Multi-function printer and print management for GRAWE

Future-proof printing solutions from a single source

Grazer Wechselseitige Versicherung AG (GRAWE), since it was first founded by Archduke Johann of Austria in 1828, has grown from the original fire insurance company to an international conglomerate spanning Central, Eastern and Southern Europe that brings together insurance companies, property companies and financial services under a single roof.

The long-established company is increasingly driving the digitalisation of processes and documents in line with client and advisor needs and has most recently introduced solutions for collaborative working. In its drive to introduce a modern and efficiently used fleet of multi-functional printing systems and central print management in its general and provincial headquarters, GRAWE has chosen printing solutions from Konica Minolta. The goal was to reduce the number of printers and at the same time upgrade the functions of the devices, for example for simple scanning. Together with the insurance company, the specialist for digital workplaces evaluated which printers best fit GRAWE‘s needs and how many devices were required at which locations. After that, Konica Minolta supplied the appropriate equipment. Meanwhile, GRAWE uses bizhub i-Series C4050i, C250i, C300i and C360i multi-functional systems and Dispatcher Paragon for central management of the printers. The tool ensures, for example, through user management with Follow-Me-Print, that no confidential documents are left openly in a printer. The insurance company thus uses future-proof hardware and software solutions for first-class printing - supplied from a single source by Konica Minolta.

„We had the goal of renewing our print infrastructure with future-proof solutions. With Konica Minolta, we have found the ideal supplier for our requirements, one who provides both the printing systems and the corresponding management solution. We are particularly pleased that Konica Minolta‘s support is directly on site in Graz. This means we can coordinate with each other in an easy direct way and receive deliveries even faster. This was a decisive plus point for Konica Minolta.“

Johann Kügerl

IT Services Officer GRAWE

Konica Minolta solutions simplify printer management and use at GRAWE

GRAWE has already been using printing solutions from Konica Minolta in its general management section in Graz and in its provincial head offices since 2015. Until then, the company had had numerous printers from
different suppliers in operation. These were primarily single-user printers for the staff. The possibility to centrally manage all the devices did not exist at that time, as some printers were directly connected to the PC and others were managed by IT. “We wanted to simplify this with central print management and increase security. The number of printers also needed to be reduced overall, but the devices were to be upgraded in terms of functions, such as scanning, as well,” explains Johann Kügerl, IT Services Officer from GRAWE. Within the framework of a call for tenders, GRAWE therefore looked for a new provider who could deliver both hardware and software.

The choice fell on Konica Minolta. The company has many years of experience with printing solutions. Kügerl says of the decision: “We had the goal of renewing our print infrastructure with future-proof solutions. With Konica Minolta, we have found the ideal supplier for our requirements, one who provides both the printing systems and the corresponding management solution. We are particularly pleased that Konica Minolta’s support is directly on site in Graz. This means we can coordinate with each other in an easy direct way and receive deliveries even faster. This was a decisive plus point for Konica Minolta.”

Joint analysis leads to the ideal Konica Minolta solution

GRAWE and Konica Minolta then conducted a joint analysis of the current situation. For Konica Minolta, the specialist in digital workstations, the exact determination of requirements is part of the standard process to find the right solution. “Konica Minolta was involved in the modernisation process from the beginning and advised us well. We found the most efficient solution together,” recalls Markus Scherr, IT Services Officer at GRAWE. To do this, the partners conducted a joint audit with GRAWE’s department heads: the aim was to evaluate the specific need for hardware and functions and to jointly find the best solution for the distribution of printing systems on the insurance
company’s premises. Konica Minolta then delivered and installed the first multi-function printers. For print management, Konica Minolta initially provided the YSoft SafeQ solution. Print jobs have since been sent to the central printers, where they remain on hold until users authenticate themselves at the printer. Scherr explains: “This system took off very quickly and colleagues were very happy with the switch to Konica Minolta’s modern printing systems.”

In 2021, after six years of use, GRAWE and Konica Minolta carried out an update of the printing infrastructure: as part of this, the Dispatcher Paragon print management solution was implemented at
GRAWE in July 2021. User management enables the IT department of the Graz-based group to create and assign users, among other things: thanks to the Follow-Me-Print principle, GRAWE specifies that documents can only be printed after prior authentication at the device. “For an insurance company that regularly works with sensitive personal data, Dispatcher Paragon therefore contributes to a significant increase in security,” says Scherr. The tool controls all users centrally at the insurance company and facilitates their simple administration. With the scan-to-mail function, employees can also transfer scanned documents directly into an e-mail and send them conveniently.

GRAWE also uses Dispatcher Paragon for sustainable and resource-saving printing. For example, the insurance company has defined printing rules in the tool itself and specified that default printing of documents should be in black and white and double-sided. “We have already been able to noticeably reduce our toner consumption,” Scherr is pleased to say, and already offers an outlook: “In the future, we also want to use Dispatcher Paragon’s reporting functions for even more efficient use of the printers.” In addition to extensive reporting options, such as management reports, the solution also offers budget functions, for example for assigning cost centres or for billing.

The hardware is also currently being brought up to date again: in the course of an ongoing roll-out, GRAWE is now using the multi-functional printing systems C4050i, C250i, C300i and C360i from the Konica Minolta bizhub i-Series. The multi-function printers have a wide range of functions. For example, all devices offer employees the option to print, copy and scan documents. There is also a 10.1-inch display for easy operation on the device. In addition to Dispatcher Paragon’s security features, the printing
systems also have built-in security technologies. The devices’ sustainability functions, such as sleep mode or ECO Print for dimming the display lighting, also provide for reduced energy consumption and energy costs.

Future-proof printing solutions from Konica Minolta

At the moment, the last devices are still being replaced in GRAWE’s provincial head offices. “The update of our fleet is on schedule for completion in the coming year. We are finding that the new solutions deliver even
stronger performance. At the same time, managing the printers has become much easier for us. With the state-of-the-art printing systems and the Dispatcher Paragon print management solution, we see ourselves as being perfectly positioned for the future. With Konica Minolta we have the right partner by our side who can offer solutions from a single source,” Scherr summarises.

„Konica Minolta was involved in the modernisation process from the beginning and advised us well. We found the most efficient solution together. For an insurance company that regularly works with sensitive personal data, Dispatcher Paragon therefore contributes to a significant increase in security.”

Markus Scherr

IT Services Officer GRAWE

Challenge

Central management of all printers
Adjustment of the print setup for optimised use:
- extension of the functions of the devices, such as the possibility of scanning
- Reduction in the number of devices
Ensuring that documents containing confidential information cannot be viewed by unauthorised person

Solution

Roll-out of Konica Minolta bizhub i-Series multi-function printers (C4050i, C250i, C300i, C360i) at central locations within departments
Close consultation with Konica Minolta even during the analysis process for the best distribution and selection of printers in the departments
Dispatcher Paragon print management solution from Konica Minolta
- User management, authentication management and Follow-Me Print:
  - easy creation of users in the tool to assign print jobs. The printer starts only to carry out a job after the user has been authenticated at the machine.
  - Management of all users in the tool
- Definition of printing rules: printouts are double-sided and in black and white by default

Benefits

More efficient use of printers
Upgrade of the printers’ functions
Significant improvement in security