Many businesses of all sizes are beginning to understand the value that managed print services (MPS) add to their organisations. Through device consolidation, optimisation of hardware and software, and continuous monitoring, MPS is minimising costs – both financial and environmental. However, the benefits don’t stop there. With MPS, businesses can also improve document security, increase productivity levels, and eliminate device downtime.
With the proper MPS strategy your business can gain a competitive edge and maximise profits. Whether you have recently implemented an MPS programme or are considering doing so in the future, here are a few essential tips that will ensure you are making the most of your services.
Be Clear
Determine what your goals are for the next six months, the next quarter, or even the next year – and make that clear to your MPS provider. Whether you want to reduce printing costs or improve your document security, detailing specific benchmarks with your MPS provider will allow you to measure your progress and evaluate the effectiveness of the services.
Adaptability
Understanding the impact of the future growth of your business on your print infrastructure is fundamental. As your business changes and grows, your MPS provider should take lead and adapt to your print environment needs.
Personalisation
What may work for one organisation may not work for yours. Before implementing an MPS programme, your provider should complete a thorough assessment of your print environment in order to gain a deeper understanding of your business’ unique needs and functions. Following the assessment, your MPS provider should recommend a personalised strategy that includes software tool recommendations to maximise productivity and workflow processes.
Communication
Regularly communicating with your MPS provider helps to keep your benchmarks on track and ensures you are getting the full value of your services. Remember, communication is a two-way street, so make sure you are returning your provider’s calls and emails regarding your goals, current devices, hardware maintenance and print supplies.
Service Level Agreement
Service level agreements (SLA) need to be flexible and are critical to the success of an MPS programme. A great way to evaluate an SLA and its compatibility to your business needs, is to consider the following:
- Are service levels matched to your business needs (e.g. hours of services, problem resolution times, and end-user productivity)?
- What is the process and how would the provider handle a multivendor environment?
- Routing email to PDF format
- Is preventative maintenance provided and if so, how often?
- Is on-site and/or off-site support available?
