Canon helps bridge gap for Christchurch businesses
Canon New Zealand has helped Christchurch businesses bridge the gap in their time of need with free printer and copier loans.
Canon offered Christchurch organisations free use of its entire range of printers, from small inkjets to large multifunction devices such as copiers and office printers as well as professional advice around print management.
The offer helped many businesses struggling to continue operation with premises inside the cordoned area of the Christchurch CBD, allowing companies to resume business as usual, or as close as possible.
Over 100 Christchurch businesses talked with Canon Christchurch staff after being contacted by the team or seeing adverts inviting all businesses, Canon customers or not, to borrow equipment. Businesses needed only to pay for paper and toner, with no hire fees charged and no obligation to keep the equipment.
Brigette Unwin, owner operator of organic and wholefoods retailer Piko Wholefoods, was one of many people whose premises fell inside the Red Zone and had her office building demolished. Brigette was restarting from scratch, running her entire operation from home.
“Without the ability to print documents such as receipts and invoices, we were struggling to re-create our accounts and records. I had heard on the radio Canon’s offer to help local businesses with print products and thought I’d get in touch to see if they could help me,” says Brigette.
“I was not a Canon customer but they worked through my situation regardless. Once they realised the urgency of my need they had a Customer Care Manager come to my house first thing the next morning to install the new printer and I was back up and running,” she says.
Like Piko Wholefoods, many other businesses in the Red Zone have either lost their printers in a building collapse or are unable to reach them and having to start over again with new equipment. Some of those who have contacted Canon, however, simply need support and a little advice as they work through the distress and disruption.
Canon has worked with lawyers, accountants, wedding photographers and advertising agencies among many other Christchurch businesses to provide free print solutions and impart practical advice over the past months.
Mike Johnston, Country Manager for Canon New Zealand, is proud of the hard work put in by staff in the Christchurch office.
“It is heart warming to see the dedication the Christchurch team has put into helping local businesses get back to some degree of normalcy,” says Johnston.
“While this was about helping the people who continue to be affected by the earthquakes, for many of the local Canon team this was their way of banding together to show that this won’t get them down. They worked day and night to make a difference and I take my hat off to them.”
Canon Christchurch will continue to provide loan units and free advice to any Christchurch business affected by the earthquakes. To find out more or to speak to a Canon representative, call (03) 379 0139.