4 Mistakes To Avoid When Choosing A Managed Print Provider For Your Business

Managed print services (MPS) providers can offer significant benefits, including cost savings, waste reduction, increased productivity, and print environment optimization; however, to maximize these benefits you need to choose a provider that best fits your business landscape.

There are many different options for your business when it comes to a managed print services (MPS) solution. From simple supply replenishment to a full audit of your print environment, IT managers need to carefully evaluate the capabilities and expertise of potential providers to find the best fit for their business.

Selecting the right managed print provider for your business can be a long and arduous process. To ensure you’re making the right choice for your business, it helps first to understand what not to do when narrowing down your search.

Once you’ve found a few MPS providers you’re interested in working with, it can be easy to make mistakes when hiring a provider for your business.

At LDI Connect, our managed print division has worked with clients who have had bad experiences with managed print providers in the past.

 

That’s why moving forward we want to provide businesses with the tools to notice those mistakes from the onset to avoid them altogether. We understand the value in clients feeling secure in their decision about acquiring managed print services.

This article will help you avoid common pitfalls that may occur when choosing an MPS provider. By the end of this article, you will understand how to approach the conversation of hiring a managed print provider for your company.

 

What Are 4 MPS Mistakes To Avoid Making?

Your company is unique in that it requires a different set of requirements than another business may need.

Ensuring that your business is prepared to converse with a managed print provider and understands managed print services is essential.

Let’s review four mistakes to avoid making when choosing a managed print provider.

 

Mistake #1: Not Doing Research Into Managed Print

Before looking for a managed print provider, it’s essential to review your needs and research managed print services beforehand. Why?

 

 

Before you have a conversation with a managed print provider about your needs, it’s essential to recognize what those needs are and if managed print services will fulfill those needs.

Suppose your business knows it needs to reduce print usage and enhance its security. In that case, managed print services can meet those needs. Now, suppose your company already has a team dedicated to updating your print infrastructure and needs an independent copier dealer for new print devices.

In that case, you could save money by looking for an independent copier dealer or manufacturer to lease or buy your equipment from.

Getting clear about managed print services will save both you and the MPS provider’s time before speaking to one another.

 

Mistake #2: Failing To Communicate Your Business Needs & Goals

The right managed print provider will not assume your company’s needs and goals.

 

 

Instead, it’s your job to advocate for your business and represent what your needs and goals are through a combination of stating your exact needs and providing them with the information necessary.

For example, does your business have a print budget it would like to abide by? Would you like to stop employees from wasting paper? Does your company want to improve print workflow and efficiency?

These are all great talking points to communicate to your managed print provider in question.

Typically, a managed print provider will perform a thorough print assessment of your print activity, workflow, inventory, and costs associated. 

Evaluating your company’s print infrastructure, network, and data is essential before recommending print solutions or offering a quote. Why?

Well, it doesn’t make sense to suggest implementing print hardware or software to meet your needs if the provider doesn’t have all the data beforehand to recommend those changes.

Building a trusting partnership with the provider in question will help them better understand your business and how it prints.

 

Mistake #3: Not Being Open To Optimizing Your Print Hardware & Software

You may be thinking you only need a few things to improve your print infrastructure.

 

 

A managed print provider will assess your current print costs, inventory, and health of your devices to see how to best optimize your print environment.

You’re likely to miss out on cost-saving opportunities if you’re not open to optimizing your printer fleet and potentially swapping out outdated devices. 

For example, suppose your company has grown attached to its multifunctional printers mainly due to how expensive they were to buy and then install. We understand it can be hard to part from print equipment you’ve used for several years.

But if a managed print provider recommends changing hardware because they feel it will save you money, try hearing them out before you shut the door on the idea altogether.

While the particular amount your business will save will vary depending on your print volume and current print setup, it can be a helpful way to reduce print costs and improve workflow.

 

Mistake #4: Prioritizing The Cheapest MPS Option To Save Money

Thinking that the cheapest option is the best option won’t permanently save you the most money. Here is why.

 

 

Several MPS providers provide different levels of service. That’s why it’s crucial that your business look at what you’re getting for the money rather than at base costs.

For example, MPS providers often provide several different services that accompany their expertise in the print technology they’re helping you implement. On top of sourcing the proper hardware and software, they’d be in control of maintaining and managing that equipment.

Think of it this way. Suppose your business is getting a lot more under one service plan than another. In that case, it may save you money in the long run rather than choosing a cheaper provider from the onset.

Besides plans and services, it’s essential to realize that the changes an MPS provider will make to your infrastructure will affect your print costs for years to come.

With the help of an MPS provider, your print costs will gradually reduce. How?

By swapping out outdated devices, proactive maintenance, enforcing a print strategy that stops paper waste, and having automatic supply replenishment set up so that the correct supplies get reordered when the level of toner and ink are low in a device.

 

Is Your Business Ready To Work With A Managed Print Provider? 

Managed print services can provide several benefits to businesses of all organizations in various industries.

Managed print services can provide ongoing print optimization with personalized services tailored to your specific business needs.

At LDI Connect we understand how beneficial managed print services can be to an organization’s operations. But we feel it’s essential to get to know our clients’ needs and goals before beginning our partnership.

Is your business interested in learning more about how a managed print provider can optimize your print environment and reduce costs? To learn more, read our article on how LDI Connect’s managed print program has helped customers gain control of their print costs.