If the world of office technology was reimagined as a well-rounded meal, managed print services (MPS) would not represent the protein in a client’s diet. And it’s not the carbohydrates or the fats. Rather, it says here that MPS’ impact is similar to the vitamins and minerals one would glean from fruits and vegetables. MPS (like veggies) supports the client’s overall technology health; managed IT would provide the immune function, but let’s not get distracted.
As we put the August State of the Industry report on MPS to bed, we close out with views from our dealer panel to assess the keys to the offering flourishing in the future. Like qualified nutritionists, these industry experts seem to be in agreement as to the role of MPS in the health of clients.
MPS is not and should never be considered an island unto itself. Taylor Wells, director of service and operations for Pearson-Kelly Technology of Springfield, Missouri, sees its integration with broader IT and business process solutions as enabling it to take center stage and grow.
The offering, she said, needs to complement document management, cloud strategy, security and sustainability goals. “For us, that means continuing to evolve from a print service provider into a holistic technology partner,” she said. “We’re already moving in that direction—offering managed IT, VoIP, workflow automation—and we see MPS as one component in a larger digital transformation journey for our clients.”
Innovation, namely the movement to digital transformation, will go a long way toward MPS’ fortunes for both local and nationwide clients, notes Chris Gallagher, co-owner of Green Office Partner (GOP) in Chicago. This is particularly true, he noted, in automation and integration with broader IT ecosystems. Sticking to the script and maintaining focus will dictate GOP’s fortunes.
As to focus, Gallagher knows the dealer’s bread and butter is regional and national firms with complex printer fleets and requirements. “We have maintained solid growth by focusing on these enterprise clients versus an up-and-down-the-street small business that needs a copier,” he said. “At GOP, selling a nationwide, world-class managed print services program to a 26-location mega car dealership across seven cities is easier than selling a single copier to a car lot located just down the street.”
According to DeAnna Phillips, manager of strategic accounts for Fraser Advanced Information Systems of West Reading, Pennsylvania, the three keys to future MPS success are automation, smarter cloud-based solutions and AI-driven management. The movement toward more sustainable practices that embrace waste reduction and paperless processes will also continue to grow.
“Our role is to help clients navigate that shift with solutions that are both innovative and practical,” Phillips said.
As the needs of end-users continue to evolve, companies like Repeat Business Systems of Albany, New York, will be focused on not falling behind the curve. President Dawn Abbuhl believes MPS, like technology in general, is successful when its practitioners can keep pace with all that is new. That does have its limitations.
“We need to continue to be on the cutting edge,” she noted, “but not the bleeding edge.”
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