Anecdotal evidence suggests 9 out of 10 companies don’t know how many printers they have and what the total output of those printers are. Further to that, it’s estimated that printing costs are in the top three most expensive operational costs for business. This means big bucks. So, are you one of the nine and is it time to evaluate or switch your Managed Print Service (MPS) provider?
The evaluation and audit process can reveal inefficiencies across workflow, document management, wastage and more, so switching to a more customised Managed Print Service provider can lead to more effective productivity, lower operational costs and a very happy COO.
Not sure if you need to switch? Let’s take a look at the main things you need to consider if your enterprise printing solutions have been in place for a while and need revisiting.
1. Consider your bottom line
Let’s face it. If you can save the company money and increase workflow in the process you’re winning. And the costs that can be saved when it comes to managed print services are very real and often overlooked.
When it comes to your printers, calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO) is the best place to start. This takes into consideration the operational costs of your equipment over its lifespan, not just the contracted price.
Unfortunately, this ever-important calculation is often overlooked - but it is integral to accurately assessing your current Managed Print Service provider and improving your bottom line. If you’re considering analysing your current equipment or comparing different printers, this is the best place to start.
Consumables such as toner costs form a large portion of the TCO calculations and can vary greatly depending on how many prints per cartridge the printer uses and how environmentally conscious the vendor is.
For example, at Kyocera we make permanent use out of parts that are, in many other brands, disposable. This, along with its long life drum, drastically reduces the number of consumables needed to run our machines and in turn drives down the total cost of ownership.
Energy consumption and paper wastage are two other elements that affect TCO. Do you have effective document handling software and hardware in place to ensure minimised wastage and are your devices draining unnecessary power? Be sure to also check the energy star ratings on your current equipment when considering whether or not to switch.
2. Assess your Managed Print Services provider
Is your current provider giving your equipment the regular and speedy maintenance it deserves, or is there lots of downtime when machines play up? How do ongoing maintenance and repairs interrupt workflow and productivity in your office?
When considering whether or not to switch MPS services, consider the above and look at the costs associated with installation, servicing and training.
Seek a reputable vendor like Kyocera who can offer flexibility when it comes to contracts - plus reliability and great customer service.
There should also be real transparency across costs (forecasted figures and cost savings) and maintenance, and the provider should be able to tailor your MPS printing solutions specifically to your needs.
3. Look at others who have walked the walk before you
Doing comparisons should be well worth it - and to many companies, it is. Take Burnside War Memorial Hospital for instance. This not-for-profit community-based hospital was using Canon Multifunction Devices that were nearing the end of life, and Lexmark printers that were less than one year old.
The service response times were inadequate, as were the features of the equipment in terms of what their required output was. The hospital was also finding it difficult to track the TCO for their equipment, making it hard to manage budgets.
With the help of Kyocera, Burnside replaced its entire fleet and as a result, reduced overall printing costs by 35%.
Kyocera also provided a single management solution that incorporated all multifunctional devices and printers and guaranteed a single service-level agreement that set service response times of under four hours.
Along with a 35% decrease in printing costs, by switching to KYOCERA, Burnside Hospital also:
- Reduced workload of the administration department by approximately 85%
- Saved around $4000 in consumable inventory costs
- Reduced the number of service calls for the hospital
- Allowed more flexibility to print more in-house, minimising expensive outsourcing costs
- Made managing print costs and workflow easier due to cost reports
- Minimised the hospital’s environmental impact with Kyocera’s toner-only replacement design, utilising the KyoCollect consumables recycling program and the minimal use of non-recyclable components in toners and packaging.
Printing is typically the third-highest business expense after rent and payroll, but it's often overlooked or calculated using only the sticker price. Download our Guide to Calculating Total Printing Costs to learn how to correctly assess your device's total cost of ownership and avoid unnecessary expenses.
