8 Benefits of Managed Print Services for Your Business

We've been hearing about the paperless office for nearly three decades now - a utopia of clutter-free desks and offices with no big bulky file cabinets.  The reality is that the paperless office, even for Millenials, proves a tough idea to adopt.  With print remaining an essential function of business, how businesses approach print is critical to managing costs.  Managed print services (MPS) can provide the framework you need to keep printing in check.

When selecting a managed print services program, your business should search for a solution that matches your business needs and enhances employee productivity. Consider these points when thinking about managed print services:

• According to Buyers Lab, 90% of companies don't track their printing costs!
• The average business spends approximately 3% of revenue on printing
• Nearly 25% of all IT help desk calls are printer related

Through the implementation of a managed print services program, businesses can realize a 20-30% savings on printing.  This will also reduce the number of calls to your IT department, as the managed print services provider will be managing the print fleet.  This frees up IT to work on projects that are critical to your business.  Here are some other ways your business will benefit from a managed print services program.

• Get a free analysis of your print environment.  While your IT department may be fully capable of handling this type of analysis, is it really how you need them spending their time?  When implementing an MPS program, the provider should do a complete and free analysis of all of your print fleet to determine how to maximize your print environment to give you the most return on your investment.
• Reduce desktop printers.  Most companies have small desktop printers in certain locations.  We like to call them personal printers, as they aren't networked. The likelihood that all of your desktop printers are the same is not good, meaning you need to stock several types of toner and parts to keep them running.
• Security is a MUST! A recent survey by Quocirca states that approximately 60% of businesses suffered at least one print-related data breach in the last year.  47% of companies experienced MORE THAN one data breach through printers. With these staggering numbers, it is no wonder printer security has become one of the most targeted methods for hackers to gain access to your valuable data.  With an MPS provider, you will have a consistent security monitor for your printers.  This includes installing vital updates and patches on your printer software to ensure the settings are up-to-date and the device safe from hackers.
• Consolidate and relocate.  With printers scattered randomly around your business, they are likely not providing the most efficiency.  An MPS program will evaluate ALL of the equipment (printers, copiers, MFPs) and provide a plan to consolidate or relocate equipment to more optimal areas. The idea is that printing devices should be easily accessible to all employees.
• Provide a standard cost.  When a printing device needs repair or toner, this is usually not a predicted cost.  Imagine how many times in a year that occurs.  With an MPS program, the provider will provide you with a set monthly investment.  This will eliminate any surprise expenses and allow you to have a predictable line item for your budget.
• Automated supply replenishment. With an MPS program, the chances of running out of toner with no warning is a thing of the past.  Your provider will set up an automated toner replenishment program that will automatically ship toner when your device is running low.  This keeps your business running while eliminating the need for storing large amounts of different toner cartridges.
• Enable rules-based printing. Knowing how much printing employees are doing vs. how much is necessary is often tough to compile.  With rules-based printing, you can manage common print wasting activities.  For example, you can set everyone to automatically print in black and white, saving expensive color toner.  You can implement duplex printing for all, cutting in half the amount of paper being used.  You can even force users to print to specific machines for specific jobs, meaning a large volume job can't be printed on a small desktop printer.  All of these things contribute to the cost-savings your business can realize.
• Mobile printing.  With our reliance on mobile devices, it is imperative to have a way for employees to print from their mobile devices.  With an MPS program, employees can print remotely from off-site locations.  Your MPS provider can set up mobile printing and maintain the environment.

With Managed Print Services, your business can realize a plethora of benefits. From cost reduction to freeing up IT staff for more important projects, your business can finally get a handle on one of the biggest costs for your company. To learn how Managed Print Services can help your business, contact Fraser for a free MPS assessment.