Is your office constantly finding itself without valuable printing supplies? Or worse, do you have a designated pile of jumbled toner, all from different vendors, that you have no idea what to do with? If this sounds like your business, then it’s likely that you’ll benefit from Managed Print Services.
You may have heard about Managed Print Services before- but do you know what it really is and what it encompasses? In this article, we’ll break down exactly what it is and how it can benefit your organization and employees.
What Are Managed Print Services?
Managed Print Services, or MPS, refer to the extra services provided by the vendor of your choice to minimize disruptions in-office process, maximize device functionality and usage, and last but not least, understand and control cost. While MPS can encompass a lot of different things, and the services offered vary from vendor to vendor, they often include things like monitoring supply levels, and automatically sending toner shipments when supplies are low.
Some Managed Print Services are more comprehensive and can include a dashboard-like interface where you can see all devices and the status of each. It also includes auto-toner shipments, the reporting of usage by device, and covers almost all printers regardless of the manufacturer. This is all combined together with the simplicity of all supplies and maintenance being covered under one monthly invoice.
STPT Managed Print Services
STPT’s version of Managed Print Services is called eValet. eValet mimics the comprehensive solution described above, and also gives customers one phone number for service and supplies, minimizing confusion, improving response time, and helping businesses optimize their fleet for maximum efficiency and productivity.
How Can Managed Print Services Benefit My Company?
Printing serves as the third-highest expense in any business/organization. Many businesses don’t even realize how much they’re actually printing until they look directly at the numbers, and even then, they might not realize how much of it is being wasted. When it comes to cutting printing costs, you can’t control what you can’t quantify, so becoming aware of printing expenses and habits is key to cutting costs and maximizing efficiency.
On top of this, because most businesses purchase printers from retail giants, and are then left to purchase toner supplies on their own when they need them, it’s almost impossible to accurately figure out your total cost per page for the machine, service, and supplies. With MPS, businesses are able to calculate down to the 10th of one cent of cost per page. These numbers can be the difference between meeting budget requirements or going under for some businesses.
Without Managed Print Services, your office can resemble something like this:
- Supplies stacked in the corner of one room or closet, completely disorganized
- Toner from different vendors with no consistency or cohesiveness
- Supplies for printers that haven’t even been in the building for years, but no one knows if they’re still needed or what to do with them
- A jumble of invoices for the purchasing department to sort through each month and try to keep up with
- Machines that are actually in use but are constantly running out of toner and/or broken without knowing how to get them repaired
- Being reactive instead of proactive when it comes to restocking toner and other supplies by waiting until your machine is completely down without toner and having to emergency purchase which, in most cases, leads to additional shipping costs.
Xerox/Quocirca Analysis- Who Are the Leaders in MPS?
Quocirca is an industry-leading independent technology and market research publication that recently published its Managed Print Services Landscape report, citing Xerox as the top leader. An excerpt pulled from the report cites “Xerox retains its leadership position in Quocirca’s assessment of the global MPS market. It excels in its broad and comprehensive service portfolio which is supported by a mature global delivery platform”. The full report can be found on Xerox’s website. Below is a graphic published by Quocirca detailing all the copier/printer vendors, and their completeness of offering. Xerox’s MPS solution serves as the backbone for the STPT eValet offering.
What’s the Next Step?
If you or your business didn’t partner with a print vendor, and instead chose to buy from a retail giant like Walmart or Amazon, it’s likely that you’re left without any MPS. Luckily, that doesn’t mean that you or your employees have to struggle. It’s never too late to partner with a local print vendor and reap the benefits of having experienced copier/printer professionals on your side. Reach out to us with any questions you might have, and in the meantime, you might find the following articles helpful:
- Auto-Toner Shipments Explained: What is On-Hand Balance?
- 5 Signs It’s Time to Switch to Leasing Your Copier/Printer
