Companies sometimes go into managed print services (MPS) without realising its full value. Many vendors talk about devices, device consolidation and simplified management, but that’s just part of what MPS can offer.
True MPS focuses on what helps an organisation’s teams be more productive. It’s not about printers and click charges; it’s about people and the information they need to do their jobs. Most workers just want to print what they need when they need it. They don’t want responsibility for all the things that go along with making that happen.
Lexmark recently sponsored a webinar that covered this topic in more detail, as summarised by the session’s highlights below:
* Plan for maximum MPS value – plan for capturing the full potential of MPS from the very beginning. Otherwise a business can end up with just a click-charge programme that saves some money in the short-term, but misses out on maximum long-term sustainable savings and so much more: Infrastructure optimisation, proactive management and business optimisation.
* Proactive management is about freedom – proactive MPS management frees employees to spend less time on getting output and more time on putting it to use. With fewer distractions, employees can be more productive and spend more time with customers.
Proactive management through automated alerts notifies the global fleet monitoring system that a device is heading toward a problem, or consumables are getting low at another location. The fleet is managed without getting employees involved.
* Think beyond hardware and clicks – a holistic MPS strategy goes beyond infrastructure and sets the stage for a bigger return on investment. MPS decisions must be made broadly and creatively to avoid restricting the benefits that can be realised by an organisation.
* Industry-specific solutions improve customer experience – from the beginning, the capabilities of the technology being implemented must support proactive services and enable business process optimisation. Intelligent multifunction devices can do more than copy and print and scan. When paired with process improvement solutions, they improve the customer experience and increase business productivity.
* Make process improvement part of the equation – improving business processes is not part of the typical MPS equation, but it should be. Process improvement is within the scope of an MPS strategy and organisations should also consider the technology required to do more such as proactive monitoring and process improvement.
As a business optimisation tool, MPS uses technology to streamline workflow, accelerate cycle times, reduce errors and increase accuracy.