Keypoint Intelligence: The Definitive Source of Digital Imaging Testing Excellence
Like millions of others, I like to glance at Consumer Reports (CR) before buying a big-ticket item like a car, washing machine or TV.
Yes, Yelp is great when looking for a restaurant, especially when traveling, but CR is my go-to source when seeking something that will last.
Keypoint Intelligence represents that same respected, independent, firsthand testing resource for print and smart technology. Like CR serving as consumers’ definitive guide on everything from cars and electronics to home and garden products, Keypoint represents the most trusted resource for unbiased information and analysis in our space.
That tie-in though is no coincidence. Arthur Kallet, the legendary founder of CR started Keypoint’s predecessor, Buyers Lab (BLI), in 1961. Considering its heritage, IT and procurement professionals will serve themselves and their organizations well by glancing at Keypoint’s online multifunction printer (MFP) reviews, for instance, before purchasing or leasing the best possible print hardware for their business.
Keypoint Intelligence lab technicians are constantly putting OEM (original equipment manufacturer) systems through their paces. Keypoint tests MFPs, printers, scanners, wide format and production devices as well as print-centric software. The company has also evaluated security cameras and offers security testing, too. Every hardware and software offering the company receives and reviews targets the typical office, hybrid or remote environment as well as the average end user.
We have been collaborating with Keypoint since 1999 to ensure our products meet consumer needs. More often than not, we’ll deliver the first e-STUDIO MFPs we receive from the factory to Keypoint for testing. Doing so provides us with two major benefits:
1. It allows us to receive an early assessment of how well our new products stack up with similar class A3 or A4 MFPs other manufacturers produce.
2. Keypoint Intelligence’s comprehensive lab reports provide us with supremely credible third-party affirmation surrounding the value Toshiba products deliver to our markets.
Fortunately, with some exceptions, Keypoint has graded our systems quite well, so we typically have valuable, positive, third-party verified information to share with current and prospective clients in the following areas that Keypoint covers:
• Reliability
• Value
• Image Quality
• Usability
• Apps/Onboard Tools
• Security
• Specifications
• Speed
• Power consumption
We’re especially proud that our latest A4 systems, the E‑STUDIO330AC and E‑STUDIO400AC, won BLI Pick Awards, which are reserved only for products that have endured Keypoint’s rigorous testing process and are deemed “best in class” by the organization’s analysts and technicians.
Keypoint Intelligence stated that these award-winning devices are an exceptional choice for mid-size and large workgroups seeking a color MFP: “For a significantly lower than average cost per page compared to in-class models, businesses get high-performing, user-friendly devices with excellent feature sets.
And Toshiba’s Elevate platform enables integration with an array of solutions that can help reduce costs and boost productivity even further. The value propositions that these Toshiba MFPs offer to mid- and high-volume environments is truly remarkable.”
Keypoint Intelligence protects the elite integrity of its Pick Award winners by maintaining internal benchmarks that OEMs like Toshiba are unfamiliar with. Doing so prevents manufacturers from engineering test models that would specifically address any known standards. Makes complete sense!
The global market intelligence company has additionally presented our Toshiba Workplace Productivity Bundle with its Gold rating. Keypoint gave particularly strong marks for the bundle’s capacity for digitizing, retrieving and automating documents.
Lee Davis, Senior Analyst in Keypoint Intelligence’s Office Group, noted, “Toshiba Workplace Productivity Bundle is a simple solution with a focused purpose. Toshiba’s collection of three apps automates capture/process/route and data entry workflows, reducing the time workers spend on data entry tasks while limiting errors so that small mistakes don’t turn into huge problems.”
While I may not always like Keypoint’s assessments, I appreciate their process. They never cut corners.
So, again, Yelp is my go-to app for finding great dining options (including a terrific Italian place in Central Texas just recently). And CR is similarly ideal for validating big-ticket items before stepping into a showroom. Keypoint Intelligence is the uncontestable resource for MFPs and other related office and Internet of Things (IoT) technology.
