What Are Managed Print Services (MPS)?
Managed Print Services are a full-service solution to manage and optimize an organization’s printing framework. This provides businesses of any size a system to evaluate current printing needs and develop a framework that streamlines workflows, reduces waste and improves cost efficiency. Initially, you may do your printing in-house, but as your business grows, you need a convenient solution that keeps your team busy with clients rather than fixing up the printer.
How Does Managed Print Services (MPS) Work?
MPS Managed Print Services are provided by a third-party that manages document and printing requirements. They will consolidate the number of printing devices to improve your carbon footprint and streamline and automate your processes to maximize your efficiency and reduce your volume where possible. They handle maintenance and supply management, so you can focus on your clients and the needs of your business.
The Benefits of a Managed Print Service
By partnering with an MPS provider, organizations can enjoy the benefits of managed print services, while creating a more efficient, secure, and sustainable printing environment and at the same time focus on their core business objectives. Other benefits include enhanced compliance for audits, custom solutions to suit your business model, and reduced downtime when your printers are out of action. Overall, your business runs more smoothly.
Cost Savings
One of the main advantages of managed print services is the cost savings stemming from optimizing your printing environment and reducing waste.
The biggest cost saving comes from reduced printing costs. This involves eliminating underused devices and consolidating printers, optimizing their usage so costs per page are reduced, and bulk buying toner, ink and parts to reduce costs.
Other ways MPS offers cost savings includes lower maintenance and repair expenses, decreased IT and administrative costs, and increased energy and resource efficiency through using modern energy efficient devices. MPS provides predictable monthly costs, avoiding surprise expenses for supplies, repairs or new hardware.
Improved Efficiency and Productivity
MPS enhances efficiency and productivity by streamlining work processes, minimizing downtime and enabling employees to focus on their core tasks.
Streamlined workflows involve three aspects. All printing devices are monitored and managed from a single platform, reducing complexity and providing a centralized system of management. Automated processes, such as automatically ordering ink and toner when running low, eliminates manual recording. By optimizing device placement and strategically positioning them, it ensures convenient access and faster operations as a result.
Reducing downtime of printing devices is a key element to improved efficiency. This involves proactive maintenance to identify potential problems, rapid support from dedicated MPS technical support teams, and upgrading to modern, reliable devices to minimize equipment failure.
Improved employee productivity is another tangible benefit. Time is saved with employees no longer spending time fixing printers or searching for supplies. With user-friendly interfaces, modern devices simplify printing tasks, such as scanning, copying, or mobile printing. Secure printing options reduce the hassle of managing sensitive documents with features like pull printing.
Sustainability and Environmental Benefits of MPS
By integrating sustainable practices into print management, MPS helps organizations lower their environmental impact while promoting a greener, more responsible approach to business operations. MPS can reduce an organization’s carbon footprint by up to 60% by optimizing their printing processes.
An important part of sustainability within MPS is reduced paper usage, enforcing double-sided printing policies, encouraging digital workflows and introducing print quotas to promote mindful printing. Reduced waste from efficient supplies management, recycling programs and minimized overprinting also leads to better sustainability.
Use of modern printers decreases energy consumption. Most are multi-function so that fewer devices are needed), and have sleep modes, using less power when idle.
Additional Data and Network Security
Managed Print Services are an important tool to improve an organization’s data and network security. Digital security of documents is essential, and MPS provides robust measures to protect sensitive information throughout the printing process.
MPS uses several tools to ensure security.
- Secure print release, requiring users to authenticate at the device before releasing a print job, and holding jobs in a secure queue until the authorized user retrieves them.
- Encrypted communication between devices, servers and user workstations to prevent interception.
- User access controls
- Device hardening ensuring regular software updates and disabling unused ports to prevent unauthorized access
- Network security integration with firewalls and VPNs
- Compliance with regulations, such as data protection and secure document handling
Managed Print Services (MPS) vs. Traditional Printing
Traditional printing tends to be more time consuming with a focus on manual labor and higher costs as a result.
While traditional printing requires internal IT or staff to manage devices, supplies, and repairs, with a Managed Print Service these tasks are proactively monitored and managed by an external provider, and most tasks are automated, rather than done manually by staff.
Traditional printing costs are higher, and unpredictable due to inefficiencies. Repair costs tend to be higher with a lot of downtime when they are required. With MPS, costs are predictable and planned with bulk purchasing of supplies and planned maintenance to reduce downtime.
While MPS offers encryption and authentication for security of documents, traditional printing provides minimal security and the risk of unauthorized access to printed documents. MPS also promotes eco-friendly practices and energy efficient devices, while traditional printing devices consume more power and encourage higher resource waste due to unmanaged printing habits.
Is Managed Print Services a Good Idea for your Business?
Managed Print Services are a good idea for most businesses that want to reduce costs, improve efficiency, enhance security and adopt sustainable practices. If printing is a significant part of your operations or you want better control over your print environment, MPS is worth considering. However, smaller organizations with minimal printing needs might benefit more from traditional methods or scaled-down printing solutions. Consider your specific goals and needs and determine if the benefits of MPS will suit your organization.
Get More from Your Printing with Managed Print Services
Managing your business’s printing shouldn’t be a hassle. Managed Print Services takes the stress out of printing by cutting costs, improving efficiency, and keeping your documents secure. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, MPS helps you stay productive without the usual printer headaches.
Visit MPStation to see how a smarter print solution can work for you.