What Are Managed Print Services (MPS)?

If you’re an IT professional or business leader, you’ve likely heard of something called a managed print service, or MPS. But what exactly is it, and what are the top benefits of a managed print service?

In short—is looking into partnering with an MPS worth it?

For many companies, the answer is yes! Though there are exceptions (which we’ll get into), organizations from many industries and sizes find MPS providers to be a valuable resource in maintaining and growing an efficient, cost-effective IT department, and business as a whole.

Let’s find out why.

What are Managed Print Services?

First thing’s first—what is a managed print service?

By partnering with an MPS provider, your company will receive an external, third-party service to fully maintain all printer and multi-function hardware, manage consumable supplies such as ink and toner, consult your team on optimal device placement with your print environment, enhance printer security measures, and so much more.

These services are implemented as a supplement to your existing IT infrastructure to keep print devices running efficiently and cost-effectively. They’re specifically designed to free up the IT department’s time and resources, while also reducing print costs.

A great managed print program will be customized to your specific needs and unique pain points. No business, IT support team, or printer fleet is identical. Neither should an MPS program.

Essentially, consider MPS to be a broad spectrum of print and document-related services that serve as an expert extension of your Help Desk.   

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Is an MPS Right for My Company?

Managed print services are attractive to most large and enterprise businesses because of the potential cost savings and added support. It’s an extra hand in managing employee’s print habits, executing print strategies, and reducing the time that IT spends on support and resources.

Small to mid-size organizations can also benefit from the additional support as it allows them to cut costs and grow with less overhead expenses. Overall, any organization that engages in medium- to high-volume, in-office printing can likely benefit from the right MPS program.

Though an MPS team can make positive changes within companies in many different industries, we most often see huge benefits for those in paper-heavy sectors including finance, healthcare, legal, manufacturing, and oil and energy

However, some companies likely wouldn’t benefit from an MPS including very small companies or those with minimal print needs. If your business gets everything done efficiently by using a single desktop printer twice a month, it likely won’t find value in signing an MPS contract.

That being said, just because your company is small and/or relatively paperless doesn’t mean that you should assume a managed print service wouldn’t work. 

These days, more MPS providers are also specializing in printer security and document automation—two growing and incredibly important niches within the modern workplace. 

So, before deciding that a managed print service isn’t for you, we always suggest getting a free, no-obligation 1-on-1 consultation. That way, you’ll know for sure what the right choice is for your business.

How to Get Started with an MPS Provider

A formal relationship with an MPS provider typically begins with a 15–30 minute consultation between you and a representative from the potential managed print service team. Here, the rep will learn everything they can about your current print environment including:

  • Details about your existing printer fleet
  • Primary print goals including savings, eco-friendliness, security, etc.
  • Current and future business visions
  • Which security programs your business uses
  • Your current print management strategy

If you choose to go forward with print management, most MPS providers will conduct a complimentary, comprehensive print assessment at your office. The goal here is to uncover your specific wants/needs before proposing a customized solution.

A few key issues that are commonly discovered during an assessment are:

  • No visibility of the company’s total print cost
  • Unnecessarily high print costs
  • Poorly laid out print environments
  • Inefficient use of the IT department’s time 
  • Substandard security features
  • Outdated print and copy devices
  • Supply management headaches
  • Unnecessary print and paper waste
  • No professional support or partnerships

Thankfully, all of these challenges can be fully solved with a great managed print partner.

By proposing a customized and well-designed print strategy, an MPS team will provide you with everything from complete print cost visibility, guaranteed time and cost reduction benefits, efficient supply management, strong security measures, reliable service delivery, and much more.

Page reduction programs, strategies, and software can also be considered, which will add additional cost savings while reducing your needs for paper output and physical devices.

If you’re interested in learning more about working with a managed print service, the team at imageOne would love to chat! Schedule a complimentary, no-strings-attached consultation today and discover what we can do for you and your business.

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