Printing is one of the most overlooked operating expenses in many organizations. While businesses often focus on the cost of paper, toner and equipment, the true cost of printing extends much further. Time spent troubleshooting printers, managing supplies, supporting aging devices and responding to help desk tickets all add up, quietly draining productivity and IT resources.
Managed Print Services (MPS) help businesses take control of their print environment by reducing unnecessary costs, improving operational efficiency, strengthening document security and freeing IT teams to focus on higher-value initiatives. Instead of reacting to printer problems, organizations gain a proactive strategy for managing their entire print infrastructure.
Whether you're responsible for finance, operations or overall business performance, investing in Managed Print Services can deliver measurable improvements that go well beyond lowering your monthly printing expenses.
In this guide, you'll learn where businesses typically lose time and money on printing, how Managed Print Services can create long-term value, what kind of return on investment you can expect and how to determine whether MPS is the right fit for your organization.
When businesses evaluate printing costs, they often focus on the obvious expenses, like paper, toner, service and equipment leases. While those costs matter, they're only part of the picture.
The larger expense is often the time and productivity lost managing an inefficient print environment.
Think about how often employees stop what they're doing to deal with a printer issue. Maybe they're searching for a device that works, waiting for a repair, tracking down toner or contacting IT because they can't print an important document. Individually, these interruptions seem minor. Across an entire organization, they can add up to hundreds of lost hours each year.
IT teams face similar challenges. Instead of working on cybersecurity, infrastructure improvements or strategic technology initiatives, they're pulled into troubleshooting copier error codes, updating print drivers or coordinating service calls. These routine tasks consume valuable time that could be spent on projects that move your business forward.
There are also hidden operational costs that many organizations don't recognize until they conduct a print assessment, including:
Without accurate reporting, it's difficult to understand how these expenses affect your organization or where opportunities for improvement exist. That's why many businesses are surprised by what a Managed Print Assessment uncovers. It provides a clear picture of your current print environment, identifies hidden costs and highlights practical ways to improve efficiency without disrupting daily operations.
Reducing printing costs isn't just about printing less. It's about creating a more efficient, predictable and strategically managed print environment. Managed Print Services pricing provides a single, predictable monthly fee that keeps budgeting simple.
Managed Print Services begin with a comprehensive assessment of your existing print infrastructure. By analyzing device usage, print volumes, service history and supply consumption, an MPS provider can identify opportunities to eliminate waste and improve efficiency without disrupting your employees' daily workflows.
Here are some of the biggest ways businesses reduce costs with Managed Print Services:
Many organizations have accumulated printers over time without a long-term strategy. As departments grow or relocate, devices are added wherever they're needed, often resulting in too many printers, outdated equipment or multiple devices performing the same function.
An optimized print fleet ensures each device is appropriately placed, properly utilized and aligned with your organization's needs. In many cases, businesses can reduce the number of devices they manage while maintaining or even improving employee access to printing.
Unexpected breakdowns don't just generate repair costs. They also create downtime and disrupt employee productivity.
With proactive monitoring and preventive maintenance, many issues can be identified and resolved before they become major problems. Keeping devices properly maintained helps extend their lifespan, reduce service interruptions and minimize costly emergency repairs.
Running out of toner at the wrong time can interrupt important work, while overordering supplies ties up unnecessary budget.
Managed Print Services use device monitoring to help ensure supplies are replenished when they're actually needed. This reduces emergency orders, minimizes excess inventory and simplifies purchasing for your team.
Many organizations don't have a clear understanding of how much they're spending on printing or where those costs originate.
Comprehensive reporting provides valuable insights into print volumes, device utilization, color vs. black-and-white printing, departmental usage and other key metrics. With accurate data, business leaders can make informed decisions that reduce waste and improve long-term cost control.
One of the biggest advantages of Managed Print Services is replacing unexpected printing expenses with a more predictable budgeting model.
Rather than reacting to surprise repairs, fluctuating supply costs or emergency equipment replacements, organizations benefit from a structured approach that makes print-related expenses easier to forecast and manage.
While every organization is different, the greatest financial benefit often comes from improving visibility and eliminating inefficiencies rather than simply reducing the cost of paper or toner.
While reducing costs is often the first reason businesses consider Managed Print Services, saving time can have an even greater impact on day-to-day operations. When employees and IT teams spend less time dealing with printer-related issues, they have more time to focus on work that drives your business forward.
For many IT departments, printers are a constant source of interruptions. Installing drivers, troubleshooting connectivity issues, coordinating repairs and responding to supply requests can consume hours each week.
Managed Print Services reduce that administrative burden through proactive monitoring, automated supply management and expert support. Instead of reacting to printer problems, your IT team can spend more time strengthening cybersecurity, modernizing infrastructure, supporting end users and advancing strategic technology initiatives.
When a printer isn't working, productivity comes to a halt. Employees may need to search for another device, wait for technical support or delay important tasks while an issue is resolved.
By improving device reliability and ensuring printers are properly maintained, Managed Print Services help minimize these disruptions. Employees spend less time troubleshooting and more time serving customers, collaborating with colleagues and completing their work.
Managing multiple printers, locations and vendors can quickly become time-consuming, especially as your organization grows.
Managed Print Services centralize print management, giving businesses greater visibility into their entire print environment. Instead of juggling multiple service providers, ordering supplies manually or tracking equipment across locations, organizations benefit from a streamlined approach that simplifies ongoing administration.
One of the biggest advantages of Managed Print Services is that many issues are identified before employees even notice them.
Remote monitoring can detect low toner levels, service alerts and device performance issues early, allowing maintenance and supplies to be scheduled proactively. This helps reduce unexpected downtime and keeps your print environment running smoothly.
Every minute spent dealing with printer issues is time that isn't spent moving your business forward.
By reducing interruptions, improving device reliability and simplifying print management, Managed Print Services create a more productive work environment for everyone, from front-line employees to executive leadership. The result isn't just a more efficient print fleet. It's a more efficient organization.
Not sure whether your organization is spending too much time managing printers? Our Managed Print Buyer's Guide - From Chaos to Control explains what to look for in an MPS provider, the questions to ask during your evaluation and how to compare solutions with confidence.
The answer depends on your organization's print environment, business goals and the amount of time your team spends managing printers today.
For organizations with a handful of printers and minimal printing needs, Managed Print Services may not deliver enough value to justify a formal program. However, as businesses grow, print environments often become more complex. Devices are added over time, support responsibilities expand and printing costs become more difficult to track.
If any of this sounds familiar, it may be time to consider Managed Print Services.
Managing several printers across one or more offices often means juggling different service schedules, supply orders and maintenance needs. An MPS program brings everything under a single, coordinated strategy, making it easier to manage your print environment and maintain consistent performance.
Printers shouldn't prevent your IT team from focusing on cybersecurity, infrastructure, cloud initiatives or strategic projects.
If printer support has become a recurring source of help desk tickets, Managed Print Services can reduce that burden through proactive monitoring, automated supply management and expert support.
Many organizations know how much they spend on paper and toner, but few have complete visibility into the total cost of printing.
Without reporting and analytics, it's difficult to identify unnecessary devices, excessive printing or opportunities to improve efficiency. A Managed Print Assessment provides the data needed to make informed business decisions instead of relying on assumptions.
Today's multifunction printers process, store and transmit sensitive information. Organizations in healthcare, legal, financial services, education, manufacturing and other regulated industries need a print environment that supports their security and compliance objectives.
Managed Print Services can help improve visibility, strengthen print security and support document protection as part of a broader information security strategy.
As your business expands, so do your printing needs. Opening new locations, hiring additional employees or introducing new workflows can place added demands on your print infrastructure.
A well-designed Managed Print Services program scales alongside your organization, helping ensure your print environment continues to support your business without creating unnecessary complexity.
Not every organization needs a comprehensive Managed Print Services program.
If your business has only a few employees, one or two printers, very low print volumes and little demand on your IT team, your current approach may already be meeting your needs.
The key is understanding where your organization stands today. That's why many businesses begin with a Managed Print Assessment. Rather than assuming MPS is the right solution, an assessment provides a clear picture of your current environment, identifies opportunities for improvement and helps determine whether Managed Print Services will deliver meaningful value for your organization.
Not sure if Managed Print Services are right for your business?
A Free Managed Print Assessment gives you a clear picture of your current print environment, identifies hidden costs and highlights opportunities to improve efficiency before you make any decisions.
Every organization's print environment is different, which means the return on investment from Managed Print Services will vary. Rather than focusing on a single savings percentage, it's more valuable to evaluate the operational improvements that contribute to long-term business results.
Before estimating the potential return on investment, consider how your organization manages printing today. You don't need to know the answers to every question today. Simply identifying a few areas of concern can help you determine whether a Managed Print Assessment is worth exploring.
| Area | Questions to Consider |
| IT Support | How many printer-related support requests does your IT team handle each month? |
| Print Fleet | Are all of your printers regularly used, or are some sitting idle? |
| Supplies | Do you frequently place emergency toner or supply orders? |
| Downtime | How often do printer issues interrupt employee productivity? |
| Reporting | Can you accurately track printing costs by department or device? |
| Security | Are your printers managed using the same security standards as the rest of your IT infrastructure? |
If several of these questions highlight opportunities for improvement, your organization may benefit from a Managed Print Assessment to establish a baseline and identify where Managed Print Services can deliver the greatest value.
Looking only at the cost of toner, paper and equipment doesn't provide the full picture.
The total cost of ownership includes everything required to support your print environment, including maintenance, supplies, IT support, energy consumption, device replacement and employee productivity. By optimizing these areas together, businesses often gain better control over their overall printing expenses.
Printer-related support requests can consume a surprising amount of IT time.
As Managed Print Services reduce routine troubleshooting, automate supply management and provide proactive maintenance, internal IT teams can dedicate more time to projects that strengthen the business instead of responding to recurring printer issues.
Reliable printing helps employees stay focused on their work instead of waiting for repairs, searching for another printer or submitting help desk requests.
While those interruptions may seem minor individually, reducing them across an entire organization can result in meaningful productivity improvements over time.
One of the most valuable outcomes of Managed Print Services is access to meaningful data.
Detailed reporting helps organizations understand print volumes, device utilization, departmental activity and opportunities to reduce unnecessary printing. These insights support smarter budgeting, better resource allocation and continuous improvement.
Unexpected repair bills, emergency toner purchases and aging equipment can make printing costs difficult to forecast.
Managed Print Services replace much of that uncertainty with a structured, proactive approach that makes budgeting more predictable and helps organizations avoid unexpected expenses.
The best return on investment isn't always measured solely in dollars.
For many organizations, the greatest value comes from reducing business disruptions, improving employee productivity, strengthening print security and giving IT teams more time to focus on strategic initiatives. These operational improvements can have a lasting impact on efficiency, customer service and overall business performance.
That's why the first step isn't choosing a Managed Print Services provider. It's understanding your current print environment. A comprehensive Managed Print Assessment establishes a baseline, identifies opportunities for improvement and gives you the information needed to evaluate the potential return on investment before making any changes.
Not all Managed Print Services providers offer the same level of expertise, support or strategic guidance. Choosing the right partner can have a significant impact on your long-term costs, employee productivity and overall experience.
Before signing an agreement, take time to evaluate how each provider approaches assessments, ongoing support, security and continuous improvement.
Here are some important questions to ask during your evaluation.
A reputable provider should clearly explain how they'll establish a baseline for your current print environment and how they'll measure improvements over time.
Look for providers that track meaningful metrics such as device utilization, print volumes, uptime, service response times and opportunities to reduce unnecessary printing.
Many businesses assume they need to replace every printer to benefit from Managed Print Services. In reality, many existing devices can often remain part of a well-designed MPS program.
Ask how the provider evaluates your current equipment and whether they'll recommend improvements based on your business needs rather than simply replacing hardware.
Reporting should provide more than basic print counts.
Ask whether you'll receive ongoing insights into print volumes, supply usage, device performance, security recommendations and opportunities to continuous improvement.
The more visibility you have into your print environment, the easier it becomes to make informed business decisions.
Printers are connected devices that often process sensitive business information.
Ask how the provider helps secure print devices through firmware updates, user authentication, secure print release, access controls, encryption and ongoing monitoring. Print security should be part of your broader cybersecurity strategy, not an afterthought.
Your print environment will likely change over time.
Whether you're opening new locations, hiring additional staff or adopting new workflows, your Managed Print Services provider should be able to adapt your print strategy as your business evolves.
Before signing any agreement, make sure you understand exactly what's included.
Ask about response times, preventive maintenance, automated supply replenishment, remote monitoring, help desk support and how service requests are handled. Clear expectations today can help prevent surprises later.
The best Managed Print Services providers don't just maintain printers. They work alongside your organization to improve efficiency, reduce unnecessary costs, strengthen security and support your long-term business goals.
The right partnership should leave you with fewer day-to-day printing concerns, better visibility into your environment and greater confidence that your print infrastructure is supporting your business instead of slow it down.
Choosing the right provider doesn't have to be overwhelming.
Our free Managed Print Services Buyer's Guide - From Chaos to Control, includes a detailed evaluation checklist, questions to ask during vendor interviews, common contract pitfalls to avoid and practical tips to help you compare providers with confidence.
Q: What are the biggest benefits of Managed Print Services?
A: Managed Print Services can help reduce printing costs, minimize downtime, improve device reliability, strengthen print security, simplify supply management and reduce the amount of time IT spends supporting printers. The specific benefits depend on your current print environment and where inefficiencies exist.
Q: Are Managed Print Services worth it for small businesses?
A: They can be, but business size alone doesn't determine whether MPS is worthwhile. A smaller organization with several printers, frequent service issues, limited IT resources and little visibility into printing costs may benefit from MPS. A business with one or two devices, minimal printing needs may not need a comprehensive program. A Managed Print Assessment can help determine whether the potential benefits justify the investment.
Q: Can Managed Print Services work with our existing printers?
A: Often, yes. Moving to Managed Print Services doesn't necessarily mean replacing every printer you own. A provider should evaluate your existing fleet, including device age, condition, usage, capabilities and operating costs, before recommending which equipment should stay, be relocated or eventually be replaced.
Q: How do Managed Print Services reduce IT workload?
A: MPS shifts many routine print management responsibilities away from internal IT teams. Depending on the program, this can include device monitoring, troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, supply replenishment, service coordination and ongoing fleet management. That gives IT professionals more time to focus on cybersecurity, infrastructure, user support and strategic technology projects.
Q: How are Managed Print Services savings measured?
A: Savings should be measured against a baseline of your current print environment. Depending on your goals, that can include total printing costs, print volumes, device utilization, service expenses, IT support time, supply consumption downtime and other operational costs. Ongoing reporting can then show where performance has improved and where additional opportunities remain.
Q: What should be included in a Managed Print Services agreement?
A: The details vary by provider and program, but an agreement should clearly explain what's covered, how services are delivered and how costs are calculated. Review areas such as maintenance, supplies, monitoring, reporting, service response expectations, security support, equipment responsibilities, contract terms and what happens when your organization's needs change.
Managed Print Services can be a worthwhile investment when printing has become difficult to manage, expensive to support or a recurring distraction for employees and IT teams. The value goes beyond reducing the cost of toner or service. A well-managed print environment can improve productivity, create more predictable expenses, reduce downtime, strengthen security and give your organization better visibility into how its resources are being used.
The key is understanding where you stand today.
Before making changes to your equipment or committing to an MPS agreement, establish a clear picture of your current print environment. Look at what you're spending, how your devices are being used, where employees experience problems and how much time your IT team dedicates to print-related support.
That's where a Managed Print Assessment can help.
A Managed Print Assessment takes a closer look at your device, usage, costs, workflows and support needs to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement. Instead of guessing whether Managed Print Services will save your organization time and money, you'll have real information to guide your decision.
Schedule your Free Managed Print Assessment to discover where your organization can reduce unnecessary costs, improve efficiency and build a smarter approach to print management.