Let’s take the mystery or any confusion out of the meaning of managed print services, also known as “MPS”. The reality is that managed print services can extend to many boundaries, limited only by the solution provider’s ability to deliver a complete solution specific to managing and supporting the print environment of a company.

What Is Managed Print Services?

Managed print services is made up of providing a complete yet customized solution to solving the needs of a specific customer’s printer and copier fleet. This can be a comprehensive set of hardware, software, services, supplies, and consumables, with support and infrastructure management that enables better printer and copier utilization and lower costs. However, by simplifying what MPS is or what an MPS program looks like as a value offering and solution from YOU (the provider), life will be easier on your organization’s effort in rolling out and delivering an MPS program, as well as being able to communicate and educate the end-user on what exactly MPS means for them.

MPS Is Flexibility, Transparency, And Automation For The Printer Fleet

The most important aspect of MPS is the ability to monitor and manage the print environment with a print management software solution and data collection agent (printer dca). Delivering a managed print services solution requires at a minimum, an ALL-in-ONE software platform that will allow you to automate and streamline as much of your business processes as possible. Such as having the ability to track and report on devices and consumable data (i.e. page counts, print volumes & usage, track and monitor toner waste, track cartridge installation dates and cartridge utilization to prevent waste, track orders & shipments, etc.)

Keeping things simple, start small, and then GROW (depending on what your current offering and capabilities are today). First create YOUR own definition of what makes up YOUR MPS offering on a high level. For example, purposes, use the foundation of any MPS solution and know you must offer one or all of the following solutions, services, and/or toolsets to start:

• Data Collection Agent or printer dca Software (mandatory) – Print Device Monitoring
• Supply Fulfillment Program (Toner & Ink) – Automated supply fulfillment and order management processing
• Break-Fix Service & Maintenance – Printer service and repair program (JIT or SLA)
• Hardware Optimization – Print device sales, upgrades, etc.
• Toner Cartridge Recycling – Environmental sustainability program

Is the above an elementary breakdown of what encompasses Managed Print Services, of course it is. But that is my point. Keep it simple.

1. Define your purpose for offering MPS
2. Develop a Strategy to get there (start SMALL and then GROW)
3. Conduct a GAP analysis (including the type of solution you truly want to offer) and determine what capabilities you have today and what type of MPS solution you can currently offer (simple/basic or robust) and identify what the differences are.
4. Take an Inventory of your resources (that includes people, software, hardware, and capabilities), and determine what parts of an MPS Solution do you sell today and what skillsets do you currently have in-house to sell MPS.
5. Determine what else YOU need to close the GAP(s) and figure out how to get those things (utilize toolsets available on the marketplace that can streamline and automate processes, don’t try and re-invent the wheel, use relationships, partners, and other available resources, or acquire the things you need in order to reach the desired state of your MPS Solution Offering!
a. Determine the things you WANT to offer
b. Determine the things you CAN offer
c. Determine how to GET the things you CAN’T offer
The example of Providing the 5 service offerings as the core of what makes up an MPS program or MPS solution is key, (with the understanding that ALL of the above aspects of MPS do NOT have to be implemented at the same time in order to be considered an MPS program). Certainly, within each of the above service segments, there are a number of processes and procedures that take place which can and will turn the program from simple to robust, but that is the beauty of defining what your MPS offering consists of! Keep it simple. Start small and Grow. A most importantly, commit to learning and educating.

BASIC Components Of A Successful MPS Program

1- The MPS Educator/Director

First and foremost, there must be a committed MPS educator, director, or trainer at the dealer level, and there SHOULD be (in my opinion) a committed MPS educator, director, or trainer provided to the dealer at the distributor level. These point of contacts need to know all things MPS, including the vision, direction, toolsets, resources, with a goal of providing education top-to-bottom on the why and how managed print services is crucial and successful for all parties involved. Without these committed individuals, it’s going to be a challenge to garner MPS business from your clients.

2- The Printer DCA must be installed.

Without the deployment of the printer data collection agent (DCA) to monitor the end customers’ device fleet and print environment, there is zero visibility, transparency, or data to be able to offer the end customer with true MPS solution. Simply put, without an intelligent, flexible, brand-agnostic printer DCA, there is no start to offering an MPS program.

**NOTE – We will be outlining the detailed components for a successful MPS program in the coming weeks, so be sure to join our newsletter for details when it is live!

Detailing The Flexibility, Transparency, And Automation Of MPS

Flexibility in the general supply ordering and order fulfillment process:

• Providing automated toner and inkjet supplies fulfillment, which is only possible with the use of a printer DCA to monitor the device fleet and trigger consumable alerts and orders automatically at the right moment.

Flexibility in payment or billing options and structure:

• Providing the end-user with the ability for orders to be automated and purchased on a transactional basis. (The MPS DCA must be installed at the end-user location, an alert is triggered by MPS DCA, toner is shipped, end-user is charged or invoiced for the individual toner or ink consumable)

• Providing the end-user with the ability to be invoiced on a cost-per-page billing structure (DCA is monitoring print environment, page counters report is generated at the end of the billing cycle, end-user is invoiced for total pages printed during billing period x cost per page black & cost per page color) In addition to billing CPP, dealers also have the ability via the MPS DCA, to build in additional revenue-generating billing parameters, such as charging for scans, toner waste (utilization), page covered percentages, min/max page counts, additional flat fees, and more.

Transparency in what the print environment looks like:

• Dealer ability to monitor all print fleet-related data, including:

– device inventory
– page counts
– print volumes
– device make and models
– service and technical alerts
– cartridge utilization and consumable waste prevention
– fleet optimization and obsolescence avoidance
– actual page coverage
– consumables status and alerts
– preventative maintenance and downtime reporting
– consumable forecasting
– and more

• End-user visibility via a customer-facing data collection panel or dashboard to view

– the devices being monitored by the DCA
– fleet status
– page counters
– consumable alerts
– technical service events and alerts
– device uptime and downtime data
– TCO reporting
– and more

Automation for Print Fleet Management, Order Management

Including:

– Sales order & Purchase Order
– Supplies Fulfillment
– Technical Service & Support
– Device Analytics
– Billing
– Fleet Optimization
– and more

Providing transparent and flexible solutions to ordering consumables and automating the fulfillment process, along with monitoring the print fleet and environment so that both the end-user and dealer know EXACTLY what the print environment is costing (the end-user) and what opportunities reside within the environment to capture revenue (for the dealer), is the core value behind operating a true MPS solution. This is combined with the goal of securing and increasing the customer lifetime value (CLV).

The end-user and the dealer (MPS provider) all get value in the form of transparency and strategic control (with visibility and access to print devices being picked up by the DCA), long-term recurring revenue in the form of contractual agreements for providing the aforementioned MPS services defined, and closes the loop for keeping competitors out by offering more value-added services where the end customer does not need to go anywhere for services you can provide.

MPS providers have been thrown many curve balls over the last decade. Covid-19 was just the latest in a string of circumstances and technological transformations facing MPS. These difficulties have disrupted the managed print services industry and they likely won’t be the last. Business automation requirements for vendors have steadily increased, requiring that MPS providers keep up with digital transformation and technology innovations. Industry leaders are being expected to meet the challenges with systems that serve the needs of their business clients who are pushing to transform how they do business.

More than ever before, businesses are changing how their operations and workforce utilize corporate offices. They are fragmenting their employees into hybrid workplace environments spread over multiple venues. Work at home, staggard in office shifts are being deployed along with numerous other variations that make up the new normal of the hybrid workplace. These changes have been coming for some time, however, they have been forcibly pressed into service by the Covid-19 pandemic over the last year.

Well before the pandemic, most large and mid-sized brands were on a mission to undergo digital transformation. But what is digital transformation?

Digital transformation is often described as the transformation of business to integrate technologies, processes and priorities that allow for an overall more efficient, competitive and effective operation. source fondalo.com In this article there are some incredible facts about digital transformation that MPS providers need to pay attention to. You must understand the effects of Covid-19 as well as the transformation of business and the hybrid workplace.

Digital Transformation Facts

– more than 80% of Fortune 500 companies that existed 20 years ago, either are no longer in business or are no longer on the list.

– many of the current fortune 500’s did not even exist as companies just 20 years ago.

– as many as 40% of today’s F500 companies on the S&P 500 will no longer exist in 10 years.

– entire industries along with major brands have died because they failed to digitally transform.

How Managed Print Services Providers Must Transform

Recently Quocirca released their Managed Print Services Market Landscape 2021 report. It is no longer a secret what is at the door for MPS. Let’s go through some of the findings of the executive summary from the Quocirca report.

MPS leaders are differentiating beyond traditional print services.

MPS leaders are offering broad service offerings across office and production print environments. They are also delivering on the digital transformation of business process automation. Offerings by MPS leaders that focus on security services and solutions portfolio along with distributed environments and cloud print services are standing out in the crowd.

Slow recovery of office print volumes.

• 77% of those brands who were surveyed indicated that paper is fairly or very important to their business, down 10% from 2019.
• Large companies are more print-dependent than smaller and European counterparts.
• HALF of the respondents reported a decrease in office print volumes since the start of the pandemic.
• As companies continue to reduce print-based processes, it is clear that a return to pre-pandemic print volumes is unlikely.

MPS spend growth is slowing.

• 53% of respondents expect to increase MPS spending in the coming year. This is a drop from 79% in 2019.
• The US remains the most positive about MPS spend, with 73% expecting it to increase, though that’s down from 84% in 2019.

MPS being used to support the new hybrid workplace.

• Outsourced MPS is showing to be the perfect fit for the future hybrid workplace.
• 56% of companies with fully outsourced MPS have provided printers for remote workers, compared with only 42% of those using a hybrid model.
• Provisioning printers for the home worker can combat shadow IT purchasing. This allows companies to control devices accessing their network and data.

On-line purchasing of home printers has filled MPS provider supply gaps.

• While 52% indicated that they used their MPS supplier to procure home printers, 44% indicated that these were purchased online.
• 10% purchased using a B2B online store such as Amazon Business.
• This highlights the changing nature of B2B purchasing. This is particularly through the pandemic where speed of purchase and delivery was critical to ensuring remote workers were set up quickly for home working.

Cloud adoption accelerates.

• As businesses adjust the physical space and infrastructure changes, as well as to adapt to a large number of remote users, cloud-based print management and advanced analytics can play a core role in print environment redesign and deployment.
• 75% of companies expect to see greater use of cloud print management by 2025.

MPS as a digital enabler.

• Companies continue to see MPS as a key component of their digital transformation efforts.
• 37% saying MPS is very important to digital transformation in their organization.
• Companies have accelerated digital transformation programs to lessen the impact of COVID-19.
• MPS providers should be capitalizing on the current climate by assisting brands with business automation processes and workflows and aiding remote collaboration and print management.

Read the executive summary here

What Does This Mean To MPS Providers?

In the current business climate, companies desperately need solutions that further their ability to adjust and manage the challenges of today. They’re facing obstacles with remote employees, fragmented corporate real estate consumption, and the hybrid workplace. Managed Print Services software solutions are the critical components that will enable MPS providers to help their customers digitally transform. Furthermore, it helps automate customer business processes and reduces their overall costs. Automation, end-to-end print fleet, and purchasing management along with actionable data are key to the success of the MPS industry moving forward.

Find out how PowerMPS can help you deliver what your managed print services customers need today and into the future.

Marching into the new year, companies might be looking for ways to shake things up. These changes might include reducing or increasing prices, improving productivity and efficiency, or hiring new employees.

As always, profit is the key consideration for every business. As such, one of the first moves companies often look to make in the new year is to eliminate factors that hinder profit. Simultaneously, they are also looking for newer, more efficient ways to improve their bottom line.

But businesses should be wary about considering eliminating office printing. Business printing has long been a core aspect of efficient office processes and 2023 looks to continue this trend. While businesses turn increasingly toward digital sharing and communications, ink and paper are still playing a crucial part in helping employees operate at their best. Office printing still provides important tools for sales and marketing, employee engagement, and efficient solutions for meetings, note-taking, and much more.

Here are just a few ways office print remains important in the coming year.

Printing Usage is Expected to Increase Rather Than Disappear

Moving closer to a fully digitalized society, experts and idealists continue to envision a paperless future. Yet, the printing industry and use of print is expected to increase rather than take that oft-predicted nose-dive. Recent research shows paper used for printing is likely to increase by 50% as the average worker continues to print 34 or more pages per day.

There is a wide range of documents many individuals still consider necessary to print for use, reference, or storage. Legal documentation, important financial statements, banking forms, presentations, and meeting notes are just a few of the things employees and customers continue to demand in printed formats. But why?

While digital signatures are becoming exceedingly common, people of all ages remain more comfortable with physical signatures than digital formats. Similarly, providing printed documents for meetings helps relieve stress as attendees have a clear guide to the meeting and a place to take relevant notes. Written notes are especially important as they help employees and customers analyze and retain the information discussed.

However, when it comes to the company’s bottom line, the massive amount of paper employees use could be an issue. Despite the importance of printed documents within the workspace, around thirty percent of pages printed by employees are thrown away. It seems clear that implementing stricter printing policies along with a wider range of digital document options could be the solution to cutting printing costs. But how much of that waste is employee-driven versus machine error?

Printing Costs Likely to Have a Bigger Impact on the Business’s Bottom Line

As inflation continues to maintain its stranglehold on the economy, the cost of printing supplies, equipment, parts, and service is likely to remain high. Research shows continuing economic pressures could force up to a 30% increase in printing costs.

Office printing costs traditionally take up the third slot for the largest business expense, right behind rent, payroll, and other business utilities. But improper print management and printer-related inefficiencies can increase printing expenses by up to 15%.

Rather than immediately sinking large sums into digital document solutions, businesses should look to proper print management to streamline their printing costs. In most cases, document waste, supply levels, and equipment issues are the root cause of overspending. Eliminating paper jams, employee education, and more efficient printer equipment can significantly reduce print waste and save the business big money.

Fortunately, there are print industry professionals who can help evaluate and recommend customized solutions for any office. Managed print services providers can streamline a business’s printing processes, provide more efficient print management, and significantly improve the print impact on a company’s bottom line.

Printer Service Partners Will Become a Key to Business Success

IT departments are not print industry experts, making the task of a thorough office printing audit and strategy difficult without bringing in outside resources. A focused printing professional can help evaluate office print waste and appropriate use by location and department. They are then able to make recommendations about equipment, strategy, printer features, and supply levels that will improve business efficiency while controlling spiraling costs.

The correct printing equipment for a business is especially important as the size, model, and efficiency directly affect costs associated with floor space usage, electricity/energy pull, as well as ink and paper volumes. Additionally, newer printing equipment is designed for efficiency, maximizing ink and toner use and reducing electricity to save even more on operational printer costs.

But equipment, supplies, and paper waste are not the only price of inefficient office printing. Old, outdated, or improperly serviced machines can also lead to an influx in maintenance and service calls to the IT department. Most businesses with interoffice managed printing report up to 50% of calls to the IT help desk revolve around printing issues. Most complaints require technical help for equipment problems, paper jams, flawed prints or copies, or software malfunctions.

In addition to providing better equipment and printer configurations, managed print services partners have the capacity and ability to absorb the maintenance, customer service, printer security, and other day-to-day operations of the office print platform. The savings in IT time, payroll, and help desk efforts alone can help refocus the department onto things that directly benefit the business’s bottom line.

Planning for the future

Office printing will remain a strong component of the business space in 2023, alongside ongoing digital transformation. However, rising printing costs will continue to impact many businesses – generating a significant need for new and improved printing strategies and management.

Fortunately, there are business printing solutions available to help companies continue to meet the printing needs of their employees and customers without taking too hard of a hit to their overall profits. Managed print services providers are ready and available to ensure that their business partners have safe, efficient, and cost-effective office printing solutions.

Data has always been essential to running a business, especially when it comes to the financial side of a company. Tracking materials usage and time spent on projects or tasks has always been a struggle for accounting departments. However, Big Data has made it much easier to set up programs and systems to assist in tracking items essential to fully developed financials.

The beginning of this type of tracking was embedded in the use of firewalls and servers. IT used these tools to block access to websites and services that were deemed unsafe or distracting. It also helped keep tabs on what and how employees were using their time and equipment.

Now, however, with an ever-growing remote-work environment, companies are moving beyond the standard in-house tracking. Instead, they are beginning to implement project management software like Monday. More intensive clock-in and clock-out tracking systems like Toggl are also a common alternative. However, businesses with significant security concerns and stringent compliance or regulatory requirements have begun to migrate to all-in-one screenshots, website usage, and time-tracking systems—programs like Time Doctor or Clockify. But, no matter the software or methods being used, businesses can now fully monitor and track the work and time of each of their internal and remote workers.

For finance departments, the introduction of these systems means easier tracking and categorizing of employee time. It helps them tabulate hours spent on individual projects and apply costs to specific areas throughout the business. However, despite more advanced tracking capabilities in the realm of the employee, there are back-office and overhead expenses that are still tough to trace, such as printing.

The Printing Expense Dilemma

Many may argue that printing costs are very easy to tabulate. But printing industry experts such as Managed Print Services providers know the actual costs of printing go far beyond the equipment and supplies. How much a company pays to purchase or lease a printer or spends on paper and toner are only the surface expenditures.

The truth is that, for every $1 spent on office printing, another $9 is paid to manage it. This expense is created by IT management, infrastructure, and support. While the Information Technology (IT) group may lump print in with the rest of their general office assistance and structure, analysis proves it takes up far more time and energy than anyone would like to believe. Most businesses report 40% of their help desk calls and tickets are print-related when thoroughly evaluated. And these ongoing print problems can require anything from basic assistance such as supply replenishment or jam assistance to a repair call.

But IT is not the only department affected by office print management. Equipment, toner, ink, and paper supplies all fall on the administrative and procurement departments. Ensuring these items are appropriately sourced in a timely manager often requires inventory regulation. Larger offices may even require regular reports on print dispense and ink levels. In some cases, this information may involve direct contact and inspection of the print equipment’s stored data.

Add to all of this the need to provision and upkeep on-site (and now remote and at-home) printing facilities; it does not seem unreasonable for print management to encompass such a staggering hidden cost. Yet nearly half (40%) of North American businesses cannot accurately track print and print management expenses. As a result, most companies spend a great deal more than they should to provide these services to their employees. A typical business spends up to 3% of its annual revenues on office print services.

Managed Print Services – Solution To Print Costs

Seeing such a cost analysis, finance departments might immediately attempt to steer their company toward a paperless environment. Indeed, many organizations have been working hard toward the vision of a completely digital office. But studies have shown paper is still an essential feature for employees and security. Fortunately, there are ways for businesses to provide finance with the data attributions they desire while significantly lowering the overall costs of business office print.

Managed print service (MPS) providers consolidate administration, printer helpdesk, and maintenance into one package. As a business that is wholly focused on providing printer services, equipment, and supplies, they can leverage their industry knowledge, experience, and volumes to help reduce wait times, resolve issues, and lower supply costs. Overall, MPS services can reduce overall printing costs by up to 30%. The cost-savings to print-related helpdesk tickets and calls alone range from 7-14%.

MPS providers using business process automation systems like PowerMPS offer even more data and cost savings. These platforms provide MPS customers with easily accessible data on print volumes by printer, location, and current supply levels. This information can be accessed from the comfort and safety of the home office – for even remote office and connected desktop printers.

MPS using PowerMPS systems can provide an in-depth look at supply usage for those finance departments demanding even more convenience and cost savings. And there are ample time savings with predictive supply ordering technology and online maintenance management.

Finance departments in businesses across North America might be at a disadvantage for tracking and understanding their actual office printing spend. But, just like there is a growing service and software space for proper employee time management and attribution, there are solutions for the enterprising finance team. When it comes to tracking and management for print, these companies should take a hard look at partnering with a reputable MPS provider – especially one galvanized by an authoritative tool such as PowerMPS.

Learn more about Power MPS here

3 Ways a Cloud-Based Economy Empowers Office Printing

A growth in mobile business communications has many people believing office printing is on the way out. Where businesses used to rely on faxes, traditional mail, and face-to-face interactions, now there are Zoom calls, email, and digital document editors.

Today’s highly skilled professionals are not just making phone calls on the go, they are using mobile devices to collaborate with their colleagues and grow their businesses. Mobile eliminates the issues surrounding different time zones and locations. It even allows highly motivated individuals to work around flexible schedules to collaborate efficiently and effectively.

But, despite a heavy reliance on mobile communications, there is one thing that continues to play a big part in aiding business collaboration – printing.

Office Printing Aids Business Collaboration

Collaboration is crucial in any business. It helps build teamwork and allows the company to operate more efficiently and effectively. Cloud- and web-based systems play a critical role in helping today’s businesses communicate, stay organized, and complete tasks.

Recent research shows that mobile devices are another essential in business communications, especially for skilled professionals. Yet, this same group continues to rely on printed materials when they need to read, make changes, or add commentary to shared documents. As a result, mobile printing volumes have increased by around twenty percent.

The office printer is beginning to serve as much more than a piece of printing hardware. Instead, it is bridging the gap between the analog and digital world. Today’s printers can accept mobile print input from practically any location, digitize physical documents for seamless sharing, and provide additional security through data encryption, firewalls, and other measures. In doing so, office printing is quickly cementing itself as a crucial component of the collaborative business process.

Cloud Printing Provides Real Business Advantages

Collaboration is not the only benefit of leveraging cloud-based printing for business. Implementing these advanced printing systems provides a range of other advantages, such as freeing up physical space in the office by eliminating the need for physically on-site print servers. As a bonus, removing print servers also conserves electricity by reducing the pieces of electronic equipment pulling energy within the office.

Another key benefit to cloud printing is its association with third-party print providers. In most cases, the software and systems required to effectively run a cloud-based printer environment require an association with printing partners such as managed print services and printer leasing companies.

These businesses specialize in providing office print technology – including printer maintenance and service. However, when it comes to cloud printing, print services providers take over the bulk of print problems, such as the help desk calls and tickets to IT for printer issues. The result is an IT help desk with more time and energy to devote to more critical aspects of the business.

In addition to managing printer issues, cloud printing providers also offer an elevated level of security and compliance standards to keep business data safe. This security includes a host of best practices including, but not limited to, data encryption, secure communications, and end-user password protection.

In the case of auditing for heavily regulated industries, cloud printing is a must-have. Cloud systems regularly track printer use by IP address, computer, employee ID, and many other factors. For some businesses, this tracking is purely to moderate supplies and provide education for employees. However, this information provides essential data for businesses that need trackable audit trails.

Meeting the Needs of a Remote and Hybrid Workforce

The difficulties of print management across a hybrid workforce can be easily balanced thanks to cloud-based printing. This networked printing system helps remove the disruptions many remote and hybrid workers experience with their current printer systems. And companies worldwide are recognizing the need to leverage cloud-based printing and communications throughout their business.

A recent survey found that nearly half (44%) of businesses already use some cloud-based service. Another forty-three percent expect to leverage cloud services in the next two years, and cloud printing is a large part of this heavy adoption environment.

Today’s cloud-based office print options include various options designed to cater to a dynamic workforce. These options include small-footprint networked machines for print-heavy employees as well as remote print job scheduling for main office printers.

Having reliable printer access is proven to improve productivity and efficiency for the remote workforce. It also streamlines printer connectivity and capabilities with services such as automatic version updates and remote driver management.

Managed Print Services Providers Make Cloud Printing for Offices Even Easier

Office printing is a crucial aspect of today’s collaborative business environments. And, with its laundry list of benefits, including advanced security, higher compatibility, and ease of use, cloud-based office printing services are an essential part of any growing business.

Third-party cloud printing providers such as managed print services and printer leasing are the perfect partners to help businesses leverage office printing across their company. Whether it is a remote work, hybrid office, or traditional office environment, the expertise office print partners bring to the table can help any company optimize their print setup to meet the needs of employees, IT, and management.

click here to Learn more about Power MPS and how they can increase MPS revenue

Tackling Printing Costs: What Is Managed Print Services?

The average American uses around 700 pounds of paper, and printing paper output is expected to rise by half a percent by the end of 2021. It is not surprising when you consider a large portion of that paper usage is in the office, where employees use an average of $725/ year in paper and printing per person.

Some companies have made bids to move their business to paperless solutions to reduce paper usage and business printing costs. These efforts have had some impact in helping to reduce paper waste. Still, there are many reasons – both technological and psychological – that printing remains an essential feature of every office environment. And, despite these moves toward a paperless environment, businesses still struggle to reduce per employee print volumes and lower printing costs without disrupting operational workflows.

Fortunately, there are printing industry businesses that can help companies through this predicament, providing solutions that assist in tracking and managing print volumes to help them reach their goals. These programs are known as Managed Print Services (MPS).

Traditional Office Printing

Most offices operate their own local or networked printers. To perform this exercise, a single department, typically IT or human resources, is tasked with determining office printing requirements. Then, the department in charge sets out to arrange for purchasing and placing the appropriate hardware, which is purchased as an out-of-pocket capital expense.

Following the purchase and placement, IT is typically placed in charge of arranging for service and maintenance as well as security and daily operation. For example, many large-scale network printers include service while under warranty. But post-warranty machines require either a warranty extension or a new service contract.

IT is also responsible for toner, ink, and paper supplies ordering and storage, and managing those consumables. In addition, they must also handle employee user issues and questions. The result is 15% of IT department time is spent on printing issues, and 23% of help desk calls are printer-related. But, despite all of the time spent on internal printing operations, only 10% of businesses track total printing costs.

Managed Print Services

“Managed Print Services (MPS) are services offered by an external provider to optimize or manage a company’s document output.” But MPS is far more than printing optimization and management. MPS providers are printing industry experts capable of evaluating a business’s printing needs. This analysis helps them create customized solutions that address the specific volume and type of printing, security requirements, and specialized features needed.

MPS programs provide a range of printer options to tackle page per minute requirements, color calibration, two-sided or stapled output, and multiple paper sizes. But, rather than charging their business partners the entire capital expense, MPS providers purchase and place the machines. The machine costs are wrapped up in the monthly service pricing – allowing the finance team to mark it as a standard operational expense.

Ongoing Service and Maintenence

As the printer owners, the MPS provider is also responsible for ongoing service and maintenance. And all of that IT and help desk time consumed by printing problems? MPS are also in charge of resolving end-user issues and questions, removing that headache from the already overloaded technology team.

And, when it comes to security, MPS programs typically offer various added opportunities. For example, besides standard firewalls and updates, many network printer setups can provide two-factor identification, document encryption, and password or code-protected printing.

Managing Print And Printer Related Costs

But when it comes to ongoing printing costs, the real money is in consumables such as paper, ink, and toner. Companies are specifically implementing “paperless” technologies to manage the ballooning costs and waste associated with these items. But, without accurately tracking printing use and materials consumption, it can be hard to determine what decisions are helping to lower costs and what are potentially hindering business.

MPS can provide regular usage reports by department, printing group, or even more granular by computer. Those MPS businesses partnering with systems like PowerMPS can get even more detailed, offering real-time consumables levels and configurable usage details. This information can help inform office policies and technology decisions that help reduce paper waste. And MPS providers use these reports to manage their partner’s consumables orders.

Subscription Plans

In many cases, it is possible to chart and predict monthly printer usage, allowing the MPS provider to create a subscription plan to meet everyday office needs. And those MPS businesses using the PowerMPS platform can offer an online portal to enable partners to make as-needed orders in non-standard printing cases. The combination of predictive subscriptions and online ordering not only make handling consumables easier, they eliminate any need for worry of running out of paper or ink.

Conclusion

So, what is Managed Print Services? It’s much more than a third-party service to manage document output. MPS is an all-in-one solution designed to provide offices with a better approach to their printing requirements. Not only do MPS help reduce costs, increase print security, and free up IT time.

Their robust reporting options also help address the standard lack of print tracking plaguing most offices. And these specialized reports are the key to helping businesses address concerns around paper and printer usage. Companies looking to improve their environmental footprint and better manage their budgets should seriously consider MPS as a viable option for their ongoing printer management.

click here to Learn more about Power MPS and how they can increase MPS revenue