designed for just this purpose. Offering long distance scanning and ruggedised housing, the Honeywell Granit series support quick and efficient tracking of stock. Long distance scanning capabilities significantly reduce the time and effort required to capture tracking data, ensuring that administrative tasks do not take staff away from other important tasks in the warehouse.

The fact that Granit scanners are built around a single common cable standard, also offers maximum flexibility when deployed in a warehouse environment.

Interim Scanning Delivers Additional Supply Chain Management Insights Choosing more efficient, effective scanners is vital to increasing their use throughout the entire supply chain.

As well as tracking goods entering and leaving the warehouse, it is also crucial to track goods during interim process points to avoid loss of assets.

Industrial grade pocket scanners like the Honeywell SF61B pocket scanner combine wireless mobility with durable protection – ideal for scanning stock at the putaway and picking points.

Simple, quick and extremely cost effective, barcode scanners provide unparalleled insight into every stage of the warehouse management process.

Scanning stock movement also provides the raw data required for further supply chain analysis, helping to identify process bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement. The more points at which stock data is tracked, the better warehouse processes can be managed.

Without in-process data, any attempts at improving efficiency are unlikely to deliver the maximum benefit simply because they are based on educated guesses, rather than accurate data.

Improving stock tracking through the use of an established, trusted technology will inevitably yield significant efficiency gains and cost savings in the long run.

We have a team with years of knowledge ready to share and help our resellers with their warehouse solution requirements.

For more information please contact our DC POS team on 01908 807699 or email dcpos@ingrammicro.co.uk

Ingram Micro Advisor 31

LOGITECH® WIRED KEYBOARD FOR IPAD WORKS WITH ALL LIGHTNING CONNECTOR IPAD’S

Please contact your Ingram Micro Account Manager on 0871 973 3000 or visit www.uk-new.ingrammicro.com

© 2016 Ingram Micro Inc. All rights reserved, Ingram Micro and the Ingram Micro logo are trademarks used under licence by Ingram Micro Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies, 8/16 NP2016_2402b

32 Ingram Micro Advisor

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Ingram Micro Advisor 33

We’re now widely familiar with the supposed benefits of open plan and flexible workspace strategies, such as increased opportunities for collaboration and decreased overheads, but are they worth the costs? Worryingly according to the report more than one third of workers in 17 of the world’s most important economies are disengaged and more than 10% of global workers are highly dissatisfied with their workplace.

So how do organisations take advantage of the efficiencies provided by hot-desks while maintaining employee engagement?

We won’t pretend to have all the answers but here are some tips we’ve picked up along the way…

Are your Hot-Desks Working Hard Enough?

3 Things you can do...

A recent report from Steelcase shows that hot-desking could be contributing to lower employee engagement and productivity

1. Give employees a choice The Steelcase report shows that the most highly engaged employees tend to be those that have the highest degree of control over how and where they work. That doesn’t mean we all have to spend this year’s bonus ripping our offices apart and rebuilding them according to our interpretation of a Silicon Valley office (as fun as that could be… Google, Facebook).

But we should try to make the most of our workspace, in a way that’s valuable to everyone. A move to hot-desking is a great way to make the most of office space but can be perceived by employees as the company taking away ownership of their desks. Give something back to employees by providing them with a choice of flexible working areas designed to meet different needs: private individual areas, meeting rooms designed for collaboration and breakout areas alongside hot-desks. This is an approach to workspace best known as activity-based working (ABW).

Similar to hot-desking, ABW is based on desk sharing in order to maintain lower costs and make better use of office capacity. However, more emphasis is placed on meeting the needs of every employee throughout their working day.

Have a meeting with a focus on creative brainstorming?

No problem.

Need to take a private call without leaving the office?

Easy.

Need to relax for a moment and take a break away from a screen?

We encourage it!

Remember: Take away desk ownership.

Give your employees new and interesting places to work instead.

34 Ingram Micro Advisor

EXPERT INSIGHTS

Targus Laptop Docking Stations

3.Strike a balance Ultimately a productive office will look different for every business. It depends on the space you have access to as well as the people you employ. Design experts say office design should focus on flexibility, functionality and beauty.

We think there’s one thing missing from that: Comfort.

No employee will be at the top of their game while feeling discomfort, from the chair they sit in, to the amount of visual privacy they have and these issues will be magnified at shared desks.

2. Do it right with the right technology Beyond a choice of environment, organisations need to provide the right technology to enable employees to be productive such as; a sufficient internet connection and speed over Wi-Fi, extra screens to work from when necessary and high resolution screens for employees who work with complex editing and design programs.

Try to strike a balance between what everyone needs and what they will be comfortable with. Provide Privacy Screens for desktop monitor, laptop and tablet screens. Educate employees about the benefits of a good sitting posture and encourage them to take regular breaks from looking at a screen.

At the end of the day hot-desking might look good for your bottom line but you better think twice if you think you’re doing your employees a favour at the same time. Make sure the office is still an appealing place to come and work or you might find your employees working from home or not at all!

Despite the mobile revolution the Steelcase report found that the vast majority of workers worldwide still use fixed technology at work with 86% of workers being provided with a landline telephone, and 80% with a desktop computer.

Compare that to the 39% of employees who are equipped with a mobile phone or laptop and 14% with a tablet.

That’s not to say that new approaches to working require every employee has access to brand new cutting-edge devices. But a flexible approach to desk infrastructure can seriously inhibit productivity if employees don’t have access to the right tools to allow them to plug in and work at any desk.

Consider whether your device strategy will need to change as a result of a flexible approach to workspace. Does your company already have a BYOD or CYOD strategy in place?

How do you plan to support that at shared desks?

Targus Universal Docking Stations are a one size fits all solution, allowing employees to sit down at any desk and plug in one cable to their device for connection to the network, extra screens and desk accessories so that they can get straight to work. No time wasted, no strain on IT. Targus Docks are the only Universal Docking solution to offer integrated power, helping your employees to stay charged up when they are in the office and avoid downtime when they’re not. Unique software also ensures that anyone plugged into a Targus Docking Station will automatically be switched to the Ethernet network, decreasing the burden on Wi-Fi bandwidth in that area.

Targus Privacy Screens

Tell us about your experiences with hot-desking on Twitter using our handle @Targus_Europe Visit our Business page: www.targus.com/uk/business

Ingram Micro Advisor 35

Security at work and improved multitasking TravelMate P238 Choosing the right notebook is important for the success of your business. Acer TravelMate P2 series strikes the right balance of performance and efficiency, and it is capable of handling business operations while being budget-friendly.

• Windows 10 Pro • 6th generation Intel® Core™ processors • Support for up to 3 independent displays for greater efficiency • Built-in security and manageability tools • Precision Touchpad for improved fingertip control • Comfortable views with Acer ComfyView display and touchpad IM sku: 8659W79

TravelMate P236 Powered by 5th generation Intel® Core™ technology, TravelMate P236M provides faster performance and better graphics with less power consumption, so that users can get more tasks done in no time. The up to 16 GB of memory and optional SSD or hybrid hard drive are there to provide even faster operation.

IM sku: 8659W78

Do great things.

36 Ingram Micro Advisor

IM+

The Ingram Micro Rewards Program The Ingram Micro Rewards Program is here and we want you to be part of it WHY SIGN UP? + Receive points for purchasing selected products + Receive points for attending training and events + Personalised dashboard + Regular update emails + Gift shop with thousands of products

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Ingram Micro Advisor 37

Wellness. Productivity. Balance.

Feel the difference.

Work Fit TL

The facts...

All information derives from scientific researches that took place in USA and/or Europe.

Work Fit SR

The consequences... ● Employees with low back pain cost more and are less productive than employees without pain! ● Sitting for a long time affects mood state, make workers feel less energized, less focused, less productive and happier.. ● Sitting all day is worse for you than you might think… More than 30’ of continuous sitting is linked to health risks!

The solution! ● Sit-stand workstations are an effective means of reducing and even eliminating chronic back pain. ● Workers who used sit-stand desks were 78% more likely to report a pain-free day than those who used regular workstations. ● Access to a sit-stand workstation is linked to a 45% increase in productivity!

Discover Ergotron’s Sit Stand solutions today!

For more information please contact our ProAV Team on 01908 807013 or email on proav@ingrammicro.co.uk

38 Ingram Micro Advisor

MARKETING TIPS

Use LinkedIn Like a Pro Companies and their employees should be using LinkedIn to promote solutions, services, industry trends and facts.

Keep your personal posts on Facebook or Snapchat, and put on your professional game face for LinkedIn. Use your profile to showcase your industry knowledge and establish new business relationships. Don’t be afraid to use some snappy headlines crafted with SEO keywords, which will help your company be discoverable via search. Here are seven tips to maximise LinkedIn: 1. Promote your skills and successes Share articles, in-depth white papers and timely company news. To visually impress your audience and ensure best results, add banners to your posts. Including your industry on your profile can result in 15X more views.

2. Join relevant industry groups Don’t use groups to sell, but task a trustworthy source—a technical writer or marketer—to provide a voice of reason.

You may just establish a reputation as a subject-matter expert or thought leader, allowing you to build a business portfolio as you go.

3. Use your status updates to promote accomplishments Don’t post your dinner or vacation pictures to LinkedIn; save those for Instagram. Instead,post a recent blog and keep your posts succinct, focused and topical.

4. Regularly check your pulse feed Your feed is a treasure chest of content you can use for marketing and professional purposes all in the same place.

Repurpose the content on Twitter, Google+ or other social media.

5. Create a company page and frequently refresh A company page helps you keep a pulse on how your company profile is trending. How many times do you show up in search results? Who’s looking at your company as a prospect?

6. Use LinkedIn to post marketing resources These can include collateral materials, presentations, videos or company web pages. Prospects can access these essential materials for the small price of completing a contact form, which allows you to capture details on potential leads.

7. Make connections The more you network on LinkedIn, the more successful your profile becomes. Add all past clients, colleagues and co-workers and ask for introductions through shared connections.

When you’re looking at your social strategy, put on your game face and stay professional.

Ingram Micro Advisor 39

The Ingram Micro Apple Circle of Opportunity

Business as unusual.

You. Ingram Micro. Apple.

Exceptional service, consistently high levels of support, and extensive knowledge of the entire Apple portfolio. This investment means we’re ideally placed to provide the service, support and products that you deserve – helping you sell more, open new revenue streams and maximise your margin.

We call this The Ingram Micro Apple Circle of Opportunity.

Learn more: 0871 973 3000 apple@ingrammicro.co.uk @Ingram_AppleUK 40 Ingram Micro Advisor