Modern businesses need every edge they can find in today’s competitive marketplaces. These companies often turn to high-tech solutions and smart software to boost production, slash costs, and streamline critical processes. However, many enterprises overlook one key area where inefficiency and budget bloat can sneak in: their print environment.

How much does your in-house printing setup actually cost you? To find the answer is not as simple as pulling up the ‘office supplies’ line in your expense report. Every paper-managing piece of equipment, from color printers to shredders, will eventually need repairs and replacement. These devices require power and take up space in the building. Don’t forget about the expense of time. How many minutes a day do your employees waste clearing paper jams, walking documents between devices, or calling tech support?

Small inefficiencies and big equipment breakdowns alike can make your print environment more costly than you’d think. This is why a growing fleet of companies calls in the experts to handle this job.

Managed Print Services can assess how your business handles paper documents, improve your workflows, and take care of your devices. They may even take over your printing needs entirely. Here’s what you need to know:

What Is Managed Print Services?

Managed Print Services are programs offered by external print providers. They let you outsource your company’s document output needs. A variety of contracts are available. You can usually upgrade and downgrade your agreement as your business’s printing needs shift.

Managed Print Services may include:

  • Printing, scanning, copying, and faxing
  • Assessing business needs
  • Streamlining employee workflows
  • Replacing inefficient print equipment
  • Delivering paper, toner, ink, and other supplies
  • Providing regular device maintenance
  • Troubleshooting issues
  • Enhancing print security
  • Accessing IT and support desks
  • Detailed usage reports
  • And more

Top Benefits of Managed Print Services

Contracting with a print provider doesn’t just give you access to the services we´ve listed. It can help your company rethink its document creation strategy from the ground up. Here are a few of the significant benefits for businesses of every size:

Trimmed Costs and Waste

Managed Print Services help you keep track of your expenses and streamline them. These services often begin with an audit, which will look at everything from peak volume times to excessive paper waste. With this information, the service can help you develop a plan to streamline productivity, tighten up underperforming devices, and stay in control of your budget.

Reduced Workloads

Chances are, you didn’t hire your staff for their skills at stapling pages and prying paper out of a jammed machine. Managed Print Services can streamline these tasks or take them over entirely. This frees up your team members to focus on the quality work you need them to do.

Improved Data Security

Businesses hit by cybercrime have lost billions in stolen and ransomed data in recent years. These hackers go after everyone, from small startups to multinational companies. They are relentlessly searching for weak points to exploit for a quick buck.

One of those biggest weak points happens when your company’s data is transmitted to and from the printer. A managed service can help you shore up your devices’ security. This keeps valuable company and client information out of the hands of cybercriminals.

Emergency Coverage

If one of your printers or copiers dies, it will probably happen during busy times, otherwise known as the worst possible moment. Your Managed Print Service provider can loan you a replacement while your equipment is being repaired. This lets your company resume productivity with barely a hitch.

Managed IT Support

Whether you rely on one sophisticated, multi-function device or a small fleet of single-use machines, you’ll eventually need IT support to keep them running properly. Managed Print Services are just a call away. These services can send someone over to look at more complex problems. They can also handle regular maintenance and other non-emergency IT tasks like updating software to the latest security patches.

Why Managed Print Services Is A Smart Business Decision

We’ve talked about some of the specific benefits of outsourcing your print services, but what about the bigger picture? A Managed Print Services company can integrate with your business model and help you grow faster and get more done.

There is always some degree of uncertainty in the market but Managed Print Services are predictable and reliable. The contract doesn’t contain surprise fees. You get exactly the services you pay for, delivered on time. If you need to upgrade or downgrade your print service package, those new costs will be clear too.

Disaster prevention is another significant advantage of Managed Print Services. This can cover accidents like equipment failure and larger-scale disasters such as cybercrime. Outsourcing your print services connects your business to cutting-edge data security software and modern devices that are less accessible to hackers. If disaster strikes, the service has skilled technicians on hand who can help you get up and running again.

Flexibility is a third big selling point. Many businesses have a natural ebb and flow during the year. The right contract works with your shifting print needs. You can get access to high-volume discounts, rush deliveries, short-term device rentals, and more during high season or big sales periods. When business slows down, you can scale back to just the basic services you need.

Grow Alongside Your Customer Base With Managed Print Services

Reliable, efficient printing is a core process for many companies. Managed Print Services can help a business handle its document creation needs, audit devices and expenses, and streamline efficiency. Firms that contract with print services may enjoy greater productivity and a data security and IT support safety net, all for a predictable monthly fee. Most importantly of all, Managed Print Services offer flexibility. These contracts can scale up or down, adjusting fluidly to fluctuations in the market and demand.

Are you ready to implement our Managed Print Services solutions for your Greensboro, Winston-Salem, or Charlotte business? Contact Kelly Office Solutions today to learn more.