So you’ve committed to investing in a managed print solution. Congratulations! Whether it’s with imageOne or another provider, you’re well on your way to print-related success. But now it’s time to clear the next hurdle: getting buy-in from the rest of your C-Suite.
While you’ve got the power to make the buying decision, a managed print provider will impact people from other areas of the business on the day-to-day level.
For example, your marketing department may wonder how new printers will improve (or impede) their ability to print high-quality examples of creative. Your finance department may worry about employees’ information security during the implementation process.
These are all understandable questions that you need to be ready to answer. So, in order to get your managed print partnership off to a good start, it’s essential to have the buy-in from your fellow C-Suite members. Here’s how to do it.
Crunch the Data and Numbers
You’ve already done it for your department: now take a look at everyone else’s print processes. Examining other departments’ print usage can provide you valuable information in making the case for print management. Breaking down how much toner and paper each department uses—and what that costs the company—can make any department head think hard about their printing habits.
Don’t just stop at understanding department print use: go a step further and see how current print processes are impacting how different departments function. Interview employees to see how they feel about their print options. If Karen from finance finds that the closest printer’s (lack of) performance is impacting her ability to do her job, the CFO may be more inclined to side with you in promoting a managed print solution.
Speak the C-Suite Language
Just because you don’t know a target stakeholder from a key message doesn’t mean you can’t communicate the importance of managed print effectively with the CMO.
In order to make the case for managed print, you need to put it in their terms: resist the urge to show off your (massive) knowledge of information technology and instead speak about how a managed print partner will change the working habits of operations, marketing, legal and every other department.
Doing your homework into what their processes are and what they care about provides you valuable leverage.
Keep the Current Strategy In Mind
What is each member of the C-Suite worried about? Chances are, there’s some overlap: most will have something about cutting costs, reducing overhead, or maximizing efficiency somewhere in their yearly strategy. It’s up to you to figure out how they word this and remind them of it.
When you collect data and present it in an audience-specific manner, you’re halfway to buy-in. The rest comes from showing why a managed print solution works with their current strategies, even if it doesn’t seem like it.
Perhaps the legal team is looking to move 30 percent of their documents online, or the chief security officer wants your help in securing all devices. A managed print, (read through our blog for more!) but you need to let them know how.
If you’re ready to get started with a managed print provider, there’s someone we’d like you to meet—our expert team. Check out our new fact sheet, imageOne by the Numbers, for information on how we can help you and your company save money and maximize efficiency.
So you’ve committed to investing in a managed print solution. Connect with me on Twitter and LinkedIn and keep up with my company imageOne. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
