A managed print services (MPS) provider may be tasked primarily with cutting operating spend by reducing printing costs, but they can do so much more.

An exclusive focus on cost-cutting isn’t enough to deliver your business the competitive advantage it needs, and in this post, we’re going to look at three things a good MPS provider will look at, beyond printers.

1. Think fleet, not individual device

If your MPS provider suggests that buying new printers will solve all of the challenges you face, they don’t have the long-term vision you need.

Managing your print services isn’t about short-term gain - it’s about driving strategic innovation.

A good MPS provider will think about the printing fleet as a whole, and consider how best it can be used.

Your MPS provider should therefore look at how your current printer fleet is used and suggest new innovations that focus on making the most of processes, consumables and the print devices themselves.

2. Bridging physical and digital

Now we have access to large screen smartphones and tablets, there’s less of a need to reach for the printer when you need a copy of a document.

Despite this, transitioning to a digital-only working environment is challenging, and requires investment, time and a cultural shift.

Good MPS providers understand this, which is why they won’t place a significant emphasis on either hard-copy devices or digital solutions. Instead, they’ll proposal solutions that will help smooth the transition and bridge any gap that exists between the two.

This calls for a mix of digital and hard-copy and a consultative approach to help you deal with the procedural change needed to ensure the business benefits.

3. Adapting to operational change

Once an MPS provider has identified an opportunity to increase efficiencies within your business, they should be able to lend innovation by introducing processes that are faster, more accurate and less painful for staff.

They’ll look for bottlenecks and focus their attentions on inefficient paper-based processes.

The solution presented may be automation or a new printing service, but the ideal MPS provider will also actively look for ways to make the lives of employees easier.

By helping you adapt to operational change, your MPS provider will simplify workflows for staff, but also lighten the burden on the in-house IT team. They’ll even help with departments such as accounts, by providing a single invoice for all hardware, consumables and software related to print.

The best MPS partners know their service should deliver proactive ideas that help reduce costs, provide better print administration and offer transparent management information. Printers are only the start.