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Looking to get started with managed print services? This guide outlines all the essential details you need to know before making a final decision. You’ll learn about the benefits of managed print services, managed service add-ons, document security strategies, and how to select a provider that’s aligned with your business goals.
What are Managed Print Services?
Managed Print Services (MPS) outsources your printing, scanning, copying, and faxing needs to a third-party provider. Most managed print services bundles include equipment and supply expenses, maintenance fees, and service delivery costs.
By putting your printing needs into expert hands, your equipment will always be online and in top working condition. In addition, supplies will always be stocked and you’ll have support when you need it.
Some essential components of a typical managed print solutions bundle include:
Remote Print Device Monitoring
MPS providers monitor your equipment continuously to ensure your print fleet is in top working condition. When printers break down or malfunction, your provider will receive alerts and send experts to resolve the issue immediately. That’s why remote print device monitoring is a top benefit of MPS.
By continuously tracking your equipment through a per-device pricing model, MPS providers make sure your devices are always online and in working order so they serve the needs of your business.
Production Printing Systems
Managed print also provides production printing systems — high-speed printers suited for producing marketing and communication materials such as manuals, booklets, brochures, signage, and more.
In addition, wide format printers allow you to create large-format posters, data visualizations, maps, and drawings. From diverse media options to finishing solutions, MPS production printing services provide everything you need to create stunning dynamic content that gives your business a competitive edge.
Automated Supply Monitoring and Replenishment
MPS providers remotely monitor your inventory of paper, cartridges, and toner, so employees are never burdened with tracking, ordering, and stocking supplies. When inventory levels are low, your provider receives alerts to order and deliver new supplies, so you’ll always have the materials needed for all your printing needs.
On-Site Support and Customer Service
Printers can malfunction and break down from time to time. In addition, devices and software (like MS Office 365) can go out of sync. MPS relieves your staff from frustration with service level agreements that ensure a dedicated team is available to provide support and keep your printer fleet online and fully operational.
Is Managed Print right for your business?
If your business requires printing, scanning, photocopying, or faxing, then managed print services are an ideal solution to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Companies of all sizes and types benefit from MPS across industries that include:
Architecture
Managed print technology helps architecture firms execute projects with greater efficiency. Equipment such as wide-format printers, scanners, and document management systems allow users to create, track, and share documents on an easily accessible user interface using any connected mobile device, in any location. Rather than wait for an external service delivery company to produce documents, drawings can be printed and shared on site. In addition, revisions can be made directly on the document and then shared on the cloud or sent as an email attachment.
Education
Managed print helps modernize educational institutions with printing and digital document solutions that reduce operational costs, save time, streamline workflows, and protect data with enhanced security protocols. Since educational material is moving from textbooks to printed handouts, managed print improves efficiency with productive and cost-effective laser printers and copiers.
Affordable monochrome and color printing solutions combined with software applications and document lifecycle management tools help control printing expenses. In addition, high-level security features keep student data secure and maintain compliance in accordance with legal requirements such as FERPA.
Energy
MPS helps address challenges energy companies face when working in remote and rural areas. A network of statewide field service technicians, combined storage solutions, and smart content services enable energy companies to share documents, collaborate, and maintain compliance in any location.
Finance
When it comes to documents, data, and security, managed print addresses the unique requirements financial services companies face in the digital environment. Document management and security controls keep personal and credit information safe in accordance with government regulations. In addition, printing, scanning, and cloud-based sharing solutions streamline the flow of information, improve productivity, and enhance collaboration.
Government
MPS helps state and local government agencies leverage technology to serve the public while reducing costs. Maintaining multiple offices across a state poses numerous challenges. MPS providers can implement and support this complex infrastructure of equipment, servers, switches, and firewalls while ensuring that data is kept secure across multiple pipelines.
MPS helps governments reduce expenses with software solutions that track usage and allow administrators to implement policies that reduce paper waste. Document management solutions enable managers to create and implement a records retention plan that ensures compliance with legal regulations.
Healthcare
Healthcare administration in the digital environment presents many security challenges across multiple networks and locations. Managed print services help administrators maximize patient outcomes while controlling expenses and maintaining privacy.
In addition, managed print services help maintain the security of your infrastructure with printing technologies that ensure patient data is kept safe in compliance with HIPAA regulations.
Legal
Managed print services help businesses in the legal industry deal with mounting security requirements for processing and sharing information from multiple sources. Document scanning and capture solutions along with dedicated software help save time and improve productivity while maintaining security.
Nonprofits
MPS help nonprofits improve productivity, lower costs, and reduce waste. From internal documents to brochures, nonprofits benefit from productive and cost-effective printing solutions. Managed print services also help improve efficiency throughout the entire organization with affordable in-house printing solutions that save time, reduce costs, and give staff creative control over their projects.
Cost-Saving Benefits of Managed Print Services
Managed print services can streamline workflows, improve productivity, and provide greater security. In addition to those benefits, MPS can save money in the following ways:
Reduced Printing Costs
Managed print services reduce print volume with software that captures data on printing activity. Managers can use these valuable insights to reconfigure the print policy and create rules that reduce print jobs, force double-sided printing, and limit the use of color. That way, businesses can create a printing environment that is more sustainable and cost-effective.
Downsized Printer Fleet
Modern printing devices and servers provide greater efficiency than ever before. MPS experts can create a strategy to promote efficiency by reducing the size of your print fleet, translating to significant savings in the long term.
Reduced supply costs
Reduced print jobs, fewer machines, and a more efficient print policy can lead to a lower demand for paper, cartridges, and toner. Besides lowering costs, a decrease in the number of supplies used benefits the environment by reducing the amount of waste going to landfills.
Improved efficiency
Managed print services leverage software that produces valuable analytics to provide insights on increasing efficiency. In addition to reducing resources used, MPS helps employees save time from troubleshooting issues with malfunctioning equipment, out-of-sync devices, and networks that go offline.
Environmental Benefits
MPS benefits the environment by streamlining printing procedures, optimizing your print fleet, cutting down on paper use, and lowering energy consumption. In addition, MPS can improve your company’s carbon footprint with practices that promote sustainability.
How to Choose a Managed Print Provider
Choosing a managed print provider is a critical decision. Rather than being just a vendor, an MSP provider is a technology partner that takes responsibility for part of your operations so your business is free to grow. Some critical factors to consider when making the decision include:
Free Managed Print Services Assessment
Before you sign up for a contract or monthly fee, you need to know their recommendations for your current print ecosystem. A good MPS provider will provide you with a free managed print assessment that will tell you where your system can improve.
24/7 Availability
Choose a managed services provider that is always available. Since your network is working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, you need a partner that is keeping an eye on your infrastructure at all times.
Fast Response Times
Choose a service provider with a guaranteed response time that can provide support quickly in an emergency. Make sure the provider has a support center located close to your business that can provide timely service. In addition, some businesses prefer a local provider over a large company located out of state that routes calls multiple times before finding a solution.
Backup and Disaster Recovery
Ask your MPS about security measures and ensure that sensitive data and customer content are protected with frequent backups. A reliable MSP provider should be able to guarantee that your data is constantly being protected so you can bounce back in the event of a disruption.
On-Site and Remote Monitoring, Security and Maintenance
Make sure your service provider is monitoring your infrastructure at all times. A reliable MSP provider should be well-equipped to protect your network with experts on call to identify and neutralize threats before they turn into serious problems.
Ready to get started with bundled managed services?
Call Standley Systems for a complimentary assessment and print strategy that aligns with your business goals. Our experts help you efficiently manage your printing systems with bundled on-demand services that improve efficiency, increase productivity, reduce costs, and add real business value.
