KBA Offers Webcam Demos to Printers

KBA North America, a global press manufacturer based in Williston, Vt. and Dallas, has developed a system to efficiently and economically reach its customers. The company is announcing a new webcam demonstration, training, and application testing program for its current customers and future customers.

This new program allows printers to sit in their office and view a KBA press demonstration in the KBA Customer Care Center in Vermont or experience their own applications being printed on a KBA press. The printer can ask questions in real time and see up close, via portable webcams, the special features of the press as it is printing a job.

"Since we started this program four months ago, we've had a tremendous positive response to it," said Chris Travis, director of technology at KBA. "Printers are enthusiastic about not having to take time away from their facility and being able to schedule a particular time to see the press in action. We're able to set up a private, secure demonstration for as many hours as they need, at as many different sites as needed.

"For example, we can show a demonstration of the Rapida 106 to the president of the company in his office, to the pressroom supervisor in another location, and to the company's sales force in a variety of locations. Especially in today's economic climate, our program offers an economical and realistic approach for printers and their busy schedules."

The webcam demonstration, training, and application testing program is easy to set up for any printer. All the company needs to do is request from KBA a user name and password. The program can be viewed from any PC or Mac anywhere in the world. A webcam demonstration can provide a general display of the Customer Care Center and a production run of its three KBA presses: a Rapida 142 56-inch, a Rapida 106 41-inch, and a Genius 52 UV 20-inch press.

If the printer has already installed a KBA press, the webcam demonstration can act as a training program for its press crew. Or the webcam demonstration can show a printer how a particular job, substrate, ink, or other application can be tested on press. Once the demonstration is complete, the printer will receive samples of the printed job the next day.

"The new programs are very popular with our customers," said Bill Silber, KBA sales manager. "Nearly all those who've used it had full schedules making it difficult for them to travel, especially with the time consideration for airplane flights, ground transportation, and a day out of the office. This is a unique, positive solution for both KBA and its customers."

KBA is also using its new program to offer webinars to customers to quickly disseminate new information on their systems. "We can teach a printer's entire sales force and give them a live demonstration on a specific part of the press or update them on new features," said Travis. "Within 30 to 45 minutes, we can teach a printer new capabilities or show them how to use a particular function."

Recently, KBA held a webcam demo for a customer interested in the Genius who could not make it to KBA for a demonstration. The webcam program was shown to two company decision makers at their plant. KBA staff took turns describing the press and its features, answering all the questions the men had. Press samples printed during the demonstration were in the mail within an hour for overnight delivery.

"The customer told us that this type of webcam demonstration is the future," recalled Silber. "They still want to see how the process works and see their samples printed, but they are busy and in different locations.

Many are performing additional jobs due to the economic climate, so they are very time-strapped. Everyone praises KBA for offering a solution that allows them to get involved with their press decision making yet allows them to hold down costs and expenses. Our participants in the webcam demonstration called it 'impressive' and felt very positive about their experience."