Before I get into our industry\u2019s current challenges, I\u2019d like to talk about what\u2019s going well. Modern managed print services are still popular with organizations because they tend to be that rare business service that helps increase security, reduce workplace frustration and save both time and money. It\u2019s easy for providers to sell, and once new clients get past a few changes to the way they print, this service tends to make them happy quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also getting easier for providers to differentiate themselves. Upgrading your print management software can help you anticipate repairs and dispatch technicians with the right parts, allowing for speedier ticket resolution. If you have the bandwidth, offering more print security services also tends to get you noticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I see a few challenges that will characterize managed print services for years. This applies to providers that might want to add this offering as well as those just hoping to stay in the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Fine Print<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ink and toner cartridge costs are continuing to climb. It\u2019s a major business expense, and it\u2019s almost entirely out of your control. You can\u2019t let your clients run out of necessary printing supplies, yet maintaining a large inventory is cost-prohibitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a big problem with a few solutions, but only if you really dig into the details. For example, updating your print management software allows you to pinpoint which clients need supplies, what type they need, and when they need it so you\u2019re not stockpiling too much. However, you\u2019re dependent on shipping companies to hold up their end of the bargain. That may seem like a small point, but it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we saw this past summer with the bigger carriers, tension between labor unions and upper management can erupt at any time and disrupt your ability to send time-sensitive supplies. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve partnered with Clover Integrated Logistics to help us with warehousing and inland transportation, so we can offer our clients same or next-day supply delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For us, Clover has been a great solution\u2014they\u2019ve singlehandedly allowed us to free up our working capital and made it easier to manage our supply chain. Find a solution such as that to make your next few years a lot easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Writing on the Wall<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately, managed print has a few long-term problems that will require a bit more creativity. Case in point: every managed print provider has the same ideal client roster consisting of larger companies with sizable fleets in fewer locations. More clients with fewer devices in more locations are tougher to manage efficiently. But as providers get muscled out, we\u2019ll need to find ways of making it less time-consuming to serve smaller clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m currently exploring new technologies to ease the training and onboarding process for new technicians. The learning curve is steep, and that\u2019s always been a significant barrier to recruiting. But I think this could enable a more seasoned technician to mentor junior technicians from a central location and get them out in the field doing simpler tasks\u2014such as changing a drum\u2014much sooner. It\u2019s also important for providers to take a second look at the true cost of managing older devices. It\u2019s easy to play the short game and say, \u201cI don\u2019t want to put new hardware into that environment.\u201d But old equipment costs more in repairs and maintenance. It\u2019s something most print dealers tell their customers, and it\u2019s time we took our own advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, more print providers should take another look at recycled ink and toner cartridges with higher yield rates. We\u2019ve done this for quite some time at Marco; we ship cartridges less often, and we make it easier for our clients to keep cartridges out of landfills. Ten years ago, that wasn\u2019t a big selling point, but as more businesses are thinking about sustainability, that\u2019s changing. And as a business leader, I find it rewarding to find solutions with an environmentally friendly choice that\u2019s also the most cost-effective and efficient one. They\u2019re rare, but they do exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The devil may be in the details when it comes to managed print services, but don\u2019t listen to the naysayers. When you don\u2019t let details catch you by surprise, it still remains a profitable offering that enables valuable cross-selling opportunities. This fall, I\u2019m doing what I always do\u2014trying to find ways our teams can do a little bit better than we did the year before. That, and hoping for a milder winter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" People have been offering me unsolicited advice about the inevitable downfall of copier and managed print services for quite some time, so pardon me if I take pessimistic predictions with a grain of salt. Managed print is becoming more competitive, and more providers are getting muscled out. The ones falling to the wayside, who\u2019ve always focused only on the big things\u2014excellent customer service, expertise and long-term relationships\u2014might seem as if they\u2019ve just had a run of bad luck. But increasingly, the key to a successful managed print offering is all in the details; they can really sneak up on you if you\u2019re not careful. The Big Picture Before I get into our industry\u2019s current challenges, I\u2019d like to talk about what\u2019s going well. Modern managed print services are still popular with organizations because they tend to be that rare business service that helps increase security, reduce workplace frustration and save both time and money. It\u2019s easy for providers to sell, and once new clients get past a few changes to the way they print, this service tends to make them happy quickly. It\u2019s also getting easier for providers to differentiate themselves. Upgrading your print management software can help you anticipate repairs and dispatch technicians with the right parts, allowing for speedier ticket resolution. If you have the bandwidth, offering more print security services also tends to get you noticed. But I see a few challenges that will characterize managed print services for years. This applies to providers that might want to add this offering as well as those just hoping to stay in the game. The Fine Print Ink and toner cartridge costs are continuing to climb. It\u2019s a major business expense, and it\u2019s almost entirely out of your control. You can\u2019t let your clients run out of necessary printing supplies, yet maintaining a large inventory is cost-prohibitive. It\u2019s a big problem with a few solutions, but only if you really dig into the details. For example, updating your print management software allows you to pinpoint which clients need supplies, what type they need, and when they need it so you\u2019re not stockpiling too much. However, you\u2019re dependent on shipping companies to hold up their end of the bargain. That may seem like a small point, but it\u2019s not. As we saw this past summer with the bigger carriers, tension between labor unions and upper management can erupt at any time and disrupt your ability to send time-sensitive supplies. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve partnered with Clover Integrated Logistics to help us with warehousing and inland transportation, so we can offer our clients same or next-day supply delivery. For us, Clover has been a great solution\u2014they\u2019ve singlehandedly allowed us to free up our working capital and made it easier to manage our supply chain. Find a solution such as that to make your next few years a lot easier. The Writing on the Wall Ultimately, managed print has a few long-term problems that will require a bit more creativity. Case in point: every managed print provider has the same ideal client roster consisting of larger companies with sizable fleets in fewer locations. More clients with fewer devices in more locations are tougher to manage efficiently. But as providers get muscled out, we\u2019ll need to find ways of making it less time-consuming to serve smaller clients. I\u2019m currently exploring new technologies to ease the training and onboarding process for new technicians. The learning curve is steep, and that\u2019s always been a significant barrier to recruiting. But I think this could enable a more seasoned technician to mentor junior technicians from a central location and get them out in the field doing simpler tasks\u2014such as changing a drum\u2014much sooner. It\u2019s also important for providers to take a second look at the true cost of managing older devices. It\u2019s easy to play the short game and say, \u201cI don\u2019t want to put new hardware into that environment.\u201d But old equipment costs more in repairs and maintenance. It\u2019s something most print dealers tell their customers, and it\u2019s time we took our own advice. Finally, more print providers should take another look at recycled ink and toner cartridges with higher yield rates. We\u2019ve done this for quite some time at Marco; we ship cartridges less often, and we make it easier for our clients to keep cartridges out of landfills. Ten years ago, that wasn\u2019t a big selling point, but as more businesses are thinking about sustainability, that\u2019s changing. And as a business leader, I find it rewarding to find solutions with an environmentally friendly choice that\u2019s also the most cost-effective and efficient one. They\u2019re rare, but they do exist. The devil may be in the details when it comes to managed print services, but don\u2019t listen to the naysayers. When you don\u2019t let details catch you by surprise, it still remains a profitable offering that enables valuable cross-selling opportunities. This fall, I\u2019m doing what I always do\u2014trying to find ways our teams can do a little bit better than we did the year before. That, and hoping for a milder winter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":286,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3936],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57105"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/286"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57105"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57108,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57105\/revisions\/57108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Depositphotos_375182060_XL.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n