In the aftermath of a global pandemic, businesses worldwide face unprecedented uncertainty. The COVID-19 crisis may have eased, but its ripples are prompting companies to reassess their operating models to stay competitive.

With an increasing shift towards hybrid working arrangements, businesses are urgently seeking effective solutions to digitalise and automate their processes, particularly in Asia. But how can small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), often resource-strapped, undertake such a critical transformation?

Enter the world of Smart Tech, with integrated solutions designed to help organisations, especially SMEs, build a more sustainable and resilient future. This is how Smart Tech is making a difference, from the man behind it all, to the innovative products and services spanning smart workplace, surveillance and vertical-specific solutions.

THE MIND BEHIND CANON’S SMART SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESSES

Smart Tech is the brainchild of Canon Singapore’s senior vice-president, Mr Norihiro Katagiri, who has been at the forefront of developing and promoting these solutions. He notes that companies today require digital tools to enhance productivity and facilitate collaboration across their organisations. Many firms are also concerned about cybersecurity as they shift more of their operations to digital platforms.

“During the pandemic, people were forced to work from home, so companies had to shift to more digital workflows,” said Mr Katagiri, who has had 38 years of experience leading international operations for Canon in the United States and Europe, and currently oversees the company’s operations in the South and Southeast Asia region. “This meant that digital transformation was happening in almost all markets. Even as things return to normal, many companies continue to adopt hybrid working arrangements.”

“In this new landscape, we realised that businesses would need solutions that could help them achieve productive cooperation. So, we looked at how we could help our customers adapt to this new situation in an efficient, secure and cost-effective manner.”

The search for an answer to this issue resulted in the launch of Smart Tech in March 2023. Mr Katagiri’s vision for Smart Tech centres on empowering businesses to be more resilient – by providing them with tools to adapt to a changing business environment quickly.

With their limited resources, Mr Katagiri believes that SMEs are the most likely to require Canon’s assistance, and Smart Tech is largely designed with these smaller enterprises in mind. “Many SMEs don’t have enough resources to pursue digital transformation, and need the support of partners like Canon who can guide them through the journey,” he explained. “As such, we designed Smart Tech to be an all-in-one solution that SMEs can adopt easily.”

STANDING TALL ON THREE PILLARS

Smart Tech is built on three pillars: Smart Workplace, Smart Surveillance and Smart Vertical.

Smart Workplace provides tools for remote work, collaboration and communication, ensuring that businesses stay productive even during crises. It includes information management solutions that streamline the flow of documents and data across an organisation.

With Smart Workplace, workers can easily access digital invoices, contracts and route them to the right recipients for timely approvals in an automated workflow. In addition, Canon offers interactive panels that utilise advanced video and collaborative technologies to facilitate more effective hybrid and remote meetings. “Smart Workplace eliminates manual processes, allowing workers to collaborate seamlessly from anywhere,” said Mr Katagiri.

Governments can also take advantage of Smart Surveillance for crowd management purposes. For example, in cities where rising population density can pose health and safety risks, authorities can use Canon’s real-time video analytics to count crowds accurately and help ensure public safety. These systems can also detect surges in crowded areas like stadiums when they start to occur, quickly alerting authorities and enabling crowd control measures to be put in place.

Finally, Smart Vertical tailors solutions for specific industries like healthcare, retail and education. Canon’s expertise and workflow automation solutions help streamline processes according to an industry’s specific requirements, reducing manual errors and improving productivity.

For instance, as more schools offer online classes, Canon’s remote cameras can auto-track the lecturers’ movements so that online students view their teachers clearly on screen — allowing for more effective demonstrations or presentations. Canon’s Course Scheduling and Attendance System, powered by face recognition technology, also allows lecturers to effortlessly capture real-time attendance statistics, while students are reminded of their missed classes via SMS alerts.

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF BUSINESSES IN ASIA

Mr Katagiri believes technology is crucial in building resilience amid today’s persistent uncertainty. As such, investing in digital solutions, such as those offered by Canon, can help companies in Asia remain relevant and thrive in the long term. Smart Tech also has the potential to drive innovation and create new opportunities for businesses in the region.

“More than ever, companies today need to urgently transform their business models to ensure success,” Mr Katagiri said. “With Smart Tech, Canon can be their partner on this journey to build a resilient and sustainable business.”