Eden Prairie, MN, February 23, 2012—Rochester-based Relion Corporation, an experienced integrator of advanced document capture, workflow and business process outsourcing solutions, has merged with Image Express, a leading provider of scanning solutions and document conversion services.
Both Relion and Image Express provide enterprise content management (ECM) solutions and outsourcing services to help their clients go paperless, cut costs and increase efficiency. Relion's expertise in these areas stems from their ability to integrate advanced document capture and accounts payable workflow solutions with ERP systems like SAP, Oracle and JD Edwards. Relion also provides business process outsourcing solutions, including virtual mailroom. These capabilities compliment the experience of Image Express, which includes implementing document scanner and Kodak Capture Pro solutions, in addition to a wide range of document conversion services.
Get the full press release here ---- http://www.imageexpressinc.com/pages/relion-merger-press-release.html
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
GET TO THE CLOUD!
An article published yesterday by InformationWeek stresses the importance of cloud computing in business not just as an additional tool to "tweak existing operations", but as a central asset that is fundamental in achieving maximum efficiency. The article addresses a survey that will be released later this week which finds that only 13% of businesses have "substantially implemented" cloud computing throughout their organization. This is an interesting statistic that likely stems from a lack of trust and misconception of security when moving to the cloud.
When it comes to running a business - especially one that has a consistent record of success - it can be a difficult decision to implement any significant changes towards processes. When it comes to the technology being used, it seems this issue only becomes more sensitive. What we are observing when it comes to cloud computing is the old dip your toe in the pool to test the water temperature - businesses are adding elements of cloud computing to their exisiting business process (i.e. dipping the toe), though failing to embrace the technology and alter their processes accordingly (jumping in). If you are looking into cloud computing, remember that it can only produce the desired ROI if it is being properly utilized.
Cloud-based technology is a major game changer. The trial period is over and it's official, this technology is going to become an absolutely necessary tool for any business looking to remain competitive in their industry. The time for testing the waters in your business is over as well, it's time to jump in and swim! As always you can check us out online to learn more about how we can help, or do the really smart thing -- give us a call and GET TO THE CLOUD!
When it comes to running a business - especially one that has a consistent record of success - it can be a difficult decision to implement any significant changes towards processes. When it comes to the technology being used, it seems this issue only becomes more sensitive. What we are observing when it comes to cloud computing is the old dip your toe in the pool to test the water temperature - businesses are adding elements of cloud computing to their exisiting business process (i.e. dipping the toe), though failing to embrace the technology and alter their processes accordingly (jumping in). If you are looking into cloud computing, remember that it can only produce the desired ROI if it is being properly utilized.
Cloud-based technology is a major game changer. The trial period is over and it's official, this technology is going to become an absolutely necessary tool for any business looking to remain competitive in their industry. The time for testing the waters in your business is over as well, it's time to jump in and swim! As always you can check us out online to learn more about how we can help, or do the really smart thing -- give us a call and GET TO THE CLOUD!
952-906-3022
Friday, February 3, 2012
You're business will never get sued right?
Just in case, here's an article worth reading:
http://www.inc.com/christina-desmarais/201111/small-business-ediscovery-tips-.html
It's easy to pretend that your business is not likely to run into any lawsuits. However, as the business world evolves, we are seeing more and more government intervention. Government intervention = more rules, more audits, more lawsuits. If you're not prepared, these situations can have a catostrophic effect on your business. It is especially important for small business owners that you take the necessary precautions to protect your organization when it comes to legal issues. Without a big legal department to help defend you in these cases, you'll get caught dealing with the problem which takes away from your day to day operations. Even if you make it through the legal battle in one piece, without proper data management you will have wasted significant time and resources defending yourself.
When you're ready to get serious about protecting and effectively managing your data give us a call - 952-906-3022
http://www.inc.com/christina-desmarais/201111/small-business-ediscovery-tips-.html
It's easy to pretend that your business is not likely to run into any lawsuits. However, as the business world evolves, we are seeing more and more government intervention. Government intervention = more rules, more audits, more lawsuits. If you're not prepared, these situations can have a catostrophic effect on your business. It is especially important for small business owners that you take the necessary precautions to protect your organization when it comes to legal issues. Without a big legal department to help defend you in these cases, you'll get caught dealing with the problem which takes away from your day to day operations. Even if you make it through the legal battle in one piece, without proper data management you will have wasted significant time and resources defending yourself.
When you're ready to get serious about protecting and effectively managing your data give us a call - 952-906-3022
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Excuses, Excuses - 5 Reasons Not To Invest In Document Management
This helpful bit information is courtesy of our friends over at FileBound. There are many excuses out there, we find that these tend to be the most prominent. As the old saying goes, excuses are like bellybuttons - everyone's got one. These reasons are often based on critical misconceptions that can jeopardize your business process and put your information at risk -- all the while costing you and your co-workers time and money.
Excuse #1: If we need to, we can usually find it
"We usually can find the information we need when a customer calls. Sometimes it takes a while, but once we send out an email to all staff asking for the information, it usually shows up after a bit."
Reality:
It’s true; given enough time, people usually can come up with the information they need. But sometimes time is a luxury they just don’t have ... like when a lawsuit reaches the discovery stage! Trying to find a particular document in an organization has been likened to everything from locating a needle in a haystack to retrieving Indiana Jones’Lost Ark from the government warehouse into which it is loaded at the end of the movie. Most of the time, it isn’t a legal imperative that triggers the search, but rather a business reason. Either way, there is a cost associated with having to do it, and that cost tends to be exorbitant in an unmanaged environment.
Consider that the typical office worker spends 40% of his or her time looking for information, and then do the math. If he had only known, don’t you think Indy would have labeled that crate before it disappeared into the maw of the repository? In this way, you, too, should take steps to index your content for ready retrieval – before it’s too late. (There ain’t no sequel in real-life information management)
Excuse #2: Nobody is going to sue us
"Who would ever want to sue us? I’m sure if push comes to shove, we can find whatever we need to defend ourselves. Let’s not go looking for problems."
Reality:
No need; the problems certainly will come looking for you! The sad truth is that you don’t have to have done something wrong to have a suit brought against you. But if you can demonstrate to opposing counsel that you can readily produce documentation that counters the claim, the whole matter may simply go away before it ever gets started.
Consider, for instance, a dispute over a beneficiary change made to a life insurance policy, which dictates who is supposed to receive possibly significant sums of money following an accident or death. Being able to prove in a preliminary meeting that the change was properly authorized likely would keep the problem out of court – but this can’t happen without a system for tracking and auditing such forms.
Even if the case does go forward, you still must be able to produce court-ordered documents in a timely manner or face fairly significant penalties. Morgan Stanley, for instance, once was fined $1.6 billion in part for lying about its ability to produce email evidence. No one I know wants to risk that kind of punishment! So if nothing else, consider information management as a sort of litigation insurance policy – if you ever need it, you’ll sure be glad it’s there.
Excuse #3: Cost - We've got to pick our battles
"Even if it’s true that organizations typically spend $20 in labor to file a document, $120 in labor to find a misfiled document, and $220 in labor to reproduce a lost document, it’s chump change to us."
Reality:
Chump change? Chump change? There’s no such thing, especially in this economy. Forget the tens of thousands of dollars in wasted labor these figures represent. How about the time wasted waiting for those documents to reappear? The lost productivity of the individuals doing the waiting and/or searching through the files? The customer dissatisfaction that accumulates while the organization chases its tail? These are costs too, and they will quickly doom to failure any effort you make to “do more with less”– and there isn’t an organization today that’s so rich it’s not interested in improving its bottom line.
Excuse #4: Our business isn't located on a flood plane or anything
"Sure, when we see all those paper documents floating around after a flood on the news, we feel bad for those people. But we’re not located in a place where disasters happen."
Reality:
Well, that’s a relief! Imagine being in a place where rivers never rise, winds never blow, fires never start, and coffee never spills ... must be a real paradise, where nothing ever happens that can destroy your paper files!
Disaster recovery encompasses much more than floods, tornadoes, and wildfires, as leaky roofs, malfunctioning sprinkler systems, and yes, careless coffee drinkers can cause the kind of data loss usually ascribed to “acts of God”. So be empathetic to those caught in a maelstrom, but take steps to protect yourself as well. You’d be surprised how fast even a small problem can become catastrophic!
Make backups of your electronic files. Move older and/or inactive paper records off-site – preferably far off-site lest the same storm that wrecks your building take out the backup as well. Set established policies to govern which documents move where, according to what timetable, and for how long before they are destroyed. Then maybe you can afford to ignore the perils that threaten your documents – at least until the coffee wagon shows up.
Excuse #5: Information security just isn't at the top of our list
"Yes, we lock the doors at night. And yes, we keep the HR files locked. And yes, we use passwords on our computers. But we need to be flexible. If people want to take information home and work on it on their home computers, that’s a good thing. We trust our employees."
Reality:
Trust is good, but in document circles, it should be practiced the way President Ronald Reagan did when he negotiated with the old Soviet Union. “Trust but verify,” he said, and the advice is as solid for securing information as it was for arms control.
Knowing who accessed what, and when, is a big deal in compliance circles. Further, good practice, if not always the law, requires that you maintain and review logs of all system and user activities. Sure, your employees may be long proven dependable. But what about the hacker who tries to break in over your VPN? What about the drug addict who steals a company laptop from a worker’s living room – and what about the fence who buys that laptop and all the information on it? At that point, no amount of physical security at your office is going to help, as the cat’s already out of the bag.
And by the way – there are other security breaches that have nothing at all to do with people. Consider the tornado, hurricane, or earthquake that breaks your outer office windows and scatters the contents of your files all over the neighborhood. How secure is that information then? For sure, your customers, your legal counsel, and your local, state, and federal regulators will want to know.
ENOUGH WITH THE EXCUSES, CALL US TODAY
Excuse #1: If we need to, we can usually find it
"We usually can find the information we need when a customer calls. Sometimes it takes a while, but once we send out an email to all staff asking for the information, it usually shows up after a bit."
Reality:
It’s true; given enough time, people usually can come up with the information they need. But sometimes time is a luxury they just don’t have ... like when a lawsuit reaches the discovery stage! Trying to find a particular document in an organization has been likened to everything from locating a needle in a haystack to retrieving Indiana Jones’Lost Ark from the government warehouse into which it is loaded at the end of the movie. Most of the time, it isn’t a legal imperative that triggers the search, but rather a business reason. Either way, there is a cost associated with having to do it, and that cost tends to be exorbitant in an unmanaged environment.
Consider that the typical office worker spends 40% of his or her time looking for information, and then do the math. If he had only known, don’t you think Indy would have labeled that crate before it disappeared into the maw of the repository? In this way, you, too, should take steps to index your content for ready retrieval – before it’s too late. (There ain’t no sequel in real-life information management)
Excuse #2: Nobody is going to sue us
"Who would ever want to sue us? I’m sure if push comes to shove, we can find whatever we need to defend ourselves. Let’s not go looking for problems."
Reality:
No need; the problems certainly will come looking for you! The sad truth is that you don’t have to have done something wrong to have a suit brought against you. But if you can demonstrate to opposing counsel that you can readily produce documentation that counters the claim, the whole matter may simply go away before it ever gets started.
Consider, for instance, a dispute over a beneficiary change made to a life insurance policy, which dictates who is supposed to receive possibly significant sums of money following an accident or death. Being able to prove in a preliminary meeting that the change was properly authorized likely would keep the problem out of court – but this can’t happen without a system for tracking and auditing such forms.
Even if the case does go forward, you still must be able to produce court-ordered documents in a timely manner or face fairly significant penalties. Morgan Stanley, for instance, once was fined $1.6 billion in part for lying about its ability to produce email evidence. No one I know wants to risk that kind of punishment! So if nothing else, consider information management as a sort of litigation insurance policy – if you ever need it, you’ll sure be glad it’s there.
Excuse #3: Cost - We've got to pick our battles
"Even if it’s true that organizations typically spend $20 in labor to file a document, $120 in labor to find a misfiled document, and $220 in labor to reproduce a lost document, it’s chump change to us."
Reality:
Chump change? Chump change? There’s no such thing, especially in this economy. Forget the tens of thousands of dollars in wasted labor these figures represent. How about the time wasted waiting for those documents to reappear? The lost productivity of the individuals doing the waiting and/or searching through the files? The customer dissatisfaction that accumulates while the organization chases its tail? These are costs too, and they will quickly doom to failure any effort you make to “do more with less”– and there isn’t an organization today that’s so rich it’s not interested in improving its bottom line.
Excuse #4: Our business isn't located on a flood plane or anything
"Sure, when we see all those paper documents floating around after a flood on the news, we feel bad for those people. But we’re not located in a place where disasters happen."
Reality:
Well, that’s a relief! Imagine being in a place where rivers never rise, winds never blow, fires never start, and coffee never spills ... must be a real paradise, where nothing ever happens that can destroy your paper files!
Disaster recovery encompasses much more than floods, tornadoes, and wildfires, as leaky roofs, malfunctioning sprinkler systems, and yes, careless coffee drinkers can cause the kind of data loss usually ascribed to “acts of God”. So be empathetic to those caught in a maelstrom, but take steps to protect yourself as well. You’d be surprised how fast even a small problem can become catastrophic!
Make backups of your electronic files. Move older and/or inactive paper records off-site – preferably far off-site lest the same storm that wrecks your building take out the backup as well. Set established policies to govern which documents move where, according to what timetable, and for how long before they are destroyed. Then maybe you can afford to ignore the perils that threaten your documents – at least until the coffee wagon shows up.
Excuse #5: Information security just isn't at the top of our list
"Yes, we lock the doors at night. And yes, we keep the HR files locked. And yes, we use passwords on our computers. But we need to be flexible. If people want to take information home and work on it on their home computers, that’s a good thing. We trust our employees."
Reality:
Trust is good, but in document circles, it should be practiced the way President Ronald Reagan did when he negotiated with the old Soviet Union. “Trust but verify,” he said, and the advice is as solid for securing information as it was for arms control.
Knowing who accessed what, and when, is a big deal in compliance circles. Further, good practice, if not always the law, requires that you maintain and review logs of all system and user activities. Sure, your employees may be long proven dependable. But what about the hacker who tries to break in over your VPN? What about the drug addict who steals a company laptop from a worker’s living room – and what about the fence who buys that laptop and all the information on it? At that point, no amount of physical security at your office is going to help, as the cat’s already out of the bag.
And by the way – there are other security breaches that have nothing at all to do with people. Consider the tornado, hurricane, or earthquake that breaks your outer office windows and scatters the contents of your files all over the neighborhood. How secure is that information then? For sure, your customers, your legal counsel, and your local, state, and federal regulators will want to know.
ENOUGH WITH THE EXCUSES, CALL US TODAY
952-906-3022
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Kodak's Chapter 11 Filing a Non-Issue on Day-To-Day Business at Image Express
The following is a press release from Kodak regarding their recent filing for chapter 11:
manufacturing plants and 130 processing labs, and reducing our workforce by 47,000 since 2003. Now we must complete the transformation by further addressing our cost structure and effectively monetizing non-‐core IP assets. We look forward to working with our stakeholders to emerge a lean, world-‐class, digital imaging and materials science company.”
-- What does this mean for Image Express and our Customers? Answer: Business as usual.
When it comes to our customers, we like to be as honest and up front as possible so that they understand what their options include and can rest assured they are getting the best possible service. From an outside perspective, we understand the uncertainty this type of news presents. However, given our longstanding relationship with Kodak, we can confidently say that this is the start of a new, exciting, and above all, beneficial chapter in Kodak's storied tenure.
Kodak is taking the necessary steps to reintroduce itself as a leader in the digital imaging industry, and is doing so in a fashion condusive to maintaining its current operations regarding customer relations and support. As a result, Image Express will continue to provide the high quality Services, Software and Hardware products from Kodak in the consistent manner our clients have come to expect. We'd like to take this opportunity to reassure our customers that they will see no effect in their relationship with our company's services. We will continue to support our clients with the most cost-effective tools used in developing solutions that contribute significantly in the growth of your business.
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY AND ITS U.S. SUBSIDIARIES COMMENCE VOLUNTARY
CHAPTER 11 BUSINESS REORGANIZATIONFlow of Goods and Services to Customers to Continue Globally in Ordinary Course
Non-‐U.S. Subsidiaries Are Not Included in U.S. Filing and Are Not Subjectto Court Supervision
Company Secures $950 million in Debtor-‐in-‐Possession Financing in U.S.Kodak’s Reorganization to Facilitate Emergence as Profitable and Sustainable Enterprise
CHAPTER 11 BUSINESS REORGANIZATIONFlow of Goods and Services to Customers to Continue Globally in Ordinary Course
Non-‐U.S. Subsidiaries Are Not Included in U.S. Filing and Are Not Subjectto Court Supervision
Company Secures $950 million in Debtor-‐in-‐Possession Financing in U.S.Kodak’s Reorganization to Facilitate Emergence as Profitable and Sustainable Enterprise
"ROCHESTER, NY, January 19, 2012 – Eastman Kodak Company (“Kodak” or the “Company”) announced today that it and its U.S. subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for chapter 11 business reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
The business reorganization is intended to bolster liquidity in the U.S. and abroad, monetize non‐-strategic intellectual property, fairly resolve legacy liabilities, and enable the Company to focus on its most valuable business lines. The Company has made pioneering investments in digital and materials deposition technologies in recent years, generating approximately 75% of its revenue from digital businesses in 2011.
Kodak has obtained a fully-‐committed, $950 million debtor-‐in-‐possession credit facility with an 18‐- month maturity from Citigroup to enhance liquidity and working capital. The credit facility is subject to Court approval and other conditions precedent. The Company believes that it has sufficient liquidity to operate its business during chapter 11, and to continue the flow of goods and services to its customers in the ordinary course.
Kodak expects to pay employee wages and benefits and continue customer programs. Subsidiaries outside of the U.S. are not subject to proceedings and will honor all obligations to suppliers, whenever incurred. Kodak and its U.S. subsidiaries will honor all post-‐petition obligations to suppliers in the ordinary course.
“Kodak is taking a significant step toward enabling our enterprise to complete its transformation,” saidAntonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “At the same time as we have created ourdigital business, we have also already effectively exited certain traditional operations, closing 13
“After considering the advantages of chapter 11 at this time, the Board of Directors and the entire senior management team unanimously believe that this is a necessary step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak,” Mr. Perez continued. “Our goal is to maximize value for stakeholders, including our employees, retirees, creditors, and pension trustees. We are also committed to working with our valued customers.
“Chapter 11 gives us the best opportunities to maximize the value in two critical parts of our technology portfolio: our digital capture patents, which are essential for a wide range of mobile and other consumer electronic devices that capture digital images and have generated over $3 billion of licensing revenues since 2003; and our breakthrough printing and deposition technologies, which give Kodak a competitive advantage in our growing digital businesses.”
Mr. Perez concluded, “The Board of Directors, the senior management team and I would like to underscore our appreciation for the hard work and loyalty of our employees. Kodak exemplifies a culture of collaboration and innovation. Our employees embody that culture and are essential to our future success.”
Kodak has taken this step after preliminary discussions with key constituencies and intends to work toward a consensual reorganization in the best interests of its stakeholders. Kodak expects to complete its U.S.-‐based restructuring during 2013.
The Company and its Board of Directors are being advised by Lazard, FTI Consulting Inc. and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. In addition, Dominic DiNapoli, Vice Chairman of FTI Consulting, will serve as Chief Restructuring Officer to support the management team as to restructuring matters during the chapter 11 case.
More information about Kodak’s Chapter 11 filing is available on the Internet at www.kodaktransforms.com. Information for suppliers and vendors is available at (800) 544-‐7009 or (585) 724-‐6100.
Kodak will be filing monthly operating reports with the Bankruptcy Court and also plans to post these monthly operating reports on the Investor Relations section of Kodak.com. The Company will continue to file quarterly and annual reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which will also be available in the Investor Relations section of Kodak.com."
-- What does this mean for Image Express and our Customers? Answer: Business as usual.
When it comes to our customers, we like to be as honest and up front as possible so that they understand what their options include and can rest assured they are getting the best possible service. From an outside perspective, we understand the uncertainty this type of news presents. However, given our longstanding relationship with Kodak, we can confidently say that this is the start of a new, exciting, and above all, beneficial chapter in Kodak's storied tenure.
Kodak is taking the necessary steps to reintroduce itself as a leader in the digital imaging industry, and is doing so in a fashion condusive to maintaining its current operations regarding customer relations and support. As a result, Image Express will continue to provide the high quality Services, Software and Hardware products from Kodak in the consistent manner our clients have come to expect. We'd like to take this opportunity to reassure our customers that they will see no effect in their relationship with our company's services. We will continue to support our clients with the most cost-effective tools used in developing solutions that contribute significantly in the growth of your business.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Kodak Imaging Rebates Now: Productivity Gains in 2012
Time is running out for juicy rebates on Kodak document scanners and Kodak Capture Pro software upgrades and new purchases.
You know how it works: You get the best deals now in Q4, then the deals disappear next summer. Sure, you could wait but wouldn't this be a great time to harness Kodak technology and Image Express expertise for major productivity gains in 2012?
Here's the deal:
Scanners: get $250 to $7,000 off
Capture Pro: get $150 to $1,350 off
We'd link to more information on Capture Pro but the rebate structure is so complex, you'd need a doctorate in Kodak-ology to figure it out. Fortunately, we have such a thing... And did we mention Kodak Capture (non-Pro) will no longer be supported in 2012? It's time to upgrade.
Contact Us Today to Learn More
You know how it works: You get the best deals now in Q4, then the deals disappear next summer. Sure, you could wait but wouldn't this be a great time to harness Kodak technology and Image Express expertise for major productivity gains in 2012?
Here's the deal:
Scanners: get $250 to $7,000 off
Capture Pro: get $150 to $1,350 off
We'd link to more information on Capture Pro but the rebate structure is so complex, you'd need a doctorate in Kodak-ology to figure it out. Fortunately, we have such a thing... And did we mention Kodak Capture (non-Pro) will no longer be supported in 2012? It's time to upgrade.
Contact Us Today to Learn More
Friday, December 16, 2011
Document Management & Workflow - Taking Your Business to the Next Level
Managers and business owners are constantly searching for quick-fixes and easy ways to increase productivity and efficiency in the office. Given the current economic climate and competitive nature of doing business in a fast-paced society, it's clear everyone is looking to get things done faster while using less resources. Workflow Solutions are the most powerful tools for tightening the screws and making sure your business runs like a finely tuned machine. If your organization is not utilizing these cost-effective solutions, it is not operating as efficient as it should be.
Take this as an official challenge from us at Image Express - the first step to getting your business off to its best start in 2012 is to implement a Document Management system with built in Workflow. This will allow for a decrease in your paper volume (more office space), an increase in employee efficiency (higher revenue), as well as much more security regarding your business information (legal compliance).
Clients that work with us in developing these solutions have recognized an ROI in as little as 6 months - so what are you waiting for?
http://www.imageexpressinc.com/
Take this as an official challenge from us at Image Express - the first step to getting your business off to its best start in 2012 is to implement a Document Management system with built in Workflow. This will allow for a decrease in your paper volume (more office space), an increase in employee efficiency (higher revenue), as well as much more security regarding your business information (legal compliance).
Clients that work with us in developing these solutions have recognized an ROI in as little as 6 months - so what are you waiting for?
http://www.imageexpressinc.com/
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