TOSHIBA AMERICA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS DELIVERS INDUSTRY-LEADING SERVICE AND SUPPORT CAPABILITIES WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GEMCONNECT B2B PORTAL

Toshiba Leverages Technological Expertise and Ariba® Spend Management™ Solutions To Connect Major Accounts With Dynamic Online Services

IRVINE , California   ( Sep 09, 2003 ) :

Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. (TABS) today unveiled the GEMConnect Portal designed specifically for Toshiba's government, education and major accounts (GEM). Built upon the technological foundation of Toshiba's award-winning dealer FYI Portal, GEMConnect provides Toshiba's major account customers, such as Northwest Airlines and Household International, with the most dynamic and customized Web environment to manage their office equipment products such as copiers, printers and supplies, as well as obtain superior Toshiba support services. Through GEMConnect, users gain direct, single source access to a full spectrum of online services and real-time information, 24 hours a day, seven days a week (24/7). In addition to asset and order management capabilities, GEMConnect enables users to access TABS' service help desk application, product catalog and information, personal home pages and online purchases.

Improved Asset Management

GEMConnect enables multiple parties such as the customer, manufacturer and financial partners to effectively manage and retrieve specific information related to their office equipment properties. Benefits include a central repository that ensures complete data protection and asset information as well as meter, billing and purchase order information. Customers also can track, or make changes to, an asset file or download custom reports whereby allowing for easy reconciliation with existing files. In addition, GEMConnect's Enhanced Customized Reporting allows customers with distinct corporate divisions or subsidiaries to systematically configure reports based upon specific company or cost center structures to provide pertinent asset management information, where and when it is needed.

Simplified Order Placement and Management Capabilities

Doing business in today's rapid paced environment requires efficiency on all levels - even in purchasing. GEMConnect provides simultaneous order placement with fixed pricing, terms and conditions. Leases and purchases can be made quickly and easily online by equipment model or category, eliminating unnecessary paperwork, and available pre-configured equipment packages simplify the purchase decision.

A customized online product catalog has also been developed to enable purchasing departments to define the order placement and requisitioning workflow. Requisitioners can submit orders online for approval, submit requests for review, or place orders directly with Toshiba.

Real-time order status capabilities allows 24/7 order tracking and customers can view all points of the entire transaction including order placement, shipping, service agent information, current order status and final installation.

GEMConnect also provides centralized access to the following additional programs: service and dispatch reports, key operator training information, technical support information, equipment specifications, reference information, contract and pricing information and site administration and permission management. With a delegated administration program, users can directly add, modify and remove access to the Portal, as well as update and manage account information to ensure accuracy Toshiba has further extended its commitment to customer service excellence with the integration of Ariba Spend Management and other e-procurement solutions. In becoming Ariba Ready certified, Toshiba also became an Ariba Advantage Supplier. With this certification, Toshiba has enabled its major account customers to utilize a shared technology platform and take advantage of leading-edge software solutions to facilitate seamless day-to-day business exchange with Toshiba.

"In providing our dealers with a single-point of service through the GEMConnect portal, we're able to not only enhance their business needs and services, but improve overall management and day-to-day business transactions," states Mark Mathews, vice president, marketing TABS."

More than 20 of Toshiba's major accounts now either access the GEMConnect Portal directly on their corporate intranet or use the Internet to access the GEMConnect catalog. Northwest Airlines, the world's fourth largest airlines, recently selected Toshiba as its digital imaging partner in part because of the sophisticated capabilities and support level offered through the GEMConnect Portal.

About Toshiba America Business Solutions

Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. (TABS) manages product planning, marketing, sales, service support and distribution of copiers, facsimiles, multifunction printing products, network controllers and toner products throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TABS comprises four divisions: the Electronic Imaging Division, Toner Products Division, Document Solutions Engineering Division and TBS, a subsidiary which operates a network of acquired office equipment dealers.

Named the most favored manufacturer in seven of the past eight years by the Business Technology Association (BTA), Toshiba's entire product line, customer support and marketing distribution policies are a marker for the industry. Among the many other awards garnered in recent years, Toshiba was named the "Copier Manufacturer of the Year" by the Marketing Research Consultants (MRC) in 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2002 and received the CIO Web Business award for its leading edge intranet site in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

TABS is an independent operating company of Toshiba Corporation, the sixth largest electronics/electrical equipment company and the world's 62nd largest company in terms of sales. Toshiba Corporation is a world leader in high technology products with more than 300 major subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. Fiscal year revenue in 2002 was approximately $47 billion.

For more information on Toshiba copier, facsimile, multifunction printing products, network controllers and toner products, or for a dealer in your area, call 1 800 GO TOSHIBA or visit the TABS Web site at www.copiers.toshiba.com.