Heidelberg Cloud, Heidelberg Assistant and Heidelberg eShop Set New Standards

HEIDELBERG, Germany — June 8, 2016 — Extensive digitization in the print media industry is providing print shops with totally new opportunities in relation to efficient job processing and communication with their customers and suppliers. Cooperation between Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) and its customers will also change significantly in the digital age. With this in mind, the company will be presenting the three innovations Heidelberg Cloud, Heidelberg Assistant and Heidelberg eShop at drupa 2016, based on the theme “Smart Collaboration.”

The Heidelberg Cloud is an information and service platform specially adapted for the print media industry. It integrates the Heidelberg Remote Service network, which links more than 10,000 machines and an additional 15,000 software products with Heidelberg Service, with all the information that a customer needs: it is comprehensively supported by Heidelberg Service, for example with augmented reality videos showing how to carry out maintenance tasks or real-time fault reporting with eCall. The Heidelberg Cloud is also the backbone for services based on the analysis and prediction of big data. Heidelberg demonstrates how big data applications such as this can be used successfully to increase the availability of machines and to improve the productivity of print shops.

The Heidelberg Assistant concept study demonstrates what the future information and service portal based on the Heidelberg Cloud for Heidelberg customers will look like. Users can access it via PC, smartphone or tablet. The tool is divided into four sections: Print Shop, Shopping, Support and Administration.

With the Heidelberg Assistant, customers get personal access to all information and services related to their company. As the customized “window” to the Heidelberg world, they enjoy access to communication with Heidelberg and numerous Heidelberg solutions as well as to availability and productivity data for their print shops. For example, they have access to all their service contracts with Heidelberg. They can see at a glance which machines and software tools they are using in their business and how productive these systems currently are.

The features of Heidelberg Assistant use existing data as their basis in order to ensure the customer the best possible support for order transactions, service queries and general information. For example, an order transaction that is created via the Heidelberg Assistant can determine whether the parts and consumables ordered are actually appropriate for the customer’s equipment or whether an error has been made.

The new Heidelberg eShop provides the basis for attractive e-commerce solutions. On this platform, customers can already order consumables — and, in the future, also selected service parts — around the clock, and the goods will be delivered on the next working day in most cases.

The Heidelberg Assistant also permits direct access to the new Heidelberg eShop, which is the basis for attractive e-commerce solutions. Heidelberg has now launched this new online shop in 27 countries. On this platform, customers can order consumables — and, in the future, selected service parts — around the clock, and the goods will be delivered on the next working day in most cases.

Customers can also benefit from special prices, online promotions, and bonus schemes. Payments can be made on receipt of an invoice or by credit card. In the future, the shipping status will be trackable in real time. A range of safety information and technical data sheets is also available for customers to download. Videos provide instructions and lots of tips on various products. Furthermore, Heidelberg is the first company to offer an open shop, in which interested parties can find out about the entire range, even without a personal account.

“The digitization of our industry is gradually encompassing all areas and processes within the print shop and beyond. As Heidelberg transforms big data into smart data, we can benefit from the advantages offered by this trend: with the Heidelberg Assistant, we make communicating with us as easy as possible for our customers and also give them a tool they can use to get an overview of the performance of their company at any time — it really is simply smart,” says Harald Weimer, head of sales and service at Heidelberg.

Smart Collaboration Area at drupa Will Focus on New Forms of Cooperation Between the Customer and Heidelberg
At the Heidelberg stand in Hall 1, trade fair visitors can learn about the company’s entire product and service portfolio. The company will present the Heidelberg Cloud, the Heidelberg Assistant, and the new Heidelberg eShop in the “Smart Collaboration” area. And customers can also take a look at the future of e-commerce. As an illustration, the company will demonstrate how order data can be exchanged via an electronic interface (EDI) and how digital and offset printing systems can independently trigger an order transaction for Saphira consumables in the eShop via the management information system; or how, in a later enhancement stage, a marketplace is created that customers can use to also purchase products from partner companies. Heidelberg thus makes work easier for its customers: the new eShop means less administration work and fewer errors occur in the ordering process.

Source: Heidelberg.