Today, managed print services (“MPS”) assist enterprises in accomplishing a variety of important goals. By monitoring the use of printers and copiers more closely and preventing unnecessary duplication, managers often seek to control printing costs more effectively and reduce waste. Yet did you know, another important benefit of this process involves enhancing a company’s ability to reallocate printing resources on short notice? This brief article explores these advantages.
Printing Resources: Not a Static Consideration
In many cases, organizations that track their printing needs discover they experience surges in demand during certain periods of the year. For instance, seasonal sales or advertising campaigns may place especially heavy demands upon an office printer within identifiable time frames. Nonprofit entities that solicit donations sometimes discover they optimize advertising dollars by mailing most of their requests to potential contributors during specific seasons. The capability to closely monitor these fluctuations in printing needs assists managers in planning more effectively.
Additionally, as more companies have expanded and establish branch offices, managers may utilize MPS to gain important insights into regional differences in printing needs. If one or two branch offices consistently use their printers more frequently, an administrator might discover value in identifying the reasons underlying these anomalies. Do certain branches maintain consistently higher sales figures? Or have these offices allowed employees to print materials without accountability? Appreciating the reasons for more frequent office printer usage may ultimately contribute to more effective day-to-day operations. Monitoring printer use carefully sometimes helps companies optimize their efficiency.
Reallocating Printing Needs if Necessary
Additionally, MPS helps managers reallocate printing capabilities more intelligently on short notice. For example, if a firm employs MPS services to assist with the management of all of its printers and copiers, a printer breakdown at a branch office need not prove catastrophic. Administrators responsible for printing a weekly bulletin might simply ask several adjoining offices to assist in performing this task on a short term basis. By sharing the workload and dividing it up among several managed printers, the enterprise won’t experience significant disruptions due to a problem at a single location.
This capability greatly enhances the nimbleness and responsiveness of a large enterprise. The use of MPS permits the organization to shift its printing resources, if necessary. Managers reduce harmful “down time” while also ensuring they meet the needs of customers and staff. MPS constitutes a flexible “win-win” strategy!
