Unmanaged print costs typically amount to 1-3% of an organisation’s total revenue. However, most businesses experience significant savings when implementing a comprehensive print management solution. In fact, managed print services offer numerous benefits, including increased efficiency, cost reduction, improved productivity, reduced carbon footprint and enhanced security. We’ve seen firsthand how a Managed Print Service can help companies cut printing costs by identifying inefficiencies and implementing targeted cost-saving measures.
What are Managed Print Services (MPS)?
Managed print services (MPS) refer to outsourcing your printer/copier infrastructure to external providers who take complete responsibility for managing your document output environment. These services go beyond simple equipment maintenance, essentially functioning as a comprehensive solution that optimises your entire printing ecosystem. MPS providers conduct thorough assessments of your current printing needs, streamline workflows and implement policies leading to more sustainable and cost-effective practices.
The primary goal of MPS is to give businesses control over their print environment while reducing operational expenses. According to industry research, MPS can help businesses save up to 30% on printing costs. Most contracts typically span 3-5 years, driven by service level agreements that ensure consistent performance and reliability.
Core components: hardware, service and monitoring
Effective managed print services consist of several interconnected elements working together to create a holistic printing solution. First thing to remember, the process begins with a thorough print assessment that evaluates your existing print environment, such as device inventory, print volumes and associated costs.
Following assessment, MPS encompasses:
- Hardware management – Selection, installation and maintenance of appropriate printing devices based on departmental needs
- Service and maintenance – Proactive technical support, repairs and regular maintenance to prevent downtime
- Monitoring software – Real-time tracking of print usage, supply levels and performance metrics
- Supply management – Automated replenishment of toner, paper and other consumables
Furthermore, effective MPS includes ongoing optimisation and support through regular reviews and adjustments to maintain peak performance.
Why unmanaged print costs go unnoticed
Unmanaged printing expenses often fly under the radar, consequently becoming a significant yet hidden drain on company resources. IDC found that document costs consume between 5% and 15% of average business revenue, with IT departments spending approximately 15% of their time addressing printing issues.
Most organisations fail to recognise these costs primarily because they lack centralised tracking and visibility into print usage. Without proper management systems, businesses cannot accurately monitor who prints what, making it impossible to control volume, identify waste, or implement cost-saving measures.
Other hidden costs include inefficient supply procurement, excessive IT support time, frequent equipment downtime and security vulnerabilities from unsecured printing practices. These expenses accumulate gradually, making them difficult to detect without comprehensive monitoring systems.
8 Ways MPS Cuts Office Costs by 30%
Implementing managed print services creates measurable cost reductions across organisations of all sizes. Independent market statistics indicate that businesses adopting MPS typically see cost reductions of up to 30%.
1. Automated toner replenishment reduces emergency orders
As an MPS provider, we monitor toner levels remotely and automatically ship replacements when supplies reach predetermined thresholds – typically around 10-20% remaining. This proactive approach eliminates costly emergency orders and prevents overstocking.
2. Consolidated print fleet lowers hardware maintenance
By replacing multiple inefficient desktop printers with fewer high-performance multifunction devices, businesses significantly reduce per-page printing costs, supply expenses and energy consumption. This consolidation minimises the variety of consumables needed while standardising equipment, resulting in streamlined maintenance procedures.
3. Predictive maintenance prevents costly downtime
Sophisticated print management software uses sensor data to monitor devices for signs of wear, addressing potential issues before they cause disruptions. As a result, businesses avoid the traditional costly maintenance cycle: equipment failure, technician visits, part ordering and extended downtime. Studies indicate companies spend approximately 15% of IT time addressing printing issues.
4. Usage tracking eliminates unnecessary printing
MPS solutions provide detailed analytics on printing patterns, enabling organisations to implement print policies that reduce unnecessary costs. Specifically, features like enforced duplex printing, colour print limitations and user quotas help businesses eliminate waste.
5. Centralised billing simplifies cost allocation
Consolidated invoicing eliminates the administrative burden of managing multiple vendor relationships and invoices. Besides saving time, centralised billing provides visibility into departmental usage patterns, enabling more accurate cost allocation and budgeting.
6. Secure print release reduces abandoned print jobs
Print jobs remain in a secure queue until users authenticate at the device, ensuring documents only print when users are physically present to collect them. This verification process prevents abandoned print jobs, reducing paper and toner waste while enhancing document security.
7. Cloud-managed print services reduce IT overhead
Cloud-based MPS eliminates the need for on-premise print servers, reducing hardware expenses, IT maintenance costs and energy consumption. IT teams previously burdened with printer troubleshooting can focus on strategic initiatives instead.
8. Vendor-managed SLAs improve uptime and efficiency
Service Level Agreements establish clear performance metrics and response times, maximising device uptime – often reaching the high 90% range. These agreements ensure prompt resolution of issues, protecting businesses from productivity losses due to extended printer downtime.
Implementation Strategy
Initial print environment assessment process
The foundation of successful MPS implementation begins with a comprehensive assessment of your current print environment. During this evaluation, Key Digital would document your existing equipment, including device types, quantities, models, age and future requirements. This process often reveals surprising insights – organisations either underestimate or overestimate their print fleet size by as much as one-third.
A thorough assessment includes both digital cloud analysis and physical walk-throughs to identify offline devices that would otherwise be missed. Our experienced assessors examine placement strategies, map each device’s location, and speak with end-users about specific printing requirements. They’ll analyse your internal support costs, typically calculating IT Help Desk burden rates (approximately £38.91/hour) and invoice processing expenses (around £23.03/hour).
Service level agreements (SLAs) to look for
Quality SLAs protect your organisation from unexpected downtime and establish clear performance expectations. Prioritise agreements that specify:
- Response times and resolution timeframes with defined escalation processes
- Engineer capabilities and availability, especially brand-specific expertise
- Uptime guarantees
- Remote support capabilities and consumables tracking methods
Transitioning from legacy print systems to MPS
Legacy print systems often create obstacles through outdated security controls, rigid infrastructure and manual maintenance requirements. Thus, transitioning to cloud-based MPS offers enhanced security protocols, streamlined operations through automation, centralised management and flexible scalability.
Consider Key Digital to deliver ongoing optimisation and adjustments to maintain peak performance throughout your contract term. Get in touch for a free print assessment – key-digital.co.uk/contact
FAQs
1. What are Managed Print Services (MPS) and how do they benefit businesses? Managed Print Services are comprehensive solutions that outsource and optimise an organisation’s printing infrastructure. They typically include hardware management, maintenance, monitoring and supply management. MPS can help businesses reduce printing costs by up to 30%, increase efficiency, improve productivity and support sustainability goals.
2. How much can a company save by implementing Managed Print Services? Companies implementing Managed Print Services typically see cost reductions of 10-30%. These savings come from various areas such as automated toner replenishment, consolidated print fleets, reduced downtime and elimination of unnecessary printing.
3. What are some key features of Managed Print Services? Key features of MPS include automated toner replenishment, predictive maintenance, usage tracking, centralised billing, secure print release and cloud-based management. These features work together to reduce costs, improve efficiency and enhance security in the print environment.
4. How do Managed Print Services impact IT departments? MPS can significantly reduce the burden on IT departments. By outsourcing print management, IT teams spend less time troubleshooting printer issues and managing supplies. Cloud-based MPS solutions further reduce IT overhead by eliminating the need for on-premise print servers.
5. What should businesses consider when evaluating Managed Print Services providers? When evaluating MPS providers, businesses should consider the provider’s assessment process, ongoing development process, the terms of their service level agreements, and their ability to transition from legacy print systems. It’s also important to choose a provider that offers tailored solutions and responsive support.