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February 15, 2012

From Justin Bateman:

It’s no secret that in this day and age, all we do is rush to do this, and hurry to do that. It’s hard to find time to sit back and relax. There is almost no time to even think about stopping and relaxing. It is important to consider that life is short, in the long run. It is also important to know that giving is one of the greatest things you can do in life. Whether you give a small donation, your time, or simply your thoughts and opinions to someone that is in need, it is always appreciated. There are times when you think “Hey, I could really use some help right now.” We have all crossed that bridge. Now that I am stepping down off my soap box, I am really excited to talk about the San Jacinto Texas Independence 5K Fun Run/Walk. Yes, it is a long title, but it has a great meaning behind it. All proceeds benefit Educational Programs. If you or anyone you know is interested in participating in this great opportunity to help our educational system, please visit http://www.active.com/running/la-porte-tx/san-jacinto-texas-independence-5k-fun-run-walk-2012?int=29-6 for the registration form. Office Systems of Texas is a proud sponsor of this event. The run will be held at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site and starts at 7:30am. The website will have any and all details pertaining to your question. Once again, it is important to slow down at times and consider what you can do to help others. The pay-off is better than you could ever imagine!!!!

February 6, 2012

From Kim DeHart:

Valentine’s Day. The day of love… of infatuation… of fingers crossed: I hope they like me back. Starting at a young age we’ve been programmed that you have to give something to the one you like in order to get something back, sending cards and candy to your classmates… Do you like me? Check yes or no. We learned the one with the best card and best candy would win, thus you had a “valentine” and would be in love forever… or at least for a few days!
As you grow older you say you grow out of those childish games, but, in reality it just becomes more expensive and more complicated to ask the same question. Will I get flowers this year? Will I get a giant box of chocolates? Will we go to a high class fancy restaurant tonight?
I feel as time and society progress and evolve, we forget how to use words to express ourselves and how we truly feel. You don’t show love with a box of chocolates and flowers. A price tag can’t show the magnitude of chemistry you feel with someone.
This year, don’t forget to tell the one you’re with, “I love you”, with actual words. Not just on February 14th, but every day.

January 27, 2012

From Kim DeHart:

Being an adult and contributing member of society, your schedule can get a little mundane and sometimes taxing. Go to work for 8 hours a day; drive home; cook dinner; clean the house; wash, dry and fold the laundry...Shower, sleep, repeat. Sound familiar?? But every now and then a wonderful thing happens and you hard work pays off. You earn VACATION TIME!!! Two of the most coveted words in the work place. Am I right?!

Recently, I had my turn; a whole week of vacation to spend as I pleased. My vacation destination: the Carnival Triumph! My roommate and I packed our bags and left out of Galveston and headed down to Progresso and Cozumel, Mexico on a 5 day cruise. We left all the worries of bills and work at home and enjoyed being waited on everywhere we went. No dishes, no cooking… I didn’t even have to make my bed!

In Progresso, we caught a glimpse of history, ancient history. I learned all about the Mayan’s and their culture, stood on sacred temple grounds and even saw where human sacrifices were made.

In Cozumel, we experienced marine life that I never thought I would. Kayaking and snorkeling in the crystal water was very relaxing. I saw dolphins up close and also statues placed by the Mayan’s on the ocean floor.

Vacation time was exactly what it should be… no cares, responsibilities or stress. Now it’s back to reality, but I know my hard work will pay off again soon enough!

January 6, 2012

From Mary Sheppard:

I have spent the past 32 years of my life caring for and providing most of my attention to my four children.

On Dec 26th my youngest son Daniel (25 years old) moved out.

I am now officially Empty Nested.

I truly enjoy being a Mom and I am very proud of my children. I am not sad that they are out of the house. I am not at a loss as to what to do with myself. On the contrary. I am celebrating!

Celebrating the success of my Children. They are finally independent. Paying their own way. Living their own lives the way they want. Isn’t this what we all want for our children?

Anyway, my children are happy and my husband and I are happy.

What I really like is that the house is in the same condition when I get home as when I left it in the morning .Life is good!

January 3, 2012

From Paula Diaz:

The Next Best Thing to Being There, The Telephone!

Despite our expanded use of email, Internet, and electric communications, we at OST still believe there is no substitute for one-on-one, person-to-person, real time voice communication. In fact, no business can long survive without a phone. At some point customers will want to talk with you, not just a machine. We want to provide Great Service and not just fast, but efficient as well. With this in mind we came up with a few tips to keep in mind for the next call your business makes. When placing a Service Call Request or Supply Order keep the following tips in mind.

  • Have your machine/equipment ID number on hand (this number is usually four digits and is located on a generic label on the front of the machine). If you can’t locate your ID number, a serial number will also work.
  • If you know your business has recently moved, please confirm that we have your current address.
  • We also recommend that you always have a back up toner cartridge (at least your most frequently used color), and (if applicable) a waste toner box/cartridge.
  • When placing a service call letting us know exactly what is wrong with your machine could help us find a solution to your problem and have you up and running promptly.
  • Keep in mind that all supply orders placed by 3pm Monday – Friday are shipped the same business day and delivered the next business day. Orders placed after 3pm are shipped out the next business day and delivered the following day (Ex: orders placed on Fri. at 3:15p are shipped out Mon., and delivered Tues.)
  • To better service you and others when picking up an order from OST, it’s always best to call in before and place your order. This way, waiting time will be minimal.
  • We strive to provide your business with great service and we hope these tips help doing business with us a more memorable experience. Thank You for helping us, help you.

    December 30, 2011

    From Angie Rodriguez:

    Clean the Planet

    Saving money and the planet while you work is hard to do. Konica Minolta and Energy Star have teamed up to save the planet and your wallet. All Konica Minolta machines are equipped with Energy Star which helps preserve our environment while still delivering the same quality performance. Konica Minolta products not only use less energy but also reduce copying and paper costs by printing double sided pages and powering down when not in use. Do your part in the fight to save the planet and make Konica Minolta your choice for all your printing needs.

    From Kim DeHart:

    Have a document that you need to quickly print from you mobile device? Konica Minolta now has a free app, PageScope Mobile, available through the iTunes market that will allow you to handle your document management on the go. Just as if from a desktop PC, PageScope Mobile allows you to browse your documents and print any item you select from your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, including emails and photos. This app quickly connects you to your Konica Minolta. How about the reverse? If you walking out the door and need to take documents with you, PageScope Mobile will also give you the ability to scan to your device via your Konica Minolta, making this app a must have.

    December 27, 2011

    From Caleb Anglin:

    Here are a few simple tips that will help improve your efficiency, by reducing the amount of time spent at your copier removing common avoidable jams. Always check all originals for staples & paper clips before placing documents in the document feeder. This action should not be performed above the machine because paper clips, along with staples, may fall into the machine. Remember any foreign object (staples, paperclips, pens...) introduced into the copier has the potential to cause severe and expensive damage to your office equipment. Also, if you are getting streaks or dark lines on your copies; and the lines end before reaching the edge of the paper; you can usually resolve the issue by cleaning the small strip of glass next to the main glass. Any dirt or debris no matter how small can cause copy quality issues. By following this advice you can increase the amount of time between your service calls and avoid having your machine un-necessarily down.

    December 21, 2011

    Why buying over the internet is risky.

    August 29, 2011

    From Bill de Alejandro:

    In our effort to maintain the highest quality of customer service, I have a few tips that can save down time when dealing with Konica Minolta, NEC, or Samsung products. I have been able to assist customers with some electronic “Hiccups” as I call them or odd issues with the operation of the machines with some very simple steps. The first thing I recommend doing when you experience an issue with the machine is to “REBOOT” the machine. This is done by Turning OFF the machine by the main power switch, also be aware that some machines have two power buttons or switches. After turning OFF the machine, I recommend that all the cables and cords going into the machine be unplugged. This includes the main power cord and any and all Network cable and phone or fax cords. Some of these cords and cables can be unplugged from the back or sides of the machine, or from the wall outlets or connectors, the main objective is to remove any and all electricity from the machine. Wait about 10 to 15 seconds, then plug only the power cord back into the machine or the wall outlet and turn ON the main power. Wait until the machine boots up and then reinsert all other cables, and remember that the phone or fax cord plugs into the “LINE” port, not the “TEL” port. This has resolved some problems and has minimized the time that the machine has been unproductive and has gotten the customer up and running in just a few short minutes. Until next time...

    Bill de Alejandro
    Office Systems of Texas

    August 4, 2011

    From Justin Bateman:

    With so much competition and advancements in the technological field, it may be stressful and strenuous when it comes to even considering an advancement in office printers and MFP’s. Konica Minolta, Samsung, and NEC are continuous in striving to deliver the most affordable and ergonomic models of office systems that can ONLY increase productivity and present your work in the most professional manner. Here at Office Systems of Texas, we firmly stand behind our product and the makers of our inventory.

    Being a technician and working in the field for almost 9 years, I have learned a great deal on proper maintenance and use of office systems (printers, faxes, and MFP’s.) Believe me, I know that there is a lot to learn about using and programming user settings to find what is best for your personal use. It is very important to find what works best for your company or department. Keeping costs low, while keep productivity up is extremely significant. I have been exposed to many different companies and offices, so I get to see the field from many different standpoints. It’s exciting when I help a customer shape what works best for their environment.

    “IN A JAM?”

    **TECH TIP**If I ever give one piece of advice on making your machine run at its tip-top performance, it is to invest in good quality paper. There are many different types out there, so it may be difficult to choose. From personal experience I have found that the Hammermill brand works quite well. I am not saying that it is the only superior brand out there, but I have had great results with using it. Talk to your local retailer to find what they recommend. Another tech tip that I would have to advise is always fan your paper out very well and inspect prior to loading. A folded piece of paper has a very hard time moving its way through the machine. There is a good chance that misloaded paper will jam, causing possible down time and parts replacement. Remember, the copies only end up as good as the paper you load. Thanks and happy printing.

    Justin Bateman
    Office Systems of Texas
    Service Supervisor

    May 24, 2011

    Konica Minolta’s Education Solutions Vertical Market saves the University of North Caroline’s Wilmington over $140,000 and reduced print by 65% over two semesters.

    UNCW’s existing copier and printer program was quickly growing out of control, with a yearly volume of over 15 million impressions. Since students and administrators had access to unlimited printing and copying, there was no accountability for printing and resources were being wasted. The UNCW library print lab alone estimated over 8,000 pounds of wasted paper each year. The existing mix and match copier program was also antiquated and limited users with black and white prints only. In addition, there was no effective way for faculty to print without going through departmental secretaries, which increased their workload and created lengthy turnaround times.

    With the help of a Konica Minolta dealer, UNCW was able to establish a cost-recovery system across campus that revamped their current system and helped save money and reduce print. UNCW replaced desktop printers with a combination of 147 C353 and C360 Konica Minolta bizhubs integrated with Pharos System’s Uniprint software to track, monitor, control and charge students/departments/professors for network printing and copying. Specifically, it allows the university to separate, charge and track students, departmental usage, as well as the hundreds of different fund numbers associated with state, trust and grant monies. One important aspect of this success was the capability of Pharos integrated with Konica Minolta MFPs to seamlessly connect to the university’s accounting system, Blackboard Transaction.

    With the Pharos/Konica Minolta solution in place, UNCW saved over $140,000 and reduced print by 65% over two semesters. They were also able to improve remote monitoring of MFPs by logging into any computer for diagnostics, technical support or to order supplies.

    May 6, 2011

    Here is an exciting success story from the Legal Solutions Vertical Market of Konica Minolta Business Solution.

    View this video testimonial from a Large Law Firm located in Midtown Manhattan.

    What issues was the law firm facing?
    In the video, Tom Cook, Reprographics Manager explains that the firm, with a staff of 600 attorneys, paralegals and other employees, allowed direct print to 50 satellite printers throughout the firm among 13 floors. Users began printing 300 – 400 page documents creating significant delays. For example, printing a 400 page document could take 45 minutes to begin printing. As you can imagine, the machines were frequently down, jammed, in need of toner, paper and service calls. In a law firm environment, any down time means attorneys were wasting precious time between floors trying to print their documents and not billing clients. The firm needed hardware that was faster, easy to use, could handle bigger print jobs, and required less maintenance. Any new products purchased needed to fit within the firm’s green initiatives and provide a high level of security as well.

    What Products & Solutions did we recommend?
    Based on our recommendations, Tom Cook agreed that the following equipment and solutions would meet the needs of the firm:

    • 18 bizhub PRO 950
    • Equitrac Professional Solutions Suite
    • Nuance Corporation’s eCopy

    What were the results?

    • Reduced printing costs between one and four cents per impression
    • Saved over $100,000 by printing tabs on the bizhub PRO 950\
    • Saved over $4,000 on total lease cost for the fleet
    • Saved $8,000 per copier by eliminating the need for external controllers
    • Reduced service calls from three per month to one every six weeks
    • Increased print impressions by 35 to 40 percent per copier
    • Reduced the number of staff needed to support and service the copier program
    • Established a printer controls and cost tracking system
    • Increased printer uptime, availability and improved overall user productivity
    • Enhanced the firm’s Green Initiatives
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