2015 was a year of transition for BLI. A new location, a new lab and a new staff of experts, thanks to the InfoTrends acquisition. But inside BLI’s core structure, there have been some key staffing changes, all with an eye toward progress and evolution. BLI’s lab team is the strongest it’s ever been, and the future possibilities are limitless.
Communication and Collaboration Key to Success
Joe Ellerman, who has been a technician in BLI’s lab for 10 years, has recently taken on the role of Manager of Lab Operations and has hit the ground running, streamlining processes, reevaluating testing protocols and managing a fully stocked lab of devices.
“The sheer volume of devices we have in our lab right now is not something we could have handled in our old lab in Hackensack,” said Ellerman. “In our new, much larger facility, we’ve vastly increased the number devices we can support at any given time. But we’ve also expanded our capabilities in terms of the types of testing we can perform.”
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Ellerman is working closely with his team to make sure the focus is on those areas that truly matter most in document imaging. “Over the years, I’ve seen the latest and greatest technology from all of the key players in the industry. And, in the past, a lot of testing revolved around speeds, feeds and pushing paper through devices—those days are behind us. We realize the industry is constantly changing, evolving and growing. BLI needs to evolve with it.”
Some of that evolution revolves around approaching testing from the customer standpoint. “Instead of counting clicks, we need to look at the workflow process,” he said. “How do apps and embedded software play a role in increasing worker productivity? Those are the things BLI will be focused on in lab testing.”
Once that data is collected in the lab, the analysis begins, finding strengths and weaknesses of tested products compared to the competitive players. But even the way that data is analyzed will grow and change in the coming year. Access to the market research data is a real game changer, and our team of expert analysts is fully committed to collaboration and sharing of ideas. This, combined with extensive interviews with the OEMs, means the BLI team is poised to provide the greatest value in document imaging.
In the coming months, BLI will be planning Testing Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings to preview new test methods and developments with all the key players in document imaging to solicit feedback.
