Sep 20, 2011
More Organizations Considering Managed Print Services Option to Control Costs, Free Up IT Staff, New CompTIA Study Finds
Eight in ten managed print services providers expect market growth
Downers Grove, Ill., September 20, 2011 – With demand for workplace printing expected to grow or stay at current levels for the foreseeable future, more organizations are taking a closer look at managed print services, according to a new study by CompTIA, the non-profit trade association for the information technology (IT) industry.
Though four out of five firms surveyed by CompTIA say becoming a “paperless office” is a priority for them, the reality is that printing is embedded in day-to-day operations. Printing occurs daily at nearly 75 percent of offices. When the time frame is expanded to a few days per week, there is near universal use of printing facilities, according to the CompTIA study Examining the Print and Document Management Market.
In the CompTIA survey of 400 IT and business executives involved in print and document management for their organizations, firms give high marks for printing functionality, but many would like to see improvements in the area of maintenance and management to achieve greater uptime rates.
“Familiarity and understanding of managed print services continues to gain momentum,” said Tim Herbert, vice president research, CompTIA. “Firms recognize the benefits of focusing IT staff efforts on business activities and shifting routine maintenance and troubleshooting duties to service specialists who can do it more efficiently and cost effectively.”
Approximately 50 percent of large firms (over 500 employees) report using the managed print service model in some capacity, compared to 20 percent for small firms (under 100 employees).
“The data reveals adoption of managed print services is highly correlated with company size,” Herbert noted. “Larger firms have more complex printing needs and more moving parts within their organization, which makes managed print services an ideal solution. However, the next wave of customers for managed print services will come in the small and mid-size company range.”
Of those companies not currently using managed print services, 35 percent expect to definitely or probably consider adoption over the next 12 months. The elements of managed print services that most resonate with customers include lower total cost of ownership and a means to more consistent and reliable print and document management.
Service Providers Anticipate Growth
Among IT firms surveyed by CompTIA that currently offer a managed print services solution, eight in ten anticipate year-over-year revenue growth, with 22 percent of firms expecting significant growth and 58 percent, moderate growth.
The CompTIA study also suggests that many IT firms are utilizing a hybrid approach in this emerging opportunity, offering managed print services as one selection in a range of business lines. Just 6 percent of respondents identified themselves as dedicated managed print service providers, though more than half of firms claim to offer managed print services.
Firms offer a range of services, including help desk and remote support (66 percent), on-site support and field service (65 percent), assessments (53 percent) and bench and depot services (48 percent). Some firms also include printing supplies – ink, toner and paper – as part of their offerings. Service providers that generate more than 50 percent of their annual revenue from a managed print service business also tend to include hardware as part of their solution.
To advance growth and professionalism in the managed print services market, CompTIA has established a Managed Print Services Community. The group’s current initiatives include defining best industry practices and developing foundational and advanced educational programs for managed print services providers.
CompTIA also manages two internationally recognized professional certifications, CompTIA CDIA+ and CompTIA PDI+. CompTIA CDIA+ validates competency, professionalism and skills to plan, design and specify a document imaging management system. CompTIA PDI+ ensures foundation-level knowledge and skills necessary for a career in service and support of printing and document imaging devices.
The CompTIA study Examining the Print and Document Management Market is based on separate online surveys of 400 IT firms and 400 IT and business professionals involved in print and document management at their firms. The surveys were conducted in July 2011. The complete report is available at no cost to CompTIA members who can access the file at www.CompTIA.org or by contacting research@comptia.org.
About CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. As a non-profit trade association advancing the global interests of IT professionals and companies, CompTIA is the recognized authority for IT education and credentials and the primary advocate for IT businesses and workers. Through its foundation, CompTIA also enables disadvantaged populations to gain the skills they need for employment in the IT industry. CompTIA’s vision of the IT landscape is shaped by more than 25 years of global perspective and more than 2,000 members and 1,000 business partners. For more information, visit www.comptia.org or follow CompTIA on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/comptia.
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