CLOUD PRINT
Businesses of all sizes, SMEs included, must optimise their supply chains. They must meet growing demand and mitigate against ongoing disruptions and economic headwinds. “
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are responding to the growing demand by adopting and driving cloud technology. “Epson is the latest to announce that its label printers are cloud-connected, for example. Additionally, warehouse management system (WMS) providers are responding. Label printing is a critical function of such solutions, and all the leading WMS providers are moving to the cloud.” Paul adds that customer demands for cloud print solutions in labelling may continue to evolve in response to changing business needs and technological advancements. For example, supply chains cannot afford recalls anymore. “Cloud labelling and printing helps to shore up labelling and eliminate data errors,” he says. “Supply chains must be transparent. All participants in their supply chain need to see where products came from and where they are going to. Only cloud technology can deliver that completely.” Sustainability is another consideration, Paul adds. “Today’s consumers see themselves as catalysts for change,” he says. “More of them are intertwining sustainability into their purchase decisions, effectively forcing SMEs to implement and use sustainable business practices that meet or exceed customers’ expectations around environmental, social and governance,” he says. “As they look to meet these needs, SMEs will turn to cloud technology for their label printing operations and gain higher levels of overall supply chain sustainability, improve product traceability, dramatically reduce label errors and much more.”
the jump to cloud printing, in the office or for labels. “The prime barrier to cloud print adoption is a lack of awareness,” says Paul. “Small businesses don’t realise that cloud printing is as available as an app on your phone. It’s that easy! Cloud technology means that users can log in when and where they want to design, share and print supply chain labels. Businesses often think they need IT resources to implement cloud print technology, however this is not the case. “Another concern that we see is with data security. In fact, data is more secure when printing from the cloud than when printing from a business’ own network. Cloud-based solutions that are built on platforms like Microsoft Azure are architected to be the most flexible and secure cloud computing environments available today. Paul adds that some businesses also believe the cloud is expensive. “In fact, the opposite is the case,” he says. “Cloud reduces manpower hours, the burden on IT, and the need for extra PC and server hardware.” Arjan adds that while most SMEs are recognising the value of moving their operations to the cloud, many still need help with hurdles. “This can depend on the business sector and region,” he says. “Notably, concerns around security, maintenance and costs are burdening SMEs. “Added costs to a small business’ tech stack are always a concern to owners. However, moving to the cloud makes operations significantly more affordable for small businesses. Business owners need more awareness and education on the benefits of the cloud so that they are empowered to make decisions that will ultimately benefit them in the long run. SMEs who let concerns
Philip John category manager – office
konicaminolta.co.uk
Clearing barriers But that said, many SMEs have still not made
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