First Data Turns to Ricoh to Help them Migrate to a Multi-Channel Communications Company

First Data is a global payment processing company that serves millions of merchant locations, thousands of card issuers and millions of consumers worldwide. First Data leverages its vast product portfolio and expertise to drive customer revenue and profitability. The company's portfolio includes debit and credit card transactions, gift cards, checks and mobile payment solutions, Internet commerce and more. The company also provides full-service statement and letter composition, production and electronic delivery services, delivering over 1.5 billion documents annually.

Challenge

Today’s economic climate has caused print customers to become increasingly aware of their budgets and has prompted a drastic shift in spending habits. Moreover, clients today are seeking ways to carry a consistent brand across the various types of communications channels. To satisfy these customer demands, First Data needed a printer that could save on overhead while maintaining top quality printing standards to help ensure that consistency. First Data acknowledged that implementing an installation of such magnitude would require a relationship that would transcend beyond the typical vendor/buyer parameters. That’s precisely why First Data chose Ricoh – to ensure support throughout the entire migration process and to further build upon a long-lasting partnership.

Solution

First Data chose to implement a substantial color printing installation consisting of 15 InfoPrint 5000 printers – the largest in the firm’s history. First Data immediately recognized the potential of the InfoPrint 5000 GP and sought to leverage its reliability and outstanding color quality to deliver tailored statements with customized messaging and offers for their customers, all while saving them money.

A few of the innovations that convinced the First Data team to choose the InfoPrint 5000 included:

• - the unique piezo-electric, drop-on-demand, inkjet technology with multi-bit per spot for every object on the page;
• - high-quality, water-based pigment and dye inks designed to resist fading and smearing to optimize the appearance of the output while minimizing the ink consumed;
• - support for PostScript and PDF; and,
• - accurate, consistent and device-independent color-rendering that enables error recovery, concise auditability and security benefits.

The Results

The First Data team has been extremely pleased with the results. Not only are they able to cut costs to the benefit of their customers, but they are also able to deliver high-quality output and targeted messaging to meet the demands of today’s consumers.

First Data was very impressed by Ricoh’s timely delivery and excellent training modules. Within four months after placing their order, First Data had received their first printers in Omaha, Nebraska. Ricoh specialists were there alongside First Data operators to offer on-site training as well off-site service and maintenance training at Ricoh’s facility. Additionally, Ricoh provided ongoing color management training along the way to make sure that First Data was able to maximize the InfoPrint 5000 color output capabilities.

“We thoroughly evaluated a number of color print offerings, and it was the InfoPrint 5000 that really met our needs. The InfoPrint 5000 offers solid reliability and consistent, high quality color output. It can best help us reach our goal: to empower our customers to become more efficient and profitable.

“We have worked with Ricoh and their InfoPrint line of solutions for years. They are a long-term, trusted partner and have consistently provided us with knowledgeable resources and responsive support that have helped us maximize the benefits we’ve realized from the technology,” says Tim Rosenthal, senior vice president, Output Services, First Data.