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Case Study: Winnebago County

The Customer Challenge
With a population of more than 275,000, Winnebago County is one of the largest counties in Illinois. Located in the North Central edge of the state, it employs hundreds of staffers who are spread across a total of 45 separate departments.

The logistical challenges in maintaining a fleet of multi-function devices to support all these employees led Sally Claassen and her colleagues to seek out a partner to help manage this effort. As the Purchasing Director for Winnebago County it was her responsibility to find a vendor who would help minimize disruptions and identify ways to reduce the cost of imaging within the county.

“We were really looking for someone who could help us implement a cost-per-image solution,” said Claassen. “We felt that this would be the best solution for our needs, but we hadn’t been able to implement it yet.”

She turned to RK Dixon, a Davenport-based company dedicated to helping businesses streamline operations while reducing costs.

The RK Dixon Solution
As a leading provider of copiers, printers and managed print services, RK Dixon has the experience and expertise needed to help businesses identify the best solutions for their printing needs.

Working together with Claassen, Bill Kousoulas, Account Executive for RK Dixon, analyzed the county’s volumes and usage and also determined end users and paper flow. This helped RK Dixon establish how many machines the county would need in order to operate as
efficiently as possible.

Kousoulas and his team then installed more than 120 multi-function devices owned by RK Dixon at various county locations. They also became the sole vendor responsible for ongoing maintenance and other service needs.

The Results
Using this approach, Winnebago County was able to save money by only paying on a cost-per-image basis. “We don’t have the capital investment to purchase this type of equipment, and by using this approach we were able to save significant dollars by not having to pay upfront,” said Claassen.

Claassen and Kousoulas regularly meet to review volumes and adjust equipment as needed. As the sole vendor for all multi-function devices, RK Dixon also has a cohesive overview of the county’s fleet, allowing them to respond much quicker to service issues or
other challenges.

“Winnebago County has gone through a lot of remodeling over the past few years, and we’ve helped them move their devices and manage that process,” said Kousoulas. “It’s easy to lose track of equipment during these types of renovations, so we were able to help them with that and also re-install the equipment once the renovation was complete.”

It’s this type of service that Claassen appreciates most. “They’re very flexible and they truly understand our business,” said Claassen. “They bend over backwards to do what’s good for us, even if it may not be in their best interest.”

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