September 25, 2013
After taking your current print environment and business goals into account during the initial assessment, a MPS (Managed Print Services) provider can propose a plan designed for your specific workflow. The list of services and supplies provided in a MPS program are important, and when they are put into action their importance and value becomes even more apparent. In this blog we will briefly walk through the major components of a MPS program and then provide an example of them being utilized.
What an MPS Program is Made Of
An MPS program is paid monthly, with no initial investment. Your MPS provider will supply your printing equipment in addition to providing the following recurring supplies and services.
Simplified Purchasing Process
With a managed print services program the confusion caused by vendor variety and the time spent paying multiple invoices every month will be eliminated. You will have one vendor for supplies, maintenance and other services.
Additionally your toner usage will be tracked remotely by your MPS provider, so supply replacement becomes automated. Your replacement toner cartridges will arrive at your office shortly before your existing cartridges are empty.
Usage Monitoring
Based on your initial assessment, your MPS program will recommend proper copy/print volume usage and print load balance to extend the life of your equipment. After implementation your usage will be monitored. This information will allow your MPS provider to point out cost-saving opportunities as well as make adjustments to your program.
Maintenance, Parts Repair & Equipment Replacement
Eliminate down-time and have all maintenance costs covered through Managed Print Services. Your MPS program will cover all travel time needed for on-site maintenance and repair as well as all equipment repair, parts replacement and equipment replacement needed due to issues caused by normal use.
All maintenance will be performed by a certified technician and comparable equipment will be used as replacements if repairs cannot be made.
Help Desk Support
A quality MPS program will offer help desk support, available for your use during normal business hours. This is an extremely valuable resource for events that may occur that affect your printing technology, such as hiring (and training) a new IT employee, upgrading software or changing IP addresses.
These services and support offered through an MPS program will improve workflow and save your organization money. The goal of a MPS print provider is to help you achieve your productivity goals, so they will make recommendations for equipment reconfiguration or relocation and usage for maximum efficiency. Additional recommendations may include functions and features for areas within your organization that would benefit from multifunction device capabilities.
An MPS Program in Action
A local St. Cloud organization implemented an MPS program that serves as a basic, easy to understand example. Their initial assessment documented the following:
- 1 Kyocera Taskalfa 500ci on the lower level of their building; this was the only piece of equipment that could handle media varieties (different paper sizes and weights)
- 1 Kyocera 2550 in their traffic department
- 1 Canon MF84050c on the upper level of their building
All printers were networked, which is good, but the placement of machines wasn’t ideal. Also, their monthly payments were just over $1000, but they consistently paid overages that brought their monthly costs to almost $1500. This amount did not include services or supplies for two of their printers.
Their Managed Print Services program provider proposed a plan that brought their monthly cost down only slightly, but increased their number of machines for workflow efficiency and increased function capabilities to those that needed it.
Their new program included four multifunction printers and a flatbed scanner needed in their creative department. According to the MPS provider’s recommendations, this new equipment was relocated and allocated across departments and levels for increased efficiency. Also, this price included any service and maintenance they may need throughout their contract period.
Entering into a MPS program was an easy decision after these cost savings and workflow improvements were detailed and compared against their previous print environment.
Even if you are in a current contract or you don’t think a MPS program will work for your organization, it doesn’t hurt to have a free assessment done to compare to or to provide options for the future. You may be surprised at the cost-saving opportunities waiting for you.
