Ricoh Business Solutions Reviews

Pros

Complete benefits package, large organization with room to move and grow from, employee recognition practices in place when people use them, trying to genuinely improve anything not working.

Cons

Much in flux with IKON merger. Many employees hostile towards each other due to merger as IKON has sound business billing systems and practices and Ricoh has not performed well at times in their billing but Ricoh has sound manufacturing practices in which IKON didn't possess. There is a strong sense of pride on both sides and many have to break down the barriers and realize that they are now 1 company with much to offer if all work together. Many Ricoh legacy personnel still haven't gotten over the Lanier and Savin mergers so adding IKON to the mix where IKON's Oracle system is newer with more updates just adds more fuel to those out there still hostile to the merge. Communication from senior management to employees about what is up and coming would also be helpful. Employees were laid off in some areas where others working in the same locations weren't even told about it and found out from other employees instead of any formal Corporate communication. Salaries are a little low compared to other businesses in the area for like positions which results in turnover in core positions. I would like to add that this all is my personal opinion only.

Advice to Senior Management

More open communication about what is happening in the company. Usually found out more on the internet than what is communicated to employees. Develop employee team buiilding exercises to bring both groups together. Salaries are also not where they should be when compared to other business in the areas and should be looked at to retain your core employees.

Pros

Great company and leader in the industry

Cons

A Constantly chaning organizational structure

Advice to Senior Management

none

Pros

Pros
• Established company
• Fairly good benefits
• Will be around for some time to come
Sales
• Simi Stable lots of changes over the next 12 months because of the IKON acquisition
• Once you are in and perform you have the job for as long as you want it
• Chance for advancement
Operation and support
• As long as they keep getting clients they will always need operations people.
• Better management than the sales group
• As long as they grow there are chances for advancement.

Cons

Cons
• They do not understand Work / Life Balance
• They do not understand that you are not married to your job
• For better or worse they are a sales driven organization
• The constant state of flux is unsettling
• They are a services organization and as a result selling the services is “KING” billing and the back office work is left to too few to do too much, so if you are looking to be in the supporting role just understand that you will be expected to work long hours
• The only people that see appreciation for the effort is sales
• If you are not in sales you will not hear good job or thanks for the extra effort
• The extra effort is the expected daily routine
• They are driven my Market Share not value add or profitable placement of devices

Advice to Senior Management

Suggestions to management
• Change Sales Reps Compensation so that when they replace existing Ricoh equipment with new Ricoh equipment the balance on the existing equipment should be deducted from the sale amount. Otherwise you end up with no new customers just recycled customers with larger and large debt to Ricoh.
• Consider adding additional support staff so you do not burn out your existing people. I know many an individual that is looking to leave because they cannot handle the work load anymore.
• Start using some of the products that Ricoh sell internally to make everyone’s job easier.
• Look at some of the people you have in management. Some were hired in at a higher level then demoted, then re-promoted; the attitude that got them demoted is still there. Why promote someone you demoted? Does not make sense to me.
• Start listening to your employees they have great ideas but no one wants to listen
• Take some of the money you are paying the sales people and invest that into your support staff. If you lose them you will be losing a great asset.

Pros

Excellent Training, great commnication, they definitly invest in employees. I have been here only a few months but really have learned a lot.

Cons

Some managers can be very busy, sometimes i feel as if there is no time to sit and talk. Would like to see more touch bases.

Advice to Senior Management

Make more time to talk with employees individually. Because the company is so large employees sometimes feel a disconnect to the company.

Pros

Good sales experience. Better companies to work for to get it though.

Cons

Terrible upper management in San Diego area. Exteremly high turnover and low office morale across the board. Order processing is a nightmare. The sales you make are a nightmare as well, as the company will either mess up the billing, installation, delivery schedule, or anything that can possible be messed up will happen.

Pros

Diversity of the offering - You have a wide range of products and services to market.
Stablitiy of the organization - It is an established company. Not likely to be going out of business.
Flexibility of Schedule - It allows for you to manage your day, your way.
Established in the Industry - RICOH is a well-known brand.

Cons

Nepotism is rampant - Advancement opportunities are manufactured for a select few.
Management - Very few still around who actually know how to "Build" or "Grow" a business.
Departmental Silos - Nobody wants to take ownership of anything that is slightly outside their area
Compensation not commensurate to the level of responsibilities, particularly when it comes to Sales
Process Monster - Difficult to accomplish anything due to tedious, paperwork intensive processes.
Territory Assignment Instability - Account assignments and customer relationships severed often.
Specialist Program - Great concept....poor execution. No accountability. No sense of urgency.
Layers of Management - There are WAY TOO MANY. Too much overhead.

Advice to Senior Management

Corporate management needs to get closer to the field. Spend a week working in the branches and with customers. Stop relying on RVP, AVP, and DOS feedback. We have become so concerned about "our" processes that we have become increasingly difficult to do business with. Our customer base is dissatisfied with us. We are not distinguishing ourselves as a Customer Service oriented organization. The only way to understand the problems that we are facing is to come to the field and see how Corporate's ideas are being executed at the Region and Area level.

Pros

You can work with some nice customers at the various places you are sent to work. The customers have treated me well - better than Ricoh.

Cons

Plenty of useless meetings . You can call up people to get printers moved elsewhere and no movers show up because of some corporate screw-up. Then explain it to the customer. Don't bother trying to improve processes because it's not encouraged.

Not enough floaters to cover for vacation time accrued. You can lose your vacation time because there won't be anyone to cover your site for many months. That is why so many people just take time off when they wish to. On conference call, the boss says occasionally, "It's important for everyone to be at work this week because I am tied up at sites and there is no one else to cover."

Pros

1. Great benefits!
2. Unlimited commissions
3. Great Bonuses if you make your quota
4. Great perks - extra money can be added to your commissions depending on what you sell.
5. Win trips and prizes when meeting selling goals
6 Great promos for the customer
7. Great vacation time 2 weeks, 14 sick days, 4 floating holidays, paid time off for National holidays
8. Really able to balance home and work life
9. Great local leadership/ family environment among employees
10. Overall honest and ethical company
11. Provide many resources for customers - sell many products beyond copiers that give the customer a total package consultation
12. Quota expectations/communication give sales reps plenty of time and warnings to reach quota before termination
13. Complete ownership of territory and time management of your business day
14. Great to constantly meet new people and expand business

Cons

1. Constant change in leadership
2. High turn over rate with employees
3. Constantly adding "new" things to the to do list for sales executives - this takes time away from selling
4. Sales are not consistent each month
5. Constant intense pressure to reach quota goals
6. Could organize infrastructure a little better
7. Low base salaries

Pros

good if you like being chained to your desk entering data into salesforce or in the office in unnecessary meetings

Cons

extreme micromanagement and busywork that keeps you from being in the field selling or preparing proposals during regular work hours. Earning potential too low to work 12 hour days.

Advice to Senior Management

allow sales reps to sale and not be dragged down with data processing

Pros

Excellent training in place... Base salary...

Cons

A lot of prospecting (door to door)... difficult to meet quotas... no gas card, no cell phone, no company car..

Advice to Senior Management

None