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Archive for August, 2011

Whatever the size and nature of your company, managed print services (MPS) may be something that you are considering for the new year ahead. The large volume of printed material being produced each year, even by small start-ups, the demand for MPS has become evident over the past few years. Choosing the right partner for your print requirements is essential in order to enjoy the best level of service and support to choose the right provider however, you first need to consider the qualities that reliable managed print services providers should possess.

Criteria to consider when choosing an MPS partner include the following:

Fully integrated services

There is little point in hiring a company that offers managed print services for only one printer manufacturer, with no additional services to go with this. Services such as phone auditing, fax auditing and general management of resources are essential services to ensure effective management of resources in your organisation. You therefore need a company that manages every aspect, from audits to management and maintenance of printers, faxes, all in one machines and other devices, as well as other print related duties to ensure smooth operations across your print fleet. This will ensure that you are able to save costs and manage resources more effectively from a single source provider, rather than trying to micro manage tasks separately.

Cost-effective pricing plans

Spending a huge fortune on outsourcing of print management services defeats the object of MPS, which is to help you reduce costs. Your MPS partner should offer affordable solutions that help you save money rather than spend money, with set monthly rates and no expensive call out fees or hidden costs. Be wary of the false promises and flashy companies that claim to work miracles, and rather stick to the companies that have proven results, happy customers and realistic rates.

Excellent customer service

One of the most important aspects of a good managed print services provider is the level of customer service. Often, MPS partners are hired on a long-term basis, working with your company for many years to provide on-going service. In this way, your provider needs to be someone you trust to be able to get the job done, while also providing a good level of customer service to foster a positive working relationship. Personalised attention to detail a team of friendly, helpful experts is a big part of effective service offerings.

Technical support

Technical support is essential to ensure that your MPS provider is able to sort out print issues quickly and effectively. Experienced and skilled printer technicians can diagnose and fix issues quickly in minimal time, reducing extra time and costs for repairs and preventing serious downtime caused by broken print devices. Technicians should be fluent in a number of developer languages, including Delphi.net and Ruby and Rails, understanding and working with the latest technologies. Skilled technicians will be able to identify common and rare issues with printers, faxes and other devices, which can then be repaired once the issue is diagnosed. This is just one of the reasons that makes a reliable managed print services partner such a worthy investment for your company.