Case Studies
Canon Aids Relief Activities Following Philippines Typhoon
Dec 27, 2011 Typhoon Washi, which swept through the southern Philippines in December, has caused extensive damage due to record-setting heavy rainfall and landslides across the region.
We at Canon extend our heartfelt condolences to all those affected by this disaster and our thoughts go out to the victims and their families. continue reading...
Scan Directly To FTP Server With Canon imageFORMULA Document Scanner Products And Nocson EasyScanToFTP Software
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. – Canon U.S.A., a leader in digital imaging solutions, recently announced a new software solution from Nocson Collaborations, Inc. called EasyScanToFTP - a utility designed specifically for Canon imageFORMULA scanners that allows users to upload images directly to FTP servers. The EasyScanToFTP utility - available as a download from the Nocson website, was developed to make imageFORMULA scanners even more flexible in the office environment, where FTP servers are becoming increasingly prevalent. The EasyScanToFTP utility is optimized for quick and convenient operation, allowing users to store frequently visited FTP sites and connecting information.
Since the utility has been specifically designed for use with Canon imageFORMULA products, it integrates with Canon-developed technologies such as CapturePerfect and CaptureOnTouch, allowing users to quickly and efficiently scan documents and distribute them. This suite of options - in addition to other Nocson software such as EasyConnect, which sends image scans to a Microsoft SharePoint Server - integrates the imageFORMULA scanners to any workplace storage environments, including FTP sites, email distribution, local servers, and more. continue reading...
Canon Information Technology Services, Inc. Consona Knowledge Management
A rapidly increasing family of millions of U.S. consumers with Canon digital cameras, copiers, printers, fax machines, camcorders, calculators and binoculars all call the same place with their questions and problems— Canon ITS (CITS) in Chesapeake, Va.—at the current rate of 200,000 calls, 50,000 e-mails, and 1,000 letters per month.
It’s All About Customer Support
CITS was formed in 1998 by combining the customer call centers for Canon USA and Canon Computer Systems, Inc. into a single business unit that provides support to all customers who contact Canon. A wholly owned subsidiary of Canon USA, the Chesapeake facility is now the single call center for the entire United States and provides support services for all small office and consumer products. The mission of CITS is to maximize customer satisfaction and loyalty to the Canon brand by providing industry leading support.
More than 550 people occupy the CITS 60,000 square foot facility. CITS support representatives field over 200,000 calls per month on almost 500 inbound telephone lines along with 50,000 e-mails and as many as 1,000 letters per month. In all, they handle about 3 million customer phone and e-mail contacts per year. Support provided to Canon customers includes technical support, e-mail and web-based support, service dispatch and other repair referrals, dealer referrals, accessory and supply sales, and customer relations. If a customer living in the United States purchases one of Canon’s digital cameras, printers, or other consumer products and needs help, he or she calls CITS for assistance, where over 250 call support analysts are dedicated to providing the very best in technical support. continue reading...
Toward A New Theory of Innovation Management: A Case Study Comparing Canon, Inc. and Apple Computer, Inc.
Abstract
This paper argues that innovation can be best understood as an information process which is then concretized as a product that meets demand. Two very different firms, Canon Inc. and Apple Computer Inc., are used as case study illustrations. Innovation does not proceed through logical deduction, but rather is furthered by the use of metaphors and analogies. The bureaucratic and staid structures of the firm can be challenged and broken up to provide the space for innovations to emerge. The leader’s role in the innovating firm is as a catalyst and facilitator, not as an allknowing despot. The importance of innovations is not merely in the new product, but also the “ripple” effects of innovations which can propel the firm into a self-renewal process.
Keywords: Innovation management, High-technology, Case study.
1. Introduction
Increasingly, corporate competitive success is hinging upon the effective management of innovation. Innovation has been the object of considerable academic study from a variety of perspectives. However, innovations are usually considered as objects. We choose to look at innovation differently. For us, innovation is a process by which new information is created, and it is this information that is embodied in the product. To understand this process we conceptualize human beings not merely as information processors (Galbraith, 1973), but more importantly as information creators. Inherently, innovation is the process by which new information emerges and is concretized in a product that meets human needs1. The healthy firm is a negative-entropy system which constantly creates new structure in its struggle to survive and grow. continue reading...
Canon Solution: imageWARE Document Manager and imageWARE Scan Manager
General Overview
Casino and gaming establishments are primarily engaged in operating facilities that offer table wagering games along with other gambling activities, such as slot machines and sports betting. The operation of any casino is complex. From casino resorts to stand-alone casinos, there are many multifaceted departments that perform a multitude of tasks to make operations transparent to guests and/or players. Providing the best possible guest/player experience increases the casino’s chance of winning repeat business and customer retention. This is a key point to a casino’s strategy and success. It’s as important as its theme and service offerings.
A recent policy change made by the Nevada Gaming Commission and State Gaming Control Board now allows casinos to utilize electronic document management and content management systems to help automate, process, and store their cage documentation. Previously, casinos had to store such documentation in its original paper format for a minimum of five years. As a result, storage costs were extremely high for both large corporate-owned and small business-owned casinos alike. On average, Nevada casinos spend $1.5 million dollars a year to store their cage documentation either on- and/or off-site.
Customer Workflow and Issues
With such staggering documentation storage costs, a casino’s document retrieval procedures and expenses fare no better. Document retrieval is an important aspect of a casino’s audit procedures, and cage documents—such as winning tickets, ledger reports, and cash reports—must be made available to both internal and external auditors, many times on demand. These audits were very time-consuming for the customer (the owner of four separate Nevada casinos); each time one was performed the auditor would request a three-month period of work and then review each document, one at a time. Without on-demand access to cage documents, document retrieval was slow and became a laborious and costly task for casino staff to retrieve, particularly if the documents were stored at an off-site facility.
The customer understood what the impact of this change in policy meant for its casinos and how this change could reduce costs and improve processing associated with document storage and retrieval workflows. Given the average cost associated with storing cage documentation, the cost-savings from implementing an electronic document management system in each of the four casinos was anticipated to easily pay for itself within the first year. continue reading...
Canon Solution: imageWARE Document Manager and imageWARE Scan Manager
General Overview
Casino and gaming establishments are primarily engaged in operating facilities that offer table wagering games along with other gambling activities, such as slot machines and sports betting. The operation of any casino is complex. From casino resorts to stand-alone casinos, there are many multifaceted departments that perform a multitude of tasks to make operations transparent to guests and/or players. Providing the best possible guest/player experience increases the casino’s chance of winning repeat business and customer retention. This is a key point to a casino’s strategy and success. It’s as important as its theme and service offerings.
A recent policy change made by the Nevada Gaming Commission and State Gaming Control Board now allows casinos to utilize electronic document management and content management systems to help automate, process, and store their cage documentation. Previously, casinos had to store such documentation in its original paper format for a minimum of five years. As a result, storage costs were extremely high for both large corporate-owned and small business-owned casinos alike. On average, Nevada casinos spend $1.5 million dollars a year to store their cage documentation either on- and/or off-site.
Customer Workflow and Issues
With such staggering documentation storage costs, a casino’s document retrieval procedures and expenses fare no better. Document retrieval is an important aspect of a casino’s audit procedures, and cage documents—such as winning tickets, ledger reports, and cash reports—must be made available to both internal and external auditors, many times on demand. These audits were very time-consuming for the customer (the owner of four separate Nevada casinos); each time one was performed the auditor would request a three-month period of work and then review each document, one at a time. Without on-demand access to cage documents, document retrieval was slow and became a laborious and costly task for casino staff to retrieve, particularly if the documents were stored at an off-site facility.
The customer understood what the impact of this change in policy meant for its casinos and how this change could reduce costs and improve processing associated with document storage and retrieval workflows. Given the average cost associated with storing cage documentation, the cost-savings from implementing an electronic document management system in each of the four casinos was anticipated to easily pay for itself within the first year. continue reading...
Paperless Environment Facilitates Significant Growth for Leading Insurance and Financial Services Company
At Heffernan Insurance Brokers, a paperless environment is the rule rather than the exception. The Walnut Creek, California-based company, which specializes in commercial/private insurance and financial services, is ranked as the nation’s ninth largest privately held property/casualty agency by Insurance Journal magazine.*
Having experienced double-digit growth each year since its founding more than two decades ago, the company recognized the need for a technology infrastructure that could handle their workflows into the future.
“Synchronizing the flow of information between our headquarters and seven remote offices became increasingly difficult because of our rapid growth,” said Mr. John Petersen, Chief Information Officer of Heffernan Insurance Brokers. “Our business processes were heavily reliant upon paper-based applications, forms and original documentation. Freeing ourselves from the time-consuming shuffling of paper would enable us to maintain our exceptional
customer service levels and growth without a costlier increase in manpower.” continue reading...
Paperless Environment Facilitates Significant Growth for Leading Insurance and Financial Services Company
At Heffernan Insurance Brokers, a paperless environment is the rule rather than the exception. The Walnut Creek, California-based company, which specializes in commercial/private insurance and financial services, is ranked as the nation’s ninth largest privately held property/casualty agency by Insurance Journal magazine.*
Having experienced double-digit growth each year since its founding more than two decades ago, the company recognized the need for a technology infrastructure that could handle their workflows into the future.
“Synchronizing the flow of information between our headquarters and seven remote offices became increasingly difficult because of our rapid growth,” said Mr. John Petersen, Chief Information Officer of Heffernan Insurance Brokers. “Our business processes were heavily reliant upon paper-based applications, forms and original documentation. Freeing ourselves from the time-consuming shuffling of paper would enable us to maintain our exceptional
customer service levels and growth without a costlier increase in manpower.” continue reading...
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