Tokyo-based printer manufacturers roll out new showrooms to better engage resellers and customers.
Top: OKI Data Tokyo Showroom: LED Printer / MFP Introduction Corner
Brother Tokyo Showroom: Business Printing Solutions
It’s been a busy year in Tokyo for printer manufacturers that have enhanced their existing showrooms or opened new ones to showcase their latest printing technologies. In May, Brother reopened its Brother Tokyo Showroom, and Epson followed suit with the launch of its Epson Square Marunouchi, a showroom focused on solutions demonstrations in the Tokyo business district. In July, OKI Data opened the OKI Data Tokyo Showroom in an office building near its headquarters.
These printer manufacturers are opening these new showrooms in prime locations to strengthen their B2B business and demonstrate printer solutions. That’s in sharp contrast to the traditional copier manufacturers that are enhancing their showrooms to highlight production printers, not copiers or printers.
Because of miniaturization and enhanced network functions, printers are increasingly creating more opportunities for printer manufacturers to sell them in large quantities to resellers with clients like large-scale chain store organizations, hospitals, or schools. Besides, more printers can be installed in general offices and used at a lower cost than the traditional A3 laser MFPs marketed by the copier manufacturers.
These printer showrooms are not only for end customers but also for sales partners (namely, dealers) to train their salespeople. All three companies have dedicated sections of their exhibit areas to showcase different types of businesses and business environments.
Representatives from each of the companies described the purpose of their showrooms during press conferences for the opening of each space.
“To create an environment in which we can meet our business customers, we have renovated the Brother Tokyo Showroom to be reborn as a place to embody the B2B strategy,” said Tsutomu Mishima, president of Brother Sales. “To make it easier to create business ideas or solutions, the first floor, with its concept of Brother Printing Solutions, has been designed in a way that makes it easy to change layouts and move exhibited products around so that [sales partners] can use the space for business conferences and seminars.”
We heard a similar tune from Epson.
“”We would like to make Epson Square a place to not only show [our products], but let more customers create valuable experiences with Epson’s partners,” said Fuminori Suzumura, president of Epson Sales. “We want to [encourage] open innovation at Epson Square Marunouchi and encourage more collaboration and social engagement.”
Solidifying partnerships to solve business challenges is also a primary goal for OKI.
“This facility is necessary for OKI Data to cultivate and evolve industries or specific businesses,” said Junichiro Azuma, executive officer, general manager, Domestic Sales Division, at the opening press conference of the showroom. “It allows customers to experience the simplicity and compactness of OKI printers. Also, we want it to be a place for us to acquire new business together with our dealers by displaying exhibitions tailored to different types of businesses and business environments in the showroom.”
Brother Tokyo Showroom: Business Printing Solutions
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