Digicom announces 30 new Dublin jobs

Press Release

Thursday, 2nd November, 2017 – Leading Irish office technology firm Digicom today announced the creation of 30 new jobs over the next three years on the back of a strong pipeline in the burgeoning commercial office market which has seen more than €520 million in new lettings in the first nine months of 2017 alone.

Established by current Managing Director Greg Clarke in 1997, Digicom is a market leader in the provision of managed print services, audio visual solutions and support services with partners located across the globe. The company this week marked its 20^th year in business and is undertaking several significant projects in Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe. It currently employs more than 40 people.

The recruitment drive has already begun and the roles will be based at its head office in Ballymount, Dublin. The new positions which are being created will work within the tech and support unit for Digicom. They include project managers, technical engineers, sales, programmers, cad drawers and trainees.

Digicom MD, Greg Clarke, stated: “We are delighted to announce these new positions in Dublin which marks a significant growth in our Irish-owned company over the last 20 years.

“We take pride in providing best-in-class print and audio-visual services and support. As independent consultants, we work closely with our clients to ensure they get the most effective technology option for their needs.

“The digital workplace is rapidly evolving. There is a huge search for talent and the way to attain and retain that talent is investment in the latest technology. The millennials that are entering the workplace, and increasingly maturing into decision-making roles, want their technology at work to be the latest available and  seamlessly integrate into their work and personal lives. For many employers, the technology in their office is as important an incentive as anything else – it is mission critical.

“Brexit is almost upon us but this will bring a wealth of opportunities to our shores. With UK and European companies hoping to relocate to Ireland, Digicom is particularly well-placed to meet the growing demand for commercial space. Similarly, companies who are based in Dublin are expanding into EMEA and they want to have a knowledgeable safe pair of hands from people who have looked after them in Ireland.”

Digicom recently completed a substantial project for global medical devices firm Teleflex which employs over 250 people in Athlone.  The Irish facility services other Teleflex operations across three continents and reliable, state-of-the-art technology is critical for this. The company also includes Mazars, IBEC, SMBC and Ardagh Glass in its impressive list of clients. Recently, Digicom worked on projects with Zurich in the Isle of Man and Bank of Ireland in London and Bristol.

On the 9^th of November, Digicom will host an event in the CHQ building entitled “Office of the Future”, inviting the public and their clients to experience the world of unified communications and talk to professionals for advice on how to improve your workplace.

Digicom has partnered with the best manufacturers to bring you the latest technologies and solutions for business such as Crestron, Sony, Polycom, Samsung and Ricoh.

For more information or to register, please log on to http://digicomold.local/digicom-tech-expo-09-nov/

Teleflex partners with Digicom and Polycom to enable global digital transformation

Digicom worked with Teleflex to design a solution that would fit the new building and that would focus on the end-user and be easy to use.

The complete AV solution also included digital signage and a video wall.  In addition to the design and installation, Digicom have set up a support team for Teleflex and provide ongoing help and expertise.

The Digicom solution includes:

• Skype for Business integration
• Polycom® RealPresence Trio™ huddle device
• RealPresence Media Align
• RealPresence Centro and Group Series

Watch the short video showcasing the integrated Digicom solution for Teleflex:

More information on Polycom® RealPresence Trio™ here

Contact us to get a quote today:

Event: “Office of the Future: Empowering Digital Workplaces” at CHQ, Dublin on 09 Nov 2017

Office of the Future: Empowering Digital Workplaces

Don’t miss this special event organised by Digicom at the CHQ building, IFSC, on Thursday 09 November (from noon to 7pm).  Experience the world of unified communications and talk to professionals for advice on how to improve your workplace.

Click here for further details

Video Conferencing at Ibec | Polycom solution

Watch the short case study video.

Link to the written version of the Ibec case study here.

The Connected Workplace: Unlocking the Potential with Samsung Print

The way we work today is changing and our workplaces are having to adapt to the ever increasing demand for mobility. Mobile devices and cloud based productivity apps mean that employees are connected to their tasks and colleagues no matter where they are or what time of day it is. At the same time, businesses are embracing big data, and trying to figure out how they can integrate the Internet of Things into the workplace in order to improve productivity,
performance, customer interactions, critical decisions and revenue generation.

Becoming the Connected Workplace

Transforming an office into a Connected Workplace has moved on from the days of Bring Your Own Device and into the unlocking of staff potential. Successful IT teams will not just support, but anticipate the various applications and service needs as well as the devices to support the business requirements. Remote working, which has been one of the most successful trends over recent years, will be replaced with smart offices that will act more like creative villages to make staff more productive, healthier and happier. Innovative tech companies such as Google and Facebook are leading the way with this by building offices that bring their people together in a more innovating and effective way. By harnessing the power of the cloud and the internet, the Connected Workplace means that not only will your office be able to recognise that you are heading to work, through your mobile phone, smart watch or even your in-car system, but it will be able to get you completely set up for the day. The office will automatically turn on your desktop computer, inform you of your schedule for the day, and print off any documents you have been updating while working remotely.

Everything Can Be Connected

The ability to connect any number of things and applications together to improve productivity is round the corner and one area undergoing major change to be part of the Connected Workplace is printing. Whilst print does still remain a necessity for many businesses, particularly large enterprises, documents are undergoing a digital transformation from traditional paper to files displayed on-screen, on mobile devices, and shared by cloud services. At Samsung Print, we are seeing a huge demand from our customers and are working with a number of specialists such as Danwood who have already embraced this. Working closely with Samsung they are able to provide a consultative approach to the customer, blending decades of managed print experience with the ability to deliver digital convergence across screens, mobiles and tablet devices. Today’s mobile approach means that it is increasingly important that employees are able to print from any device they are working from. It’s also crucial to be able to scan physical documents into digital versions directly so that they are available on mobile devices via the cloud. Cloud printing including Cloud Connector for Samsung printers, and MFPs is an innovative mobile printing tool, which lets business users manage their print operation from any device, at any time and from wherever they are. Working closely with Samsung, partners are able to help clients rethink their approach to print and introduce them to the connected workplace in order to unlock the potential from digitalisation, mobility and the cloud.

The Connected Workplace

Smart technology is empowering the rebirth and rejuvenation of the office, making it an environment where we will be happy to work. The Connected Workplace will allow employees to communicate intuitively, face-to-face, to consult and collaborate to solve the increasingly complex work situations. As we see more innovation, such as smart systems that can handle the masses of data and scheduling that makes a modern office run smoothing, we will see less stresses and less overworked workforce. In return we will see happy, positive employees who have time to be more creative and productive, which will ultimately benefit the business. For more info on the Samsung Connected Workplace please call Digicom on 01 4600022

Digital pivot pays dividend

Greg Clarke tells Sean Gallagher how he swapped fruit and veg, and fax machines for high-tech office success

Not very long ago, having a fax machine was seen as being ahead of the curve when it came to using technology in business. Today, faxes have largely been replaced by photocopiers with integrated scanners that speed up the transfer of documents while eliminating waste and reducing costs.

Similarly, advances in video conferencing have greatly reduced the time and cost associated with staff having to travel to face-to-face meetings with other colleagues or customers located in different parts of the country or indeed the world.

One company at the forefront of helping firms keep up to date with such advances is Dublin-based Digicom. Set up in 1997, it employs 36 and has an annual turnover of more than €8m.

“Our business can largely be divided into two main areas,” says managing director, Greg Clarke at the company’s headquarters in Dublin. “Firstly, we specialise in office print technology which includes supplying, installing and servicing everything from printers, and photocopiers to scanners and document management systems and software. These take care of the needs associated with running a modern office facility from capturing and importing documents to managing, storing, indexing, archiving and delivering documents throughout an entire organisation. We also provide security systems that protect these documents against unauthorised access.”

Greg then points to recent research that shows that workers can spend up to 20pc of their time filing or searching through paper documents. They can also spend as many as 10 hours a week searching for documents that were incorrectly filed or recreating misplaced ones.

“By implementing document management in a digital format, employees can now instantly retrieve documents within a digital repository through a simple search function that allows companies allocate a lot more time to using information and a lot less time trying to find it,” he says.

“The second part of our business involves the supply, installation and servicing of all things audio visual from large format LCD displays used for video conferencing and unified communications to digital signage and digital room booking systems,” Greg says.

His customer base includes large firms in the finance, tech, professional services and pharma sectors, such as Bank of Ireland, Northern Trust, HP, Indeed, Matheson, William Fry, Mazars and MSD. In addition, he works with a variety of local government clients including Cork County Hall and Roscommon County Council as well as a wide variety of small and medium-sized businesses.

“While most of our work is in Ireland, we also carry out work abroad, primarily in the UK and Europe, and usually on behalf of companies that are based in Ireland but who have staff and operations in other countries,” he says.

From Dun Laoghaire in Co Dublin, Greg spent his teenage years helping out in the family’s fruit and veg wholesale business. There he would regularly be called upon to do everything from unload bags of onions to mucking out fruit that had gone off. “It taught me a valuable lesson about the challenges of dealing with products with a short shelf life where you had to either sell it or smell it,” he says.

After school, he completed a degree in marketing in Trinity College before returning for a time to join the family business. However, he quickly came to the conclusion that his future in the business was limited due to the emergence of supermarket chains with dedicated fruit and veg departments. With that in mind, he headed off in search of a different career.

He began by selling electric typewriters before progressing to photocopiers and faxes. In 1988, and driven by a desire to experience life outside Ireland, he headed firstly to the Isle of Man and then to Los Angeles, where he spent the next seven years selling IT and computer software.

By 1995, he was ready to return home and set about establishing his own company, which was officially launched two years later. “I could see that all technologies were going ‘digital’ so that’s why I called the business, Digicom, standing for Digital Communications,” says Greg.

At the time, his biggest challenge was learning how to manage his cash flow. This was because investment in equipment was usually upfront while payment from customers was often slow.

Having worked abroad for years, he joined the Dublin Chamber of Commerce as a way to develop contacts and new opportunities. It was a move that would turn out to be invaluable.

In 2001, Greg hired sales director and now shareholder, Peter Fox to lead the development of the audio-visual side of the business. Originally from Cabinteely, Peter had built up a considerable track record in sales from selling franking machines with Pitney Bowes, paging systems with Eirpage and telco and internet services with Worldcom.

“We could see that technology was developing at a fast pace and that the nature of work itself was also changing, with many people now opting to work remotely,” Peter says. “Companies had staff in multiple locations and across different countries who needed to collaborate with each other regularly and we believed that video conferencing and webcasting would be the next big thing,” he adds.

They began to target young companies with growth potential on the basis that if they got in with these early, they could grow with them. Their strategy worked. As did their decision to approach FDI clients and the recruitment companies and office fit-out businesses that helped them get set up in Ireland.

“Our key differentiator in the sector has come from the extensive range of print and audio visual brands we stock but more importantly from our genuine commitment to providing impartial advice on what solutions best suits are clients’ individual needs,” says Greg.

Looking to the future, Greg and Peter see huge opportunities in both print and the audio visual as companies continue to seek out more efficient and more cost effective ways of doing business and communicating with staff, customers and wider stakeholders. “We plan to continue to grow at home and abroad and are confident we can double our turnover over the next three years,” says Greg. “We are always on the lookout for suitable acquisitions to help speed up that process and are currently undertaking research into developing a whole new division within the company that we hope to launch in 2017,” he adds.

After using the expertise he developed abroad, Greg, who is committed to giving back, became President of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce last year. He is also a board member of www.bizworldireland.org, a not-for-profit organisation that teaches entrepreneurship skills to primary school students. “It’s my way of doing my bit to help develop the next generation of Irish entrepreneurs,” he adds.

Sunday Indo Business

JLL Case Study

Delivering best-in-class Audio Visual technology

Customer: Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL)
Industry: Real Estate
Location: Hatch Street, Dublin 2
Workforce: 70 000 employees across 10 locations in 80 countries

Challenge

Talent retention is one the biggest challenges facing organisations today. Companies like JLL invest significant resources in recruiting the right candidates for their company culture and strive to motivate employees to pursue long-term careers with the organisation. JLL identified two needs:
creating open workspace environments promoting clear and transparent communication between colleagues,
ensuring reliable, seamless and up-to-date technology.

Solution

The Audio Visual technology deployed at JLL is simple to operate, functional and delivers up to a 4K standard.

Wireless presentation systems with Barco Clickshare: Users can simply share their laptop or mobile device’s screen directly onto a presentation screen. ClickShare works with all systems, all devices, all platforms (Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, iOS).

User Interface User Experience (UIUX)

JLL sought a larger workplace to accommodate a growing, and increasingly tech-reliant, workforce and its evolving needs. The move also prompted to rethink the firm’s current AV systems. It was time for a technology refresh. JLL selected Digicom as its AV integrator to deliver a fresh collaboration platform at their Hatch Street offices.

Digicom worked with JLL’s IT team, architect, and general contractor to deliver a mix of new generation AV solutions to meet the expectations of a global, mobile, and traditional workforce.

Integrated spaces include: Lounge, Boardroom, Large and Small Conference Rooms, Video Conference Room, Video Collaboration Rooms and Open Areas.

Results

Creation of an ideal work environment: JLL’s offices offer space, amenities, and experiences that meet the expectations and needs of a modern workforce:
– attention paid to employee work/life balance,
– social interaction,
– culture of collaboration,
– conferencing without limitations.

Ardagh Case Study

Discover a state-of-the-art Audio Conferencing boardroom with a fully integrated room control system

Customer: Ardagh Group

Industry: Manufacturing / Global leader in glass and metal packaging solutions

Location: Leopardstown, Dublin

Workforce: 135 in Dublin – 23 000 employees across 22 countries

Ardagh Group operate 109 manufacturing facilities in 22 countries worldwide with approximately €7.7 billion global sales. The new state-of-the-art Dublin office had very specific audio visual requirements for a variety of office spaces. Digicom was entrusted to deliver the complete audio visual high-spec fit-out.

Boardroom

Unique Audio Conferencing design: the triangular table and 3 screens allow for eye contact between all participants and a clear view of the presentation no matter where one is seated. The Audio Conferencing sound quality is second to none. The recessed screens and projectors are hidden from view when not in use to adhere to a sleek and uncluttered design.
Simplicity is key: all rooms functions are controlled via a single app on a dedicated iPad (lighting, blinds, projectors and screens, phone calls, volume, etc).

Video Conference Rooms

The VC room features a dual screen with a Polycom VC system along with a Videxio virtual meeting room service. Connection is easy and anyone can join via the internet, no matter the location or the device. This facilitates multi-party connections as up to 30 people can join the same call.

Other spaces included in the fit out:

Meeting rooms: all fitted with easy to use presentation systems (Barco ClickShare).
Restaurant: dual-purpose: casual area with free to air tv and can also be used as a meeting space when a large room is required (incl. presentation display).

Reception: effective brand recognition through digital signage: large LCD screen featuring constant company information and managed by a centralised communications point (One Lan system).

Results

– impressively high-tech yet user-friendly environment that suits the needs of the business,

– the systems in place ensure a simple yet efficient and seamless user experience,

– the presentation sharing and audio conferencing systems have exceeded customer expectations.

[gview file=”http://digicomold.local/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Ardagh-Case-study1.pdf”]

Eurofound Case Study

EU research body drives down costs, improves productivity with Digicom and Ricoh print service

“The print solution from Digicom and Ricoh is very important for Eurofound for a number of reasons, but especially because of availability and reliability. It is much better and more efficient for staff and it’s much easier to manage. Constant calls about problems have almost disappeared and the service is now available instantly whenever and wherever people need it.”
Linda Byrne, ICT Assistant and Technical Support, Eurofound

Eurofound, an EU research body, had a traditional desktop print function that was costing too much time and money. But since deploying a Digicom and Ricoh Managed Print Service, the organisation has transformed its print service. Costs have been cut by 30 percent and device numbers by over 80 percent, while efficiency, speed and quality have been improved. Staff productivity has increased and IT staff have realised a significant fall in support time and effort.

Challenges

The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) is a tripartite European Union Agency, whose role is to provide social and work related policy research and information. Eurofound was established in 1975 to contribute to the planning and design of better living and working conditions in Europe. It is headquartered in Dublin, but has a small satellite office in Brussels.

Eurofound was typical of many organisations that have a basic office print function comprising a number of desktop devices sitting on desks and shared between one or two people. At Eurofound, however, the situation was coming to a head because maintenance was costing more time and money, while the quality and efficiency of the print service was decreasing.

The organisation had around 75 desktop printers. But the equipment was getting old and needed constant repair and upkeep. Eurofound even had some devices that were up to 12 years old. As well as trying to keep old and outdated devices running, managing consumables, such as toner, was a problem.

The mix of printers meant several different toner types had to be kept in stock. Some devices had too much toner while others ran out. Toner alone was costing Eurofound up to €15,000 a year. Without better control, time and print resources were being wasted. The organisation wanted to provide staff with a modern, more up-to-date print service.

As an EU-funded organisation, Eurofound has to go through a strict selection and public tender process open to all EU member states. Digicom – a Ricoh business partner in Ireland – was one of several organisations that bid for the contract. Digicom put forward a solution based on Ricoh digital print technology and was awarded the contract. The assessment was based on factors such as quality and functionality of equipment, quality of service and value for money.

Solution

Eurofound has deployed a Digicom and Ricoh Managed Print Service (MPS) comprising new Ricoh Multifunction Products (MFPs), PaperCut management software and Digicom services. The MPS involves replacing 75 existing desktop printers with just 12 office-based mono and colour Ricoh MFPs, two larger production print Ricoh MFPs and one Ricoh MFP in the Brussels office. This reduces Eurofound’s print fleet by more than 80 percent. To avoid sudden change, existing equipment is being phased out over time so that desktops are only removed when they become obsolete. Eurofound sent regular emails to staff about project status, then followed up with group training sessions so staff were guided through the features and benefits of the new print service.

The MPS provides staff with Follow Me printing. Entry passes have been adapted to include individual print codes so staff can send documents to any printer across the organisation, then print by swiping the card.

As well as deploying the complete MPS solution, Digicom also provides on-going support which includes phone and on-site maintenance and supply of consumables. Ricoh’s Smart Metering software enables Eurofound and Digicom to remotely manage the entire fleet of devices to spot potential problems and determine when toner is needed.

Benefits

The Digicom and Ricoh MPS has reduced the cost of print at Eurofound and helped to make the service more efficient, productive and easy to use.

Linda Byrne, ICT Assistant and Technical Support at Eurofound, says, “The print solution from Digicom and Ricoh is very important for Eurofound for a number of reasons, but especially because of availability and reliability. It is much better and more efficient for staff and it’s much easier to manage. Constant calls about problems have almost disappeared and the service is now available instantly whenever and wherever people need it.”

Taking into account the 80 percent device reduction, more efficient print operations, a huge cut in support time and more efficient consumable management, Eurofound estimates that the Digicom and Ricoh MPS is saving around 30 percent of previous print costs.

Better quality equipment and an integrated, managed operation has improved print services for users. Features such as Follow Me print improve efficiency and security, but also help to reduce waste because they cut out unwanted or mistake printing. Scanning on every Ricoh MFP – instead of a few scattered scanning devices – has increased document scanning and reduced the amount of paper and printing staff need. Eurofound has cut the number of printed pages by 100,000, an annual reduction of around 10 percent.

Eurofound produces a lot of reports, which often comprise 50 pages and are needed by up to 200 people at a meeting. Eurofound used to outsource printing these, but because of the quality, speed and efficiency of the Ricoh MFPs, they are now done in house, which helps to reduce costs further.

Staff productivity has also increased, because of more reliable technology and fewer faults and hold ups to work. Fast, high-quality equipment and printing help staff produce the documents and reports they need quickly.

Follow Me print also enables greater mobility and flexible working. Staff often travel to Brussels to discuss and report on specific projects to the EU. Now, instead of having to carry bundles of paper, staff can print to the Brussels office and pick up their documents when they arrive.

One significant challenge for Eurofound was managing the change from traditional ways of printing to a more centralised and controlled managed service. But because of the service from Digicom and the quality and efficiency of the Ricoh technology, Eurofound encountered very few problems. Byrne says, “Transition was so much easier than we had imagined. Before the new print service, the initial response from staff was they were going to hate it. Now they love it. In fact, we’ve had several emails from staff about how good the MPS is, which is unusual because you often don’t hear anything until something goes wrong.”

The MPS also improves management. Byrne says, “A lot less of my time is spent with my hands in a printer and trying to keep track of toners. It used to be the case that on the morning of an important meeting someone would call up because the printer had run out of ink which caused all kinds of problems. But the smooth running of the whole system is fantastic and now there are very few problems. The timesaving element is a huge benefit to us.”

Digicom worked with Eurofound to locate the Ricoh MFPs ergonomically using an audit of how and where staff used print resources. This continues with Digicom and Eurofound reviewing print use and moving devices where there is over or under use, to improve efficiency.

Solutions/Products

• Ricoh Multifunction Products
• Ricoh Smart Metering
• PaperCut management software
• Digicom support services