Clover Imaging Blog

How Does Managed Print Service Work?

Written by Keith McKerley | Oct 3, 2018 2:00:00 PM



Managed print services works by providing you with the tools you need to analyze and manage all of the devices including printers, scanners, faxes, copiers, and multifunction devices in your customer's print fleet. Through the assessment and management tools, you will also be able to provide your customer with suggestions for reducing waste and increasing efficiency for all of their machines. Managed print services work by:

Analyzing Your Customer's Print Needs

During your assessment, you will analyze your customer's need for local printer use. Local printers can often include a lot of hidden costs due to the likelihood of being lower efficiency. Local printers are often connected to only one device and provide services for only one user. When you have a large business environment, this can lead to many printers that are less efficient than network ones. Additionally, having multiple local printers can require many different types of toner cartridges which can be more expensive and lead to higher costs to maintain inventory.

Reducing the Number of Local Printers

During your assessment, you will analyze your customer's need for local printer use. Local printers can often include a lot of hidden costs due to the likelihood of being lower efficiency.  Local printers are often connected to only one device and provide services for only one user. When you have a large business environment, this can lead to many printers that are less efficient than network ones. Additionally, having multiple local printers can require many different types of toner cartridges which can be more expensive and lead to higher costs to maintain inventory.

Streamlining Printer Placement

Proper placement of your printing equipment can improve workflow and increase efficiency. This will help maximize your customer's device usage as well as reduce the amount of toner they need to inventory and amount of service they will require. Many offices are not structured efficiently, requiring employees to travel to other areas or even on different floors to be able to utilize copiers and printers adding to wasted time for your customer's employees.

Replacing Inefficient Devices

MPS also will provide your customers with the data they need to determine which devices are not performing efficiently and ways they can consolidate current devices and eliminate those that are underperforming. This is done by analyzing the customers budget and designing their fleet to meet their budget as well as their print fleet needs and future business goals.

Automation of Supply Delivery

A managed print services monitoring program also eliminates your customers need to spend time taking inventory and reordering toner cartridges. With an MPS in place, you will be able to determine when supplies are low and send them out to your customer so they have them when they need them. This will also provide you with the added ability to make sure they are using your supplies and making sure they are ordering the right supplies for the machine eliminating the needs for returns or replacement.

Gaining Predictability

With automated ordering in place, you will ensure your customer utilizes you as their one supplier which will be easier to manage. It will also provide them with the predictability of a set cost for services instead of budgeting for costs for repair, parts, and consumables. It will also give you greater predictability in what needs you will be required to provide them and a regular cost for your services.

Freeing Up Employees

With managed print services there is little need to train employees in repairing or maintaining printers or managing office supplies and multiple vendors. This will allow your customers to free up their employees to be able to perform the specific tasks that they were hired for and make them more productive.

Managing Remote Printing

Through the MPS software, you will be able to remotely analyze your customers print needs off-site. This will allow you to be able to gain better knowledge of what their service, repair, and toner needs will be over a period of time and be able to consult with them on ways to reduce their costs and improve the efficiency of their print fleet. It also provides your customers with the benefit of a remote print environment, allowing remote or offsite workers to send printed materials to devices at the business.

In essence, managed print services work by being able to analyze and anticipate the needs of your customer's print environment so you can provide them with the supplies, parts, and services they need to reduce downtime and maintain efficiency. Through the use of managed print services, you will be able to provide your customer's with a more efficient work environment, savings on their print services, and a reduction of waste. This gives them the value-added services they are looking for that will allow you to retain their business and edge out the competition.