Ramsey, N.J. – August 5, 2008 – Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), a leading provider of advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop, today announced that it has launched the bizhub Learning Center to the entire network of The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. domestic locations.  A customer-specific site, the bizhub Learning Center provides applicable learning content and reporting capabilities to center franchisees and associates in addition to various management personnel of Mail Boxes Etc., Inc. (MBE).
 
Konica Minolta has exhibited a long history of providing topical learning content to its customers, specifically TheUPS Store.  In 2004, it introduced Konica Minolta's The Success Triad training series to The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. network.  While the initial Triad presentations and training guides were developed for area and network meetings, the visibility was limited as not all owners, managers and/or associates were able to attend.
 
"Despite being viewed by over 2,500 people, Konica Minolta recognized the need to make our learning content visible to anyone, anytime and anywhere," said Kevin Kern, vice president, marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.  "Consequently, we evaluated the feasibility of utilizing our own learning management system and mapping some of that learning content to a customer-specific site, while adding new content that was specifically created and targeted for the franchisees and their associates."
 
The Corporate Learning Department of Konica Minolta teamed with Operitel, their leading learning management system (LMS) provider, in 2007 to begin construction of this new Website.  Accessible by a center through a unique User ID and password, franchisees and center associates can complete coursework from two learn tracks.  The first one is generic, in that it is not tied to specific Konica Minolta products.  Rather, it addresses a myriad of pertinent topics that are important for any franchisee and/or center employee.  Each course is a webinar (PowerPoint decks with an audio track) that are recorded specifically for the network.
 
The second learn track is specific to Konica Minolta devices.  Recorded webinars on machine functionality, demonstration videos, virtual tours of control panels and Job Shops in PDF format are available.
 
In most cases, a test is tied to each course, which the student completes and is consequently scored on.  A certificate prints, identifying that the course was taken and that the test was passed.  Test scores, in addition to the courses taken, are then available in reports that can be submitted to the appropriate team members at MBE.
 
"The bizhub Learning Center is a great resource for our centers," adds Tom Crockett, vice president, worldwide sales and marketing, Mail Boxes Etc., Inc.  "It allows the franchisees and their associates the ability to grow their document services knowledge base at their own pace."