After an international effort to find a workflow escalation system capable of managing knowledge-base and feedback requirements, Konica Minolta selected software from Onyx to replace its previous management software and an in-house developed Notes system.

Brett Buckingham, Konica Minolta national services manager, said rapid response to customer problems is vital as the multi function devices (MFD) it sells are highly technical.

"Our customers demand an effective [problem] resolution system. We found [Onyx] was the tool that provided the best management options and the greatest ability to customize the process," Buckingham said.

The Onyx system connects Konica Minolta's local sales and service operations in Australia, the US, Japan, Germany and China to a regional centre, which is linked to Tokyo headquarters. This allows service engineers, when on site at customers' premises, to access technical information via Onyx. If necessary, a problem's details can be sent to a regional centre for evaluation and then to Japan to be distributed to relevant departments including research and development.

The system uses problem reports submitted via multiple channels, including an online Onyx portal. A knowledge base containing product and support information can be accessed globally and reviewed in multiple languages. The system allows both users and engineers to access the progress of problems and receive feedback.