On college campuses across the U.S. and around the world, the name Uniprint is almost synonymous with print cost recovery. According to Chuck Sheppard, Director of Marketing, Pharos Systems, the developer of Uniprint “we created the print cost recovery market 10 years ago.” Since then, the product has been installed at nearly 800 locations in 16 countries, and in 49 of the 50 U.S. states. It is, by far, the leading cost recovery solution for the higher education market and with 60-70% of the product’s installations on college campuses, higher education is the preeminent market for Pharos.

The company is named for the world’s first known lighthouse, built in 290 B.C. It was the second tallest building in existence at the time and is considered one of the seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The company provides software packages that address document output resource management needs. Pharos Systems offers four products that function independently or as an integrated suite:

Uniprint:
Tracks, monitors, measures, routes and optionally charges for network printing.

Blueprint:
Sits invisibly on client computers, monitoring local and network printing to collect data for document output analysis.

Off-the-Glass:
Enables stand-alone copiers and multifunction devices to be integrated with Uniprint services– enabling authentication and charging for services.

SignUp:
Provides PC reservation and management capabilities to address the PC scheduling needs for labs and libraries in a self-service environment.

When asked to describe the key differences between Uniprint and the competition, Mr. Sheppard has plenty to say. “Our customizability–we have a scripting language similar to Java that enables customers to tailor the system for their specific needs.” He also cites a highly capable reseller network; many third-party interfaces for card-based payments, project management, data security and accuracy, and user authentication; an integrated product suite that enables applications to be added as the customer’s needs grow; and the virtually unlimited scalability of their offerings.

How do campuses purchase the Uniprint product? Through Pharos Systems extensive Value Added Reseller network. Xerox has been an important reseller to higher education, public libraries, and corporations for more than 6 years. Lexmark is a new reseller of the product and is making great progress with installations including Eastern Kentucky University anda series of corporate locations. Blackboard is also an official Pharos reseller and includes Pharos in its Building Blocks partners program. The company has been through extensive system training and handles installation of the product at their customer sites.

Pharos solutions are integrate with all of the major online and offline card systems. They have strong working relationships and share clients with the other three major online card system vendors, CBORD, Diebold, and General Meters. Fully integrated solutions are available for all of these campus card systems. Uniprint software supports card readers from each of the vendors above as well as Debitek, DANYL/Schlumberger, ITC, JAMEX, and many others.

What is the key to Pharos Systems success? Mr. Sheppard replies, “we have relied largely on word-of-mouth advertising from satisfied customers to this point.” Quite an impressive feat considering the widespread adoption of the product. The company has also benefited from a well-received ongoing web-based seminar series. Every Wednesday at 2:00 P.M. EST, a complimentary hour-long seminar is provided to individuals interested in learning about print cost recovery solutions. Mr. Sheppard encourages anyone considering this type of solution to participate. “Whether you ultimately select Uniprint or another solution, our webinar will provide you with some very valuable background information.”

Of course, Mr. Sheppard thinks that participants are likely to choose the Pharos product after seeing it in operation. He notes that they work hard to make the decision an easy one for campus administrators. “We have a very generous customer upgrade policy. If a customer buys a base license and later decides to upgrade to a site license we will credit them the full amount of the initial purchase.” Their approach seems to be working because selecting Uniprint is exactly what many higher education institutions have decided–and continue to decide–to do.

To learn more about Pharos, the Uniprint product, and their complimentary web-based seminars, visit them on the web at www.pharos.com. To contact Chuck Sheppard, Director of Marketing, call (585)249-8964 or send email to csheppard @pharos.com.

(Pharos demo online: At the Pharos web site, an interactive demonstration is available showing the operation of the Uniprint product. While the entire presentation has value, don’t miss the second section “Uniprint System Overview.” In several minutes, you will understand the basic concepts of a print cost recovery system. The presentation is available at www.pharos.com/products/uniprint.asp.)