Florida Community College at Jacksonville Leverages Sharp Open Systems Architecture to Get More Power at the Panel.

With Custom Solution, New Sharp Multifunctional Copiers Can Call For Service At the Touch of a Button

MAHWAH, N.J. -- Florida Community College at Jacksonville has installed a groundbreaking, personalized technology system that will keep copiers up and running longer as well as automate supply orders. Developed using Sharp's Open Systems Architecture (OSA) by Jacksonville-based Bennett's Business Systems, the system enables college employees to place service calls and reorder supplies right through the Sharp copier's touch screen, increasing efficiency and reducing downtime.

Faced by challenges that include student-employee attrition and more than 1,300 full- and part-time staff members working in multiple buildings, the college saw an opportunity to reduce underutilized copy machines because of unreported downtime. Jacksonville-based Bennett's Business Systems created personalized programs using Sharp Open Systems Architecture (Sharp OSA) that -- at the touch of a button on the copiers' LCD screen -- reports copier/printer/scanner service interruptions and reorders essential supplies including toner, waste toner and staples.

"Bennett's used Sharp OSA to create a unique program that will help us meet one of our college-wide initiatives to enhance institutional performance, accountability and investment capital," noted Larry Snell, Associate Vice President of Purchasing and Business Services, Florida Community College at Jacksonville. "By enabling college employees to report a multifunctional copier that needs attention, we will be able to monitor the networked copier fleet to optimize usage and plan for future needs."

As part of a larger effort to drive efficiencies and cut costs, the college will install and maintain 60 of Sharp's networked multifunctional peripherals (MFPs) that include printing, scanning and copying capabilities. The MFP models include the monochrome AR-M237, AR-M277, AR-M355, AR-M455, AR-M550 and AR-M620, which all have printing, copying and scanning capabilities. Additionally, the college is installing a MX-4501N for color copying, printing and scanning. All of these networked machines can be accessed by faculty members and support staff.

To improve efficiency, Bennett's is developing a program with Sharp OSA to help the college eliminate hard copy faxes. Using a college fax server program from XMediusFAX, employees will receive faxes to e-mail and send faxes either from their desktop or by scanning in a hard copy document on Sharp MFPs.

"At Bennett's, it's not about pushing hardware to our clients - we are building solutions that help our customers do business more efficiently and effectively," said Wes Benwick, CEO, Bennett's Business Systems. "Sharp Open Systems Architecture gave us the ability to offer the college something that no one else could - an actual solution tailored to their specific business problem that's flexible."

Personalized application development is helping Sharp dealers sell the right MFPs into any customer environment. "Custom applications are helping Sharp dealers win more accounts and provide better service their customers, and that is a win-win situation for all parties involved," said Ed McLaughlin, President, Sharp Document Solutions Company of America. "With Sharp OSA, the potential applications are limited only by a customer's imagination and we are giving our dealers innovative tools to help keep customers happy as needs evolve."

Sharp OSA

Sharp Open Systems Architecture is a development platform designed for seamless integration with network applications. Designed to deliver the power of customization to the customer, Sharp OSA allows users to leverage their back-end systems right from the MFP control panel. Sharp OSA leverages the inherent interoperability of Web services design to enable Sharp, its dealer network and ISV partners to better meet customer needs. Sharp OSA is available now for Sharp's AR-M models AR-M355, AR-M455, AR-M550, AR-M620 and AR-M700 as well as MX series models MX-2300, MX-2700, MX-3500, MX-3501, MX-4501, MX-5500, MX-6200 and MX-7000.

For more information about the complete line of Sharp document solution products, contact Sharp Document Solutions Company of America, Sharp Plaza, Mahwah, N.J. 07430, or call 800-BE-SHARP. For online product information, visit Sharp's Web site at sharpusa.com or sharpusa.com/documents.

Sharp Electronics Corporation is the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Sharp Corporation, a worldwide developer of one-of-a-kind home entertainment products, appliances, networked multifunctional office solutions, solar energy solutions and mobile communication and information tools. Leading brands include AQUOS[R] Liquid Crystal Televisions, 1-Bit[TM] digital audio products, SharpVision[R] projection products, Insight[R] Microwave Drawers, IMAGER[TM] digital multifunctional systems, and Notevision[R] multimedia projectors. For more information visit Sharp Electronics Corporation at www.sharpusa.com