Canon, the imaging solutions provider, has announced an extension to its pan-European Partner Programme with the launch of a new Managed Print Services Accreditation scheme.
Building on Canon's Partner Programme, launched in early 2011, the new MPS Accreditation scheme will be rolled out across Europe in Q4 2012. The scheme has been developed to help identify and develop Canon's leading partners and demonstrate the high standards those partners are achieving in Managed Print service delivery, technology and customer care. Accreditation is assessed through a rigorous audit process managed independently by imaging research and consulting firm Photizo. Accreditation status lasts for 12 months.
The scheme allows Canon partners to take advantage of Canon's experience in the field of MPS. Canon's Partner Programme provides appropriate training and support to ensure Partners have the skills required to attain accreditation. This includes the development of a joint business plan with Canon to agree shared targets for the year, access to Canon's PartnerNet communications portal for marketing and sales support, as well as eligibility for the Canon Premier Partner Club, which rewards top performing partners with exclusive access to Canon Europe's management team.
Canon is already working with many of its partners across Europe, with five partners currently preparing for their first audit as part of the new Accreditation Standards. The defined criteria cover three key areas and are based on Canon's extensive experience delivering MPS across Europe:
- Service delivery & people – to validate that Canon partners have the capability to meet customer requirements and follow recognised service delivery standards and methods.
- Infrastructure & technology – to demonstrate that partners can clearly describe and document the services that they deliver to customers and the processes that they follow, as well as have a suite of tools in place to properly manage print on behalf of their customers.
- Business model & customer experience – to ensure that the right business metrics and objectives are in place within the business to ensure on-going investment and development to meet customer requirements, and that there is a way to validate customer's experience of the managed services delivered by the partner.
Marc Bory, Director, MPS & Solutions Sales, Canon Europe, comments: "The new MPS Accreditation scheme provides our partners with the opportunity to gain a competitive edge based on a significant and credible independent audit process. The strength of Canon's product portfolio, service delivery and independent recognition of our status as a Global Leader in MPS also provides assurance that our partners can deliver best in class managed services in what continues to be a challenging economic climate. The new scheme illustrates Canon's on-going commitment and support to its partners via its Partner Programme."
Ed Crowley, CEO & Founder of Photizo Group, comments: "Since its foundation, Photizo has been dedicated to providing high-level, un-biased assessments for the managed print services industry and developing a roadmap to success for our partners. We are excited to be chosen by Canon to provide the independent assessment of partner capability as part of the Canon Partner Accreditation programme."
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