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Office Scanning in the U.S. Market: A Multi-Client Study

Publication Date: October 2008
Service: Image Scanning Trends

Introduction

New Opportunities & Challenges for the Office Environment

Because of the proliferation of MFP devices in the office, the accessibility to scanning has increased. Awareness and use of the MFP scanner has increased because of the ease of integrated solutions and openness to share the device. As workflow solutions begin to play a greater role in the office environment, scanning and scanner technology are becoming vital elements for knowledge workers. The only question is, who will capture the capture market?

InfoTrends believes that a new market dynamic will emerge as customers place greater importance on scanning technology. MFP vendors will be presented with new opportunities to capture revenue streams from the distributed scanner market by enhancing scanning functions and solutions on their current devices. Stand-alone scanning vendors are also taking advantage of this shared approach and improved accessibility to scanning by developing networked scanners with large-screen displays, stealing some of the best scanner features of the MFP but delivering the product at an attractive price.

Opportunities for MFP Vendors

The convergence of scanning technologies into MFPs was once a check-off item because it was available. Now it can be an interesting differentiator for vendors, as well as a possible revenue generator.

In a recent InfoTrends study, 70% of respondents reported using MFPs for scanning in U.S. business environments. This number has risen significantly since our 2004 survey, when only 48% of respondents indicated using MFPs for scanning. Customer interest in utilizing the scanning function that is present in equipment they already use (and which is distributed around the office) is driving interest in this market. Revenue opportunities for MFP vendors with the right scanning solutions might easily be overlooked.

MFP scanning could continue to be used largely for low-volume or ad-hoc applications rather than high-volume applications, primarily because sharing a device with those who are copying and printing is not practical in a high-volume situation.

Opportunities for Scanner Vendors

Single-function scanner devices currently perform in a vastly superior manner to MFP devices. Single-function scanners often provide more robust and diversified paper handling, better image quality, and automatic adjustments, as
well as advanced flexibility to integrate with the software applications a company uses. Other attributes of single-function scanners, such as user conformity when scanning important documents and attentiveness to accurate and complete document capture, security, and privacy, will likely sway many companies to employ single-function scanners for use by a smaller pool of operators.

Interestingly, as the adoption of networked MFP scanning devices is becoming mainstream, scanner vendors are also entering the networked device market. Customers can now purchase a shared networked scanning device with more robust scanner features at one third of the price. These products have more features, similar to those of the MFP scanner (shared/networked, LCD touch front panel, solutions enabled/ integrated, etc.). These devices have the potential of shifting scanned pages from MFP networked devices because of accessibility and price.

Challenges for Both

Understanding customer’s current preferences for either technology – how, what, when, where, and at what price – is the most challenging obstacle for MFP and scanner vendors. InfoTrends’ new multi-client study, Office Scanning in the U.S. Market: A Multi-Client Study, will take an in-depth look at this evolving market. In the report, we will discuss the impact that changing customer needs are having on MFP and scanner vendors, as well as the resulting opportunities and challenges.

Project Objectives

• Understand the future and importance of scanning for the MFP and stand alone scanner markets
• Outline the key differentiators in scanning methods between MFPs and scanners
• See if traditional stand alone scans could be displaced by MFPs and, similarly, if MFP scans will be displaced by stand alone scanner devices
• Determine what customers are willing to pay or not pay for in scanning – gauge feature and function interest in a stand alone product or MFP for future products and the price they are willing to pay for those technologies
• Examine customers’ purchasing decisions and methods when scanning becomes a primary feature
• Evaluate what channels will be able to deliver these future technologies most effectively
• Determine what the market today is for electronic scans (page volumes) and what the scan forecast is for the future

Analysis & Project Deliverables

InfoTrends will conduct extensive analysis of the desk research, personal interviews, and structured survey to develop a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and issues related to scanning solutions. Clients will receive a combination of reports, presentation materials, and research data for senior management, product managers and planners, and sales and marketing executives. These materials will include:

• An executive summary that addresses key issues, findings, and overall recommendations
• A PowerPoint style report with text, charts, and graphs addressing the objectives of the study
• A set of presentation-style overheads for internal communication of the research results
• Market forecast with tables, charts, and assumptions
• Data tabulations

Getting Started

For more information on the study or to sign up as a participant, contact Scott Phinney at +1 , ext. 123 or via e-mail at . Early subscriber discounts are available until May 30, 2008. Clients that sign up early can also provide input and review of the structured surveys.