The term “paperless office” was coined by Micronet Inc. in 1978. At the time, it caught on pretty hard as the ideal for the office of the future. How often do you see paper in Star Trek or any other future-based, high-tech science fiction? Even 2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick) presented space travel in a completely paperless environment. The film’s props list included “a 2001 newspaper to be read on some kind of television screen.”

Yet paper use doubled between 1980 and 2000. In 2017, offices used more than 400 million metric tons of paper. In 2018 the United Nations predicted paper usage would rise by 50%.

And here we are in the year 2021, where printed book sales still outstrip digital book sales worldwide. The typical employee still uses around 10,000 sheets of paper per year at a pace of 34 pages per day. The average company increases its paper usage by 25% year-over-year.

How have we gone so long without realizing the “paperless office” dream?

The Failure To Eliminate Paper

Perhaps the most common reasons for paper usage and printing in the office have been for memos (or interoffice communications), records filing, and signatures.

Well, we all know what happened to memos and interoffice notes. The invention of email significantly reduced the need for physically written communications within the office setting, and chat software and text messaging all but ended written memos. But let’s be honest, it was also meant to minimize phone calls between employees and help dwindle unnecessary meetings. While it may have practically eliminated the former, it has had little to no effect on the latter. The same goes for reducing paper usage. Rather than avoid passing out a newsletter or interoffice message on paper, what happened? Every single employee printed out the email. So, the same amount of paper gets used. It’s just less time spent printing and handing out that paper on the part of the person sending the message.

Signatures, however, are a rare instance where paper-reduction was truly realized. At first, contracts had to be mailed back and forth. It was a lot of waiting and a few cents in postage. But it was the same stack of paper. Then people started faxing contracts. This practice tripled or quadrupled the amount of paper and ink used as each fax created a duplicate of the document on the other end. Faxed document sharing remained a staple until the scanner stepped in to allow contracts to be emailed. However, the physical signature still required at least one page of any agreement to be printed out and rescanned.

Then, finally, digital signatures took hold. Companies such as Sign Server, I-Safe PDF, and Docusign came out with secure options for contracts to be securely sent and virtually signed, complete with standardized cybersecurity measures. Today digital signatures have advanced enough to allow even banks, healthcare, and government entities to accept signatures using e-sign technology. While growth in this area was relatively slow and steady over the past decade, social distancing in 2020 created a significant increase in the use of digital signature platforms. And signs point to continued use as companies begin to head back to a semblance of regular business.

But, while esignatures may be taking a more permanent hold, digital record keeping is still something many companies hesitate to implement. This reluctance can be caused by several considerations, including the cost for conversion, methods of storage, and security of information.

Depending on the age and type of business, the number of past records to be scanned and stored can become a monumental task. Healthcare, finance, insurance, and law are just four industries where this issue could be incredibly daunting.

The method of storage and security is also a significant issue for these and other groups as documents containing sensitive personal and corporate information need to be thoroughly protected. Selecting between off-site, third-party, or company-owned and operated servers is a careful balance between digital security, capabilities, and cost. The result is that many businesses are satisfied keeping their paper record system or creating a hybrid environment rather than take on the investment and potential risks of going completely digital.

People Need Paper

But the costs and security of going digital are not what keeps the average office worker printing thousands of sheets per year. In reality, people have a significant attachment to the printed word and tactile engagement specifically. Studies have consistently shown that screens not only drain more mental resources but also impair focus and reduce reading comprehension.

Another issue with a truly paperless office is the inability to take hand-written notes. Whether in meetings or the margins of a printed document, research shows people who write things down by hand remember the information better than those who do not.

So, while note-taking apps, digital business cards, and project management tools may seem like monumental steps toward the “paperless office” of which we have been dreaming since the late ‘70s, the truth is strategic companies are far from bucking paper or printing.

Print Management Can Help

But not being “paperless” does not mean a business can’t be progressive or take an active role in managing their paper and print use. Innovative companies have an excellent opportunity to help reduce waste and their bottom line by partnering with print management services to become “paper-light.”

Using systems like PowerMPS, managed print services or MPS Software can provide printer data collection to properly track the use of paper, ink, toner, and other materials throughout the business – even at remote and home office locations. This information can help companies build better internal processes to address paper use and the needs of their employees. A strategic print management partner can often help companies reduce hardware costs, reduce output waste, and reduce energy consumption. The result is an environmentally friendly, cost-effective, “paper-light” ecosystem that allows both businesses and employees to thrive.

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Data has always been essential to running a business, especially when it comes to the financial side of a company. Tracking materials usage and time spent on projects or tasks has always been a struggle for accounting departments. However, Big Data has made it much easier to set up programs and systems to assist in tracking items essential to fully developed financials.

The beginning of this type of tracking was embedded in the use of firewalls and servers. IT used these tools to block access to websites and services that were deemed unsafe or distracting. It also helped keep tabs on what and how employees were using their time and equipment.

Now, however, with an ever-growing remote-work environment, companies are moving beyond the standard in-house tracking. Instead, they are beginning to implement project management software like Monday. More intensive clock-in and clock-out tracking systems like Toggl are also a common alternative. However, businesses with significant security concerns and stringent compliance or regulatory requirements have begun to migrate to all-in-one screenshots, website usage, and time-tracking systems—programs like Time Doctor or Clockify. But, no matter the software or methods being used, businesses can now fully monitor and track the work and time of each of their internal and remote workers.

For finance departments, the introduction of these systems means easier tracking and categorizing of employee time. It helps them tabulate hours spent on individual projects and apply costs to specific areas throughout the business. However, despite more advanced tracking capabilities in the realm of the employee, there are back-office and overhead expenses that are still tough to trace, such as printing.

The Printing Expense Dilemma

Many may argue that printing costs are very easy to tabulate. But printing industry experts such as Managed Print Services providers know the actual costs of printing go far beyond the equipment and supplies. How much a company pays to purchase or lease a printer or spends on paper and toner are only the surface expenditures.

The truth is that, for every $1 spent on office printing, another $9 is paid to manage it. This expense is created by IT management, infrastructure, and support. While the Information Technology (IT) group may lump print in with the rest of their general office assistance and structure, analysis proves it takes up far more time and energy than anyone would like to believe. Most businesses report 40% of their help desk calls and tickets are print-related when thoroughly evaluated. And these ongoing print problems can require anything from basic assistance such as supply replenishment or jam assistance to a repair call.

But IT is not the only department affected by office print management. Equipment, toner, ink, and paper supplies all fall on the administrative and procurement departments. Ensuring these items are appropriately sourced in a timely manager often requires inventory regulation. Larger offices may even require regular reports on print dispense and ink levels. In some cases, this information may involve direct contact and inspection of the print equipment’s stored data.

Add to all of this the need to provision and upkeep on-site (and now remote and at-home) printing facilities; it does not seem unreasonable for print management to encompass such a staggering hidden cost. Yet nearly half (40%) of North American businesses cannot accurately track print and print management expenses. As a result, most companies spend a great deal more than they should to provide these services to their employees. A typical business spends up to 3% of its annual revenues on office print services.

Managed Print Services – Solution To Print Costs

Seeing such a cost analysis, finance departments might immediately attempt to steer their company toward a paperless environment. Indeed, many organizations have been working hard toward the vision of a completely digital office. But studies have shown paper is still an essential feature for employees and security. Fortunately, there are ways for businesses to provide finance with the data attributions they desire while significantly lowering the overall costs of business office print.

Managed print service (MPS) providers consolidate administration, printer helpdesk, and maintenance into one package. As a business that is wholly focused on providing printer services, equipment, and supplies, they can leverage their industry knowledge, experience, and volumes to help reduce wait times, resolve issues, and lower supply costs. Overall, MPS services can reduce overall printing costs by up to 30%. The cost-savings to print-related helpdesk tickets and calls alone range from 7-14%.

MPS providers using business process automation systems like PowerMPS offer even more data and cost savings. These platforms provide MPS customers with easily accessible data on print volumes by printer, location, and current supply levels. This information can be accessed from the comfort and safety of the home office – for even remote office and connected desktop printers.

MPS using PowerMPS systems can provide an in-depth look at supply usage for those finance departments demanding even more convenience and cost savings. And there are ample time savings with predictive supply ordering technology and online maintenance management.

Finance departments in businesses across North America might be at a disadvantage for tracking and understanding their actual office printing spend. But, just like there is a growing service and software space for proper employee time management and attribution, there are solutions for the enterprising finance team. When it comes to tracking and management for print, these companies should take a hard look at partnering with a reputable MPS provider – especially one galvanized by an authoritative tool such as PowerMPS.

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Tackling Printing Costs: What Is Managed Print Services?

The average American uses around 700 pounds of paper, and printing paper output is expected to rise by half a percent by the end of 2021. It is not surprising when you consider a large portion of that paper usage is in the office, where employees use an average of $725/ year in paper and printing per person.

Some companies have made bids to move their business to paperless solutions to reduce paper usage and business printing costs. These efforts have had some impact in helping to reduce paper waste. Still, there are many reasons – both technological and psychological – that printing remains an essential feature of every office environment. And, despite these moves toward a paperless environment, businesses still struggle to reduce per employee print volumes and lower printing costs without disrupting operational workflows.

Fortunately, there are printing industry businesses that can help companies through this predicament, providing solutions that assist in tracking and managing print volumes to help them reach their goals. These programs are known as Managed Print Services (MPS).

Traditional Office Printing

Most offices operate their own local or networked printers. To perform this exercise, a single department, typically IT or human resources, is tasked with determining office printing requirements. Then, the department in charge sets out to arrange for purchasing and placing the appropriate hardware, which is purchased as an out-of-pocket capital expense.

Following the purchase and placement, IT is typically placed in charge of arranging for service and maintenance as well as security and daily operation. For example, many large-scale network printers include service while under warranty. But post-warranty machines require either a warranty extension or a new service contract.

IT is also responsible for toner, ink, and paper supplies ordering and storage, and managing those consumables. In addition, they must also handle employee user issues and questions. The result is 15% of IT department time is spent on printing issues, and 23% of help desk calls are printer-related. But, despite all of the time spent on internal printing operations, only 10% of businesses track total printing costs.

Managed Print Services

“Managed Print Services (MPS) are services offered by an external provider to optimize or manage a company’s document output.” But MPS is far more than printing optimization and management. MPS providers are printing industry experts capable of evaluating a business’s printing needs. This analysis helps them create customized solutions that address the specific volume and type of printing, security requirements, and specialized features needed.

MPS programs provide a range of printer options to tackle page per minute requirements, color calibration, two-sided or stapled output, and multiple paper sizes. But, rather than charging their business partners the entire capital expense, MPS providers purchase and place the machines. The machine costs are wrapped up in the monthly service pricing – allowing the finance team to mark it as a standard operational expense.

Ongoing Service and Maintenence

As the printer owners, the MPS provider is also responsible for ongoing service and maintenance. And all of that IT and help desk time consumed by printing problems? MPS are also in charge of resolving end-user issues and questions, removing that headache from the already overloaded technology team.

And, when it comes to security, MPS programs typically offer various added opportunities. For example, besides standard firewalls and updates, many network printer setups can provide two-factor identification, document encryption, and password or code-protected printing.

Managing Print And Printer Related Costs

But when it comes to ongoing printing costs, the real money is in consumables such as paper, ink, and toner. Companies are specifically implementing “paperless” technologies to manage the ballooning costs and waste associated with these items. But, without accurately tracking printing use and materials consumption, it can be hard to determine what decisions are helping to lower costs and what are potentially hindering business.

MPS can provide regular usage reports by department, printing group, or even more granular by computer. Those MPS businesses partnering with systems like PowerMPS can get even more detailed, offering real-time consumables levels and configurable usage details. This information can help inform office policies and technology decisions that help reduce paper waste. And MPS providers use these reports to manage their partner’s consumables orders.

Subscription Plans

In many cases, it is possible to chart and predict monthly printer usage, allowing the MPS provider to create a subscription plan to meet everyday office needs. And those MPS businesses using the PowerMPS platform can offer an online portal to enable partners to make as-needed orders in non-standard printing cases. The combination of predictive subscriptions and online ordering not only make handling consumables easier, they eliminate any need for worry of running out of paper or ink.

Conclusion

So, what is Managed Print Services? It’s much more than a third-party service to manage document output. MPS is an all-in-one solution designed to provide offices with a better approach to their printing requirements. Not only do MPS help reduce costs, increase print security, and free up IT time.

Their robust reporting options also help address the standard lack of print tracking plaguing most offices. And these specialized reports are the key to helping businesses address concerns around paper and printer usage. Companies looking to improve their environmental footprint and better manage their budgets should seriously consider MPS as a viable option for their ongoing printer management.

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Core business processes are changing, and they’re shifting towards more end-user-friendly, cost-effective, and efficient systems. ERP Systems is an area that has experienced one of the biggest process changes, and no–code / low-code development is leading that charge toward the future.

Why No-Code / Low-Code is the Future

Low code / no code is a platform that enables businesses to develop software and apps using a visual development approach instead of the traditional, heavy coding, development. People can create applications with having no need for knowledge of programming languages. This user-friendly technology greatly increased adoption of the tech.

Here are three reasons why No-Code / Low-Code is the future of developing:

No-Code / Low-Code Increase Adoption

70% of businesses that attempt to implement new technology or to transform digitally fail. When people fail to adopt new technology, it is too often dismissed as people just not liking change, but the data does not prove that out. Most people and businesses are attempting to change, but they struggle with adoption.

One of the biggest challenges to adopting new tech, be it an accounting ERP system for accounting, sales orders, or a managed print services software, is the ease of use. And, nothing scares off users more than having to know or utilize code. Low Code – No Code eliminates that problem.

No-Code / Low-Code Reduces Cost

The fastest way to increase profitability for any business is usually reducing costs. Going through the challenging financial types of the pandemic and post-pandemic financial world, cost reduction has been necessary for most businesses. Low-Code/No-Code reduces cost.

Application and software development, implementation, and maintenance is expensive. Low-Code/No-Code eliminates most or all of those expenses. And, No-Code reduces the need for the expense of additional developers. Plus, it limits errors, reducing any further developer maintenance costs.

Additionally, the time to develop low-code/no-code is 60% quicker than traditional development. With developing or selecting software, and implementing it, being long process, low-code/no-code speeding up the process will save time. And, since time is money, reducing all of that time saves money.

There is one more cost-related benefit to low-code/no-code, and that is that is not only reduces costs but it controls costs going forward. Traditional development and maintenance often has unexpected costs. However, with low-code/no-code, especially with software automation, organizations are in control of their costs, and the costs are typically transparent.

No-Code / Low-Code Increases Efficiency

Perhaps the biggest benefit of utilizing low-code / no-code is that it increases the overall efficiency of a company. Part of the increase in efficiency is because of the things that we have already mentioned. When time is saved, money is saved, and the new tech is adopted quickly and utilized, the efficiency of an organization will increase.

Additionally, company efficiency is boosted by the enhanced flexibility of low-code/no-code. Customization is much easier, and the platforms are flexible to be adapted to your specific needs, without the need of the long process and cost of traditional development.

In addition to increased flexibility, No-Code / Low-Code development platforms allow for a much more streamlined process, which makes managing all resources and capital much easier.

Lastly, low-code / no-code development platforms also improve productivity by freeing up developers to focus on more valuable tasks, and boost productivity and innovation.

Additional Benefit to No-Code / Low-Code

No-Code / Low-Code will actually increase the overall need for developers and create new opportunities for developers. Yes, the rise of low-code / no-code might reduce the demand for developers experiencing in coding within some businesses, but it has already brought about countless new software development companies, software consultants, and increased the overall demand for developers.

And, the even better news, low-code / no-code might help bridge the digital skills gap

By 2026, over 7 billion people will have or have access to smartphones. This greatly increases the demand for software developers. In fact, it is estimated that by 2030, we will have a global shortage of software developers of over 85 billion. There simply aren’t enough skilled developers in the world to meet the increasing demand.

However, 70% of new developers with no experience learn to build applications with low-code within one month or less, and 28% learn in less than two weeks. With low-code, we will be able to start to decrease the global developer shortage and help tackle the digital skills gap.

TheNo-Code / Low-Code Future is Now

The reality is, we are already well within the period of time when businesses are shifting to low-code development platforms. In fact, by 2024, low-code and no-code will make up over 65% of all development. And, many estimates have that 65% benchmark being reached much sooner because it has been sped up due to the demands of the post-pandemic work and the work-from-home and hybrid shift in the workplace.

The low-code development market exceeded $21 billion in 2022, and it will continue to rise. Yes, there are some limitations to low-code / no-code, such as limited customization, security risks, and limited scaling, but advances in technology are helping to solve those limitation concerns. And, with our current economic times limiting budgets and requiring quicker turnarounds, No-Code / Low-Code is what is needed for businesses.

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The IT department seems to have a reputation for being curt, frustrated, and cranky. But that attitude is hardly surprising when you consider the majority of their interactions with other departments revolve around fixing complex technology-based problems. And if it isn’t a tech issue, it’s attempting to arrange times to install drivers or software to help keep the company’s network and information secure. Business printing is just one more of the many tasks IT oversees that can cause additional headaches.

Printers Eat Time

While most offices need printers, these machines are often set and forgotten until there is a problem. That’s when the help desk calls start rolling in. Ink and toner replacement, paper jams, and network communication issues are just a few of the wide range of everyday reasons employees call IT or submit help desk tickets. Around half (50%) of help desk calls are printer-related, according to a Gartner study.

Some of these problems are quickly resolved. But it is not only simple issues that generate printer-related calls to IT. For example, regular driver and security updates can block computers from sending documents or even recognizing available office printers when out of date. In addition, tracking when driver updates occur and arranging installation around regular work hours means additional planning and IT hours.

The same can be said of spooler crashes or other problems that require added maintenance. There is often a significant amount of time spent determining the magnitude of the malfunction before a printer technician can be called. Then there is the time and effort needed to manage visiting techs and ensure machines are back in working order before they leave.

All of these calls, tickets, and maintenance evaluations add up. Think about it. If there are one hundred help desk calls or tickets created in a day, an average of fifty would be printer-related. Assuming those printer issues each takes ten minutes to resolve, that is just over eight hours. That’s one employee’s entire day dedicated to dealing with the printer.

Printer Security

That set it and forget it attitude has another problem that plagues the IT department – security. Printing devices, whether network or local, have several general vulnerabilities. Even consumer-level printers have built-in hard drives which temporarily store the previously printed and queued documents. Should the printer be hacked, any confidential or proprietary information previously printed could be accessed.

But retrieving printed documents is only one potential problem should a machine be hacked. There is a risk of compromised devices providing backdoor access to any connected computers and, consequently, into the company’s computer network. Printer breaches account for eleven percent of all security incidents.

To reduce this risk, network printers should run on a secure VPN. IT must also work to ensure both printers are locked down, security is up to date across all machines, and IPP ports are closed. Adding additional document encryption and password protection levels is also recommended to reduce internal and external accessibility of past and future document printing.

Remote Work Accelerates Problems

Recent studies of post-pandemic business decisions show (83%) of global businesses intend to have over one quarter of their employees working remotely. US businesses, recognizing some of the difficulties at-home and hybrid workers faced during the pandemic, are also far more likely to provide printers for their remote employees. As of July 2020, forty-eight percent of US businesses had already provided dedicated printers to individual employees, and thirty-four percent had plans to do so.

IT has managed to adjust to the additional time and security measures required to maintain an onslaught of new office spaces. However, throwing more print devices on top of that already large workload is daunting for the department. More printers mean more potential maintenance issues, more helpdesk tickets, and practically doubling the work required to regularly update and monitor network-connected technology for security updates and attacks.

MPS Can Help

Rather than overload IT with new layers of work, organizations that acknowledge the importance of print within their business are regularly turning to Managed Print Services (MPS). In this changing landscape, MPS are working with their business partners to provide standard in-office solutions and A3 and A4 network printers for the growing remote workspace.

In addition to providing secure network print equipment, these companies also offer comprehensive service, monitoring, and security. They absorb print-related help desk questions, driver updates, ink, toner, paper supplies provision, and printer maintenance across their partners’ entire print fleet. This dedication to security, monitoring, and service is why over three-quarters (76%) of global organizations considered print security leaders partner with an MPS provider.

So, a larger print landscape could easily lead to additional headaches for IT. But there is a way to avoid the excessive help desk calls, maintenance headaches, and security worries surrounding the print environment – thanks to the availability of reliable MPS.

If you’re not convinced yet that businesses need MPS, CLICK HERE to learn 6 reasons why Your Business Needs Managed Print Services.

3 Reasons for Businesses to Choose Office Print Partners Over Amazon

Amazon seems like a good resource for purchasing affordable office supplies. After all, they offer a wide range of options from a variety of suppliers all presented on a single platform.

Amazon also offers printing supplies that can fit many different office printing needs. The platform has many different sizes and types of paper, ink, and even toner. Some suppliers on Amazon even offer printer replacement parts like ink rollers. In addition to super-fast delivery options, it is hardly surprising that some businesses have become convinced it is one of the best options for much-needed consumables.

But is it really the best option? When we look beyond the supposed advantages, Amazon’s business model has significant flaws that could drain a company’s back-office time, resources, and money.

Unfortunately, many must learn the downsides of purchasing office print and other supplies through this popular online retailer the hard way. Here are three reasons businesses should choose office print partners for their print needs.

Business Purchases Through Amazon are a Nightmare for Accounting

By all appearances, Amazon offers a platform that makes it simple to quickly evaluate ratings, price ranges, and delivery timelines. And purchasing agents naturally lean toward the most affordable options that will arrive the fastest. But few pay any attention to which supplier or suppliers are originating the product.

But the ease of ordering from this large online retailer is not so simple when it comes to tracking and logging the purchase when it gets to finance. Because, when you purchase multiple items from Amazon, each item is typically sold by a different vendor.

Proper business accounting requires purchases from individual vendors to be recorded as separate transactions. So, what seems like a single invoice from one resource must be broken out based on the supplier.

Businesses subject to standard audits may even need W-9 forms and information from each vendor. Unlike the experience businesses receive with dedicated office print partners, tracking down business contacts to obtain those types of answers is time-consuming and difficult. Some of the companies selling on Amazon are nearly impossible to contact as they operate solely under the umbrella of the larger organization.

And the headaches finance experiences with Amazon orders are only the beginning of the problems a company can face.

Finding the Same Product or Product Quality Can be Hard

Finding the same product and supplier over and over is not an issue for most consumers, who usually use online retailers like Etsy, eBay, and Amazon for one-time purchases. Still, any regular Amazon user knows how common it is to find a specific product from a single supplier and have either one or the other disappear from the platform days or weeks later.

The same is true for office and print supplies. In some cases, the item is simply out-of-stock and will be available later. However, the big platform tends to be a revolving door of suppliers as supplier contracts expire or get canceled.

Amazon’s profit-sharing practices play a significant part in the fluctuation of supply quality and availability. Businesses operating on the platform incur costs ranging from six to fifteen percent when opening their business account.

In addition, vendors on Amazon are entrusting the larger business to handle reviews and complaints. Customers who complain are often provided free merchandise without appropriate verification of the issue and sellers are often not fully compensated for returned goods. These consistent losses, combined with the percentage paid to the platform, can easily drive many vendors out of business.

But finding the same vendors is not the only problem. As any Amazon user can attest, one of the best things about the platform is the ability to find the same product from multiple different vendors and compare pricing.

However, businesses should be careful about this option when ordering printing supplies. Amazon does not regularly monitor the quality or even the truthfulness behind product listings, descriptions, or even reviews.

The reviews, especially, can be misleading as the system lumps all reviews for the same product together, regardless of supplier. Good reviews might be written for a specific item such as ink, toner, or printer paper as they were delivered by a specific supplier. However, that review does not reference the supplier and will be included with all other iterations of the same product. So what is ordered may not match what is delivered and there is no way to know for certain until the ordered items arrive.

Amazon Deliveries Generate Excessive Packaging Waste

Amazon generated four hundred sixty-five million pounds of plastic packaging waste in 2019, according to an analysis of e-commerce packaging statistics by Oceana, and is estimated to be well over 500 million this past year. This includes materials like air cushions and bubble wrap used to cushion the transportation of almost 7 billion Amazon shipments.

Analysis shows that the plastic packaging waste from Amazon’s air pillows alone would circle the globe more than five hundred times.

While the corporation has options to ship in “as few packages as possible”, it doesn’t apply to the most common office and print supply orders where items are shipped from multiple vendors. Inevitably each vendor will have to send separate packages.

For busy companies, multiple deliveries are an added hassle. For one, the packages take up space and add to the trash production and costs for the office. Then there is the problem of deliveries coming at different speeds and arriving at different times. In many cases, this can disrupt standard office procedures and make things difficult for the front office or shipping/receiving staff.

Office Print Partners Offer Better Experiences

It’s easy to avoid the problems that come with shopping and purchasing office print and other supplies on platforms like Amazon. Rather than relying on the unreliable, businesses can choose to partner with reputable office print services providers. These tried-and-true businesses provide organized shipping and a single, trusted vendor.

Most importantly, office print partners like managed print service and printer leasing/maintenance providers offer quality, tested office print products combined with dedicated service for their clients. These businesses have thoroughly vetted the printing supplies, accessories, and machines they offer to ensure their business partners receive the most efficient printing available and the appropriate longevity, color, and quality from inks, toners, and papers.

Ordering office print supplies from online retail conglomerates like Amazon can be a tempting prospect for many businesses. But the downsides often outweigh the illusion of convenience and savings. Office print partners offer a better experience, quality print supplies, and, most importantly, the reliability every business needs to run smoothly.

Why Subscription Models Are Best for Managed Print Services

A subscription is a consumer or business agreement to pay a specific amount of money every month to receive a product or service. Utilities such as electricity, water, and sewer, could all be considered subscription services. Internet and trash are two more monthly payments deemed essential for both businesses and homes.

Other non-essential subscriptions have always existed. For example, magazines and newspapers have run on a hybrid of subscriptions and advertising revenue since their inception. But few would consider either product necessary to standard survival. The same could be said for Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, and other video and music streaming services.

And subscriptions did not stop there. Industries saw considerable opportunities in using the internet to create accounts that could deliver or provide access and monitor use. Building on the success of Netflix, online gaming, and other consumer platforms, a template was created, and now Software as a Service (SaaS) has hit the mainstream. Services like Zoom, Docusign, and even the Adobe Creative Suite are standard SaaS.

In recent years, however, it seems like just about everything has changed to a subscription-based model. As a result, you can purchase pretty much anything, including toothpaste, shampoo, razors, or even underwear, to be delivered monthly, bi-monthly, or every 90 days. But why?

Financial Benefits Of Subscriptions

One of the most prominent arguments for taking a business to a subscription model is revenue. Standard printing services either wait for client contact or check in regularly with their customers to determine paper, ink, and toner orders. Some Managed Print Services (MPS) providers have implemented the technology required to track ink and toner levels to assist with the timing of contact for order placement. Unfortunately, this process often leads to large fluctuations in monthly revenues for the MPS. For the client, it can create large jumps in outgoing expenses.

Customized Billing

Subscriptions offer an opportunity for MPS companies to customize billing for individual business clients even further. Right now, MPS typically charges monthly service costs and runs with a pay-as-you-go for materials. Under a subscription platform, they could package those consumables costs with the monthly service charge. Or they could choose to offer consumables subscriptions as an add-on option. Either scenario helps the customer and the MPS move those “unpredictable” costs into a standard, trackable, and budget-friendly number.

Consistent Non-Fluctuating Cost

But converting those fluctuating dollar amounts for ink, toner, and paper into a subscription has an added benefit. Customers don’t have to hunt for lower prices through questionable and potentially lower quality options to reduce the sudden uptick in expense. Instead, they have already budgeted their consumables expenses monthly with their preferred printing services provider.

And, with clients less likely to go “shopping” elsewhere without good reason, MPS businesses can enjoy additional guaranteed monthly revenue seeing “churn” rates, or loss of customers, drop even further.

Average churn rates for B2C subscription services are a surprisingly low 6.25%. Any voluntary drop-off or “voluntary churn” typically occurs within the first few months of any initial sign-on. Voluntary churn accounts for the majority of lost, around 5.07% of subscribers. The other 1.18% is considered involuntary and is typically incurred by payment issues.

For MPS providers who need even more incentive to consider subscription services for their consumables, it is essential to remember that recurring revenues make businesses more valuable. If both services and products are wrapped up in monthly payment contracts, the entire company becomes an even more solid investment.

Meeting Customer Demand

But it is far more than money that is helping drive MPS providers to subscription models. It is also the expanded ability to meet partner demands. For example, most MPS already monitor ink and toner levels across machines. Many can also keep track of the number of prints and how much paper has been consumed. When this information is paired with the ongoing product purchase information, it is even easier to make predictive subscription and delivery suggestions and have deeper conversations with clients.

Has a partner seen a steady increase or decrease in print use? Maybe client services or sales representatives should contact them about adjusting their subscription. Has a particular machine seen an uptick in use? Perhaps a different model would serve that particular location better. More data means being able to serve customers better. In today’s economy, that type of service can make a huge difference.

How to Get Started

Most companies who jump into the world of subscriptions create one or more “levels” of subscription groupings and consider it done. But we don’t live in a one-size-fits-all world anymore. Clients expect more.

While two or three entry-level or example subscriptions may set the general tone, the printing industry requires a more customized approach. In the same way, they approach printer placements and configurations, MPS businesses creating consumables subscriptions should focus on specialized pricing that caters specifically to each partner’s needs.

MPS companies who work with PowerMPS already have the tools they need to make subscription-based consumables a reality in their business. Custom price levels let MPS set their standard package settings as well as their al-a-carte options. However, customer-level coupons and custom pricing options allow MPS providers to create the pricing and package options needed to cater specifically to each customer’s needs. The universal price levels are for everyone. Yet when customers log in to their particular account, they have complete access to their special pricing and subscription options, including wish lists and shipping preferences.

There is a reason you can purchase pet supplies for monthly delivery. Monthly recurring income is the business model of the future. For MPS providers, updating to a subscription plan for products as well as services is a surefire way to gather essential data, build better relationships, and increase customer retention into the future.

If you are interested in learning about our PowerMPS subscriptions, CLICK HERE.

People think continued technological advancements are turning the world fully digital. Since as early as the 1970s, humans have speculated that the future would be completely paperless. The idea seems to be founded on the thought that computers made it easier to think and process information, eventually making printed documents outdated.

Even Stanley Kubrick’s classic film, 2001: A Space Odyssey showed the future and space travel as a paperless future. A 2001 newspaper was merely something to be viewed digitally on a television screen.

But rather than a sudden or even steady switch to a completely digital world, 1980 through 2000 saw paper use increase. In 2017, over four hundred million metric tons of paper were used by business offices alone. Experts predict paper use worldwide will continue to remain high for the foreseeable future – reaching around four hundred and seventy-six million tons by 2032.

While paper remains a key resource, the growth of digital has not lagged. US adults currently average over thirteen hours of digital media consumption per day. Those interactions include emails and social media as well as the PDFs, presentations, and other items regularly viewed throughout the workday. And businesses attempting to leverage digital communications have to compete with the growing clutter and digital fatigue.

Oddly enough, those brochures, direct mail pieces, and presentations that used to get tossed out with the rest of the junk mail have become a novelty. And providing printed references might just be the differentiator a business needs to break through the digital noise.

Printed Materials Provide Effective Impressions

When it comes to making an impression, print is the best option. Over three-quarters (88%) of Millennials believe the information in printed text is more official than anything provided digitally. But trustworthiness is not the only advantage print materials provide.

Studies show humans read printed items seventy to eighty percent faster than digital materials. They also retain more of the information because complicated information that requires more concentration is followed better when it is presented in a printed format. Part of this phenomenon is due to a lower level of stress as reading printed items has been shown to reduce overall stress by sixty-eight percent.

This level of reduced stress, better understanding, and faster perusal is a win for sales and marketing teams. It is especially beneficial for businesses with products and services that are more complicated and require additional information.

Printed Materials Lead to Better Brand Building

Businesses want their targeted audiences to have their brand, products, and services top-of-mind. But that might be hard when companies are competing for keyword share with competitors in the market. And it’s not just keywords for which businesses must compete now, it’s screen time and share of attention.

When it comes to keeping brand names at the forefront, nothing can compete with printed materials. Seventy-five percent of consumers have been proven to remember brand names better if they have seen them on a printed document.

And, when it comes to making sure prospects understand what makes a company a better choice than the competition, there is nothing quite like printed brochures, flyers, and presentations. Prospects can process printed text 60,000 times faster than digital. Even better, complete understanding takes twenty-one percent less cognitive effort. The result is faster, better communication that sticks.

Printed marketing and sales materials provide more engagement

The digital realm seems more dynamic. There are certainly more options for delivery, including video, interactive software, email, and chat. But most of these digital formats are mentally processed in the same way.

By triggering more sensory input, printed materials provide more engagement than anything standard digital can provide. While the digital space leverages sight and sound to its fullest, print leverages something called the textual landscape.

The brain sees and processes words and letters as physical objects. Coupled with the action of turning the pages of a book, brochure, or presentation, the brain registers the materials as taking another step down a walking trail. It then maps the information it absorbs more fully in the mind, bundling additional neurons that increase recall, understanding, and longevity.

While digital delivery may be faster and more convenient, sales and marketing teams that leverage the truly interactive process triggered through printed materials gain an unexpected edge.

Reliable Office Printers are Essential to Sales and Marketing Efforts

While digital advertising and sales materials may be a growing and essential trend, paperless interactions end up making the marketing and sales processes more difficult. Business offices with active sales and marketing teams need a way to provide printed documentation and reliable printers to support their efforts.

Printers help sales representatives give prospects and current clients a better way to differentiate and promote brand, products, and services, through printed brochures, flyers, and presentations. These printed materials help sales and marketing create better, more robust, and more memorable interactions that help build customer base and increase sales for the business.

One of the best ways to ensure reliable, cost-effective printer access is to partner with a managed print services provider. These businesses use their expertise to provide the right equipment, supplies, maintenance, and service to keep the business’s sales and marketing departments running smoothly. With the right printers and materials, the business will be able to create everything needed to provide unique communications that capture attention and keep the brand top-of-mind.

Learn more about Power MPS

People think continued technological advancements are turning the world fully digital. Since as early as the 1970s, humans have speculated that the future would be completely paperless. The idea seems to be founded on the thought that computers made it easier to think and process information, eventually making printed documents outdated.

Even Stanley Kubrick’s classic film, 2001: A Space Odyssey showed the future and space travel as a paperless future. A 2001 newspaper was merely something to be viewed digitally on a television screen.

But rather than a sudden or even steady switch to a completely digital world, 1980 through 2000 saw paper use increase. In 2017, over four hundred million metric tons of paper were used by business offices alone. Experts predict paper use worldwide will continue to remain high for the foreseeable future – reaching around four hundred and seventy-six million tons by 2032.

While paper remains a key resource, the growth of digital has not lagged. US adults currently average over thirteen hours of digital media consumption per day. Those interactions include emails and social media as well as the PDFs, presentations, and other items regularly viewed throughout the workday. And businesses attempting to leverage digital communications have to compete with the growing clutter and digital fatigue.

Oddly enough, those brochures, direct mail pieces, and presentations that used to get tossed out with the rest of the junk mail have become a novelty. And providing printed references might just be the differentiator a business needs to break through the digital noise.

Printed Materials Provide Effective Impressions

When it comes to making an impression, print is the best option. Over three-quarters (88%) of Millennials believe the information in printed text is more official than anything provided digitally. But trustworthiness is not the only advantage print materials provide.

Studies show humans read printed items seventy to eighty percent faster than digital materials. They also retain more of the information because complicated information that requires more concentration is followed better when it is presented in a printed format. Part of this phenomenon is due to a lower level of stress as reading printed items has been shown to reduce overall stress by sixty-eight percent.

This level of reduced stress, better understanding, and faster perusal is a win for sales and marketing teams. It is especially beneficial for businesses with products and services that are more complicated and require additional information.

Printed Materials Lead to Better Brand Building

Businesses want their targeted audiences to have their brand, products, and services top-of-mind. But that might be hard when companies are competing for keyword share with competitors in the market. And it’s not just keywords for which businesses must compete now, it’s screen time and share of attention.

When it comes to keeping brand names at the forefront, nothing can compete with printed materials. Seventy-five percent of consumers have been proven to remember brand names better if they have seen them on a printed document.

And, when it comes to making sure prospects understand what makes a company a better choice than the competition, there is nothing quite like printed brochures, flyers, and presentations. Prospects can process printed text 60,000 times faster than digital. Even better, complete understanding takes twenty-one percent less cognitive effort. The result is faster, better communication that sticks.

Printed marketing and sales materials provide more engagement

The digital realm seems more dynamic. There are certainly more options for delivery, including video, interactive software, email, and chat. But most of these digital formats are mentally processed in the same way.

By triggering more sensory input, printed materials provide more engagement than anything standard digital can provide. While the digital space leverages sight and sound to its fullest, print leverages something called the textual landscape.

The brain sees and processes words and letters as physical objects. Coupled with the action of turning the pages of a book, brochure, or presentation, the brain registers the materials as taking another step down a walking trail. It then maps the information it absorbs more fully in the mind, bundling additional neurons that increase recall, understanding, and longevity.

While digital delivery may be faster and more convenient, sales and marketing teams that leverage the truly interactive process triggered through printed materials gain an unexpected edge.

Reliable Office Printers are Essential to Sales and Marketing Efforts

While digital advertising and sales materials may be a growing and essential trend, paperless interactions end up making the marketing and sales processes more difficult. Business offices with active sales and marketing teams need a way to provide printed documentation and reliable printers to support their efforts.

Printers help sales representatives give prospects and current clients a better way to differentiate and promote brand, products, and services, through printed brochures, flyers, and presentations. These printed materials help sales and marketing create better, more robust, and more memorable interactions that help build customer base and increase sales for the business.

One of the best ways to ensure reliable, cost-effective printer access is to partner with a managed print services provider. These businesses use their expertise to provide the right equipment, supplies, maintenance, and service to keep the business’s sales and marketing departments running smoothly. With the right printers and materials, the business will be able to create everything needed to provide unique communications that capture attention and keep the brand top-of-mind.

Managed Print Services, also known as MPS, are companies that provide an array of office printer services designed to oversee an organization’s printers, scanners, fax machines, and photocopiers. They help businesses save time and money while boosting output and security by tracking consumption, ordering supplies when they run low, and handling all the company’s printing requirements.

Without the benefit of a MPS partner, printer management and operations often fall to the IT department – and they feel the pressure. On average, fifty percent of calls and requests to the help desk are printer-related. Each of those calls takes around twenty minutes to answer. So if the IT department receives a hundred calls or help desk tickets daily, around fifty of those will be about the printer. At twenty minutes a call, that would be over sixteen hours spent resolving print questions.

With MPS, IT departments can save a massive chunk of time and energy. Here are just three things IT can happily pass along when partnering with a MPS.

No More Installing Print Drivers

Outdated print drivers are a common issue for employees attempting to print. In many cases, IT departments must schedule time after-hours to do widespread updates. Then there is always the handful of employees who need a time specifically arranged. Finally, there is the issue of print driver update timelines. There is rarely a schedule of upcoming changes, and taking too much time to arrange company-wide installations can lead to an increase in printing problems.

Some companies let employees authorize operation system and printer driver updates. Yet, even these concessions do not take the problem one hundred percent off IT’s plate. User error can quickly result in serious issues and an influx of help desk tickets or calls.

MPS partners eliminate most concerns about print driver problems. For example, managed print services utilize cloud-based printing services, reducing the work on printer server maintenance. In addition, cloud management usually provides a single print driver with back-end support that helps push updates without the need for scheduling or interference from IT.

Added Protection from Security Risks

Nearly three-quarters of IT managers in the United States have experienced data losses due to unsecured printing practices. Yet, only thirty-three percent were confident their print infrastructure was secure, and printers worldwide remain vulnerable.

Today’s consumer, wi-fi-connected printers are especially problematic. With built-in hard drives and practically no onboard firewall or security software, they are easy targets. Hackers can use these printers to open the door to a wi-fi connected computer. In addition, hybrid and remote offices may be the most susceptible to unsecured consumer printers. These potential issues only exacerbate the already worrisome trend of data losses from main office printers.

Fortunately, MPS can help offices maintain better printer security in both traditional office settings and the new hybrid-style workplace. The latest small-footprint networked printers and mobile printing applications are just two ways to improve remote and hybrid printing security.

Providing networked printer options reduces the risk of unauthorized consumer printers while providing point-to-point protection. MPS programs use the printer network and their software systems to monitor printer activity and keep the printer systems separate from the company’s back end.

Print Maintenance can be a Breeze

In most organizations, IT teams are responsible for managing all the printers and ensuring they are in working condition. When there are printer errors, the IT team is expected to identify them, keep track of error codes, and determine solutions for each problem. When the printer problem requires parts and physical repair, the IT team is usually in charge of scheduling service and even monitoring technicians while they are in the building.

Managed print services partners leverage their software, systems, and expertise to fully monitor their business clients’ machines. Their knowledge of the models and printer trends also help them anticipate appropriate maintenance timelines and evaluate error codes quickly. The data MPS businesses collect on client printing usage also helps them map out printer performance data and more accurately predict when maintenance or service will be required.

IT might still have to escort technicians in the building, but service scheduling, maintenance, and error code handling are a worry of the past with a MPS partnership.

IT Saves Time and Money with MPS

The IT department spends a great deal of time and effort managing a company’s office print environment. While office printing is essential to smooth business operations, those long hours add up to thousands of dollars in lost time. Instead, that time could be spent improving operational capabilities, securing the business networks, and building new products and services to expand the business.

Partnering with a reliable managed print services partner alleviates printer headaches. MPS businesses manage maintenance, field printer-related employee issues, and cushion the company from printer security concerns. The result is an IT department that is free of printer concerns and able to focus its time, energy, and budget on more important items – things that are dedicated to building more profits and better business results.

Why IT Should Love Managed Print Services

The IT department seems to have a reputation for being curt, frustrated, and cranky. But that attitude is hardly surprising when you consider the majority of their interactions with other departments revolve around fixing complex technology-based problems. And if it isn’t a tech issue, it’s attempting to arrange times to install drivers or software to help keep the company’s network and information secure. Business printing is just one more of the many tasks IT oversees that can cause additional headaches.

Printers Eat Time

While most offices need printers, these machines are often set and forgotten until there is a problem. That’s when the help desk calls start rolling in. Ink and toner replacement, paper jams, and network communication issues are just a few of the wide range of everyday reasons employees call IT or submit help desk tickets. Around half (50%) of help desk calls are printer-related, accordin to a Gartner study.

Some of these problems are quickly resolved. But it is not only simple issues that generate printer-related calls to IT. For example, regular driver and security updates can block computers from sending documents or even recognizing available office printers when out of date. In addition, tracking when driver updates occur and arranging installation around regular work hours means additional planning and IT hours.

The same can be said of spooler crashes or other problems that require added maintenance. There is often a significant amount of time spent determining the magnitude of the malfunction before a printer technician can be called. Then there is the time and effort needed to manage visiting techs and ensure machines are back in working order before they leave.

All of these calls, tickets, and maintenance evaluations add up. Think about it. If there are one hundred help desk calls or tickets created in a day, an average of fifty would be printer-related. Assuming those printer issues each takes ten minutes to resolve, that is just over eight hours. That’s one employee’s entire day dedicated to dealing with the printer.

Printer Security

That set it and forget it attitude has another problem that plagues the IT department – security. Printing devices, whether network or local, have several general vulnerabilities. Even consumer-level printers have built-in hard drives which temporarily store the previously printed and queued documents. Should the printer be hacked, any confidential or proprietary information previously printed could be accessed.

But retrieving printed documents is only one potential problem should a machine be hacked. There is a risk of compromised devices providing backdoor access to any connected computers and, consequently, into the company’s computer network. Printer breaches account for eleven percent of all security incidents.

To reduce this risk, network printers should run on a secure VPN. IT must also work to ensure both printers are locked down, security is up to date across all machines, and IPP ports are closed. Adding additional document encryption and password protection levels is also recommended to reduce internal and external accessibility of past and future document printing.

Remote Work Accelerates Problems

Recent studies of post-pandemic business decisions show (83%) of global businesses intend to have over one quarter of their employees working remotely. US businesses, recognizing some of the difficulties at-home and hybrid workers faced during the pandemic, are also far more likely to provide printers for their remote employees. As of July 2020, forty-eight percent of US businesses had already provided dedicated printers to individual employees, and thirty-four percent had plans to do so.

IT has managed to adjust to the additional time and security measures required to maintain an onslaught of new office spaces. However, throwing more print devices on top of that already large workload is daunting for the department. More printers mean more potential maintenance issues, more helpdesk tickets, and practically doubling the work required to regularly update and monitor network-connected technology for security updates and attacks.

MPS Can Help

Rather than overload IT with new layers of work, organizations that acknowledge the importance of print within their business are regularly turning to Managed Print Services (MPS). In this changing landscape, MPS are working with their business partners to provide standard in-office solutions and A3 and A4 network printers for the growing remote workspace.

In addition to providing secure network print equipment, these companies also offer comprehensive service, monitoring, and security. They absorb print-related help desk questions, driver updates, ink, toner, paper supplies provision, and printer maintenance across their partners’ entire print fleet. This dedication to security, monitoring, and service is why over three-quarters (76%) of global organizations considered print security leaders partner with an MPS provider.

So, a larger print landscape could easily lead to additional headaches for IT. But there is a way to avoid the excessive help desk calls, maintenance headaches, and security worries surrounding the print environment – thanks to the availability of reliable MPS.

If you’re not convinced yet that businesses need MPS, CLICK HERE to learn 6 reasons why Your Business Needs Managed Print Services.

Learn more about Power MPS here