Many businesses – regardless of size or industry – are keenly aware of the need to manage their company as efficiently as possible. Recent challenges that include nation-wide protests and pandemic conditions have emphasized the need to be more flexible and cost-conscious than ever before.
Focusing on office improvements and implementing enhanced technology can help businesses in every market niche address existing productivity issues while also improving customer service and reducing operating costs.
Managed Print Services offer many opportunities for process improvements and implementation of best practices in office operations.
What is Managed Print Services?
Managed Print Services (MPS) takes a comprehensive look at the complete flow of printing and paper document management throughout a business:
- What devices are in use – printers, scanners, copiers, fax machines
- How each device is used – or even those that are rarely or no longer used
- Printing and copying requirements – volume, quality, monochrome vs. color, and location
Once the analysis is complete, the benefits begin almost immediately.
Why You Need Managed Print Services
There are many compelling reasons you need managed print services. Let’s start by focusing on the top 10 reasons.
1. Cost Savings
Let’s face it – most businesses are always on the lookout for ways to save money. Today’s business environment of pandemic illness and the associated downturn in the economy only increases the need to monitor and reduce costs.
Many companies from global enterprises to small businesses are oblivious to the total cost of printing and handling paper documents. For many companies, total printing costs amount to 3% of revenue. Printers, maintenance, paper, and supplies add up to a significant office expense.
Managed print services replace outdated devices such as fax machines and copiers with high-quality multifunction printers (MFPs) that can do it all – faster and at a lower cost. By centralizing your print and copy functions, there is a significant reduction in costs:
- Reduction in supplies by replacing outdated equipment with more efficient MFP units
- Use fewer types of ink and toner, reducing the number and types of supplies needed
- Transition monitoring, ordering, and replacement of supplies to your MPS provider
- Centralize service with a single point of contact for all printer service and maintenance
2. Reduction in Your Printer Fleet Devices
MPS analysis will identify unused or outdated devices that are costing your business time and money. Where your staff is using a variety of desktop printers, copiers, scanners, and fax machines, a single multifunction can replace all of them. Office improvements from implementing MFPs include:
- Less maintenance
- Fewer service calls
3. Optimize Workflow
MFPs provide many benefits from the technology implemented in their hardware and software:
- Scan documents directly to digital form and email them to the user or a distribution list
- Send and receive faxes with no separate fax machine – your MFP does both
You significantly improve paper handling by creating documents in electronic form and routing them directly to the individuals needing the information. Less paper means less printing expenses, faster access to information, and more efficient office operation.
4. Security Improvements
Modern MFPs incorporate security features such as requiring PINs or access cards to print documents. For confidential information, you can implement a configuration that prevents the physical printing of documents until the individual creating them arrives at the printer to authorize printing.
This eliminates the viewing of privileged information by the wrong individuals and avoids such documents getting into the wrong hands.
5. Sustainability
Replacing outdated equipment with compact, energy-efficient MFPs reduces your use of electricity and contributes to your green initiatives. By scanning directly to digital form, you also save paper, consumables, and waste.
6. Office Efficiency
By transitioning to managed print services and digital documents, productivity is increased in several ways:
- Less printing, copying, and filing of paper documents
- Automated and optimized workflow for electronic documents
- Reduction or elimination of ordering and managing supplies for printers and copiers
7. Take Control of Printing and Associated Expenses
Implementing managed print services with modern MFPs provides an audit log of what gets printed on each unit, who did the printing, and when. With this level of detailed information, you now have control of printing expenses and all activity in your printer fleet.
With this new visibility comes the potential for continuous refinement of workflow and business processes.
8. Save Space
Printers, fax machines, and scanners take up valuable office space. Compact MFPs take the place of multiple machines, making more space available for employees or other use.
9. Reduce Reliance on IT Resources
Managed print services include providing, installing, and user training for all printers placed in your business. This significantly reduces or eliminates the demand for internal IT technical resources, freeing them for more important business projects.
10. Partnership
By partnering with an experienced managed printing services provider, your business has access to experienced consultants who can:
- Match your printing needs to the appropriate technology
- Assist with document security requirements and workflow
- Manage your inventory and ordering of ink, toner, and maintenance kits
- Ensure proper installation and maintenance of quality equipment
- Provide efficient and responsive service
Put Managed Print Services to Work for Your Business
Doing Better Business (DBB) can save your company 20-40% on printing expenses while providing better service and offering office improvements in every area of your business.
Contact DBB today for a complete evaluation of your printing requirements and to learn why you need managed print services.