Beyond Managed Print: What to Look for in a Print Standardization Business Partner

To maximize the efficiency of your office, optimizing the management of resources is not just a goal — it’s a necessity. While there are a variety of ways to overcome this challenge when it comes to printing, print standardization has emerged as one of the most immediately impactful approaches, offering significant improvements over the outdated “managed printer services” solution.  So, why pivot to print standardization for your organizational needs? And more importantly, what should you demand from a provider? Let's dive in.

Why Choose Print Standardization?

At the heart of it, managed print services (MPS) are primarily designed to take over basic service and supplies of your existing collection of un-managed printers. This strategy handles immediate concerns but frequently overlooks the broader advantages that could be gained from a full-scale revamp of the entire printing system. This approach is somewhat reminiscent of the often-cited adage, "penny wise, pound foolish," where the focus on minor savings today can lead to missed opportunities for substantial benefits in the future.

Print standardization takes a more holistic view by addressing the complexities that come with handling a variety of printer models. By adopting a strategy that promotes uniform, high-performing devices, organizations can experience a significant enhancement in how their print operations function. This systematic upgrade does more than just improve performance; it also plays a crucial role in reducing the ongoing expenses associated with maintenance and repairs. When various makes and models of devices are replaced with a uniform fleet of printers, the result is a more streamlined, less complicated printing environment. Maintenance routines become more predictable and easier to manage, directly reflecting in reduced operational costs.

Selecting a Print Standardization Provider: Key Considerations

Partnership

The right kind of provider acts as an extension of your team, offering insights, expertise, and support that align with your company's goals and objectives. They are proactive in identifying opportunities for improvement and innovation, ensuring that the services they offer evolve alongside your business.

By positioning themselves as an ally in your success, they demonstrate a commitment to not just meeting immediate needs but to fostering a partnership that yields ongoing, tangible benefits for your business. Overall, the ideal provider is one that views your success as their success, dedicating themselves to a collaborative and enduring partnership.

Flexibility Over Brand Loyalty

When looking for customized solutions, it's important to choose providers who remain neutral about brands. Providers who offer brand-agnostic services are ideal because they ensure that the solutions they recommend are truly what’s best for your business, without being influenced by commitments to specific manufacturers. This impartiality allows them to focus solely on your needs and objectives, free from any limitations or biases that could come from brand affiliations.

Their recommendations would then be based strictly on product performance, compatibility with your existing systems and platforms, and the overall value they bring to your business.

Expert Collaboration

Look for providers who know a lot about the latest industry trends and technology updates alongside experience working with companies like yours. They’ll be able to take a good look at your current systems and find strategic, cutting-edge solutions that fit exactly what you need and future-proof your systems, solutions, and content management.

You can more confidently work with strategic partnerships when you know they’ve helped others succeed in similar ways. Their knowledge of new tech and trends means they recommend updates and enhancements that are not just about keeping up with others but actually getting ahead.

Holistic Support

It's important to look beyond just table stakes problem-solving capabilities. Every partner should be able to offer that and more. Look for offers around proactive maintenance that help prevent issues before they start, which can avoid unexpected downtime.

It’s also beneficial to have direct contact with the team that created your specific solution. This way, you can get support that is customized for your business, helping you succeed. Personalized service from experts who already understand your needs can make all the difference, ensuring that your operations continue to run efficiently and effectively.

Seamless Integration

When adding new solutions to your current workflows, it's essential that the integration process is seamless to avoid major disruptions in your business operations. Your business partner will work with your existing tech stack or give recommendations on more efficient tools to enhance your current platforms without disrupting the flow of work. This careful integration helps ensure that your operations can quickly adapt and benefit from the new solutions with minimal to no-downtime.

Cloud-based Solutions

Using cloud technology can upgrade the way you manage printing. Choosing partners that offer storage, management, and tracking all through the cloud can improve flexibility and strengthen remote and hybrid environments’ capabilities. Cloud-based services mean you and your team can access your print management system, maintain productivity, and stay coordinated no matter where you are.

Intuitive Dashboards and Reporting

A successful print management strategy relies on tools that support informed decision-making. The right provider will offer features such as dashboards and automatic reporting systems that are intuitive and integrate with your hardware easily. These tools are designed to give you a tailored view of your print usage and the associated costs, facilitating an ongoing process of refinement and optimization. With these capabilities, you can continuously analyze and adjust your print operations to ensure they run as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

Security

Data security is an important aspect of printing ecosystems that often gets overlooked and you don’t want your data to be at risk. Choose a print standardization provider who addresses security concerns that are relevant to your industry.

Keeping up with compliance can be a challenge, but the right partner can help you meet the necessary requirements of industry laws and standards. These standards often include guidelines for data protection, privacy laws, and other sector-specific security measures that are in place to protect your information against unauthorized access or breaches.

Scalability

Scalability is important for any growing business. Look for a provider that offers flexible, scalable solutions to accommodate your business’ growth without being held back by technology constraints or strict contracts.

As you enhance your print infrastructure, you’ll want a provider that optimizes costs and boosts operational efficiency, guiding your business toward continuous improvement and success.

Ready to standardize your printing environment?

Adopting print standardization offers a robust solution over conventional managed services, streamlining processes and enhancing efficiency. When working with UBEO, you know you’re getting services and solutions that are dependable, high-quality, and designed to bolster your growth and operational efficiency.

Want to know how print standardization can improve your business? Get a BTA to get started with print standardization