Establishing a reliable, enterprise-wide printer network can be costly, but it’s essential for maintaining a smooth and efficient workflow.
Establishing a reliable, enterprise-wide printer network can be costly, but it’s essential for maintaining a smooth and efficient workflow. With the cost of doing business in Canada rising by as much as 600%, companies can’t afford inefficiencies. Fortunately, managed print services (MPS) offer a smart way to cut costs, boost productivity, and streamline operations.
In this blog, we’ll discuss what is managed print services, explore its benefits, and show how it can support your organization’s sustainability goals.
What is Managed Print Services?
Managed print services refer to end-to-end print services and solutions for businesses. A managed print services (MPS) provider manages an enterprise print infrastructure by assessing print equipment requirements, performing regular maintenance, automating supplies, and ensuring document security.
MPS providers help companies streamline printing operations by monitoring print usage, offering scalable solutions, and improving print security to enhance productivity and cut print costs.
What Are the Benefits of Managed Print Services?
Managed print solutions provide a wide range of benefits for enterprises, including but not limited to the following:
1. Cost-Savings
The vast scale of operations makes it harder for large corporations to track printing expenses. From toner and ink replacement to hardware/software maintenance, the overhead can add up quickly. MPS solutions tie these expenses with business requirements to provide an accurate expenses prediction.
MPS providers conduct routine consumption tests to identify usage and get rid of redundant printer supplies, reducing the number of in-service printers, copiers, and fax machines and associated costs.
With MPS, organizations can scan their predictable monthly bill to identify departments with high usage and cut down as required. MPS providers also procure printer supplies in bulk which means they get a good price on ink/toner cartridges and other equipment. When you buy from them, you get the same savings.
Image Source: Canva
2. Improved Efficiency
The workflow automation allows service providers to monitor devices and printer performance in real time. Integrations, such as scan-to-email, Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for text discovery, and digital approvals, reduce the dependency on manual processes and streamline workflows.
Remote monitoring, real-time visibility, and maintenance alerts and schedules help MPS providers fish out issues preemptively to maintain and resolve, saving companies time and money.
MPS software keeps track of each printer’s ink levels to automate supply replenishment, so that no printing device runs out of the cartridge unexpectedly and brings down efficiency. The centralized print management allows administrators to ensure coherent application of settings and print policies across the board.
3. Waste Reduction
Another amazing benefit of using managed print services is that companies can reduce their carbon emissions. Yes, MPS helps enterprises move towards sustainable printing practices, such as duplex printing, to save trees and reduce paper acquisition cost.
More importantly, because each device runs efficiently, businesses won’t need to install more printers, reducing wastage and lowering their carbon footprint. MPS providers ensure supplies are delivered on time and only when needed. This reduces overstocking and prevents cartridge/toner expiration, playing a major part in cost reduction.
Electronic devices performing poorly are often discarded before their end of life, adding to waste. With MPS, printers are regularly maintained, increasing their lifespan and preventing early disposal. The providers also implement environmentally friendly practices to recycle used equipment.
MPS providers use real-time analytics and usage assessment to provide a detailed report on print activities. Organizations see their print needs and understand or identify waste production.
4. Enhanced Security
With data breaches and cyber attacks becoming common by the day, MPS allows companies to secure every endpoint, including printing devices. To control unwanted information release, users must present a PIN or biometric scan to authenticate the print. This also allows administrators to revise their policies and limit access to certain people within a department.
Most MPS solutions ensure that the data shared between printing devices is secure via encryption. This keeps the classified information shared over network printers or cloud safe and secure.
Companies operating in the finance, legal, or healthcare industries are bound to comply with regulations such as HIPAA, GDPR, and SOX. MPS providers ensure your organization meets these requirements by offering secure storage, controlled access, and an audit trail to create a secure print environment.
Image Source: Canva
5. Reduced Downtime
Time is of the essence when you’re working in a competitive industry, and printer issues can quickly bottleneck progress and impact efficiency. MPS allows companies to remotely monitor the devices, giving a detailed view of the current status and future issues. This helps administrators and people responsible quickly service and maintain devices, preventing any possible equipment downtime.
If there is any query or problem, MPS software automatically raises a ticket to the concerned department rather than waiting for someone to log a ticket, speeding up the recovery process. Round-the-clock device monitoring and timely upkeep mean fewer equipment failures. Keeping unreliable machinery out of the picture maximizes efficiency and reduces downtime.
Remote diagnostics and fleet management are yet another amazing benefit of managed print services. Though MPS providers offer a mix of on-site and remote support, most issues can be handled remotely. Even when the problem requires a professional to be on-site, they can easily cut through the red tape to quickly solve the issue.
Get More Done with Integr8’s Managed Print Services
The current competitive landscape requires organizations to operate efficiently, reduce downtime, and cut costs for survival. Integr8’s highly professional and learned team can perform a quick print environment assessment for your company to highlight areas and recommend solutions for cost reduction and maximize efficiency.
Want to understand more? Contact us today for a free quote!
