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Businesses today rely on their printing systems to streamline their processes and remain competitive. Amongst the many solutions companies can utilize, Managed Print Services (MPS) is one of the more popular. This article will look at what MPS is, its benefits, challenges, and who provides this service. If you are considering adopting an MPS for your business, continue reading to get the scoop on how it can benefit you.

What Is Managed Print Services?

MPS is an approach to managing how a business can optimize its printing processes. It evaluates and optimizes existing printing methods to improve existing printing infrastructure. In doing so, it streamlines a company’s printing needs, reducing costs and improving security.

Companies can apply MPS to relieve a business of the stresses of managing printer and copier systems, allowing them to focus on their day-to-day work while ensuring an efficient system has been put into place.

Managed print services will create a plan to help your company optimize your printing processes after analyzing how you work on a daily basis. Your custom plan can help you save on your printing budget by identifying wasting patterns and reallocating money to areas that need it more.

Benefits of Managed Print Services

Using managed print services has many advantages, some of which were discussed earlier in the article. Here is a more in-depth description of the benefits you can expect for your business when using these solutions.

Cost Savings

Businesses can spend up to 3% of their budget on printing alone.

An MPS provider can help streamline printing processes, resulting in savings by reducing unnecessary printing. A good MPS provider could save your company up to 15% of your annual office print spending.

They can also develop plans giving access to only essential devices and optimizing printing resources, leading to less wastefulness and, thus, less spending on printing.

Efficiency

Ensuring resources are available as needed and any issues related to the printing resources are troubleshooted promptly will increase overall operational efficiency.

Security

Data security is important, and managed print services can provide you with the tools to make sure your data is safe. As a result, MPS solutions have been adopted by 57% of companies to bolster their security.

Adding security measures such as access control and secure printing tactics, including the “Follow Me” feature, will reduce the risk of data breaches.

Supply Management

A managed print services provider will plan out your printing consumable needs to ensure that you never run out of necessary supplies, nor will you waste money on materials you don’t need.

Environmental

Streamlining printing processes in the office can help reduce paper and energy consumption. Ultimately, it can reduce your CO2 footprint and is better for the environment.

Challenges With Implementing MPS

While there are many benefits to implementing MPS strategies to streamline your business, there can be challenges and issues within the changeover process, including:

Resistance

Your employees may find it challenging to get used to the changeover process and prefer to keep things as they are. This can result in resistance from employees and cause disruptions within the process.

Complexity

Every MPS implementation process is different, and it’s not uncommon for some changeovers to experience issues. Conversely, a good MPS provider will mitigate these potential problems as they’ve experienced something similar before and can troubleshoot issues before they affect productivity.

Compatibility

Some hardware within your office environment may not be compatible with the MPS provider’s plan. This can incur added costs to the changeover process but will benefit you long-term with more up-to-date equipment.

Added Costs

While it is known that implementing an MPS strategy is cost-saving in the long run, cost overruns can occur. Previously unforeseen issues may arise, such as needing to update software or hardware, or the implementation process can take longer than expected.

However, choosing the right MPS provider, as mentioned before, will help minimize these issues.

Implementing MPS

Some businesses may hesitate to look into streamlining solutions out of fear of disrupting their office. However, the steps an MPS provider will take to implement a managed print services strategy are straightforward:

• They will assess your current printing processes and see how you work with your printing and copying systems daily, including how you source and use your consumables like paper and toner.
• They will then identify areas for improvement.
• Once the evaluation is complete, they will write up a plan specific to your business’s needs, with an attempt not to affect your current productivity.
• When planning is complete and has been accepted, implementation of the plan will begin.

Note that changing to the new system will be managed in real-time to ensure resources are effectively managed.

Choosing Your MPS Provider

Finding the right MPS provider makes your journey to efficiency that much easier. Here’s what to consider when choosing an MPS provider.

• Evaluate your organization’s specific print needs, including the volume of printing, types of documents, and use of consumables.

• Look for a company with a proven track record in MPS solutions. If they have a lot of experience, this can be translated into expertise in optimizing your print environment.
• Ensure they offer the services your company needs, including support, assessment, and supply chain knowledge.
• Make sure your provider offers a tailored plan suitable to your office needs, as each office needs a different solution.
• Check online or the provider’s website for customer reviews to see how happy they are with their performance.
• A good provider will be transparent with all costs from the outset of business. Read the contract carefully, and don’t hesitate to ask questions to clarify the terms.
• Ask about the security protocols a provider uses to ensure the safety of your sensitive data.

Transforming Printing Into an Asset

Undertaking an MPS solution to solve your efficiency woes will help your business streamline its printing processes. But before you proceed with it, you should ensure it’s right for you and your company.

If you think an MPS solution would benefit your Houston-based company, contact StarGel Office Solutions to learn more about our services.

Alternatively, you can read our blog for more information on the latest MPS strategies as well as the other services we provide.