For a company like OKI, which has been active on the B2B [business to business] market for a long time — and it now aspires to expand its target group of clients — it is very important to incorporate our business focus in our name. We were able to expand our client base mainly thanks to a drop in prices of color printers, which makes laser/LED printers available to more customers.

We do not deliver just printers but also multifunction devices. Still, we put the main emphasis on color print. In May we introduced a new generation of multifunction devices that do printing, scanning and copying. Those are complex products that accommodate all the usual functions required in regular office work.

3. The IT business has been going through dynamic development and competition in this market is quite strong. What are the most productive ways to market? How effective is it to allow clients to test the performance of various devices prior to purchase?

OKI has got a special position on the market due to its focus on a tight market segment. Individual contacts with key clients and a well-functioning network of dealers are essential for us. Testing of products is quite important for many clients. As a result, our authorized dealers have lower-cost models of demo printers on which clients can test printing quality. Higher-cost models are then available in our showroom, where more-demanding clients can carry out more-detailed testing.

4. With its recent rebranding, OKI announced it was going to globalize its corporate culture to enable smooth cooperation among its affiliates worldwide. On the other hand, OKI emphasizes clients' individual needs. Aren't these two approaches contradictory?

We don't feel any contradiction. In the globalized world as it is today, corporations need to develop global identities for their brands. It has nothing to do with particular efforts to satisfy the individual demands of clients.

5. OKI was originally a Japanese company. Does that affect your corporate culture even in the Czech Republic?

The Japanese roots do affect our corporate culture, but it's fair to say that we're more attached to the European headquarters in London.

6. Despite the 7 percent growth in revenues that OKI recorded in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia last year, you still remain the number two player on the market. What needs to be done to become number one?

OKI is the number two player in the market for professional color printers that we focus on. This segment has been going through dynamic development and producers' shares on the market have not yet been fully settled. There are many criteria that affect who becomes the market leader. The most important is the quality of services and product portfolio, competitors, and also the shopping habits of clients.

7. How do small and midsize Czech enterprises approach upgrading their hardware equipment, compared to such companies in other EU countries?

Well, small and midsize companies tend to upgrade their printers rather slowly. At the same time, they select lower-class models for equipping offices, compared to their EU counterparts. This is a result of the purchasing power in this country.

8. Although you've got many dealers in this country, OKI still does not have its own shop. What do you think are the biggest advantages of this sales model?

Sales through a network of authorized dealers represent a common practice for all OKI's affiliates. Our dealers are naturally closer to clients and so can better reflect clients' everyday needs. Although we do not have our own shop, we do have a showroom here where we display the most-attractive models of printers and multifunction devices.

9. How big a threat to your business is the ongoing development of online communications? Aren't you afraid this could one day become the core of corporate communications and thus reduce the demand for printers?

Actually, we see the development of online communications as an incentive for our own development. The vision of the paperless office has not been fulfilled. On the other hand, various research shows that the amount of documents printed out in offices is on the rise.

10. Do you think the fast development of online communications has eliminated 'face-to-face' communication in business? How significant is personal communication?

Well, personal communication and maintaining friendly relations with our partners are extremely important for our company. Online communication is a backup method that is quite simple and fast. But it can never fully replace dealing in person. Just try to shake someone's hand or look into his eyes over the Internet.