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Ricoh Corporation is pleased to introduce the @Remote - Intelligent Remote Management System. @Remote is a Device Relationship Management tool that adds value and a new level of service to our customers. Our industry has long awaited the day when we could collect meter readings of our devices easily, accurately and most important of all ? remotely. The absence of such capability has caused us to ask customers to collect the data and report them manually to you or to have your team involved in the collection.

Historically, we know that manual meter collection is a burden for the customers and yourself. It introduces errors and delays, none of which increase customer satisfaction. Advancements made in digital technology, dramatic increases in the number of devices connected to the network and widespread availability of broadband internet access now make collecting meters of network-connected MFP’s and Printers a practical reality.

In general, @Remote is a system that is entirely designed and developed by Ricoh. During it’s development, our engineering group has worked diligently and continually to enhance our GW Architecture to communicate meter data and device status to the @Remote system. So while the design for @Remote started with a focus on meter reading, many additional capabilities have become possible and even more will become practical in the near future.
What’s more, the Remote Communication Gate network appliance is a small footprint thin server that is connected to the network. It measures only 5.5” x 8.5”!
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Ok first of all I think @Remote is really neato and I'd love for every one of our machines to have it.

Having said that. Where's the cost/benefit point for this product? As a dealer, it certainly isn't woth $650 per machine to me to collect meter readings. My customers do that well enough and if they don't it isn't me that gets hurt.

As far as service calls, yes it may help my reputation if my technician shows up to fix a problem the customer doesn't know they have, but again, my customers do a pretty good job alerting me to when I need to come out and fix a problem.

I can see us doing this for some high-end customers (like the local university we have a contract with) but I don't see it anywhere else.

Oh, I just noticed that some of the features (Placing it's own service call and remote firmware updating) have a note that: "As a second step, we will begin to work on a set of functions that will further increase the level of service that you can provide to your customers." So, that part doesn't work yet.

Does someone have some insight for me?
Last edited by JasonR
It's not $650 per machine, its $650 for the @ remote box, which can monitor up to 500 connected devices ( 100 devices in Manage mode). The 30XX series machine have the capability of reporting their own meters ect but this is embedded and at no extra cost.

Currently the @ remote box is not bi-directional. It can only send data out. It can not receive. The second step will allow bi-directional capability to do firmware and such
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Ok, so what Percentage of your customers have 500 copiers? Not that many eh?

I understand the device can monitor more than one device, thank you. As my post said, I was wondering where the cost/benefit point is and saying it isn't worth it for one machine. Anyone have any thoughts about this? Where do you see putting in this device?
Why is this topic in the AS/400 forum?

Now that I'm certified on @remote I can answer more questions.

Ricoh reccomends it be placed in accounts with 10 or more machines.

The really strange thing here is that the @remote device captures the data (including customer name, Model of machine, Serial Number and all useage data), sends it to Ricoh Japan, and then allows the dealer to access it.
I understand that the "program" works that way. However, I have a fortune 500 that orders a quarter million a year that really wants @Remote and I really want a list of every print device they own. But they want to be able to get the info themselves and I would like to at least have the option of considering that possibility. The benefit to us would be huge. Obviously I can't give them direct access if it gives them access to all of our other accounts as well.
ok now I understand what you want and as far as I can tell, no, there's no way to do that.

I don't see any way for the customer to view live data at all, it would include the info on all machines you have. The dealer has to provide the customer with reports as they request them. You could run these reports on a set schedule and email them to the customer though.

I wonder if you could do something whacky. I know at my company we have several Business units. We could theoretically set one of those up as the dealer and only have that one account. No idea how that would work out.

On the other hand if you do that, your nefarious plan to get all their print devices is ruined since they can tell what you're looking at.

One interesting thing... When you set up @Remote, the first thing it does is find every connected device, then you pick what you want to monitor and not. There's nothing to say that information isn't being relayed to Ricoh Japan though.....
Last edited by JasonR
I ran into a deal where the toshiba dealer was telling the prospect that their machine automatically emails them when mpm's are due and meters. So I checked their website and it seems to be true. I don't see why are products can't do the same. Sometimes it seems the manufacturers are more concerned with how secure they can make the product than user-friendliness.

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