Is Your Managed Print Service Partner Providing You With The Right Level Of Automation?
Exposed: The perils and pitfalls of ‘behind the times’ MPS providers.
au·to·ma·tion – noun
1. the technique, method, or system of operating or controlling a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, 
reducing human intervention to a minimum.
Origin: 1945–50; autom(atic oper)ation
Recently, I was chatting with a business colleague and we were discussing how automated technology has changed so many things to make our lives easier. I mentioned that, for DocuSense, automation doesn’t just make things easy; it makes things possible. I began to think about how many companies are struggling in-house. Do their IT departments have to manage their printer devices, their copy and fax machines, employee user behavior, repairs, supply orders and failing or non functioning equipment? If the answer is yes, then they’re wasting too much time and money …
As we continued our conversation, he didn’t really understand what I was saying until I explained how DocuSense has invested heavily in software and systems that help to process the unimaginable overload of hundreds and hundreds of devices; automating supply, service and replacement for fleets.
You might already have a Managed Print Service Provider helping you handle your fleet but are they delivering the level of automation you need? What does a competent MPS provider accomplish? Here are three standards.
1. They get every print and copy device in your fleet networked!
You can’t know what is happening with your print and copy devices, unless each and every device is on the network and reporting it’s status MPS providers won’t let non-networked, non-reporting devices rob you of the information you’ll need to manage your fleet. If the device can’t report then it isn’t being managed.
If a networked device is failing the technician can be on the way – reducing downtime and user frustration. In the time it takes to find a telephone number, make the call, confirm the time for the tech to arrive, it’s possible the tech could be there, with part in hand because you’ve simplified the process with automated software and networked devices.
2. They deliver consolidated reporting and invoicing for the entire fleet – automatically.
Fleet analysis reports should be sent to you a regular basis either via email or through a web based online program. The reports should help you to understand exactly what is printing, who is pressing print, from which desktop or mobile device the initial print job was requested from and even how many pages you may be wasting. How nice would it be to receive a comprehensive report showing details of all your devices?
3. Their invoices are easy to read and contain detailed information on all equipment including a summary page listing each device and its costs.
Your MPS provider should be supplying you with a detailed document (and I’m not referring to lengthy excel spread sheets) that identifies each device in your fleet and it’s cost. These reports must easily indicate device grouping and costs If you are going to outsource management of your fleet, you’d better find a partner who has invested in delivering an automated, simplified solution.
DocuSense, Complexity Simplified!
