At this point, you're probably familiar with the letters 'MPS'. Or at least familiar enough that you can pick them out of a lineup. You may have read an article or heard of its benefits from your office technology partner, like how it can save you money, free up your hardware management personnel, and a whole host of other benefits. For most organizations, the answer of whether to move to an MPS contract is simple - especially for those businesses ready to take their efficiency and cost savings to the next level with the latest in print technology. 

For an increasing number of businesses, MPS is an invaluable resource to take advantage of. According to a recent report by Grand View Research, Inc., the MPS market is expected to grow rapidly in the coming decade— anticipated to be valued at $49.7 billion by 2025. And these numbers are driven by major observable changes in the market: a widespread drive to reduce paper waste and increase IT security at all points in the workplace as more and more devices join the 'internet of things'.

Offered by most IT services, MPS helps avoid office management problems by seamlessly streamlining maintenance, repairs, and toner replacement. MPS saves your business time, money, and hassle when things go askew. Studies show that mid-level businesses save up to 30% of their budget per year on their printing costs when they use MPS.

Making Sure Managed Print is the Right Fit

Right off the bat, you should know that MPS is best designed for offices with 10 or more printers. If that includes your business, you might benefit from a deeper conversation with your technology partner about this service. If your office has fewer than 10 printers, it may still be a good idea to have an understanding of the service as your business grows and the MPS market becomes more widespread in the next few years.

The first step with any Managed Print Services plan is an evaluation of your current printing environment through a non-intrusive discovery phase. From this, the provider will identify inefficiencies or redundancies in your office— with the goal of reducing devices and mapping a productive workplace environment. Next, a plan will be presented with the exact number and type of printers that would meet your business goals.

The major benefit of MPS lies in the "M"— your devices are managed completely and remotely by a dedicated team committed to maintaining a streamlined printing environment. All of those common headaches associated with these devices— meter readings, toner replacement, and troubleshooting— are handled so your office team can focus on their own duties. The goal with a MPS is for your printers to always be reliable and always ready to go with no surprises and nothing to schedule or order.

Making Your Organization Stronger and Greener

One commonly overlooked advantage of MPS is the security aspect. Most printers in modern offices are part of a network, meaning they are as vulnerable to security threats as any other device connected to the internet, but with less attention paid. Most people don't think of a printer as susceptible to threats, but as Christian Slater taught us, the most sensitive business information can be stolen from your typical MFP. A myriad of security breaches of major companies continuously fill headlines as the realities of 21st-century cyber-security are becoming more understood, and as a result, "growing security concerns related to data and important information in organizations is expected to influence demand for managed print services".

By using this service, you are also increasing your environmental sustainability as well as document security. Waste is cut— waste in materials, money, and time. Fragmented service contracts connected to different printers can also be done away with, as all devices and services are consolidated into a single contract. Bundling a bunch of different IT services into one vendor will ensure not only that your machines will be taken care of, but also that the people working on your machines will develop a deeper relationship with your business.

Sources:

(1)Grand View Research, Inc.

(2)Digital Journal