Installing sweeping system-wide changes can be a challenge, to say the least. This is especially true for legacy systems that have been in place for a lengthy period of time.
For many businesses looking to streamline print management, gain control of their printing environment, increase productivity, and reduce overall costs, enlisting a managed print services (MPS) provider is the natural solution.
But how does the managed print services implementation plan work? And what steps must an organization prepare for? How does an office create a managed print services plan?
Here’s how the team at United Laser conducts its print implementation process.
Traditional MPS Implementation Process vs United Laser Model
While most MPS providers require an initial audit or print assessment, United Laser requires no assessment, no fees, and no minimums or maximums. Through our Total Laser Care offering, you simply buy your office toner from us and receive a myriad of perks:
- Nationwide free printer maintenance on all your covered printers
- 10-20% discounts on your printer cartridges
- 10-15% off your needed printer parts
- A dedicated account manager for all of your printer needs
What do you need to do? Simply purchase only the toner you need over the next year. No, there’s no catch. And if a year seems like a commitment, we offer 60 or 90 day trial periods to try out Total Laser Care, so you can see for yourself.
At United Laser our approach is straightforward and efficient, just like our implementation process. While the Total Laser Care model is simple, the traditional MPS implementation process is more complicated.
Step 1 For a Traditional MPS – An Environmental Assessment
The initial goal of a managed print service provider is to gain a complete understanding of the printing infrastructure. Familiarity with your organization and its printing needs is essential for creating a custom print strategy and solution.
Over the space of 30 days, an MPS provider will conduct an audit of the organization’s printing environment. This data-driven guidance is essential for instilling the necessary changes to create a successful MPS implementation. They must consider factors such as the complexity of the printing fleet, the total number of end users, and the number of devices.
An assessment will enable the MPS provider to:
- Monitor practices, printers, and people who contribute to or create security exposures
- Understand the business’ average printer usage, processes, demands, and print costs
- Identify opportunities for process improvement and workflow optimization
- Highlight security and governance issues
- Establish the relationship between print supplies, equipment, existing devices, and utilization
- Find areas for cost reduction and redundancy elimination
After conducting this assessment, an MPS can then work with the client to ask the necessary questions for establishing short-term and long-term goals, identifying KPIs that they wish to monitor. This follow up is crucial, because it helps align the solution with the client’s specific needs, as opposed to simply providing a generalized service.
For instance, certain sectors like the healthcare industry may have specialized requirements, particularly in regards to security and documentary privacy. When it comes to healthcare managed print services, confidentiality is extremely important. Armed with this knowledge, an MPS can then construct a better managed print services solution—one that takes HIPAA compliance into account.
Step 2 For a Traditional MPS — Building Out a Customized Managed Print Service Program
Upon completion of the assessment, the MPS will review the data and takeaways, then meet with your team to discuss and strategize. As a part of the review process, the MPS will provide recommendations and work in accordance with your implementation team to build the optimal printing plan.
The ideal partner will create a MPS implementation plan that is tailored to your specific needs and goals. To do this properly, both parties must collaborate. And for the process to be as effective as possible, it needs to be a company-wide effort that starts at the C-level and then includes key stakeholders from various departments, including IT, finance, and purchasing.
Put simply, everyone needs to be on the same page. And each stakeholder must know their responsibilities.
What specific strategies an MPS proposes depends entirely on your organization. Some clients may need to purchase new hardware, whereas others simply need improved methods for managing and securing their existing fleet.
Step 3 For a Traditional MPS — Implementing Your Custom Plan
Once the MPS plan has been designed and agreed upon, the next step is to install it. Typically, you’ll work with a MPS project manager who will handle the account and coordinate the entire implantation process in accordance with your agreed upon timelines, milestones, and KPIs.
For this implementation to be successful, your employees will need to be in-the-know and onboard. Here, the project manager can also work with end users so that they understand and embrace the new solutions.
Often, the MPS plan will have both short-term and long-term implementation schedules. For example, at United Laser, our initial focus ison areas that can yield immediate ROI, such as:
- Unsecured or unmanaged printer supply cabinets
- A high number of diverse device types
- Departments or users that often have printing issues or bottlenecks
- Systems with high cost of operations, particularly those in high traffic areas
Step 4 For a Traditional MPS — Continued Optimization
So what is print management for your business? Even after implementation is successfully completed, the work doesn’t end there. Your needs will evolve. New challenges will crop up. Therefore, businesses require an MPS provider that stays involved.
Ideally, a company should conduct a quarterly or semi-annual review with their MPS provider. This allows them to analyze the printing environment, review progress, make changes or tweaks, or roll out additional strategies. By carefully reviewing print monitoring reports, the MPS can gauge the program’s overall efficacy while highlighting trends, improvements, or issues that may require further attention.
MPS optimization is necessary if you wish to continually cut costs and stay up to date with pressing security concerns. Only through continuous monitoring and dialogue can an MPS ensure that your needs are met.
A New Approach to MPS
At United Laser, we’ve created a new approach to MPS.
- Total laser care program – This is a no cost, no fee break or fix printer repair program for your existing laser printers. By purchasing supplies for your laser printer, you also receive full coverage on your hardware. This provides:
- Free break/fix labor on covered printers
- 10%–20% savings on printer cartridges
- 10%–15% savings on printer repair parts
United Laser—Your MPS Implementation Partner
As a nationwide Managed Print Partner, we have more than 3500+ technicians across all 50 states.
Ready to get started? Request a quote today!
