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The business environment has profoundly changed over the last few years. With quickly evolving technologies, increased competition and changing customer expectations, companies are pressured to undergo significant business transformation. Equally, it’s critical to overcome these challenges, stay competitive and drive success, now and in the future.

The need to transform – to rethink business and operating models – is no longer an option. Companies have to modernise their operations and integrate innovative technologies in order to stay relevant in the digital age. They need to be agile enough to anticipate challenges, seize opportunities and adapt quickly to market changes. Businesses also need to be future-ready so they can leverage existing and emerging technologies to deliver lasting value to their customers, staff and stakeholders.

Successful business transformation, however, is not easy. According to a 2023 McKinsey Global Survey, just 56% of organisations have achieved most or all of their transformation goals, and only 12% have sustained these goals for more than three years. The payoff is significant, though, with the 12% more likely to report above-average financial growth at twice the EBIT growth rate of their less successful peers. So how can you drive success?

Kyocera believes that successful business transformation hinges on these three key themes: speed, security and sustainability. Let’s explore them! 

 

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Part 1

Speed

Companies that want to change or improve their operations need to create value, fast. According to a CIO Journal survey, speed and agility are the top priorities that can help companies navigate the current market, geopolitical climate and economic conditions. In other words, to keep up with today’s fast-paced and continuously changing digital landscape, companies need to transform quickly to deliver consistent value in the market. This means moving fast on all fronts, from implementing new technologies and streamlining processes, to improving customer solutions and driving business revenue and growth.

Employees sit in a conference room at a desk. To keep up with the changing digital landscape, companies need to transform quickly.

Here are some ways you can use the technology to build a faster, more efficient and more agile business.

1. Digital document and print management

On average, each Australian office worker uses about 10,000 sheets of paper every year. This amounts to a lot of waste around the office, plus significant printing and storage costs. Also, the heavy use of paper and other physical documents require more time and manual handling, which can negatively impact operational productivity.

With companies now moving permanently to a hybrid working environment - where employees have the freedom to work from home, the office, or another remote location - there is a pressing need to digitally transform every aspect of the business. This involves moving documents into digital workflows, thereby significantly lessening the use of paper and other physical assets.

In a paperless or paper-lite office, digital comes first. Documents and files are stored in the cloud or an on-premise server, where they can be easily and securely accessed by employees. This reduces downtime, boosts productivity and allows you to be agile in the face of emerging challenges or opportunities

Working from home

With increased connectivity and changing expectations in the workforce, working from home is easier and in higher demand than ever. While employers may have traditionally assumed that workers are less productive at home, the pandemic has proven that employees can be up to 48% more productive in their own homes. Allowing employees the flexibility to work from home not only improves workplace productivity but also cultivates staff loyalty and reduces sick days and absenteeism. The key is to employ technologies that enable staff to work productively from anywhere. Content Services solutions allow employees to create, edit and share documents efficiently and securely, ensuring they always have access to the right information to do their jobs well. Enabling remote collaboration also encourages more diverse, strategic and innovative thinking as opposed to working in siloed, isolated teams. Plus, it gives employers critical visibility over every single process, and it’s easier for businesses to assess how they can improve operational efficiency.

Some of the benefits of a paperless or paper-lite environment include:

  • Reducing costs as you spend less on printing, storage and document management.
  • Centralising access to important company information that enables better team collaboration and version control
  • Saving significant time in filing, storing and searching for data or documents
  • Allowing more office space with less cabinets, files and stacks of used paper
  • Improving data security with greater control and visibility across user access, usage, transfer and sharing of digital documents
  • Becoming more environmentally friendly with little or no paper waste
A young woman shows an older woman something on a tablet. Both are laughing.

2. Simple and quick access to information

Hybrid work is the new norm in organisations across Australia and the globe. Even after the pandemic, employees are still opting to work from home or another remote location for at least part of their work week. Changes to federal legislation in Australia in June 2023 also gave many workers the right to request flexible work arrangements. This opens the door to increased diversity and accessibility within the workforce, from those with a disability or carer commitments to parents or older workers.

However, one of the biggest challenges that companies have with a distributed workforce is making sure everyone – no matter their location – is productive. Access to information, documents and applications is crucial for ensuring optimal output.

Technology plays an essential part in enabling a hybrid workplace. In particular, cloud-based solutions improve team collaboration through fast, simple and easy access to important information. Cloud solutions that can empower your  distributed workforce include:

  1. Cloud printing: this allows users to print easily and securely from any mobile device across a wireless network, doing away with cables, software, drivers and compatibility issues.
  2. Collaboration apps and tools: you can boost team productivity and communication across a distributed workforce through phone and video calls, instant messaging, file transfer and sharing, plus project management and coordination.
  3. Cloud storage:  securely store all data online to enable workers to access, share and work with digital documents and data from any location, across any device.
Close up of hands holding a tablet and a stylus. Simple and quick access to information is essential for business transformation.

3. AI and automation to streamline and speed up operations

No longer business buzzwords, AI and automation are essential technologies in organisations that seek to increase efficiency and agility. These tools can unlock significant benefits, from reducing manual tasks and streamlining workflows to enhancing scalability to meet future business expansion and growth opportunities.

In fact, a 2024 report from the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that with the rise of generative AI in recent years, 62% of Australian task hours at work could be automated using existing technology. This could increase to between 79 and 98% by 2030. Nor is the benefit limited to business productivity; it will also be felt by the Australian economy as a whole.

Robotic process automation (RPA)

Robotic process automation enables businesses to automate manual and repetitive tasks by using bots to gather and analyse information, and take specific actions based on the data. This removes human error and reduces management costs. At a glance, RPA can be used for the following:

  • Customer service: by automatically categorising and responding to queries, ensuring quick resolutions without the need for call transfers.
  • Completing sales orders: RPA reduces data entry duplication and errors by automating sales order processes, allowing sales representatives to focus on customer engagement rather than administrative tasks.
  • Payroll: you can simplify your payroll processing by automating data verification, timesheet validation and paycheck generation, minimising inaccuracies and delays.
  • Price comparison: RPA aids businesses in making informed purchasing decisions by automating price and product attribute comparisons across vendors to optimise resource procurement.
  • Storing customer information: you can organise customer data, while ensuring quick accessibility for employees and minimising manual data entry for improved accuracy.
  • Processing HR information: RPA enables you to streamline HR tasks by collecting, organising and storing employee data, allowing HR personnel to focus on strategic initiatives and employee development.

Working from home

With increased connectivity and changing expectations in the workforce, working from home is easier and in higher demand than ever. While employers may have traditionally assumed that workers are less productive at home, the pandemic has proven that employees can be up to 48% more productive in their own homes. Allowing employees the flexibility to work from home not only improves workplace productivity but also cultivates staff loyalty and reduces sick days and absenteeism. The key is to employ technologies that enable staff to work productively from anywhere. Content Services solutions allow employees to create, edit and share documents efficiently and securely, ensuring they always have access to the right information to do their jobs well. Enabling remote collaboration also encourages more diverse, strategic and innovative thinking as opposed to working in siloed, isolated teams. Plus, it gives employers critical visibility over every single process, and it’s easier for businesses to assess how they can improve operational efficiency.

Automated invoicing

According to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), the cost of manual invoicing is around $27-30 for a single paper or PDF invoice. Through automation, invoicing costs can go down to less than $10 per invoice, or even as low as $2.70 per invoice for some organisations. 

Automated invoicing replaces manual tasks like data entry, account reconciliation and ledger management. So it allows businesses to remove inefficient processes and save on resourcing costs. It also helps improve data accuracy, account visibility and security.

Working from home

With increased connectivity and changing expectations in the workforce, working from home is easier and in higher demand than ever. While employers may have traditionally assumed that workers are less productive at home, the pandemic has proven that employees can be up to 48% more productive in their own homes. Allowing employees the flexibility to work from home not only improves workplace productivity but also cultivates staff loyalty and reduces sick days and absenteeism. The key is to employ technologies that enable staff to work productively from anywhere. Content Services solutions allow employees to create, edit and share documents efficiently and securely, ensuring they always have access to the right information to do their jobs well. Enabling remote collaboration also encourages more diverse, strategic and innovative thinking as opposed to working in siloed, isolated teams. Plus, it gives employers critical visibility over every single process, and it’s easier for businesses to assess how they can improve operational efficiency.

Business process automation (BPA)

BPA involves automating more intricate business processes and functions beyond basic data management and record-keeping tasks. It typically employs advanced technologies and AI/Machine Learning (ML) capabilities to automate tasks related to operational efficiency rather than solely focusing on data analysis. Usually, RPA addresses event-triggered, essential processes crucial for business operations. Its primary aim is to augment human power within an organisation and help fulfil the diverse requirements of various stakeholders and decision-makers.

AI and automation technologies continue to evolve to help streamline and speed up operations. Here are some of the business process automation solutions that you can consider:

  • Cloud automation improves the overall efficiency of your business infrastructure by optimising resource allocation, enabling faster infrastructure provisioning, providing integration support and enhancing scalability to meet future demands.
  • Micro automation helps automate smaller, more specific tasks to streamline workflows and improve efficiency across multiple systems and complex processes.
  • Hyperautomation goes beyond just automating manual tasks. With advanced AI and Machine Learning capabilities, hyperautomation can improve performance by identifying process that can be automated, and perform the actual automation - removing the need for human intervention.
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Part 2

Security

Australian networks are regularly targeted by cyber criminals to compromise vital systems, steal sensitive data, conduct fraudulent or scamming activities and extract payments from ransomware victims. Almost 94,000 cyber security incidents were reported in 2022-23, according to the Australian Signals Directorate – around one report every six minutes.

With the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber attacks, security continues to be a significant challenge for many businesses. As companies digitally transform their operations, cybersecurity risks and threat exposure increase, particularly as employees work from different locations and use a growing number of devices to access online applications.

"As Australians integrate more technology into their lives and businesses, the number of possible weak points or vectors for malicious cyber actors to exploit – known as the attack surface – grows.”

- Australian Signals Directorate

As we’ve seen from high-profile data breaches in past years, the fallout of a cyber attack can be extensive and highly damaging. While the average cyber attack costs a business $276,000, the upper limit is much higher, with costs potentially running into the tens of millions due to ransom demands, fines or law suits. And that’s before calculating the damage it does to your company’s reputation and customer relationships.

If security is to be a top priority in organisations, business leaders need to implement holistic approaches that are regularly reviewed, tested and updated to stay abreast of the changing threat landscape.

Here are some steps to protect your business users, data and systems:

1. Conduct a cybersecurity audit

A security audit is a great first step in building a comprehensive and holistic strategy. It will help you identify and analyse security risks, threats and vulnerabilities across all digital assets, systems and devices. Understanding the risks can help your organisation determine which areas and measures to prioritise so you can prevent a costly data breach and other security incidents.

An audit also enables security teams to make more informed decisions, develop specific responses, evaluate the impact of possible incidents and take a holistic approach to organisational security.

2. Secure endpoints (including printers)

Multiple studies have found that 70% of data breaches originate from endpoints, which cyber criminals use as a backdoor to your company network and data. In other words, the devices that connect to your business network, such as laptops, mobiles and printers, are your biggest risk. And with the rise of hybrid working, there are more of these devices than ever.

Consequently, endpoint security has to be an integral part of a robust cybersecurity strategy. Here are some tips for getting started:

Working from home

With increased connectivity and changing expectations in the workforce, working from home is easier and in higher demand than ever. While employers may have traditionally assumed that workers are less productive at home, the pandemic has proven that employees can be up to 48% more productive in their own homes. Allowing employees the flexibility to work from home not only improves workplace productivity but also cultivates staff loyalty and reduces sick days and absenteeism. The key is to employ technologies that enable staff to work productively from anywhere. Content Services solutions allow employees to create, edit and share documents efficiently and securely, ensuring they always have access to the right information to do their jobs well. Enabling remote collaboration also encourages more diverse, strategic and innovative thinking as opposed to working in siloed, isolated teams. Plus, it gives employers critical visibility over every single process, and it’s easier for businesses to assess how they can improve operational efficiency.

  • Keep security software updated: ensure all devices accessing your network have the latest security software installed and regularly updated. This includes antivirus, anti-malware and firewall solutions to protect against evolving threats.
  • Define device usage policies: establish clear guidelines on which devices employees can use to access company networks and data. Enforce compliance with security standards and consider implementing measures like device encryption and remote data wiping for added protection.
  • Provide cybersecurity training: conduct regular training sessions to educate employees on cybersecurity best practices. Focus on topics such as identifying phishing attempts, safe browsing habits and recognising security threats to foster a culture of security awareness within the organisation.
  • Deploy Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): EDR solutions can actively monitor and respond to security threats across network endpoints. These tools analyse endpoint activities, detect suspicious behaviour and facilitate rapid incident response to mitigate potential risks.
  • Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): strengthen endpoint security by implementing MFA protocols for user authentication. Require additional verification methods beyond passwords, such as user IDs or one-time passcodes, to enhance access control and prevent unauthorised entry.

Protecting your print network

Companies place a lot of focus on enhancing security for mobiles, laptops and other similar devices. However, printers are often overlooked, even though they have the same vulnerabilities as other endpoints. If it’s been a while since you reviewed your print network security, then be sure to make it a priority. Here are some tactics to plug security gaps and address common print security threats:

  • Ensure all print devices have up-to-date firmware and are configured to adhere to your company’s security policies
  • Implement ‘follow me’ printing with the user properly identified through a secure ID card or code
  • Implement network authentication, data encryption and password access to all company printers
  • Conduct printer audits and regularly monitor print usage to identify any threats or breaches
  • Centralise print management so the correct security settings can be applied to every device
  • Document and communicate your print security policies to all staff

3. Enhance data security in the cloud

It is estimated that around 328.77 million terabytes of data are created each day. That’s a lot of data that we are generating, sharing, collecting and storing across various platforms, channels and devices.

For businesses, it’s a constant challenge to track, organise and protect these huge volumes of data. This is especially the case in the age of growing data privacy concerns and tightening government regulations.

As much of this digital information is stored in cloud applications, platforms and servers, it’s essential that you regularly review and improve your cloud data security, including: 

Data access

Being able to access data from any device or location may be convenient for employees, but it can be a continuous challenge for security teams. As part of your cloud data security, you need to control access by clearly defining and reviewing authorised users, the information they can access and the actions they can perform. It’s also important to authenticate or verify the identity of users logging into the network.

Data encryption

Securing your data goes beyond just controlling access. Your security team must also protect all data in its stored location, as well as while in transit, as information is sent, shared, uploaded or downloaded. Data encryption is another layer of security that ensures your information can only be understood by authorised personnel with the appropriate decryption key.

A young man taps his phone to a unlock a door.

Data backup

Storing data is one thing, but what happens if it gets lost – through human error, system failure or even a cybersecurity breach? Automatic data backups ensure that your business can easily recover and restore all information with minimal downtime or disruption in the event of data loss.

4. Create a security culture in your organisation

Very often, the success and resilience of your security posture hinges on your organisation’s security culture. That is, the norms, beliefs and values that support a strong security focus across an organisation. With a distributed workforce, it’s more important than ever for all employees who work across different locations, to be sensitive to cybersecurity risks as they arise.

Proper education and training are needed to develop a security culture. Leaders need to clearly document and communicate cybersecurity processes, policies and incident response procedures. This enables employees to not only be more conscious about their actions across platforms and devices, but also to identify and report any suspicious activity or potential security threats.

Working from home

With increased connectivity and changing expectations in the workforce, working from home is easier and in higher demand than ever. While employers may have traditionally assumed that workers are less productive at home, the pandemic has proven that employees can be up to 48% more productive in their own homes. Allowing employees the flexibility to work from home not only improves workplace productivity but also cultivates staff loyalty and reduces sick days and absenteeism. The key is to employ technologies that enable staff to work productively from anywhere. Content Services solutions allow employees to create, edit and share documents efficiently and securely, ensuring they always have access to the right information to do their jobs well. Enabling remote collaboration also encourages more diverse, strategic and innovative thinking as opposed to working in siloed, isolated teams. Plus, it gives employers critical visibility over every single process, and it’s easier for businesses to assess how they can improve operational efficiency.

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Part 3

Sustainability

With growing climate concerns and rising public and social pressure, companies are now implementing sustainable business practices across every aspect of business. 

The decision to go green makes good business sense too, delivering benefits such as reduced resource consumption and costs, better staff retention, improved company reputation and brand value, and increased customer loyalty.

According to a McKinsey report, organisations with sustainability initiatives experience an increase of 34% in customer loyalty, while PwC reports that 8 out of 10 people are happier to pay a 5% premium for sustainable goods.

So, how do you go about creating a more environmentally friendly business? We suggest starting with some quick wins in your immediate physical workplace and moving on to larger issues like your supply chain.

Here are some ways you can implement sustainable practices across the office:

Go paper-lite or paperless

As we mentioned in chapter 1, moving to a paperless or paper-lite office delivers multiple benefits to the workplace, from reducing costs and improving operational efficiency to saving office space and enhancing data security. From an environmental perspective, reducing your paper waste decreases deforestation and your carbon footprint.

A paperless office, however, won’t happen overnight. You may need to go ‘paper-lite’ first and balance the business need to still print and manage some paper documents with your overall impact on the environment. To help optimise your print and document environment, you should consider using a Managed Print Service to eliminate unnecessary waste and improve the sustainability of devices. 

Close up of hands holding a stylus in preparation to sign a digital document on a tablet.

Invest in an environmentally friendly printer

While paper is still a part of the business world, investing in an environmentally friendly printer is key to improving sustainability and reducing your company’s carbon footprint. To help you choose the right printer, here are some things you need to consider at each stage of your device’s lifecycle.

  • Design and manufacturing: Choose a printer that is manufactured using sustainable practices that consume less water and energy, including the use of renewable energy sources in their factories. Also, consider how the printer is made to ensure that it consists of durable and recyclable materials.
  • Print consumables: Print cartridges including toner and drums may need to be regularly replaced based on usage. This can create more waste around the office and become an environmental issue. So, look for a printer that uses recyclable print cartridges or other innovations to avoid waste and costly replacements. For instance, Kyocera’s multifunctional devices (MFDs) with unique long-life technology and separate toner and drum components were designed specifically to extend the lifespan of parts and reduce waste. This also results in significantly lower maintenance and ongoing costs. 
  • Energy consumption: Make sure you invest in energy-efficient printers with excellent energy compliance ratings, as well as standby and sleep mode to reduce power consumption.
  • End of life: Consider a printer with materials that can be repurposed or recycled, and make sure to dispose of your device wisely through certified recycling drop-off points. Some manufacturers even provide end of life disposal as a service to ensure that as much of your printer is recycled as possible.

Choose a sustainable partner

Addressing larger sustainability issues such as your supply chain can be overwhelming and take many years to fully implement. Thankfully, an increasing number of companies are choosing to share their sustainability efforts and provide better visibility of the environmental impact of their operations. This is making it easier to find and choose providers that share your commitment to sustainability and are taking tangible steps to improve their operations.

Kyocera, for instance, is committed to a sustainable future as outlined in our environmental policy. We develop products that are kind to the environment and meet the ISO 14001 environment certification requirements.

Two workers lean against a desk and look intently at a screen. Choosing sustainable partners is important in the modern business environment.

Our ECOSYS printers create less waste and have the lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) against comparable devices. In our manufacturing process, some of our efforts include using recycled materials in our devices, purified water in our factories and rooftop solar panels to reduce energy consumption.

Our passion and commitment to sustainability is also reflected in the way we work with our customers to help them achieve their CSR goals. One of our customers, Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS), is one of Australia’s largest community service organisations focusing specifically on the wellbeing of disadvantaged and at-risk youth. We helped YSAS consolidate their entire print fleet to be more cost-effective, efficient and environmentally friendly, such as by providing recyclable print consumables and energy-efficient devices.

“We wanted to partner with a company who actually cared about the environment and who was playing an active role in combatting climate change…Having a primary print partner like Kyocera means that everything is handled and we know we have someone we can trust.” 

- Chris Chen, IT Manager, Advocacy and Communication, YSAS

Working from home

With increased connectivity and changing expectations in the workforce, working from home is easier and in higher demand than ever. While employers may have traditionally assumed that workers are less productive at home, the pandemic has proven that employees can be up to 48% more productive in their own homes. Allowing employees the flexibility to work from home not only improves workplace productivity but also cultivates staff loyalty and reduces sick days and absenteeism. The key is to employ technologies that enable staff to work productively from anywhere. Content Services solutions allow employees to create, edit and share documents efficiently and securely, ensuring they always have access to the right information to do their jobs well. Enabling remote collaboration also encourages more diverse, strategic and innovative thinking as opposed to working in siloed, isolated teams. Plus, it gives employers critical visibility over every single process, and it’s easier for businesses to assess how they can improve operational efficiency.

Three workers stand at a colleague's desk and speak to him.

Conclusion

The need for business transformation is essential to all organisations looking to improve efficiency, remain competitive in the market and meet customer expectations.

Speed, security and sustainability are three of the key ways that businesses are transforming their operations to meet the demands of the evolving modern business environment. Each plays a vital role in helping organisations adapt to changes, overcome challenges, seize new opportunities and ensure ongoing business success.