Almost all industries rely on office technology such as printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners, or multi-function devices (MFPs) to keep their business processes functioning at high capacity.

And yet, most business owners and office managers don’t understand everything that goes into calculating office expenses and supplies, so they miss opportunities to fine-tune their workplace environment for maximum efficiency.

Printer fleet management is a great place to start for companies looking to reduce capital expenditures and corral extraneous supply costs, but there are even more advantages to partnering with a managed print services (MPS) provider.

Besides a positive shift in productivity, MPS can bring you the kind of data protection and security you need if you handle sensitive or private information. And, getting control of print security is critical for businesses that must demonstrate compliance with regulations.

5 Reasons You Should Consider Printer Fleet Management Today

While there are certainly myriad advantages to selecting an MPS provider to assist your business with printer fleet management, here are five that touch upon the three most crucial factors for business success — cost efficiency, data security, and high levels of productivity.

1. Inventory Control

Tying up capital by keeping a supply closet filled with stockpiled inks and toners isn’t a good use of money. But running out of supplies in the middle of an important task can throttle productivity and disrupt workflows.

The answer? Inventory control through automated supply replenishment.

Using auto-replenishment, the correct ink or toner cartridge will be delivered to the exact printer that needs it just before it runs out of ink. Not only does this free up capital for more crucial business needs, it conserves valuable — and expensive — storage space.

2. Rules-Based Printing

Rules-based printing allows administrators to rein in print costs by preventing excessive printing.

Using rules-based technology allows administrators to limit when staff can use devices, track usage, route jobs to alternate printers when necessary, and set restrictions on printing specific documents, such as emails, website materials, and more.

This practice can help conserve paper and print supplies, boost your corporate responsibility and sustainability profile, and give you an overview of how staff is using specific print devices.

3. Reduced Downtime

Downtime directly influences work output and contributes to staff frustration.

An MPS program ensures that routine maintenance, updates, and patches are automatically performed on a regular basis — a practice that also contributes to extended asset life.

Also with MPS, troubleshooting and repairs are conducted as they arise by knowledgeable IT professionals, removing the burden from in-house IT teams and ensuring uninterrupted service.

4. Secure Hard-Copy Output

With an MPS environment, you have the option to employ secure release printing, or pull printing.

Secure print release means that until an authenticated user arrives at the printer to receive the hard copy output, data remains safely in the print queue.

For businesses that must be compliant with regulations such as HIPAA, PCI, and SOX, this option dramatically lowers the risk that sensitive information can be compromised, as documents are never left unattended in the output tray.

5. Better Cybersecurity

Cybercriminals are laser focused on small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and printers often offer an easy point of access to critical data. MPS reduces security risks in a variety of ways, including:

• Keeping equipment up to date with the latest security patches, updates, and upgrades
• Providing access controls to safeguard against improper or unauthorized usage
• Training your staff on security awareness, best practices, and protocols

Of course, there are several other ways your MPS provider will assist in protecting your business from cyberattack, such as securing your remote printing, providing disaster recovery planning, and completing regular back-ups, among others.

Let Blue Technologies Manage Your Printer Fleet for Best Results

Your printer fleet is the lifeblood of your business operation, so you want to get the most from this essential technology.

At Blue Technologies, our IT industry experts have the knowledge necessary to assess your current print infrastructure, design and optimize your fleet for performance, and outline ways that you can save money and increase data security.

With a reliable MPS program, your business will enjoy higher productivity rates, fewer downtime incidents and stronger security protocols, all while keeping costs to a minimum.

Take control of your printer fleet. Managed Print Services is the perfect solution to drive cost control and security within your organization. Contact Blue Technologies today to learn more.