Amazingly, despite the rise in technology and use of electronic documents, the demand for paper documents in business remains high.
In the legal sector for example, we have conducted an audit of paper use which revealed that each employee typically produces 2000 pages per month – that’s a lot of printing.
Printing in such volumes raises the issue of cost, maintenance of equipment and management of documents. Add to that the challenge of compliance, security and a more mobile workforce, and the question of how we capture, manage, distribute and archive information more effectively is a real problem.
It’s why many companies seek the help of Managed Print Services – or the active management and optimisation of document output devices.
Managed Print Services are often not as they may appear to be – some companies are simply there to manage cost, whereas others act as an outsourced document output provider. And, can a managed print service from a single manufacturer really be unbiased?
For the best results, the service really needs to go to a deeper level, starting with a “needs analysis“, to put in place the right processes, equipment and workflow management to harness all possible benefits.
And the benefits run organisation wide:
- User accountability
- Cut waste
- Reduce cost
- Improve productivity
- Enhance security and compliance
- Increase reliability of document production
- Consolidate output across multiple sites
- Monitor usage and automate maintenance
- Employ new multi functional devices to reap further efficiencies
- Improve customer service
What we’re clear about is the need to look at the whole lifecycle of the document, to streamline document capture, document management and document workflow.
It’s important to understand that one size doesn’t fit all here, and a single provider may not be able to meet all the needs of the organisation. But before you proceed, be aware that some service level agreements may not be suitable in the long or even the short term. The clearer you are about the needs of the business, and exactly what you are trying to achieve, the better placed you will be to make the right decisions.
Think for example about what type of contract would work for the business – how would you like the managed services delivered, billed and supported? And can your provider operate independently of a manufacturing brand, to ensure the right hardware and support is put in place.
Does your business need a MPS?
If your employees spend too much time away from their desks waiting for documents to print, or trying to fix a printer that’s out of action because it’s overworked, out of ink, or waiting on a maintenance visit, you’ll be aware of the inefficiencies pervading your business.
If you need the added security of proximity cards to ensure controlled print output by authorised users only, you’d like to reduce the overall cost per copy (which can add up to £1,000’s of savings), and renew equipment on a regular basis to progressively adopt new product innovations, then it would make perfect business sense to take a serious look at how Managed Print Services can help.
Even if you’re mid-contract, it’s worth looking around at the options available, as this industry marches on with changes to technology, energy management and functionality.
It can all start with a conversation, to find out more about your needs, current challenges and future plans. We’d be happy to have that chat. Just get in touch.
It’s clear that a smart print management system, designed and implemented by an expert, can have real and far-reaching benefits.
Get in touch with us to see how we can help your organisation work smarter and build a more efficient, more secure workplace.
