If your business is currently working with a provider of managed print services (MPS), you may be due to renew your contract at some stage over the coming months. Managed print services can have a huge impact on the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of a business, which is why it's important to make sure you're partnered with an MPS provider that offers services and support in everything your company needs to reduce costs.
What is a managed print service?
A managed print services (MPS) is the ongoing management service and maintenance of a business's printing infrastructure and document production, who is usually a specialist in printing. An MPS provider should be proactive, actively managing your business's printing and scanning needs whilst maintaining steady communication with your business in order to stay on top of daily, weekly, and monthly print deadlines.
MPS providers should also cover document management outside of your printing environment, including scanning, workflow automation, and reporting. The scope of services offered by MPS teams will differ between providers, which is why it's important to consider different providers in order to find the right managed print service for your business.
Does your MPS provider offer print service reporting and insights?
The cost of printing for the average business can be significant. By working with an MPS provider that offers insights into printing behaviors, including reporting on print usage and costs, you can take steps to reduce your printing costs without affecting productivity. By equipping commercial printers and office photocopiers that offer security features with recording software that tracks prints and print costs, it's possible to analyse print spending and identify areas where business processes can be improved, and printing can be reduced to save both money, paper and the environment.
Does your MPS provider offer hardware upgrades?
As your office printers, scanners, and photocopiers age, they will become less efficient and more expensive to run, especially as manufacturers reduce the production of older toners and spare parts which can drive up costs. It's worth shopping around to find an MPS provider that offers high quality support and advice on when and how to upgrade your hardware, as well as considering whether you want to work with a provider that includes hardware upgrades in your rolling contract.
Does your MPS provider print in the volumes needed to meet your needs?
Many managed print service contracts will include requirements for a monthly minimum printing volume. It's important to check that your business's needs are in line with your MPS provider's contracted requirements, especially if your business is paying for a high volume of printing that may not be needed. The printing requirements of any business may change over time, so it's important to regularly compare your printing needs with your existing contract to ensure they match up - and choose to work with a provider that allows for flexibility and a contract that scales with your needs.
Does your MPS provider offer adequate support?
A big part of what you're paying for when you work with a managed print service provider is support. Your MPS provider should be available for technical and IT support. Working with an MPS provider should remove the hassle and stress of printing, which means your provider should work with your team to improve your support service, automate the ordering of supplies, and effectively remove the burden of managing your printing from your own team.
Does your MPS provider tailor their services to your company?
When it comes to printing needs, no two companies are the same. It's important to find a provider of managed print services that is willing to offer flexible, tailored printing just for your business. Flexible contracts allow you to ensure that your printing services are cost-effective and optimised for your business's needs, which might include digital solutions as well as paper products.
Does your MPS provider improve document workflows automation and process?
With the correct support, a good MPS provider should enable you to improve your document output workflows automation by offering recommendations and implementation of the latest printing technology. Smart technology, intuitive insights, and improved data security can enable the automation of printing workflows to save time and costs and increase profitability.
Does your MPS provider supply details of service calls, faults, and rectification?
Tracking service calls and times logged by technicians, as well as faults and rectification, is a useful service that MPS providers can offer in order to enable you to keep a closer eye on the performance of your printers, digital copiers, and scanners. This invaluable data can be used to identify hardware that's in need of replacement and automate the booking of services and other routine maintenance tasks.
Does your MPS provider offer 24/7 monitoring of your print platform?
Contemporary print management solutions include software that monitors your print platform 24/7, delivering valuable insights into your business's printing and integrating seamlessly with a range of existing systems. If automation and efficiency are your priorities, it's important to work with an MPS provider that offers print platform monitoring in one form or another.
Get in touch
If you're looking for local, Australian professionals in print management and document infrastructure, contact us today at DDS. We offer managed print services that are tailored to the needs of your business, whatever they are. Our managed print services include workflow optimisation, full IT services, support and maintenance, and hardware upgrades from world-leading brands including Sharp copiers and Canon copiers. Call us today to discuss our managed print services now.
To know more about our flexible print and photocopier leasing plans, get in touch with our customer support team today.
