Category: Managed Services

A Simple yet Smart Solution

“Optimization” isn’t just a big word. As a major facet of managed print services (MPS), this methodology of right-sizing an organization’s print environment will have more benefits than the number of syllables it has.

Among the first things an MPS consultant analyzes during an assessment are how many different device types exist and where all that hardware is situated. Businesses are often surprised to learn they’ve accumulated a host of standalone devices, which are expensive to both operate and maintain. This leaves many businesses without the right mix of hardware and device placements that aren’t ideal for their actual usage and employee locations. Discovering where single-function hardware should and should not exist in a print environment will deliver a strategic cost-saving rationalization. It also involves identifying where multifunctional products—capable of printing and digitizing documents—can be utilized for their ability to streamline or even automate business processes.

Of course there are exceptions, such as executives who each have a printer in their office or people with a printer in their respective cubicle because they handle sensitive documents—these are necessary for business operations, and MPS consultants can appreciate that. But in most situations, the reasons that an organization should move toward a balanced printer and MFP model outweigh those for sticking with standalone devices.

Handle Hardcopy and Digital Documents with Ease

“Speeds and feeds” was a marketing-friendly phrase that pretty much summed up output hardware for a long time, but it’s well past its expiration date at this point. Today’s market demands an easy-to-use device that creates workflow efficiencies by at least several pages per minute. And for maximum efficiency, businesses need to be able to handle information in whatever form it happens to come in.

56% of organizations will increase their use of scanning in the coming years (no companies are decreasing).

Businesses that prioritize scanning see it helping in vital business initiatives:

66% of businesses report that scanning will improve efficiency, 55% say it’ll improve security, and 51% believe the increase will boost individual employee productivity.

Improve the Flow of Data

Many believe the adjective “output” pushes the device to the endpoint of the print infrastructure. However output hardware can do much more than just print. MFPs can digitize documents and—with the help of software—act as a platform to enable information to move through your organization faster. It’s a whole new way of operating.
47% of workers in organizations that don’t have any form of automated workflow spend more than 15 minutes per day retrieving paper documents—that’s easily 65 hours per year!
That translates to way too much wasted time, but many MFPs offer the ability to integrate with software, helping them become an onramp to improved worker efficiency and delivering on these potential benefits:

  • One-touch scanning of files that can be dropped into document archives or common business software
  • Cost control/recovery are enabled by assigning codes right at a device’s control panel
  • Creating or streamlining document workflows to eliminate manual processes

Cut Costs through Consolidation

Single-function printers will continue to have a place in the office—it’s not like they’re going away. Dedicated printers and scanners offer simplicity, typically in a space-saving footprint, and when other peripheral functions aren’t necessary. Still, having too many of them can be a drain on your bottom line. The careful study that is central to managed print services puts this under the microscope, to find better hardware balance and harmonize your document imaging technologies.

In the total cost of ownership game, you want to come out ahead. MFPs can help your business realize that by consolidating functions into a single device. How?

  • Replacing some printers with one MFP that can manage the load means fewer, significantly less expensive supplies to keep on hand and, of course lower costs.
  • Servicing many types of older, single-function devices can be a major expense and distraction for your staff, but having MFPs under a MPS contract will save money and free up time for more important tasks.

Download our informational whitepaper: Understanding Managed Print Services (MPS)