Even though various industries have gone digital, many businesses continue to print everything, from contracts to invoices to employee handbooks to marketing materials. Unfortunately for the average company, depending on their lone in-house printer to satisfy all of their printing needs may be impractical or too costly, especially during peak times and major events. There’s also the risk that their printer will malfunction, resulting in lost time and money. This is where managed print services come in.

What are managed print services?

Managed print services are an all-inclusive third-party solution that takes care of a company’s entire printing infrastructure, from printers and scanners to software and updates. Different providers offer various add-on services, including remote monitoring, managed security, and proactive maintenance, among others.

Managed print services take the headache out of managing printers, enabling the company to focus on its operations. This makes the solution ideal for small businesses, which rarely have the manpower and other resources to manage their printing needs effectively.

What are the benefits of managed print services?

With managed print services, small businesses can take advantage of the following benefits:

Improved efficiency

Managed print services can streamline and optimize a company’s printing process. The provider uses their expertise to assess the business’s printing needs and develop a solution that will minimize waste and maximize efficiency.

For instance, the managed print services provider can install the latest printing technology and software to automate tasks such as printing, scanning, and copying. They can also conduct regular maintenance checks to ensure that the equipment is running smoothly. 

Reduced costs

Managed print services can lower a company’s overall printing costs. The provider can, for example, help the business select the most cost-effective printer models and cartridges. They can also optimize the company’s printing infrastructure to eliminate inefficiencies that lead to higher costs.

In some cases, managed print services providers offer a pay-per-print pricing model. With this type of pricing, businesses pay only for the number of prints they actually make. This can be more cost-effective than buying or leasing printers outright, especially for small businesses with fluctuating or seasonal printing needs.

Increased security

Many companies forget that printers are also endpoints and are thus susceptible to hacking. Consequently, they neglect to protect their printers, opening themselves to various cyberthreats. For companies in highly regulated industries like healthcare and manufacturing, this can be a huge hindrance to full compliance.

A managed print services provider can boost a company’s printer security by implementing the latest security protocols and software to reduce the risk of cyber incidents. Most providers also have cybersecurity specialists in their team who can conduct regular audits to identify and proactively address vulnerabilities.

Lowered risk of downtime

Printing supplies running out or the printer breaking down can result in significant disruptions to a company’s operations. Productivity and turnaround times can suffer as employees wait for important documents and materials to get printed.

With managed print services, businesses can avoid these interruptions, as the provider constantly monitors the company’s printing infrastructure. The provider can also proactively replace printer consumables, such as toner cartridges and paper, to avoid running out. In case of a technical issue, the provider can immediately dispatch a technician to fix the problem.

For many companies, printing documents remains an important part of business, so it’s crucial to have a reliable and efficient printing solution. Managed printing services help achieve this goal by giving businesses access to the latest printing technologies and that these are proactively maintained and secured from various threats. 

Get the most comprehensive managed print services from Intouch IT. Contact us today to get started.