Canon's COPYBlue MEAP Kiosk Offers 'Do-It-Yourself' Biz Center Services
Providing storefront and hospitality businesses with an opportunity to generate additional revenue from copying, scanning and faxing, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in advanced digital imaging and software solutions, and GBCblue, a recognized leader in guest computing technology and support services, announce availability of the new COPYblue MEAP Version 2.1 solution for select Canon imageRUNNER multifunctional products (MFPs).
The new COPYblue MEAP application transforms a Canon imageRUNNER MFP into a self-service kiosk for walk-up copy, fax and scanning by acting as an interface to access a back-end transaction server managed by GBCblue. MEAP (Multifunctional Embedded Application Platform) is Canon's proprietary embedded platform that allows for the creation of custom applications that simplify the interaction between users and Canon products.
Developed for public environments such as convention centers, libraries, hotels and airports, among others, the COPYblue system provides business center services to clients without the need for a dedicated on-site staff. An easy-to-use application, the user is prompted through the imageRUNNER touch screen panel with simple, step-by-step instructions to complete their desired functionality. Accepting all major credit cards as well as prepaid cards, users can simply walk up and swipe their card to make copies and send faxes or e-mails. Receipt printing is also available at the end of the session, providing the customer with a detailed breakdown of their transaction(s).
By implementing the COPYblue system into their environments, customers are able to provide their guests and clients a convenient and easy method to make copies and send faxes/e-mail, while also creating an additional revenue stream.
Omni provides guests with business services
Omni Hotels, a prominent luxury hotel chain, has deployed this system throughout most of its properties, providing hotel guests with unattended, around-the-clock access to such fundamental business services as printing, faxing, copying and scanning, which can all be accomplished with the simple swipe of a credit card. "A great deal of business travel is focused on showcasing the company, pushing forward initiatives, and producing results. As a destination of business leaders, Omni Hotels employs corporate-grade business center solutions to ensure our guests have the resources they need to be successful while out of the office. The COPYblue solution enables Omni Hotels to offer guests an entirely new class of service that is uniquely suited to the needs of our corporate guests," says Kerry Kennedy, vice president e-commerce of Omni Hotels.
Further enhancing the ease-of-use for those environments that utilize a Canon imageRUNNER MFP with the new COPYblue MEAP Version 2.1, GBCblue monitors both the application and the device itself through an off-site, back-end server, enabling them to proactively discover and resolve potential issues, both hardware and software related, while also processing all transactions and providing the device administrator with detailed reports.
COPYblue MEAP Version 2.1 solution is available immediately through Authorized Canon Dealers. Canon U.S.A. will leverage its Professional Services organization for implementing the software and facilitating the registration of the software with GBCblue's back end transaction processing server.