Though many believed that printing on paper would be a thing of the past by 2020.
Despite this belief, is still an essential aspect of doing business here in the “roarin’ ‘20s” (that’s what we’re calling this decade, anyway). From the importance of keeping hard copies of essential documents, to increasing the readability of any document, printing for business isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Since this is the case, the question now becomes one of efficiency; how do companies have their daily printing needs met effectively and efficiently?
The Old Model: Self-Managed Printing
The traditional model of printing has been mostly self-managed. Some company officials assess the print needs of a company. Armed with this estimation, they commence price shopping for the printers that they feel would best meet the needs of their team. The maintenance of these printers is relegated mainly to the company’s IT department with consumables (paper, toner, ink, etc.) managed like any other office supply by an office manager.
Problems With This Model
Knowing Your CPC
The efficiency of the printers is rarely monitored, and the company’s cost-per-copy (CPC) is a relative mystery. Even if these internally managed printer systems were bleeding the company dry, the source of the bleeding would be difficult to detect.
The Price of Soft Costs
Some costs are tricky to budget for — the main ones being soft costs. As we’ve discussed before, soft costs in printing are costs not associated with the actual purchasing, professional maintenance, and price of consumables of the printers. Examples of soft costs include, but are not limited to:
- Any of your staff’s time wasted due to printer issues
- Your IT department’s time spent managing printer systems
- The lack of efficiency due to device wear over time
- The inefficient utilization of your company’s network connections
- etc.
The Lack of One-Site Printer Expertise
As much as your IT department dominates network issues and computer systems, maintaining printer systems is likely not their forte. Unless you decide to hire full-time, on-site, factory-certified printer maintenance technicians trained to remedy issues with your specific model printers, your IT department will always be left inefficiently picking up the slack. And though you may wonder what is so difficult about learning how to fix a printer issue via a YouTube video, there’s nothing quite as efficient as a factory-trained printer technician. But let’s face it — bringing on a full-time printer technician certified to fix your company’s printer models doesn’t make a ton of sense.
Enter the Solution: Managed Print Services
What if we told you that every issue with company printer systems could be remedied with one seemingly magical service? Enter Managed Printer Services (MPS). MPS remedies every hardship associated with company printing systems. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. Let’s take a look at how it works.
MPS In a Nutshell
Managed Print Services is a service that optimizes and outsources all of your company’s printer needs. For a flat, predictable monthly fee, all of your company’s print needs are not only professionally met, but they are also exceeded.
Determining Your Company’s Print Needs
Despite the printing needs of most companies holding the number-three spot as the largest operating expense behind payroll and rent, most can’t tell you precisely what they spend on printing. To get your company started on the right foot, MPS system specialists assess the current printer usage and needs of your company. Analyzing print rates, device efficiency, and consumable levels, they can determine your company’s true cost-per-copy (CPC).
Custom-Tailored Print Strategy For Your Company
After your printer needs are assessed, MPS print specialists develop a printer systems strategy custom-tailored to meet these needs as efficiently as possible. This includes the most optimal printer models, their placement in the office, delivery of their necessary consumables, an appropriate maintenance schedule, and much more.
One Less Thing to Worry About
If you’ve ever rented a house or apartment from an extremely attentive landlord, you know how nice it feels not to have to worry about the maintenance of your home. If the air conditioner goes out, the oven breaks or a faucet knob falls off, it’s not your responsibility. You’re also not on the hook for things like carpet wear or updating outdated electrical systems. The same worry-free state is possible with Managed Print Services. Because you don’t have to buy office printers, you’re not expected to maintain them. Everything from paper jams to device network connectivity issues and even the delivery of new consumables — it is all promptly handled by Managed Print Services staff. Even in-depth training on how to properly use their new office print system is covered. Whether it's continuing to streamline your operation, prompt machine maintenance, or increasing consumable efficiency, the goal of MPS is always to make printing one less worry.
MPS Incentive? To Save You Time, Money, & Hassle
Manage Print Services professionals aren’t interested in “winning” your business as much as they are “earning” and maintaining it.