Over the years we’ve witnessed how managed print services (MPS) and managed network services (MNS) continue to become intertwined. Since the pandemic, the distributed workforce demanded contingencies for maintaining an acceptable level of security, as printers became viewed as an endpoint for exploitation by bad actors.
Now, artificial intelligence (AI), which has certainly got ahead of its skis (so to speak) and will eventually take a more consistent shape, has increasingly inserted itself in conversations about MPS. Or should it be managed IT? Good question? In this week’s State of the Industry report on MPS, our dealer panel explores the roles both are playing as technology continues to mutate.
For many dealers, including Fraser Advanced Information Systems of West Reading, Pennsylvania, both security and AI have become essential elements of MPS engagements. DeAnna Phillips, manager of strategic accounts, notes the rise in remote work has ratcheted up the need for secure print release, user authentication, data encryption and consistent security audits.
Security requirements sync nicely with artificial intelligence. “AI is enhancing MPS by enabling predictive maintenance, intelligent print routing and real-time security monitoring,” she said. “Together, these technologies help reduce downtime, boost efficiency and strengthen security.”
Safety Net
Likewise, AI and print security have front-row seats for conversations between Repeat Business Systems (RBS) of Albany, New York, and MPS clients. That’s where the line between MPS and MNS blurs, but the ultimate goal—regardless of terminology or department—is ensuring clients that you’ve planned for as many outcomes as possible.
“One advance of us having a full IT division is we are well educated and knowledgeable about the potential ways a printer can be an opening for a security breach,” RBS President Dawn Abbuhl said. “For data sensitive organizations, we develop a custom checklist consistent with their security needs.”
Taylor Wells, director of service and operations for Pearson-Kelly Technology (PKT) of Springfield, Missouri, echoes the sentiment of remote work necessitating lockdown security measures for print. She notes that PKT’s print security assessments—which touch on secure print release, endpoint protection and user authentication—come standard with client onboarding.
While AI is not mainstream with the dealer’s client base, Wells points out PKT is using it for customer management. “We’ve begun leveraging AI-driven analytics to predict supply needs, flag unusual print behaviors and optimize fleet placement,” she said. “We see AI becoming more integrated in compliance and usage analysis in the near future.”
At Green Office Partner (GOP) of Chicago, AI is a popular talking point for clients that want to know how they can best leverage the technology to do more with less without a deleterious impact on performance or workflows. Co-owner Chris Gallagher offered three ways his company is using it internally and with clients:
Researching business issues and trends before a discovery conversation with a prospect. “Salespeople have never had such incredible access to information to facilitate real business conversations until the invention of AI,” Gallagher said.
The dealer capitalized on AI to take down an international airline account with the most draconian of security standards. “AI is the key technology powering our augmented reality service offering,” he added. “GOP technicians can see a situation virtually within seconds, versus fighting through airport security to get their hands on the machine to begin troubleshooting.”
Using an AI-fueled translation tool (courtesy of Xerox) GOP registered a big win with a charter school district that was plagued by high costs and ineffective outlets for converting English into multiple languages for the sake of homework. As all dealers get deeper in AI, they will certainly seek out more ways to bolster end-users with software and applications, among others.
