MALVERN, Pa.--Nov. 10, 2005-- IKON Office Solutions, the world's largest independent channel for document management systems and services, today announced that the company received a diamond Marketing Excellence Award for "Improving the Customer Experience" from the Information Technology Services Marketing Association (ITSMA), a membership organization that helps companies market and sell technology services and solutions. IKON received the award for its IKON Service Excellence(SM) methodology, which guides all aspects of on-site Managed Services engagements, where IKON provides highly trained staff and best-in-class technology to run copy centers, mailrooms, or entire document processes at a customer's location. "We developed the IKON Service Excellence methodology to move the customer satisfaction needle from good to world class," said Michael E. Kohlsdorf, Senior Vice President, IKON Enterprise Services and Information Technology. "Coupled with our knowledgeable service team and our best-in-class solutions, IKON Service Excellence provides an extremely powerful facilities management solution for our customers. IKON's team of 9,000 on-site professionals worldwide works hard every day to provide services designed to exceed our customers' expectations, and we are extremely proud to receive this prestigious, customer-focused award from ITSMA." Developed from IKON best practices and feedback from more than 600 customer interviews, IKON Service Excellence focuses on maximizing a customer's investment return through five fundamental areas of operation: Customer Analysis and Solutions--IKON starts customer engagements by conducting an assessment to capture and analyze customer requirements, and then uses the data to build a blueprint for a customized solution. Implementation Process--After assessing customer needs and mapping out a solution, IKON follows stringent implementation guidelines, ranging from process documentation to site branding. Operations and Best Practices--Once the site is up and running, IKON follows a series of operational standards for conducting business and maximizing customer satisfaction. All-Star Employee Systems--Recognizing that energized employees are key to an on-site facilities management engagement, IKON empowers employees to excel through training, daily and weekly communications initiatives and strong reward programs. Customer Strategy and Communication--IKON is in regular communication with customers to ensure satisfaction, recommend new and innovative technologies and services, and ensure that the customers' document strategy remains current. Each key area of IKON Service Excellence--from assessment to ongoing customer communication--is supported by a number of innovative tools and processes. IKON also has customized the best practices contained in IKON Service Excellence for key vertical markets, including higher education, K-12 education, legal and healthcare. "Each year, ITSMA recognizes innovative companies for developing initiatives that dramatically improve the customer experience," said Dave Munn, President and CEO of ITSMA. "IKON Service Excellence is a wonderful example of such an initiative. The methodology was developed from the customer's point of view, and is driving some tremendous outcomes for IKON's customers. We're pleased to recognize IKON's efforts on behalf of their customers through our Marketing Excellence Award." Customers such as Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel, Inc., one of Northern California's most highly regarded law firms in the field of trial advocacy, employment, and real estate, have experienced the value added by IKON Service Excellence. The firm has taken advantage of IKON's Managed Services team to run its on-site copy center and mailroom for nearly five years. As Lynn Green, Administrator for the law firm, explains, "In our business, trust, consistency and great service are key, and with IKON, we have all three. The IKON Service Excellence methodology, coupled with IKON's well-trained staff and advanced technology, helps us foster that spirit of trust and consistency, and provide that same great service, to our clients."