In the face of supply shortages, inflation, changes in consumer behavior, and seemingly endless variations in response to COVID-19, many businesses have been faced with tough decisions. As a result, companies choose a myriad of solutions to reduce costs, continue operations, and remain profitable amid unprecedented change. One of those considerations is how to handle the business’s printing demands.
But there is no need for companies to make these critical and potentially costly decisions in a void. There are printing experts in the form of Managed Print Services (MPS) providers capable of helping any corporation or small business determine their printing needs. And their expertise goes far beyond merely determining what type of printing solution should work best. Here are six reasons every business needs to partner with MPS.
1 Managing Office Space
Of course, one of the biggest reasons to work with an MPS in this volatile environment is to help manage printing decisions when it comes to office space. Whether a corporation decides to reduce its office space, expand to accommodate social distancing standards, create flexible work hours, or incorporate remote workers, operations must consider the business’s printing requirements.
Larger offices may require more printer locations or higher capacity. Smaller offices may need machines with slimmer footprints. Printing solutions for hybrid workforces, with a portion of employees working from home, may need additional printer resources and security. Those businesses who have selected to expand available office hours to provide flexible scheduling may require more maintenance for printers needed to be operational for extended periods.
MPS providers have the knowledge and solutions to evaluate a business’s printing needs correctly, no matter the solution required. The resulting recommendations will help each company provide the appropriate access to print for every employee.
2 Tracking Printing Costs
Another area of requirement for businesses today is understanding hidden costs. For example, few people realize that, for every $1 spent on office printing, another $9 is paid to manage it. This management expense comprises infrastructure, support, office space, supply storage, and IT management. Managed Print Services programs strip away those hidden dollars by packaging all management, maintenance, supplies, equipment, and general operations into a single viewable expense.
But MPS does not stop at merely providing upfront printer management pricing. Advanced MPS who partner with services such as PowerMPS can also provide in-depth knowledge about supply levels and usage trends. Such a service can help both the MPS and business finance and purchasing teams work together to order supplies when needed rather than taking up precious office space to house excess paper, ink, and toner.
3 Printer Monitoring and Maintenance
Old hardware and poorly configured software can make the time spent printing, scanning, copying, or faxing eat even further into precious employee time and energy. But what about all of that time spent fielding issues such as paper jams, ink and toner cartridge replacements, or other device malfunctions?
A reliable MPS can help ensure their partner’s printers are running smoothly through ongoing scheduled service. Remote monitoring will also allow the selected MPS to identify issues and provide additional maintenance before they become more significant problems.
4 Reduce Environmental Footprint
Many of today’s businesses have committed themselves to reduce their waste production and become better stewards of nature. MPS providers can quickly help with that initiative by working with their partners to recycle ink and toner cartridges. Some have even made efforts to provide recycled paper or integrated paper recycling programs. Those using systems like PowerMPS can even help monitor paper usage and supplies to help business partners implement paper-saving programs and raise awareness of potential waste.
5 Improved Security
It’s no secret that consumer printers are a target for criminal exploitation. Most are placed on unsecured networks to mine data or claw their way into the backend of the home computer. But many office printers create a similar risk if they are improperly networked or secured. For this very reason, most company IT departments take hard stances on printer compatibility and are likely to balk at changing hardware, software, or expanding printer reach – especially in a hybrid office environment.
But over 75% of US organizations that measure as print security leaders partner with a MPS. The reason? These printing experts use secure VPN platforms, protected servers, and trusted printing devices to provide a complete and secure ecosystem for their business partners to print safely.
6 Flexibility
Today the business plans to try out flexible scheduling. But, in six months to a year, they discover it makes more sense to reduce office space by creating a hybrid atmosphere. So, they decide to make a change. While IT might struggle to transition the business quickly, they won’t have to worry about the printer network when an MPS partner is involved.
These printing experts have experience with a wide range of corporate configurations. So when a partner is ready to transition their business model, their MPS is prepared to provide the right solution to keep things operating smooth and safe.
So, why should a company pull in a Managed Print Services provider? There are many reasons. It could be to improve security. Perhaps the business seeks to reduce office space or environmental impact. Maybe the company is simply seeking to understand and reduce operational costs. No matter a business’s response to the current economic climate, it is inevitable that printing services, and a reliable MPS partner, are an essential part of making those solutions work well.
