Information is central to making sure no one fumbles. Coaches need reports and other documents quickly for meetings with players and staff. Fans, ticket holders and corporate sponsors expect the information they receive to have a high-end look and feel. The press covering games want information like stat sheets in their hands within minutes of a quarter’s end.
With the Philadelphia Eagles not only appearing in the Super Bowl for just the third time in 52 years but winning it for the first time in a thriller over New England this past February, the football team really leveraged the work they’d done in not only reevaluating how their document-related information was managed and delivered but implementing new systems quickly over the previous season, setting them up for a fantastic 2017-2018 off the field as well.
They wanted to:
• Implement reliable, uncomplicated, secured printing and tracking for coaches and staff
• Bring production colour printing in house to reduce costs
• Further improve environmental sustainability
• Find a dependable partner for service, support and solutions
• Optimize workflows, improve processes and leverage new technology
The team seized on device reliability and service as their top priorities because when devices were down, critical timelines were thrown off.
In his own words, John Pawling, VP of Information Technology of the Eagles put it this way:
“The first thing we did was implement our Managed Print Services, so we could make sure the right devices were in the right locations. We “right-sized” the fleet and installed new MFPs and a colour production printer. But the solution involved a lot more, as we also brought in:
• A dedicated service technician
• Remote device management software
• Print management software with personal identification number (PIN) authentication capabilities
• Waterproof stock used for sideline play cards
• Print controls to enforce black-and-white and duplex printing
• And to top it off, interactive flat panel whiteboard technology”
Result
Some of Ricoh’s newest technologies are helping the Eagles make information work in the evolving world of sports, such as Interactive Flat Panel Displays and other Workstyle Innovation Technology offerings for streamlining play-card production. Ricoh’s technology also ensures that tactical information such as playbooks can’t get into the wrong hands.
With the right processes, devices and services in place, the Eagles can now prepare for game days knowing they can manage and share information with confidence, thanks to:
• High device reliability with Ricoh @Remote minimizes downtime & accelerates service requests
• Expert, reliable service when an occasional problem with a device occurs
• Improved document security with user authentication to track who is printing what on which devices
• Waterproof play cards that don’t tear or run, regardless of weather conditions – and there’s no need for lamination
• Conserving resources with print controls that reduce excess printouts & abandoned jobs has equated to 19.2 trees saved this past year
• Reduced costs by printing marketing materials & play cards in-house, as well as decreased paper and toner usage
• Ricoh interactive flat panel displays (IFPDs) used during the live Eagles Post-Game Show to annotate video and images to dissect plays – just like the coaches can do in their meetings
More innovation is on the horizon. The Eagles plan to explore other ways make information work even better, such as Business Process Services and workflow automation. Ricoh technology empowers the Philadelphia Eagles to #WorkSmarter. As an official partner and provider of the Philadelphia Eagles, we’re proud to name them a Ricoh Change Maker.
Learn more about how the Eagles have changed the playing field for their players, staff, fans and followers.
Find out how Ricoh can help you empower your digital workplace by designing the flexible ‘optimal office’. For more than 80 years, Ricoh has helped companies of every size to not just imagine change but realize it as well.
