Blog

Understanding Managed Print Solutions: What They Are and How They Benefit Your Business

In today’s hasty business landscape, optimizing efficiency and reducing costs are top of mind for organizations of all sizes. One area where businesses often overspend and underutilize resources is in their print environments. This is where Managed Print Solutions come into play, revolutionizing the way companies manage their printing needs. 

In today’s blog, we’ll delve into the world of print management systems, shedding light on what they are and, more importantly, how they can significantly benefit your business – from providing cost savings and enhanced productivity to increased environmental sustainability.

Join us as we explore this critical aspect of modern business management and unlock the potential for enhanced productivity and profitability within your organization.

 

What are Managed Print Solutions?

According to the management consulting company Gartner, managed print services (MPS) are print infrastructure services offered by an external provider, like JBM Office Systems, to optimize or manage a company’s document output.

The main components provided are a needs assessment of a current printer fleet with Total Cost of Ownership and selective or general replacement of hardware and the service parts and supplies needed to operate the new and/or existing hardware. The external provider also tracks how the devices are being used, the problems that arise and the user’s satisfaction.

Print management systems also include user training and change management to support your employees throughout the transition.

 

Why You Need MPS for Printer Fleet Management

As printing remains a vital function for businesses, it is important to ensure that these devices are working for your company, not against it.

The following printing statistics highlight the importance of monitoring your print expenses and the advantages of managing your printers with MPS.

  • Nearly 90% of companies fail to track printing costs. Turning a blind eye to these expenses could result in lost funds and supply shortages.
  • Document costs represent anywhere between 5 to 15% of the average business’s annual revenue.
  • IT departments spend an average of 15% of their time on printing issues.

The silver lining in all of this? MPS agreements can reduce operating costs by up to 30 percent by placing the onus on a managed print provider. Here’s an overview of how an MPS is implemented:

  • Your MPS provider conducts an inventory of your current printing fleet, and a detailed cost analysis of the current equipment is retrieved.
  • Your provider will discuss and record your MPS program goals.
  • Based on the items above, your provider will highlight any inefficient printers to repair or replace.
  • From this point forward, your MPS provider will maintain, support, and manage your business print environment.

All program equipment is remotely monitored through managed print software. This software is capable of tracking multiple printing components, including users, supply usage and the details related to each print job. It’s also able to detect when a device is experiencing technical issues and will automatically notify the provider.

 

Benefits of Managed Print Services

Managed print services provide countless benefits for businesses that extend well beyond streamlining print environments. Consider the following advantages below:

IT Benefits: Minimized Downtime & Scheduled Maintenance and Repair

IT departments often bear the brunt of the burden when it comes to managing a company’s print infrastructure. However, with managed print solutions, a world of IT benefits unfolds. One of the most significant advantages is minimized downtime and scheduled maintenance.

When you partner with an MPS provider, like JBM, printer repair no longer becomes a hassle, as it’s covered under your service agreement. This comprehensive support includes a range of services, from responsive help desk support and remote assistance to on-site technical work, all accessible through a single point of contact, be it a phone number, email, or a customer web portal.

The best part? You won’t find unexpected increases in your invoices due to repair costs. With service and maintenance included, you can count on quick and efficient resolutions for any printer-related issues, ensuring that your machines spend minimal time offline. This reduction in downtime translates to more time spent working, increasing your productivity, and ultimately contributing to a healthier bottom line.

Should the need for printer replacement or prolonged repairs arise, JBM offers service loaners, keeping you in business even when your devices are temporarily out of service.

Administrative Benefits

Administrative staff can find themselves juggling multiple tasks in a complex imaging environment, from managing a variety of devices and toner supplies to handling billing and stock maintenance. However, with managed print solutions, their workload becomes significantly condensed.

The reduction in the number of devices and models in your print fleet streamlines the management of your imaging infrastructure, making it far less complex. This simplification extends to your toner supply as well. You can say goodbye to the headache of manually ordering and managing toner. Instead, toner shipments are automated based on your actual usage, ensuring that you have the supplies you need when you need them.

The billing process also becomes more transparent and straightforward. Instead of a slew of invoices, you’ll receive just one quarterly bill clearly detailing your usage. This consolidation of billing not only eases the administrative workload but also enhances your financial oversight.

Together this contributes to a more efficient, cost-effective, and hassle-free administrative experience, allowing your staff to focus on more strategic and value-added tasks that contribute to the overall success of your organization.

Fleet Optimization

If your organization has over five devices, our MPS consultants and service technicians will visit your office to assess your fleet and provide device relocations to enhance your workflow. Our experts may also recommend new technology to provide optimal print efficiency.

It’s important to remember that fleet optimization is not a one-time event, it evolves along with your business. To ensure print infrastructure remains efficient, you can expect quarterly or semi-annual reviews.

Cost Reduction & Budget Certainty

With managed print systems, overall costs are based on usage/volume, which allows companies to forecast expenses accurately.

 

PaperCut MF Software: Enhanced Security and Cost Management

In the realm of Managed Print Solutions (MPS), PaperCut MF stands out for its commitment to not just efficient printing but also robust security measures and cost management strategies.

The latest release of PaperCut MF introduces a plethora of enhancements, particularly focusing on security, authentication, and cost control. PaperCut MF works with all major brands of printers and multi-function products.

Security Features

PaperCut MF prioritizes the protection of sensitive information in the digital workplace. The newest release incorporates advanced security features to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of your print environment. Key security highlights include:

  • Unique Operating System: PaperCut MF employs a unique operating system that limits specific threats targeting common machine languages, enhancing overall system resilience against potential vulnerabilities.
  • Document Security: The system provides options for locked print output and the ability to append security information to every document, ensuring that confidential information remains safeguarded throughout the printing process. Specifically, print jobs can now be encrypted between servers and computers!
  • Card Authentication: To enable easier access, PaperCut MF supports card authentication, allowing only authorized users to view, copy or send sensitive documents. This adds an extra layer of security to your print infrastructure.
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):  MFA has emerged over the last 5 years or more as one of the best forms of secure identity validation available. It is a best practice to provide protection from cyber-attacks. MFA can now be enabled for all web-based interfaces for administrators and users.

Print Rules for Cost Reduction

PaperCut MF empowers organizations to implement intelligent print rules, enabling significant cost reductions without compromising productivity. The newest release introduces features that enhance cost-saving strategies:

  • Rules-Based Printing: With PaperCut MF, you can implement rules-based printing to minimize costs effectively. For instance, high-volume jobs can be directed to the most cost-efficient printer, defaulting to black and white printing to avoid colour costs, or setting duplex printing (2-sided) as the default to save on paper expenses.
  • Usage/Volume-Based Costing: The overall costs in PaperCut MF are based on usage/volume, allowing organizations to accurately forecast expenses. This approach provides budget certainty and allows for proactive financial planning.

Cost Recovery for Professionals or Departmental Allocation

PaperCut MF's latest release caters to the diverse needs of businesses by offering robust cost recovery mechanisms. Whether you're a professional looking to allocate expenses or a department seeking budget transparency, PaperCut MF provides solutions:

  • Professional Allocation: Professionals can easily allocate print costs to specific clients, projects, or accounts. This feature facilitates accurate billing and cost recovery for client-related printing activities, ensuring financial accountability.
  • Departmental Allocation: For larger organizations with multiple departments, PaperCut MF allows for precise allocation of printing expenses. This transparency not only streamlines budgeting processes but also fosters responsible printing habits within each department.

In summary, the newest release of PaperCut MF elevates the standards of security, authentication, and cost management within Managed Print Solution environments. With these advanced features, organizations can confidently embrace a secure, cost-effective, and efficient print environment.

 

The Innovative Products That Makeup JBM’s MPS

As a multi-brand dealer, JBM has the luxury of choosing the absolute best products with the best overall value that we can offer our customers within a custom-managed print program. This collection includes products from market leaders Ricoh, Lexmark and Toshiba. As pioneers in the imaging industry, these JBM partners engineer the very best printers and MFP’s available worldwide and are serviced by the best locally trained service technicians at JBM!

Product placement is determined after JBM conducts a thorough needs assessment and TCO, along with consultation with end users regarding specific application requirements. For these reasons, we can offer either a one-brand solution or a mixed fleet alternative. Products almost always include both stand-alone printers and multi-function products to support copying, faxing, scanning and more advanced workflows.

JBM can also include a mix of black & white only along with full-colour printing in both A4 format (letter and legal size) and A3 format which accommodates 11” x 17” and larger paper sizes. Wide format printers (plotters) are also available along with higher-end production devices.

PaperCut MF software is an option for clients with more specific needs.

 

Benefits of JBM’s Managed Print Solutions

Excellent Performance & Smart Operation

Our printing solutions redefine the landscape of document management. By seamlessly incorporating the latest in digital and mobile technology, coupled with the robust capabilities of RICOH Intelligent Support, these solutions empower you to stay at the forefront of competition both now and in the future. These features include:

  • Periodic feature upgrades via the RICOH Always Current Technology platform that future-proofs investment
  • Collaboration with the RICOH Smart Integration platform
  • Connection to external cloud services such as OneDrive, Dropbox, Sharepoint & others
  • A wide array of RICOH Intelligent Support tools, including RemoteConnect Support, Smart Assist web help, Remote Panel Operation and more
  • Upgraded 10.1” Smart Operation Panel with revamped user interface and faster response speed

 

RICOH Smart Integration (RSI)

RICOH Smart Integration is a game-changer in the realm of office technology. This innovative solution empowers customers to seamlessly integrate their Ricoh office devices with popular cloud services, transforming scanned documents into readily accessible and shareable data.

What sets RICOH Smart Integration apart is its subscription-based business model. This approach ensures customers have swift access to the latest app versions without the burden of upfront costs. Tailored to small and medium businesses, this approach ensures that organizations can efficiently adapt to evolving technological needs without breaking the bank.

Best in Class Security

Security remains a primary concern in the digital workplace and these intelligent devices meet these anxieties head-on. You can focus on your business, knowing your data is safe with the following features:

  • RICOH’s unique operating system limits specific threats that target those that use more common machine languages
  • Locked print output and ability to append security information to every document
  • Card authentication helps prevent sensitive documents from being viewed, copied or sent by unauthorized users.
  • DataOverwriteSecuritySystem (DOSS) overwrites the areas of the hard drive used for image processing after each print, copy, scan or fax job

Quiet and Eco-Friendly

Choosing MPS solutions is not just a savvy business move; it’s also an environmentally sound choice.

By opting for managed print services, you’re not only streamlining your printing processes but also minimizing your carbon footprint. The advanced technologies implemented into MPS solutions ensure that your printing operations are as efficient as possible, reducing the overall environmental impact.

Our MPS offerings represent our ongoing commitment to minimizing the environmental impact of our devices and workflows via these features:

  • One of the lowest Typical Electricity Consumption (TEC) in the industry
  • Low full system and operating power consumption
  • Auto Off and Energy Save timers lower power consumption when device is inactive
  • ENERGY STAR certified
  • Recyclable toner cartridges
  • Quiet operation for office environment comfort
  • Finishers with anti-vibration systems and noise-absorbing materials

 

Get More Than An MPS with JBM

Jump into the future of printing with JBM’s Managed Print Solutions (MPS), where cutting-edge technology is just the beginning. Uncover a trove of value-added benefits meticulously designed to enhance your operational efficiency.

JBM’s Enhanced Service Program (ESP) takes it up a notch, strategically boosting staff productivity, slashing carrying costs and minimizing downtimes – all seamlessly integrated into your investment at no extra cost.

Immerse yourself in the user-friendly e-info web-based customer portal flawlessly integrated into our ERP software. Couple that with a secure monitoring service and you’ve got a winning combination that takes your print management to new heights.

Choose JBM for a holistic approach to MPS and unlock the full potential of your printing experience. Connect with us today and experience the synergy of cutting-edge managed print solutions and the unparalleled benefits of ESP.

Comments

Let’s CHAT

If there is a product or service that you
are interested, please let us know, we’d be
happy to go through the benefits with you

Contact Us