Maintaining tight control over expenses is a key part of running a business. One expense that is likely to take a big bite out of your budget is the office printer. But, despite the fact that the cost of printing can quickly add up, the printer remains an essential part of your business’ day-to-day operations.

With a printer, your employees can print, copy, scan, and fax documents for administrative tasks, marketing materials, and internal memos. Even though the printer is used on a daily basis, you still need to keep costs in check. Investing in a print management solution can help you achieve that. Within this article, we look to explore the ways that managed print services can help you keep a handle on your printer expenses. 

What is print management?

Print management assists an individual or team in monitoring all printing activity. The term usually refers to print management software that can be purchased from a vendor and installed in a dedicated PC or touch station. Reports provided by basic print management activities, such as who’s printing and how much is being printed, allows a business to identify inefficiencies and control their print environment in a way that is accurate and predictable. 

Key takeaways

Here are the printing areas that stand to benefit from the cost-saving benefits of a print management solution:

1. Cutting back on waste
2. Getting rid of inefficient devices
3. Maintenance and repair
4. Reducing employee burden rate
5. Enhancing security

Cutting back on waste

Conserving printing supplies can save money and also helps your business do its part for the planet. Printing lots of single-sided copies or printing in colour may seem relatively insignificant, but they all add up. Print management can identify wastage and help administrators take proactive steps to reduce this misuse. These could mean simple practices such as restricting access to colour printing, and setting limits on how much a user can print.

Getting rid of inefficient devices

Outdated printers may be running up your print-related bills for several reasons. Some devices inherently use more ink than others, while some models may perform worse than others in terms of energy efficiency. The job of a managed print service provider is to analyse your print environment, determine the main culprits that are draining your resources, and help you choose the most efficient replacement. 

Maintenance and repair 

An expensive printer repair can be disruptive both to your workplace productivity and your finances. By continuously monitoring your devices, Managed Print Services track issues in real-time and provide consistent maintenance and repair support. You can rest assured that your printers will always be in tip-top shape. And, if a printer slows down, experiences errors, or refuses to work, a MPS provides fast, efficient, and cost-effective printer repair or maintenance so that your business doesn’t have to deal with costly downtime. 

Reducing employee burden rate 

Burden rate is an indirect cost associated with your employees. To give an example: if an employee spends an hour ordering print supplies, they’re not doing the job you’re paying them to do, however, you’re still compensating them for their time. Utilizing Managed Print Service means that your business will not lose any time or money on ordering supplies. Since the MPS automates shipment of ink and toner based on when your machines run low, there will be less need for human intervention. Employees can focus on more productive tasks that elevate your business.

Enhancing security 

A lot of sensitive information flows through your company’s printer, leaving you vulnerable to cyber attacks. Not only could these security threats result in extended downtime and the associated financial losses, but they may also have legal implications with regards to POPI standards. Print management software can help protect company data with threat monitoring as well as secure document release and follow-you-printing, which prevent confidential documents from sitting in printer trays for anyone to see.

• READ NEXT: 8 printer security features you cannot do without

Final word

If you don’t use a print management software or solution, chances are that you’re wasting a lot of money and putting in more effort than necessary to keep your print environment afloat. That should be enough reason to make the investment today. There are a wide variety of solutions available, each boasting its own set of features, but they all share common benefits: to keep track of your print workflows and eliminate all the unnecessary costs associated with printing.