Background
Plusopedia is a fast‑growing tutoring organisation delivering high‑volume educational support throughout the year, with a significant surge during summer school programmes. Their operations rely heavily on printed materials – lesson packs, worksheets, assessments, and administrative documents. As a limited company with a lean internal team, they need reliable, cost‑effective print infrastructure that keeps pace with demand without draining staff time.
Situation
Plusopedia had been running four Brother desktop laser print devices, producing an average of 7,000 mono prints per week. While the devices were technically current models, they were no longer fit for the scale or intensity of the organisation’s workload. Key challenges included:
- Excessive downtime caused by consumable delays – particularly waste toner boxes, which had previously left the team unable to print at critical moments
- High running costs associated with desktop devices operating far beyond their intended duty cycle
- Seasonal spikes in print volume during summer classes, requiring more robust equipment
- Administrative burden on staff who were already stretched, with print management becoming a recurring pain point
When Plusopedia approached Key Digital, they expressed strong interest in a more reliable, proactive service model – especially one that eliminated consumable‑related downtime.
Solution
After reviewing their print environment, usage patterns, and operational priorities, Key Digital proposed a managed print solution built around:
- AM-C5000 as the primary device, providing:
- A3 capability for more flexible teaching materials
- Higher durability and duty cycle
- Professional‑grade finishing options
- Proactive consumables management, including:
- Stocking a waste toner box on‑site to eliminate the downtime previously experienced
- Automated replenishment to remove admin burden
- A fully managed service, reducing hassle, improving uptime, and giving the team confidence that print is handled end‑to‑end
- Clear guidance on lease options, securing future scalability, ensuring the solution grows with their business
The team responded extremely positively to Key Digital’s ethos, environmental performance advantages, and the simplicity of the service model.
“We’ve been using the AM-C5000 since October 2024 and it has been great – and continues to be very reliable. We’re a 11+ tuition business of nearly 400 students, with over 250 attending in person, so our print volumes are significant. Weekly class printing is heavy, and we also run monthly mock exams where we’re printing three papers for over 80 students at a time.
Despite this, the device has handled the workload well. We predominantly print in mono, and the ink yields have lasted a good amount of time given our usage. From a reliability point of view, we’ve only needed one site visit, which was to correct a minor alignment issue with the internal stapler – this was after well over half a million prints.
The internal stapler itself has been a real lifesaver for us, especially during exam periods. One small tip: make sure staple cartridges are ordered directly through Key Digital’s service team, as they can be out of stock elsewhere and tend to be more expensive from third-party suppliers.
Overall, we’ve been very happy with the sustainability, reliability, and performance of the device, particularly for a busy education environment.”
– Crystal Morton Administrator
Resulting Benefits
By transitioning to our managed print solution, Plusopedia stands to gain:
Operation Efficiency
- Significantly reduced downtime thanks to proactive consumables management and on‑site waste toner stock
- Faster, more reliable printing during peak periods, especially during summer school
- Less staff time spent troubleshooting, repairing, or sourcing supplies
Cost Savings
- Lower cost‑per‑page compared to overworked desktop lasers
- Reduced risk of unexpected repair or replacement costs
Improved Capability
- A3 printing unlocks new possibilities for teaching materials and marketing assets
- Professional finishing options improve the quality of student handouts and course packs
Future-Proofing
- Scalable setup ensures continuity as print volumes continue to rise
- Regular account management reviews to assess solution suitability and continual development