Oki Data Americas Reports Industry-Leading Warranty Support, Increased Overall Solution Provider Satisfaction Ratings

Oki Data Americas, which markets its products under the OKI Printing Solutions® brand, today announced that its industry-leading warranty support set the overall standard for 2005 warranty programs, as reported in the 2005 Solution Provider Satisfaction Study conducted by a top tier research company. Complimenting its strong warranty program, Oki Data Americas’ overall satisfaction ratings remained high and rising year over year.

The company annually implements a Solution Provider Satisfaction Study developed through the international industry trade association, CompTIA, and conducted by SERVICE 800, a Minneapolis-based research company that pursues real-time feedback to help measure the performance levels of individual technicians, service processes and customer perceptions.

Respondents gave particularly strong marks for Oki Data Americas in the support and services category, highlighting the accessibility of the company’s phone and web-based technical support, which was separately ranked as the most critical service. Solution providers’ feedback touted Oki Data Americas user-friendly web-based manuals and customer service processes as efficient and quick, avoiding common customer service difficulties of other manufacturers, such as restricted communication and limited attention. Its ease-of-use customer service programs earned Oki Data Americas a 4.4 out of five rating for overall customer satisfaction, which remains solid against the industry average.

“It is our corporate mission to deliver unparalleled service and solutions to customers through our solution provider partners,” said Ron Bassett, Director, Customer Satisfaction and Services for Oki Data Americas. “We hold our partnerships in high regard, striving to provide the excellent service that is required to build long-term customer and partner relationships. By focusing on one core competency - business printing solutions – we ensure that customers and partners get the specialized business printing support they need.”

Oki Data Americas has implemented several customer service and partner initiatives to achieve another year of high solution provider satisfaction including:

• Industry-Leading Customer Support – Oki Data Americas was the first and only leading printer manufacturer to deliver live, toll-free technical support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, through agents based in North America.
• Warranty Support Upgrades – Improvements to OKI Printing Solutions warranty policy and claims were made enhancing its ease-of-use, flexibility and increasing its coverage, compared to the decreasing coverage seen with other manufacturers.
• New Partners Program – Providing better margin enhancement opportunities for solution providers, OKI Printing Solutions launched its new Partners Program to offer additional rebates, partnering incentives and discounts to its partners on business opportunities.

“With more than 30 years of continued dedication to the channel, Oki Data Americas firmly believes the channel is the gateway to the end-user, with a uniquely comprehensive understanding of customers’ needs that goes unmatched in the market,” said Bassett. “Keeping in-line with this commitment, we are devoted to conducting annual solution provider satisfaction surveys and continuously focusing on enhancing our partner relationships.”

OKI, Reg. Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd,. Energy Star Reg. T.M. U.S. EPA.

About CompTIA

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) represents the business interests of the information technology (IT) industry. For 24 years CompTIA has provided research, networking and partnering opportunities to its 20,000 member organizations in more than 100 countries worldwide. CompTIA initiatives extend to areas such as convergence technologies, electronic commerce, information security, IT services, public policy, skills development, and software. CompTIA helps organization maximize the benefits they receive from their investments in technology; and assists IT workers to obtain the skills they need for productive careers in technology. For more information, please visit: www.comptia.org.

About Service 800

Recognizing an emerging focus on quality, SERIVCE 800 was founded in 1989 to provide resources and tools to help service organizations measure the quality of the services they deliver. SERVICE 800, which monitors customer satisfaction in 30 languages, helps clients design the follow-up process that supports the commitment they’ve made to their customers and colleagues. SERVICE 800 has offices in Minneapolis and London.