Canon Urges European Organisations to Look Beyond Cost Savings from Business & Technology Suppliers

LONDON, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The global recession has changed the game for European businesses with cost savings top of the boardroom agenda. However, a combined article and video from Canon Europe and IDC released today, argues that organisations are short-changing themselves if they see suppliers of business and technology solutions just as a way to reduce costs.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:

http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/canoneurope/44218/

IDC insight shows that businesses across Europe are focused on growth, but at the same time are drowning in all the issues surrounding their business, costing them time and money.

IDC explains that the solution lies in working with trusted suppliers to take over the management of business-critical and business-specific systems and solutions. In the short video, IDC discusses that in order to maintain growth, it is possible to cut costs and improve business processes and that this is made possible by industry partnerships, which are adding real value to the customer experience.

Phil Sargeant , Research Manager at IDC, said, "Technological challenges have moved on from simply hardware and software. Just merging the two together doesn't always provide the best outcome.  The partnership of two or more parties is an essential third element for customer growth and prosperity. It involves bringing their individual but complementary strengths together to deliver both a tailored solution and quality of service. IT organisations or consultancies that ignore this route to market will ultimately fail."

A second article from IDC also goes on to explain that partnerships can manifest themselves in many forms, from collaborative agreements to accreditation programmes and beyond. They can involve a wide range of providers including consultants, manufacturers, software developers and ultimately the customers themselves.

Gary Horsfall, Head of Consultancy Services at Canon Europe, said, "It is essential that supplier-customer relationships are built on trust and focused on delivering outcomes as opposed to simple, off the shelf solutions. The value is in the specific problems that technology can solve, not trying to fit existing solutions to match customer needs.  Effectively, cost savings become a healthy by-product of an overall solution designed to improve performance and productivity whilst solving specific challenges faced by businesses.

"For Canon, this partnership approach is central to our strategy and we work closely with customers to ensure that they gain access to a suite of solutions and propositions that are centrally managed and designed to improve processes and add to their bottom line."

About Canon Europe

Canon Europe is the regional sales and marketing operation for Canon Inc., represented in 120 countries and employing over 11,000 people across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Founded in 1937 with the specific goal of making the best quality camera available to customers, Canon's tireless passion for the Power of Image has since extended its technology into many other markets and has established it as a world leader in both consumer and business imaging solutions.  Its solutions comprise products, ranging from digital compact and SLR cameras, through broadcast lenses and portable X-ray machines, to multi-function and production printers, all supported by a range of value added services.

Canon invests heavily in R&D to deliver the richest and most innovative products and services to satisfy customers' creative needs. From amateur photographers to professional print companies, Canon enables each customer to realise their own passion for image.

Canon believes that considering the interests of society and the environment is an integral part of good business practice. This is embodied in its corporate philosophy Kyosei - 'To live and work together for the common good'. 

Further information about Canon Europe is available at:

www.canon-europe.com

SOURCE Canon Europe