Lexmark, a global imaging solutions provider, launched some features in its Cloud Services offering to partners, including third-party device monitoring, an expanded and free premium app catalogue, and touchless print. Together, these new features allow partners to better and more efficiently serve their customers. Lexmark Cloud Fleet Management can now collect data from third-party devices.
Lexmark cloud-based device management makes it easy to configure Lexmark printers and keep them up to date with the latest recommended firmware. With Lexmark Cloud Fleet Management (CFM), Lexmark printers can be managed from anywhere in the world without the need to go on site or be on the same local network. With the current CFM enhancements, Lexmark partners can now collect data on their customers’ third-party networked printers, in addition to Lexmark devices.
On-site fleet management
“Third-party printer monitoring was the number one request from our partners using CFM,” said Brock Saladin, Lexmark Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer. “We are proud to offer this significant enhancement, which allows partners to remotely collect data from third-party as well as Lexmark devices, without having to go on site.”
During the global pandemic, we’ve seen the challenges of on-site fleet management"
“During the global pandemic, we’ve seen the challenges of on-site fleet management. In addition to being costly and time-consuming to deploy, and a hassle to service and reconfigure, partners have faced access issues and employee safety concerns. Lexmark CFM empowers partners to maintain the entire print infrastructure of their small and medium-size customers from one integrated tool,” Saladin added.
Premium app catalogue
Lexmark’s expanded premium app catalogue is now easier to use and free. The rich set of applications that enable Lexmark partners to better service managed devices in the cloud is now easier to access and even premium apps are free to partners. Now partners using CFM can easily deploy apps from their office at no cost and provide additional valuable services to customers.
Solution Composer, for example, allows the partner to automatically build a workflow specific to a customer’s needs, tailored around key industries. Scan to RightFax and Scan to SharePoint apps enable end to end integration, not just scan and drop. The Card Authentication app provides access control on customer devices, so users can access only those features approved by the customer.
Provide safer environment
“Lexmark designed these apps to enable our partners to bring customised workflow and other solutions to their customers, and now we are providing even the premium apps to our partners at no cost,” Saladin said. Touchless print enables customers to provide a safer environment.
As part of Lexmark Cloud Print Management and on-premise Lexmark Print Management, Lexmark partners can now offer their customers a touchless print feature to reduce contact with workplace surfaces - more critical than ever as customers seek to provide a safer, cleaner environment to their employees. Lexmark touchless print allows users to print jobs without ever touching the printer panel.
Cloud-based software
A user walks up to the printer, scans their badge to authenticate, and all jobs in the queue are automatically printed
A user walks up to the printer, scans their badge to authenticate, and all jobs in the queue are automatically printed. At the initial badge-in, a dialogue will pop up with a cancel button with a 3-second delay to cancel the print action if needed. This feature can be configured at the organisation level and is available with both LPM (premise-based) and CPM (cloud-based) print release products.
According to IDC, by 2021 one-third of companies with fewer than 500 employees will have adopted structured print and document management policies supported by cloud-based software. “The global pandemic has accelerated this trend and it is critical that we equip our partners to capture this growing demand,” Saladin said.
Printer identification information
“Lexmark will continue to update our cloud offerings - Cloud Print Management, Cloud Fleet Management and Cloud Connector - to enable our partners to deliver value-add function and differentiated experiences to their customers.”
Lexmark CFM captures select data, including printer identification information, supplies levels, page counts, and device and supplies status and alerts, using Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) from third-party printers. Lexmark CFM may be unable to capture data from some networked printers and may capture a reduced set of data from others.
