Important things to consider before using managed print services

July 24th, 2023 by admin

Managed print services (MPS) are a great way for your company to reduce costs, delays, and your impact on the environment. Your MPS provider equips your company with the document management and printing assets you need, keeps track of and refills consumables for you (paper, ink, toner, etc.), and provides maintenance and upgrade services for a fixed monthly price. But as with any service, there are things you should keep in mind before hiring an MPS provider. Here are some things to think about before you make any commitments to ensure you get the best value for your spend.

Determine if your company needs MPS

Even though your business doesn’t print all that many documents, it’s still worth considering hiring an MPS provider because they offer more than just printing services. Their services also encompass document management solutions, which enable your company to quickly and easily convert paper documents into digital ones, then store them efficiently and securely. So, even if you don’t create many paper documents, MPS still provides valuable benefits if your company handles documents provided by partners or customers.

Double-check the MPS provider’s capabilities and service level agreement (SLA)

It’s worth noting that not all MPS providers are the same. Some provide only basic services, while others offer valuable extras, such as employee training, software support, and vendor management services. Ensure that you thoroughly research a potential provider’s offerings as well as their track record for delivering on their promises; MPS relationships are long term, so you don’t want to get stuck with a subpar provider. Furthermore, what MPS do for you is dependent upon the provider’s service level agreement (SLA). The SLA will determine how often services are provided, minimum KPIs, which equipment and supplies you are entitled to receive, how often and what kind of reports you receive, and much more. Once you’ve chosen a provider, meticulously inspect their SLA to make certain you will be getting what you need.

Related reading: Managed print services: Why SLAs matter

Determine your hardware needs

Is your IT environment only compatible with specific brands of hardware? How much hardware will you need to meet your document generation and/or processing needs? What is your budget for future upgrades? These questions need answering if you are to get maximum value out of MPS. Fortunately, your provider can help you with all of these concerns, but only if they are experienced and knowledgeable. There is a wide range of printing and document management hardware available on the market, so you need to make sure your MPS provider is using the best equipment for your needs.

Find out the potential environmental impact of your MPS

Printing and document management are resource-intensive work, but a socially responsible MPS provider can help you reduce the environmental impact of your services. Most MPS providers know that paper recycling, ink cartridge refilling, and energy management help improve sustainability, but an expert provider will take it further. By optimizing your document workflows and increasing your operational efficiency, an MPS provider can help you reduce your overall resource usage, ensuring a healthier environment, lower costs, and a better image for your organization. Make sure your potential MPS provider shares your commitment to sustainability and carefully inspect how they go about achieving it.

Taking the first step

Thinking about these important points will help you determine if you would benefit from MPS, and what levels of service you require. If you don’t have all the answers or need more information before deciding, that’s okay. You should have an in-depth discussion with any MPS provider before making a choice to get the answers you need. If they are worth their salt, they will be able to provide this information and more. Is your business in Los Angeles or Orange County? Want to speak with an MPS industry leader to determine if MPS is right for you? For 29 years, Complete Document Solutions has been providing professional managed printing and managed IT services to businesses of all kinds, so you can leverage our extensive industry experience to get reliable answers to your MPS-related questions. Contact us now.