Understanding The Benefits Of Managed Print Services For Your Small Business
Posted on: 4 January 2016
As a business owner, getting control of your company's printing budget can be a challenge. With so many components, from the hardware to the toner, ink and paper, it's tough to determine exactly how much you've spent. Without a solid idea of your actual print costs, how are you supposed to save? One of the best ways to get control of your printing costs is by working with a managed print service to manage your printing needs and equipment. Here's a look at several reasons to consider working with a managed print service for your business.
You'll Have a Lot of Options
One of the best things about managed print contracts is the customization that they afford you. Most managed print service providers will start the contract establishment process by sending someone out to evaluate your existing infrastructure. This allows the company to see what you have in place right now and how much your printing is actually costing your company. Sometimes, this is the most enlightening part of the process, because they uncover all of the hidden costs you may have overlooked.
Once the evaluation is complete, you'll get a personalized recommendation for your company's printing requirements. This will include details about what equipment you have that you don't need as well as print server tools that you can use to streamline operations and reduce your printing overhead. This will usually come with a few different service tiers to evaluate. You'll be able to decide exactly how much support you want from your managed print service and what areas you want them to focus on.
You May Be Able to Consolidate Your Hardware
Since it's often difficult to track the equipment investments and usage once you've purchased printers and other tools for your office, the initial audit with a managed print service can help you identify areas of excess and consolidate your equipment. For example, if the service specialist identifies that you have seven printers in the office and one isn't used at all while two of them are only used once per week, he or she may recommend that you eliminate those three and redirect your print traffic to the other four. If those four have the capacity to sustain the print requests, there's no reason to continue dedicating resources to the unused or unneeded equipment.
Additionally, he or she may even be able to look at the number of pages printed daily on all of your devices combined and recommend that you consolidate your four remaining smaller machines into two larger capacity printers. This will help reduce electricity costs, floor space and other upkeep.
You'll Have Predictable Costs and Resources
Managed print services offer their contracts in exchange for a flat monthly fee over the life of the support contract. This gives you some predictable control over your print costs every month. In exchange for that fee, they will handle everything defined in the contract.
For example, you can establish a contract that includes equipment rental, maintenance and supplies all for a flat fee. This would encompass all of your print-related costs in one set payment every month. You'll also enjoy the benefits of real-time print volume monitoring to ensure that your supply orders arrive on time every month, accounting for fluctuations in the demand during your busy periods.
It also helps you control repair costs. If your managed print service contract includes coverage for maintenance and repairs, you won't have to worry about fitting sudden equipment replacements or repair costs into your budget. Eliminating unexpected expenses for failed print equipment can help ensure more consistency in your company's budget.
The more you understand about how a managed print service can help you, the easier it will be for you to make the most of your company's print costs and managed service contract. For additional info, contact a managed print service.
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