Apps have become an everyday part life – not only for leisure, but in business too. Now a common feature on smartphones and tablets, Xeretec takes a look at how technology has advanced to help businesses be more productive.

Over the years, apps have continued to be developed to make everyday tasks simpler and quicker, enabling people to do so much more at the touch of a button.

But did you know that this technology has now been applied to modern printers/multifunction devices? App technology now exists that seamlessly and securely integrates with multifunction printer (MFP) interfaces, to help your business be more productive. As with most smartphone apps, the goal of these apps is to enable people to get things done quickly and simply.

The possibilities for app technology in this context are endless. At present, apps exist that can send your scanned documents directly to your Dropbox or OneDrive, as well as translation apps that can scan a document in one language, translate the document into another language and then print or email a copy.

A variety of apps have been developed to date that bring efficiency and productivity into the office with a touch of the screen.

At Xeretec, we continually look at our product ranges to ensure we offer the best machines for business use. For example, Xerox® ConnectKey®-enabled MFPs come with a selection of apps to help users to improve their day-to-day printing and processes. The @Print by Xerox app is a free mobile cloud printing solution, which allows users to print from any mobile or network connected device to an MFP using a single email address – without IT support.

Alternatively, a QR (Quick Response) code app also exists which allows users to connect to an MFP with a simple scan of a QR code from their phone or tablet to print and scan documents.

Going beyond a simple mobile printing functionality, there is also an app which allows users to create automated workflows on their mobile devices to remotely control a Xerox MFP and transmit documents to fax, email, or cloud-hosted services – such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Camera capture capability also helps to square and straighten photos of documents taken with a mobile device.

Our own in-house software development team has created the Xeretec Support App Suite, which delivers immediate on-device support for your business. The nine apps help to simplify and speed up fault resolution while maximising user convenience and productivity for users of Xerox devices.

But this is just the beginning, with apps opening up the opportunity to streamline many untamed business processes. That’s where Xeretec’s in-house development team comes in. Unlike many MPS providers, we have the capability to create custom apps in house.

So if you have a need that you feel might be satisfied by an app, or if we spot an opportunity to improve your print solutions, we can put our team to work to develop an app specifically for your needs.

A leading managed print services firm has raised more than £8000 for local and national charities during 2017.

In Scotland, Xeretec which works throughout the UK and Ireland, opted not to send Christmas cards, and donated money to Age Scotland, presenting the charity with a cheque for £600 in Edinburgh last week.

Other charities to benefit from the team’s endeavours and donations from Xeretec included, Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice, Crohns and Colitis UK, Cantraybridge College, COPE Galway, Macmillan Cancer Support and WADE (Wokingham & District Association for the Elderly).
In one commendable personal achievement, by raffling a Formula 1 driver’s signed cap and various other activities, Xeretec employee Marta Gosson raised €45,000 to support a bereaved family whose father passed away during the Isle of Man TT Race.

Each year Xeretec teams up with three core charities to support them throughout the year with company fundraising initiatives, and this year’s charities were Age Scotland, Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice and COPE Galway.

Xeretec also encourages team members to embark on their own initiatives. Team initiatives included a 50-mile relay race, Dress up in Pink, the Alexander Devine Windsor Santa Dash, 24hr gaming broadcasted live on Twitch, The Nuts Challenge and a thrilling Trek up Mount Tukbal in Morocco.

Xeretec company initiatives included a golfing tournament for clients hosted at Sand Martins Golf Club, event tickets auction, office bake sales and dress down days. Inspired by the charity efforts during the year the directors also decided to donate their Christmas card budgets to charity.

Commenting on its charitable activities in 2017, Adam Gibbons, Xeretec’s Group Managing Director, said: “As a company with a growing nationwide footprint, we’re keen to support national and local charities. One of Xeretec’s core values is to share our success and give back to our local communities’ charitable causes. I applaud our team’s efforts and commitment to supporting causes this year, and their desire to have a positive impact on their communities.”

Its positive contribution to charities wasn’t the only success Xeretec enjoyed in 2017. It also acquired the Landscape Group, the UK’s most accreditedHP MPS and Solutions Specialist, in a move that creates a new managed print powerhouse. With a bigger team on board, Xeretec is looking forward to increasing its charitable efforts in the New Year and throughout 2018.

Pictured: (L-R) Sarah Randell Age Scotland, Head of Fundraising, Stacey Kitzinger Age Scotland Events and Community Fundraiser, Craig Hamilton and Susan Payne of Xeretec.

Five months after acquiring Landscape Group, Xeretec has already delivered on one of its acquisition promises – to appoint more staff to further support both businesses.

To that end, Xeretec Group has increased headcount by 39, bringing its total number of staff to 263.

The team expansion comes at the same time Xeretec has been the subject of a Vendor Profile analysis published by International Data Corporation (IDC). Entitled ‘Xeretec Builds on Landscape Group Takeover to Further Develop as Vendor-Specialist Tier 1 Player’*, IDC’s Vendor Profile reflects on Xeretec’s acquisition of Landscape Group, which signified a move towards a strategy that sees the company focus on Xerox and HP.

To enable it to realise its strategy successfully, the company has added ten sales staff to promote Xeretec’s digital print hardware, software and solutions offerings. A further 11 non-sales roles in Xeretec have been filled across analytics, helpdesk agents, site support and IT departments. Meanwhile, Landscape has added ten additional members to its sales team. It has also created a new Telesales-specific team, comprising eight new hires.

The appointments follow Xeretec’s industry-changing acquisition of the Landscape Group, in a move that has created a new managed print powerhouse. The acquisition brought together two of the biggest resellers of two of the world’s largest print brands – Xerox and HP – offering new and existing customers the expanded Group’s technical knowledge, toolsets, service capabilities and market expertise. The acquisition has created new employment opportunities across both businesses, while providing greater scope for Xeretec and Landscape employees to develop their career within a growing, secure, successful and dynamic organisation.

Commenting on the growing team, Steve Hawkins, Xeretec’s Chief Executive, said: “Growing the team was one of the most exciting aspects of the Landscape acquisition. I’m very pleased to see how quickly we’ve been able to scale the organisation and the team to match the increased amount of interest we’re now seeing from new and existing customers.”

Xeretec has 16 facilities across the UK and Ireland (including sales offices and operational facilities) and approximately 100 sales staff. Further to this, the Scotland and Southern organisation joined forces when they came together to operate as one entity in September 2017. Follow Xeretec on Twitter or follow its regularly updated series of print industry related blogs.

A leading managed print services firm is preparing to showcase its products during a tour of the Islands and Western Isles this week.

Xeretec which is a leading integrator of digital print hardware, software, solutions and services in the UK and Ireland, will start its Islands Road Show in Lerwick, Shetland on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday November 8th.

The tour will then move to Kirkwall, Orkney on Thursday 9th and Friday 10th November, before stopping off in Stornoway in the Western Isles on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th November.

The firm established its Inverness office in 2002, and first visited the Islands 15 years ago.
Today it supplies Xerox technology and print management solutions to a significant percentage of companies in the area, in sectors including solicitors, accountants, builders, manufacturers, shipping, fishing and tourism, leisure and local authorities.

Xeretec has seen its Highlands and Islands team increase from 10 to 21 employees, with staff now based in Inverness, Elgin, Caithness, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.

Regional Manager, Mark Lynam and Territory Manager, Andrew Lloyd, work together to ensure clients are given a personal service, visiting the Islands regularly to ensure that their print solutions are in line with their changing business requirements.

Local engineers from Xeretec are also based on the Islands to service devices, ensure fast response times and provide an efficient and reliable service all year round.

The firm will showcase a number of new devices during the road shows including the new Xerox AltaLink and Xerox VersaLink devices. The new portfolio transforms traditional printers into smart connected workplace assistants designed to meet the needs of the evolving workplace, complete with tablet-like touch screens, productivity boosting apps and state-of the-art security. The devices are also mobile and Cloud ready for extra convenience. The company will also be showcasing document management software to help people improve workflow in their business.

John Sheran, Group Service Delivery Director of Xeretec, said: “Xerox has had a presence on the Islands almost 40 years, and customer service is a top priority at Xeretec. We like to hold a roadshow in the Islands to allow our clients in the area to have firsthand experience of our new technology and solutions. We’d encourage companies to come and see us to find out why so many local businesses already deal with Xeretec.”

As the significant new data security regulation, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), comes into force in May 2018, Darren Bird, Head of Technology at Xeretec, explains how businesses can stay compliant.

Irrespective of how security conscious we have become in the digital era, the recent cyberattack on the NHS was a sobering reminder about the online vulnerabilities that all private and public sector organisations are still exposed to. Cyberattacks come in many forms, with many resulting in confidential data either being exposed or compromised.

But security breaches don’t just arise from large scale, high-profile attacks. Sometimes poor internal processes, or a lack of diligence, can result in a breach. In a bid to force companies to be even more proactive in their efforts to protect company and customer data, the EU has announced the GDPR will come into action in May of next year. In the case of a breach, the EU is warning of hefty fines of up to €20m, or 4% of a company’s annual worldwide turnover – whichever is greater.

Here are our recommendations to help avoid GDPR non-compliance:

Implement measures to keep your data safe

The primary objective of the GDPR is to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals within the EU. This will ensure all organisations provide a broader duty of care to their customers, to prevent their personal details and data from leaking, so it is crucial that businesses start to think about the security measures they will put in place to comply with the GDPR.

The EU specifies that personal data is “any information relating to an individual, whether it relates to his or her private, professional or public life. It can be anything from a name, a home address, a photo, an email address, bank details, posts on social networking websites, medical information, or a computer’s IP address.”

Don’t overlook print from a security perspective

In the context of document imaging and print, it’s well known that unprotected print devices can be a source of data leaks. Private data is still being left unclaimed on devices, even though solutions already exist to mitigate the risks. While May 2018 may seem some time away, now is the time for all organisations to start assessing how ready and able they are to comply with the GDPR. Xeretec ensures that all its clients’ print is secure and has vast experience helping businesses to understand the security vulnerabilities print exposes them to

Find print solutions to comply with GDPR

Xeretec can also provide intelligent print management solutions that enable IT administrators to set up automated workflows. These can detect if documents contain specific patterns relating to data, such as bank or credit card details, personal health information, or sensitive company data. It can then redact any, or all, instances of that pattern in a document. On top of that, it is sophisticated enough to flag up incidents of potential compliance violations to a company’s chief data, security or compliance officer, thereby acting as an early warning system ahead of a potential breach.

Having a secure print function is another way that businesses can help their print comply with the GDPR, as this only allows those authorised to release prints from a device via a secure PIN code or swipe card. This is a powerful way to stop unclaimed documents being left on devices and an effective measure to help prevent security breaches from occurring.

Combined, these solutions can help deliver the type of proactive security management that could easily halt the kinds of security breaches that the GDPR is trying to prevent, therefore helping businesses avoid paying severe fines.

Nowadays, large-scale cyber-attacks are a growing risk to networked devices posed by external hackers.

The recent ransomware attack on the NHS caused severe disruption to hospitals and GP surgeries across England and Scotland, highlighting the need for companies to take their cyber security seriously.

I recently considered the sort of risks that network devices pose internally. This week, I’m looking at the growing risk to networked devices posed by external hackers. Connected devices with web browsers are a great entry point to a company’s network and all the confidential customer and business data held within.

Whether your business is a major brand or an SME, the consequences can be the same – a direct impact to the business, customer concern over a breach of confidential data and an incalculable damage to customers trust in a brand, that can rock its reputation for years.

In my opinion, there is a reason why organisations place a lower priority on print security. Simply put, print as a business function is often overlooked. Companies have only recently started to wake up to the fact that unmanaged print can become a hidden – yet considerable – cost to an organisation.

If print costs are only starting to become a realisation for many companies, then it may take even longer for businesses to appreciate the security vulnerabilities that print and print devices can expose them to.

Another factor could be the fact that cyber security is typically viewed as being a computer or network problem. The data content of these systems are considered extremely valuable to hackers, but all it takes is an innocuous printer in the corner of the office to become a gateway to these robustly protected assets. Therefore, businesses need to realise that it is just as important to protect the potential gateway as it is to protect the assets that cybercriminals want to steal.

One of my concerns centres on whether businesses are simply unaware of the security risks that printers pose. I believe it is Xeretec’s role to ensure that print security is an integral part of our clients IT security policies. This is where our long history of working with clients in sectors where data confidentiality is vital, such as financial services, legal and healthcare, pays dividends.

My colleagues and I are able to apply our security knowledge and experience to ensure that print security is an integral part of a company’s overall security policy. We regularly work with clients to review their device security to ensure that it continues to be fit for purpose. As well as this, we’re able to offer a combined security system from Xerox and McAfee to protect devices against attacks and prevent threats to their confidential data.

Whilst no one knows what 2017 holds, one thing is for sure – hackers will remain as active as ever. Talk to Xeretec to ensure that your devices are as well protected as they can be against internal and external risks. Between us, we can make hackers lives harder whilst protecting your company’s data, brand and reputation.

For more information, contact your local account manager on 0750 000 4563.

Xeretec – Xerox’s largest MPS reseller – has acquired Landscape Group, the UK’s most accredited HP MPS and Solutions Specialist, in a move that creates a new managed print powerhouse.

The acquisition brings together two of the biggest resellers of two of the world’s largest print brands, offering new and existing customers the expanded Group’s technical knowledge, toolsets, service capabilities and market expertise.

In addition to uniting the companies’ skill sets, the customer experience is enhanced too, giving them access to an even broader range of advanced A4 and A3 multifunction devices from both Xerox and HP. Landscape brings with it exciting new service offerings, including HP’s Device as a Service (DaaS). This combines innovative devices, lifecycle services and HP’s expertise into an all-inclusive, HP-managed solution – with per-seat, per-month cost certainty for customers.

The companies share core values of customer care, transparency, service delivery, value for money and commitment to long-term relationships, benefitting new and existing customers alike. The companies expect the acquisition to drive additional customer demand and they are both recruiting now in order to upscale their sales and support operations, creating new employment opportunities across both businesses. The acquisition ensures greater scope for Xeretec and Landscape employees to develop their career within a growing, secure, successful and dynamic organisation.

Commenting on the acquisition, Steve Hawkins, Xeretec’s Chief Executive, said: “The game-changing acquisition of Landscape Group is a transformational moment for Xerox, HP, our customers and our staff. Xeretec will continue to consolidate and develop its longstanding commitment to the Xerox brand, building on its exceptional track record of success. This best-of-breed acquisition plays to the strengths of both respected brands and both resellers, while introducing new complementary HP devices and value-added services like DaaS to even more customers. With the potential it offers customers and staff, we are thrilled to see the Landscape Group become a Xeretec Group company, and we warmly welcome its team to the existing Xeretec family.”

Founded in 1996, the independently-owned Landscape Group’s engineers and sales team are specialists in the full range of HP printers and HP Managed Print Services. It is one of HP’s
Platinum Partners for Managed Print and it is also an HP Authorised Service Delivery Partner. Following the acquisition, the Landscape Group brand will remain and become a Xeretec Group company and it will continue to be based at its location in East Hampshire. To ensure consistency and assurance for its customers, all customer relationships, service and support will be served uninterrupted by the Landscape Group’s staff.

Speaking about the acquisition, David Smith, Landscape’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “This announcement represents a real milestone for our current and future customers, who are, without doubt, the most important part of any business. But it also brings new opportunities for our staff and partners. By combining Landscape’s 20 years plus of dedicated HP expertise, the scale and nationwide reach of Xeretec and HP’s impressive new entrance into the A3 MFP market place, customers now have an obvious route to investigate what a $50BN “new comer” can offer to enhance their IT infrastructure.”

George Brasher, Managing Director of HP in the UK & Ireland, added: “Landscape has been a highly valued HP partner for many years and we congratulate both companies on what is an exciting acquisition. It comes at a pivotal time for HP, as we set out to disrupt and reinvent the A3 copier space and provides the perfect foundation for Landscape to play a major and highly successful role in that.”

This in no way changes Xeretec’s core relationship with Xerox, and the acquisition of Landscape means the Xeretec Group with Xerox and HP in its portfolio is now even more favourably positioned to effectively meet the changing print needs of a diverse range of customers across multiple industries; scaling from SMEs to corporates, whether UK based or located overseas.

Follow Xeretec on Twitter or follow its regularly updated series of print industry related blogs.

A report from August 2016 stated that 76 per cent of IT practitioners had reported that their organisation has experienced loss or theft of company data over the past two years.

Does this figure reflect that data theft is simply now commonplace? Or does it highlight the need for companies to do more to minimise the risk of data breaches?

Upon reflection, I think it’s a mix of both. Minimising risk – especially from data breaches – is now a board-level concern, although it is far more difficult to establish to what extent it now filters down into proactive measures to protect against data breaches.

We live in an era where security is a dynamic risk and one that’s constantly evolving, so companies will always need to do more to keep ahead of the curve. Sadly, there is no magic strategy to end all security risks and it’s a job that requires constant attention, not least because cyber criminals are relentless in their efforts to capture confidential and valuable information.

Print infrastructure is, more often than not, one of the weak links in the security chain. Too often it is overlooked by IT professionals, resulting in networked devices being deployed and used without proper safeguards in place. An unsecure print infrastructure is vulnerable to both internal and external risks.

Internally, devices that do not have any secure print measures in place can give rise to situations where confidential documents are printed and left unclaimed on a device. In those scenarios, it’s all too easy for documents to be picked up by those unauthorised to view them. This can be particularly harmful; for instance, a HR team may print a confidential spreadsheet that shows employee salaries and leave it unclaimed on a device used by the sales team. Alternatively, a hospital department could print a patient record and leave it unclaimed on a device that’s accessible to the public, resulting in a serious breach of patient confidentiality.

To prevent such scenarios, we offer a range of Intelligent Print Management solutions that make print more transparent and accountable. Equitrac Print Management– among its many other features – offers access control by adding authentication at the printer to protect devices from unauthorised use of print, scan and fax functionalities. It also provides confidential printing with its authorised user-only, Follow-You print feature, which ensures that prints are only delivered into the right hands and negates the risk that confidential documents could go missing.

Many of our private sector clients, in industries such as financial services, are also required to honour specific regulation and compliance criteria around their customer data, meaning that they must consider their responsibilities in the context of their device and print security policies. The Information Commissioner’s Office applies pressure on companies to do so by imposing hefty fines to public and private sector organisations that have failed in their data privacy duties.

For more information about how to improve your document and data security, contact your local account manager on 0750 000 4563 or visit https://r1.dotmailer-pages.com/p/1HI3-3NL/why-document-security-is-important.