Printers. Multi-function devices. Scanners. Fax machines. Do you know how many your company is using? Can you guess how much they are being used or what they cost each month? If you wanted to consolidate and deploy your printers to be as cost-efficient as possible, could you?
If you are struggling to answer any of these questions, then you know that your print resources may be out of control. I’ve written about Managed Print Services (MPS) before, and explained how print management can make your printers more efficient. But today, I want to go a step further and explain what a holistic, complete managed print solution can do.
One thing we have learned from more than 60 years in business: if your company has no system to optimize or control usage of print devices, they are going to cost you a lot of money in wasted resources. Running more print devices than you really need costs money, especially if the devices are out of date or frequently out of action. Even worse, this situation can open you up to new cybersecurity risks.
At GFC, we call our Managed Print Service imageCARE+. Our approach is to “Manage all things print,” and we mean it. If you have a device in your company that prints or handles documents, then we can manage it and make it more efficient. Our goal is to develop a roadmap to get any organization to a tightly managed environment.
With imageCARE+, your company can know if it is getting the best use out of its machines or whether resources are being wasted. Your staff may be printing to devices which aren’t best suited to their needs or printing pages that just go to waste. Managed Print Services is something GFC has been doing for a long time and we’ve seen it save companies 30 to 50% on their printing costs.
KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE
As many organizations have no centralized control or management of devices, it can be difficult to identify where savings could be realized. GFC’s Managed Print Business Analysts begin by assessing the number and deployment of devices in your company. We know that too many devices can be a resource drain so a strategic plan can lower power consumption, improve workflow potential and, of course, lower print-related operating costs.
This kind of strategic planning is not very common in the office technology industry. A small office technology company might claim that they offer Managed Print Services, but they don’t often have the resources to truly optimize your fleet. A small MPS provider might take over your existing fleet and monitor usage, but other than delivering supplies and service when needed, little else will change.
At GFC, our imageCARE+ service is put in place by that team of Managed Print Business Analysts who are experts in doing an assessment of your environment. The problem we so often see is that in addition to having no device strategy in place, there may also be little control over what people print and why people print what they print. Without proper end-user controls in place, these devices are also open scanning on-ramps to your network, meaning your devices are less than secure.
MORE THAN JUST PRINT
To address potential security concerns, our analysts will ensure that the configuration of your print fleet is optimized to reduce possible security vulnerabilities. If there are gaps in your print security, we will identify them and suggest a tailored solution to eliminate risk factors and keep your devices and networks safe.
For example, this might involve implementing hard-drive encryption and swipe-to-print software and firmware, scheduling regular assessments and restricting entry points from malware or viruses. Our team will also work with you to minimize internal security and compliance concerns.
“ALL THINGS PRINT”
The bottom line is that printing inefficiencies waste time and money. Your staff may be printing to devices which aren’t best suited to their needs. If a device is down, people may print to it without realizing, then have to go back and forth between the printer and their computer to figure it out. And when someone prints something and it comes out wrong, or makes too many copies, paper and ink are wasted.
We can provide a solution to manage and track these inefficient behaviors, getting your spending under control and making your staffs’ lives easier. Print management software can be set up to require a secure log-in, which enables the tracking of all user activity. With follow-me-print you can go to any printer, log in, and get the documents you need, when you need them. We can also offer badge authentication, where a user swipes badge (or enters pin code) to access device for copying, scanning or printing.
As part of our imageCARE+ Service Program, we don’t just fix any issues at hand, we search for other potential problems, like worn parts, during the same service call and predict the risks that might lie ahead. In fact, our technicians receive bonuses based upon the time between calls. And with remote monitoring and Just-in-Time service, paper, toner and supplies can be delivered when you need them. This minimizes expensive stockpiles of supplies sitting around. And when you do need help, the myGFC app and myGFC portal are there to report and track any of your service needs.
At GFC, Managed Print is more than just printer service. It’s a modern, holistic approach to managing print technology and workflows. CONTACT US today for a free printer assessment to find out if your company would benefit from imageCARE.
