Improving Productivity and Workflows With Managed Print Services

In many organizations, printing remains a vitally important task. Having the right print technology can go a long way toward making day-to-day workflows easier and more efficient. But somehow, even though printers represent a significant investment for many organizations, they’re frequently overlooked. 

Managed print services (MPS) providers are primarily known for helping organizations save money on print costs. But they can do much more — like making sure your printing equipment can optimize efficiency throughout your organization. 

Managed Print: What Is It, and How Does It Boost Productivity? 

A managed print services provider is tasked with optimizing your print environment in order to reduce waste and unnecessary print costs, save time, and increase productivity. Every organization’s print needs and habits are different, so an MPS provider will begin working with you by providing a thorough print assessment, where they will evaluate your current equipment and how it’s being used, identify inefficiencies and unnecessary costs, and recommend ways to minimize them.  Some providers will also investigate your fleet for print-related security risks that could make your systems and data vulnerable to hackers. 

As part of your MPS agreement, you’ll also receive routine expert maintenance and support from your provider to prevent print disruptions. For example, multifunction printers can be monitored by your print provider through software installed on your network. Modern print management software is so good that a provider can detect any issues before anyone in your office realizes they exist. 

Immediate Results With Managed Print Services

MPS providers can often make significant improvements immediately just by relocating your printing devices based on office layout, employee-to-device ratios, and specific user requirements. 

For example, while most employees will have to print occasionally, certain roles will be responsible for printing far more often. A print provider will keep these details — and more — in mind as they pinpoint the ideal types, number, and placement of your printing equipment. 

Longer-term improvements will be felt after the installation of device-monitoring software. This software will collect data that your MPS provider will analyze and then review with you in order to make ongoing improvements to print habits and workflows. 

Managed Print Services Benefits — a Real-World Example

Here’s a great story about how our managed print services impacted the productivity of an entire organization — an organization that, in many ways, represents the typical small to midsize business.  

What Our Initial Print Assessment Uncovered

This organization — let’s call them Company X — had a group of cross-functional team members in one area of the company, using one device. 

Our initial assessment revealed: 

• The 3-person creative team needed to scan and digitally store high-quality images and marketing tools often, which was more than their device could handle
• The 3-person marketing team frequently produced reports and presentations, which required a lot of toner and paper and often required unique finishing options that were previously completed manually
• The 4-person accounting team printed less, less often, and they were furthest from the device 

What We Recommended

Providers often prefer eliminating personal printers to save money and reduce wasteful printing, and depending on the organization, will favor fewer but more powerful printing devices. However, that’s not always the right call. 

After our assessment of Company X was complete, our recommendations were as follows:

• Place a desktop scanner nearest to those in the creative team who need to scan frequently
• Swap out the current multi-function devices for one that could provide specialized finishing options to save the marketing team time, yet produce high-volume projects efficiently and cost-effectively
• Add a smaller desktop printer near the accounting team 

6 Ways You Can Improve Productivity With MPS

Here are a few additional productivity hacks that an MPS provider can help your staff take advantage of: 

1. Print addresses directly onto envelopes and other direct mail materials 
2. Schedule a print job in advance so your meeting agendas will be ready to go when you arrive at the office
3. Digitize a printed document and make it searchable so it can be added to automated workflows
4. Enable digital signatures to reduce printing and get contracts signed faster
5. Produce more specialized documents in-house to reduce turnaround times
6. Use pull printing (a.k.a. follow me printing and secure printing), so sensitive documents can be printed on efficient equipment while preserving confidentiality

Want a Sneak Preview?

Many managed print providers will offer a free initial print assessment, so an organization can get a better sense of how they work and what their capabilities are before signing on the dotted line. We certainly do! 

Click the link below to request a complimentary Marco print assessment.