Advanced Business Center

At first glance, inventing technology and creating new business and product opportunities may seem like very different activities. Yet both are necessary to put practical solutions in the hands of our customers. Both start with a vision, an ability to imagine future needs. And both depend on collaboration and innovation.

Real Customers, Real Problems, Real Insights

The Advanced Business Center teams with Ricoh customers to gain insight into thorny, pervasive customer needs that have yet to be adequately addressed in the market. Our research sites are Ricoh customers that invite us into their workplaces to shed light on solution criteria and realistic vendor expectations.

By working with us, our clients gain a better understanding of which of their issues are common needs that might be addressed in future Ricoh products, and which are specialized and deserve customized attention. By working together to design a prototype for their common business problems, we all learn how to best communicate their site specific needs, and our clients leave well-armed to discuss their unique situations with their IT executives. Although we do not turn our prototypes into custom products, promising ideas based on our research move quickly into a real solution – increasing the chances for success for all. Our partners and clients tend to be pleasantly surprised by the level of attention and support they receive from us.