Even with a more agile workforce, offices large and small still rely on copiers and printers in their day-to-day operations. And more businesses are relying on a Managed Print Services provider, as they realize the many benefits of having an expert manage their print fleet.
Overall, a Managed Print Services program brings workflow efficiencies, cost savings and ongoing return on investment.
However, three of the major benefits of Marco's Managed Print Services program I want to focus on are:
- Printer repair
- Printer replacement
- Print security
The importance of these three is growing, as IT hardware becomes outdated quickly with advances in technology. Paying attention to the lifecycle of your IT infrastructure is key to your organization staying secure and productive.
Entering into a Managed Print Services program places the job of repair and replacement in the hands of a managed print provider. With Marco, all equipment in your Managed Print Services program will be remotely monitored using software installed on your network. This software can track multiple printing components including users, supply usage and details related to each print job. It also tracks when a machine is experiencing technical issues and will automatically alert the provider. Often, issues are detected before anyone in your business even notices.
Printer Repair
With Managed Print Services, businesses never pay for printer repair because it's covered under your service agreement. With our management software, a malfunctioning copy machine will let us know it’s having a problem and, if we can’t solve it remotely, we’ll dispatch a technician to fix the issue.
Help desk support, remote assistance and on-site technical work are all part of Managed Print Services. You have a single phone number or email to contact whenever an issue arises, and all costs associated with printer repair are already covered. All maintenance is performed by a certified technician, and maintenance costs are covered through Marco’s Managed Print Services. So, you won't experience any increase to your invoice because of repair.
Printer Replacement
A Managed Print Services provider keeps your entire print environment functioning at its best, and part of that is replacing equipment when the time is right. Print providers take into account whether repair or replacement is more cost-effective for your situation.
Like any technology, copiers and printers reach a time in their lifecycle when they become a disabler versus an enabler on production. Consider the following factors when deciding whether a Managed Print Services program can be of benefit to your business:
How often your equipment breaks down – If your machine breaks down more than a few times a year, it might be time to consider replacement.- Parts availability – Depending on the age and model of your machine, replacement parts for printer repair might not be available or could be expensive to acquire. It might be more cost effective to replace the machine.
- How downtime affects your business – Downtime can be costly when your office is without working equipment. It can be more cost effective to replace the machine, keep your business operating at top capacity and your employees productive.
Print Security
When most people think about network security, they think firewalls, not printers. But, your printers could be exposing your organization to a host of risks. Another benefit of Managed Print Services is print security. Like any other endpoint in your network, printers have memory, processors and operating systems. Without the proper safeguards, you’re vulnerable, and that’s why your printer's hard drive security is so important. To help you operate more securely, all of Marco’s copier and printer manufacturers have security statements detailing which security options are available as an integrated feature or as an add-on.
While every organization should be concerned about security, some industries such as healthcare and law firms must be extra protective of client or patient data. Without systems in place to control access to documents and print devices, confidential information is at risk. To address this liability, one solution is printing security software, which reduces vulnerability by adding a level of protection to private data.
When it comes to return or disposal of printers, rest assured we have you covered. Removal of hard drive and hard drive reformatting are available for HP, Konica Minolta, and Sharp copiers/printers that are traded in or returned to Marco. (If the device is from another manufacturer, please speak with your account representative for options.)
A True Partnership
Partnering with a Managed Print Services provider brings plenty of benefits—some have a dollar figure attached to them because of the cost savings related to repair and replacement and other benefits are more subtle, like reducing employee frustration and increasing productivity. With Marco’s Managed Print Services, the only task businesses have to do with their printers is use them. Marco handles the rest.
Talk to a Marco copier printer specialist and learn more about how Managed Print Services can benefit your business.
