What is print management?

So, let’s start with the basics. What is the meaning of print management? In its simplest form, print management refers to the process of keeping track of, and managing everything to do with, print in your business. From the printers, copiers and scanners you use, to the software, supplies and accessories that keep the equipment working, effective print management is essential to making all-things print run smoothly.

Beyond the day-to-day, print management is also key to helping businesses control, optimise and track printing across every area – leading to time efficiencies and reduced costs. These are just a few benefits of print management, so let’s take a closer look at how it could work for you.

Who needs print management?

If you’re wondering if print management is right for your business, the reality is that print management is for everyone! No matter your business size, or how much or little you print, this service is designed to make sure everything to do with print just works throughout your business.

If you work in an industry like healthcare, education or legal – where high-volume printing is more common – you’re likely to see the biggest impact as a result of print management. But that’s not to say any business shouldn’t explore the concept of print management, as even the smallest changes to the way you print could help you see big benefits…

The key benefits of print management

• Reduce printing costs
  Without a print management solution in place, many businesses end up wasting paper, ink or toner – and having no real idea of how much they are printing. In contrast, proper print management gives you full visibility over your printing – so you can spot areas where savings can be made. Plus, many print management solutions come with ink or toner plans included, so you never over-order or waste key consumables.

• Improve productivity
  Print management allows you to make efficiencies across your business, reducing the amount of time you and your team may lose to ineffective printing processes. It also means there’s less time wasted tracking or ordering supplies, because it’s all taken care of for you.

• Reduce security risks
  With a print management solution, you’ll have greater control over who can print and access documents, helping you avoid breaches of data protection and limit the chance of documents falling into the wrong hands. Pull printing is a service that’s often part of print management, using a secure virtual queuing system and other security-enhancing features. 

• Optimise your fleet
  If you have several printers across your organisation, it’s likely some of them are not being used to their full potential, while others might be being used in the wrong way – which can lead to equipment problems. When you opt for a print management solution, you’ll have full visibility over your fleet, so you can optimise your printing and get the most out of your investment.

• Reduce your environmental footprint
  Rather than printing out reams and reams of documents, print management helps your staff print only what they need – reducing paper waste, supplies and electricity costs. And not only is this better for the environment, it’s better for your business costs, too.

What is a print management solution?

A print management solution is a service offered by a specialist business, with expert knowledge of printing processes. So, if you’ve ever wondered what does a print management company do, they basically take care of print for you! These solutions come in many forms, and are often tailored to your unique requirements:

• Managed print service (MPS)
  A managed print service or managed print solution (MPS) is a comprehensive solution that streamlines the management of your entire document output fleet – from printers and scanners to copiers and fax machines. While services vary among providers, MPS offers valuable benefits for businesses of any size, combining cost control with improved workflow management.

• Mobile and cloud-based printing solutions
  Remote print management uses cloud and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to enhance print management. This service enables staff to print from multiple devices, from anywhere, at any time. If you run a hybrid business, cloud-based print management brings more flexibility to print from various devices and locations.

How to choose the right print management solution

Choosing the right print management solution for you means taking several factors into consideration:

• Scalability
  Most businesses have growth goals in mind, so you need to choose a print management solution that grows with you and your print needs. Some services lock you into long contracts that you can’t amend, while services like Brother MPS can be flexed with you as your printing needs change, so you always have the right plan in place.

• Integration with other devices
  From scanners to copiers, it’s likely that you have other devices in your print fleet and wider organisation, so it’s important to make sure all these devices can communicate as required.

• Additional features
  From mobile access to enhanced security features, it’s important to choose a print management service that can be tailored to your individual needs. For example, if you’re a hybrid company, mobile and cloud access may be your main priority. While if you’re a multi-site, enterprise-level organisation, enhanced security features are likely to be your focus. That’s why exploring options with different additional features is important.

Brother MPS: A simple print management solution

At Brother, we’ve created a managed print service that makes printing simple for businesses.

With Brother MPS, there’s automatic ink and toner delivery before you run out, full maintenance and support, easy supplies recycling to help address your carbon reduction goals, and no long-term commitments. There’s also a dedicated portal that enables you to manage your service in one place, whether that’s keeping track of your print usage or requesting support.

Brother MPS is the perfect blend of print management software and dedicated support, so businesses like yours can achieve maximum efficiency and cost savings. And because we know businesses have all different kinds of printing requirements, we offer three levels of MPS – Essential, Professional and Enterprise. Each can be flexed to meet your individual needs:

MPS Essential: for businesses that need a simple solution.

MPS Professional: a simple solution with the opportunity to enhance specific features.

MPS Enterprise: a comprehensive solution built around complex print needs.

Why Brother is your partner in printing efficiency

It’s clear to see that every business can benefit from a print management solution – the most important thing is choosing the one that’s right for you. That’s why a service like Brother MPS is ideal, because it can be flexed to meet your requirements. You can get started by using our simple two-step tool online to find the right MPS plan for your business.

Once you’ve determined your print need, signing up couldn’t be simpler! Then, you can begin benefiting from Brother’s expertise and “At your side” support to transform the way you print.