Transform Your Business with the Canon Business Services Department
Knowing how to run a business goes beyond owning the latest equipment – it’s about knowing how to optimise your processes and running them at maximum efficiency. But for many companies, making the change to be more efficient can sometimes be expensive and daunting in today’s complex landscape, especially if they were to do it alone.
That’s where our Canon Business Services (CBS) team comes in. As the specialist consultancy and outsourcing arm of Canon, CBS seeks to drive innovation in the way organisations manage their data and business processes, with the goal to make it a more efficient workplace.
We sat down with Mr Joseph Seetoh and Ms Wong Wei Ling, Operations Manager and Business Analyst of our CBS Department respectively, to delve into the ins and outs of CBS, as well as gain insight into the roles they play in today’s ever-changing business landscape.
Tell us, what is Canon Business Services all about?
Weiling: As the name suggests, CBS comprises the business services team. We manage the non-core business functions within an organisation, so our customer can focus on their core business drivers. We offer document outsourcing services, such as mailroom, print-room activities, marketing print management, and digital archiving.
In today’s digital age, many companies are looking to digitise their hard copy documents or processes – and they should, as it makes document handling so much more convenient and less time-consuming.
Joseph, myself and our team of specialised operators work together to help these companies with this transition. After understanding the customer’s vision and challenges, I will conduct site assessments to better understand the customer’s current processes and workflow. This may range from half an hour to three days, depending on the scope and extent, and assess what is required.
Joseph: Let’s take the example of a company’s mailroom. Perhaps they want to increase staff productivity and optimise their operations. In this case, the first that comes to their mind is reducing their manpower costs. Our challenge would be to assess how we can make up this difference with our expertise, processes and technology.
Weiling: A full-scale analysis of a mailroom can take up to three days. Once this is done, we will propose our recommendations to the customer together with our sales team. If the contract is awarded to Canon Business Services, I also act as the Project Manager who will handle the implementation and transition process in the initial months, before passing it over to Joseph and his team of specialised operators to manage the operation.
What would you say is the key to CBS?
Joseph: Building relationships is the key. We enjoy having informal conversations with our customers in an environment that they are comfortable in. Interestingly, it’s usually from these conversations that we realise that the customer has more undiscovered needs. We feel that our clients appreciate the open-door policy, which is what attracts them to CBS.
WeiLing: We also gain the clients’ trust through our continued presence. During the implementation stage, I am at the clients’ site almost every day. We continuously monitor and improve the operations. As each organisation is unique in each way, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all procedure that we apply to all our clients. Our onsite operations are designed to accommodate customer’s processes and business demands.
That being said, one of the main reasons that companies engage CBS is due to Canon’s commitment to quality service. With Canon, customers know that we are able to solve their problems in real-time. Just call us and we’ll be able to provide immediate support. Being accountable and contactable are also two key qualities we hope to embody.
What are some of the challenges that the CBS department faces?
Weiling: The primary challenge is to persuade our customers to accept our recommendations which, more often than not, involves changes that most people tend to resist. Many companies don’t see the need to outsource; they feel that they should keep certain processes in-house. To add on, they may also be wary of external parties accessing some of their most confidential documents.
Joseph: The decision to outsource must come from the top management of the company. However, such initiatives may not sit well with middle management or employees themselves. Therein lies the challenge of changing their mindsets. Besides assuring them that the planned changes will not render their jobs redundant, we also have to emphasise the importance of their role in the company and how they will also benefit from the new improved process. By assessing their skillsets and playing to each individuals’ strengths, we gently manage and encourage them to embrace these changes.
Do you have any advice for those looking to consider outsourcing?
Joseph: The world might be going digital, but at the end of the day, we still need the human touch to keep things going. Our primary role is to help our client’s business transform for the better and improve the efficiency of their processes. For us, the first step is to understand our clients better and see where our services fit in. Clients appreciate sincerity, so it’s important for us to be open and honest!
Weiling: After trust has been established, the next step is to focus on the transformation. Outsourcing is more than just cost-cutting. We help our customers with their non-core functions so they can be at the forefront of what they do best, instead of being bogged down by back-office issues.
Interested in streamlining your business processes? Work with our CBS department today – contact us for more information on the services that this department provides, and how it can benefit you and your company.
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