The Constant Evolution of Ricoh And Interesting Focus On The Digital Workplace In 2019 With Chas Moloney

With Chas Moloney, Marketing Director at Ricoh.

What is your background briefly?

I have been the marketing director for Ricoh Ireland & UK for the past 14 years. Prior to Ricoh Ireland & UK, I worked for Canon for around 18 years. That’s where I made the transition from the more technical side of things to sales and then eventually marketing. When I left school, I actually became an engineer but my career then took me in a different direction, albeit still in the technology sector.

Does it seem like a logical background to what you do now?

It’s always easier to talk about something that you’re interested in and I’m passionate about technology. For me, starting out in a more technical role gave me a different insight and valuable knowledge that I could utilise in both sales and marketing. Especially when you’re in charge of communications for a technology company, I think you need to be enthusiastic and want to know about the industry, including the latest trends.

1-minute pitch for what you are doing now?

At Ricoh, we are very much focusing on the digital workplace. That involves looking at the challenges that organisations are currently facing in the area of digital transformation. These are developing all the time – what’s a challenge one day will be overcome, but then new obstacles or issues emerge as the workplace and, more noticeably perhaps, the workforce changes.

At the moment, Irish business leaders are trying to cater to four different generations. That means four different sets of expectations and needs, which requires agility. We take a unique approach to digital transformation and that has been very successful for us. In other words, we see digital transformation as a people change, not a technology change. Leading with people, we can then help organisations to effectively align the elements of workplace, process and technology.

In one line or more, what is digital transformation?

Digital transformation is about embracing digital technologies and processes as part of a people-first approach to unlocking true workstyle innovation. A recent survey by Ricoh found that 61% of organisations in Ireland are not in a good position to take advantage of new digital technologies. This needs to be addressed so that employees are fully empowered and Irish businesses can take full advantage of the digital revolution.

Why do you think it is such a powerful idea?

It’s not simply the benefits that digital transformation brings – increased employee output, better business performance and enhanced customer service to name a few – there’s a huge cost and risk associated with not embracing it. Any organisation that doesn’t take advantage of digital and new ways of working to maximise their client, customer or citizen engagement will find themselves going backwards in the marketplace very quickly.

If it all goes well for your company, what could things look like in one to five years’ time?

I’ll be sitting in Barbados! Seriously, from my perspective, Ricoh Ireland & UK is an organisation that has constantly evolved in the 14 years I’ve been here and it will continue to do so. I absolutely see us changing within the 12 months and beyond. We will continue to drive value for our customers by adapting our services and solutions to meet and support their needs. It’s about giving them the freedom to operate, the ability to evolve and the opportunity to thrive with cutting-edge technologies, efficient processes and optimal workspaces.

How can people find out more about you and your work?

If you go to our Insights website, you can find out about empowering people, optimising workspace, streamlining the process and simplifying technology. It’s also possible to download our Essential Guide to Creating the Optimal Office and get in contact with the team there.

Anything else you’d like to add/we should have asked?

Our Economy of People research showed that Ireland could unlock €3.4 billion in untapped GDP if organisations were to optimise their workplaces. Irish business leaders also understand the importance of office environment on effective business performance with 87% ranking it as a critical element.

At Ricoh, we know that by creating an optimal office, businesses can enable workstyle innovation, empower the workforce and ensure they are as productive as possible. Ultimately, this approach is proven to boost performance, output and revenues. Our study found that more than two-thirds of Irish businesses that have invested in the workplace have achieved better returns, as a result, It’s a big opportunity for Irish companies to grasp.

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