A guide to managing print across multiple sites
Managing print across multiple sites can be a challenge for even the most advanced businesses. With so many things to consider, from the type of hardware and software used to the people using it, it’s crucial to have a detailed, effective strategy to follow.
In this article, we’ll outline some key considerations when implementing managed print services across several locations.
1. Define key requirements up front
You’re not expected to have all the answers, but to best prepare it’s a good idea to detail as many of your requirements as possible, so that your provider can respond with a comprehensive solution that addresses your specific needs. Some considerations might include what software your service needs to interact with and what your key business workflows are. By making a concrete list of your SLA requirements, implementation milestones and reporting requirements upfront, you can ensure you don’t run into issues later.
2. Find the right fit
While you can ensure consistency of service across multiple locations, it’s unlikely that every office will have the same physical dimensions. An ill-fitting printer can be surprisingly disruptive to productivity, so it pays to understand the exact spaces your printers will be occupying. You can then meet the unique needs of each office while still providing the control and economies of scale you require centrally. At Brother, we offer guidance and carry out assessments for multiple locations and numerous devices, so that we can ensure that printers are put in the most efficient location.
3. Do your analysis
A managed print service should create efficiencies in as many places as possible – especially around your staff’s time and output. A good supplier will ensure in the assessment phase that you are not over-specifying printing requirements and adding cost. A multifunction device with lots of finishing options could confuse and disrupt users with basic print requirements and minimal training. Through analysis and user testing, you can introduce cost-saving ideas while making sure each part of the business has its needs met. Brother’s tailored approach to MPS ensures you get the performance you need without paying for unnecessary functions or investing time in unnecessary training.
4. Report and reconfigure
Take advantage of print management software to gain complete visibility of usage across all of your sites. That way, you can keep track of uptime and costs, making sure everything is running smoothly. A huge benefit of print management is that it can pay for itself; the more you learn from reporting, the more you can tweak your service to both improve performance and increase cost-efficiency. Print management software can also give you better control of your fleet. Printer management functionality allows you to set and adjust permissions, like colour printing for key times of the year, all from your central location.
5. Keep every site secure
Handling and transferring confidential personal documents can bring with it complicated security and privacy issues. If you choose a managed print service with the ability to digitise documents direct to secure network folders, you can ensure confidentiality across the board. It also means an end to the cost and risk of posting or emailing sensitive documents between locations. Brother can even create bespoke workflow buttons, accessed directly from the machine’s touchscreen, to speed this up.
You should also take advantage of printing solutions such as secure function lock, which give you the ability to restrict certain functions to specified devices and counteract external cyber security threats. These can be combined with pull printing that only releases documents once an ID card or user-specific PIN is used. As well as reducing wastage, this helps you track usage so that every printed page can be accounted for across every location.
Prepare with the right partner
A managed print service benefits your entire organisation, but the right preparation is key to a successful roll out. That calls for the right partner. You need somebody who will work hard to understand the exact needs of your business and tailor a unique solution to them. They then need to be on hand to help you tweak and optimise your service. At Brother, we begin with a structured consultation with one of our managed print services specialists to ensure your solution gets off to the perfect start.
Brother provides technology solutions for businesses of all sizes and across a wide range of sectors in the UK. Our three-phase Assessment, Transition and Optimisation approach to managed print services delivers improved efficiency and productivity for multi-site businesses. All of this comes with an unrivalled dedication to personal service and support. Find out more about MPS and how the benefits of MPS can improve business performance, efficiency and productivity.