Have you been considering using a Managed Service Provider? Our blog will share everything you need to know before you commit to a partnership - discover the role they play, the benefits of bringing them on-board, and the criteria you should use to choose one.
A Managed Workplace Service provider is a company who handles the outsourcing, on a proactive basis, management responsibilities and functions and a strategic method to improve operations and control business costs.
The managed workplace services business model differs from other types of channel companies, such as value-added resellers (VARs). Managed workplace service providers typically use a number of differing pricing models such as a per-device, per-user and all-inclusive pricing, with responsibilities contracted under service level agreements (SLAs).
There are a number of different services that fall under the "Managed Service Provider" umbrella, such as:
Organisations who work with a managed service provider will have different levels of expectation depending on the nature and extent of the service provision, but can typically experience various contractual obligations relating to:
Managed Print providers will deliver their services in accordance with the contracted SLAs which can be tailored to the organisations specific requirements. Service response times, the frequency of support or preventative maintenance visits and many other key performance indicators (KPIs) are agreed beforehand and contracted within the SLAs so that customers are clear on what they will receive from the service and how they will benefit.
The service performance is continuously monitored, assessed and reported on by account managers so that both parties understand if the SLAs are being met and how the service can be adapted to better suit the organisation going forwards.
If any aspect of the service requires modifying – such as adding additional print devices to the contract, configuring new software to the print infrastructure or adjusting the levels of support needed – then this will typically be handled by account managers or customer service teams. Most Managed Workplace Service contracts are flexible enough to be updated if and when required.
Adopting Managed Workplace Services is an efficient way to stay up-to-date on technology, have access to skills and address issues related to cost, quality of service and risk. Here is a more detailed look into the main benefits of working with a Managed Workplace Service provider:
In the digital age we live and work in, it is surprising how many organisations still don’t have effective control over information security, their data, and multi-functional devices (MFDs). An established Managed Workplace Services provider will recommend numerous security measures to safeguard your company's data and work towards GDPR compliance.
Printing is inherently wasteful in-house - errors are made, paper and ink are wasted, and large jobs sent to small printers skyrocket the cost per page. Outsourcing your document printing with a Managed Service Provider therefore reduces the environmental impact of your print function, but can also reduce excessive costs, improve efficiency and cut waste and misuse.
Document assessments will immediately identify any wasteful practices within your organisation and focus on implementing changes to improve this. Too many organisations still waste valuable staff time handling documents that could be replaced by a simple process or even a cloud-based document management solution that removes the need to handle physical documents entirely.
By combining the latest software with best-of-breed hardware, Managed Workplace Service providers can offer a range of benefits to your organisation including improved cost control, reduced waste and an innovative approach which all results in a more efficient philosophy.
A Managed Print Service will allow your organisation to take complete control of printing expenditure and understand precisely how much it costs to produce each page of printing, copying or scanning. It is widely reported that MPS solutions can help companies save up to 40% on all document-related activity.
Print management software can help minimise waste and reduce expenditure, while providing centralised control of printing and copying. The introduction and enforcement of a flexible print policy, whereby restrictions can be set on who prints what and with automatic routing of print jobs to cheaper devices, allows you to reduce your printing costs significantly. It also allows department or document-type rules to be set, in instances where print jobs need to be sent to devices with specific finishing options or higher quality outputs.
Before you even begin to look into Managed Service Providers, there’s important work you need to do internally so you’re thoroughly prepared:
When researching which Managed Workplace Service provider to select, undoubtedly, there will be numerous company-specific questions you will want to ask to identify which is best suited to your organisation and document requirements. It is also important to understand and benchmark key common criteria to decide which company has the best credentials, values and business practices.
Once you have a shortlist of Managed Service Providers, there are many questions you should start asking them to assess whether their organisation is a good match for yours, including:
But there are three key areas you need to interrogate. Here are the most important questions that you should ask prospective Managed Workplace Service providers.
Every Managed Workplace Service provider worth their salt should have various credentials awarded by external bodies that evaluate their quality and ethical business practices. Our accreditations include: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, and Safecontractor. If a prospective service provider cannot demonstrate sufficient industry standards, then you might consider speaking to other organisations.
A critical question to ask is what partnerships the Managed Workplace Service provider has with OEM’s or software providers. Typically, companies are known as manufacturers, mono-brand, multi-brand or independent Managed Workplace Service providers – referring to the amount of different solutions they are able to offer.
If you’re considering a manufacturer, mono-brand or even multi-brand Managed Print provider, then you are going to be limited to the amount of solutions they can provide. This restricts the possible offerings to your organisation and means that software, hardware or support service combinations may not be best-in-class, best-of-breed or the most ideal available.
Independent service providers have access to the whole of the market and blend the perfect mix of document technology and services to meet your organisations current and future needs.
No matter how reliable a service is, there are times when disruptions are unavoidable. It is important that you understand what measures your Managed Workplace Service provider has taken to mitigate risk and assist your business with keeping core practices like printing up and running in times of need.
Managed Print companies that offer additional layers of contingency, above and beyond normal service procedures, can be a very attractive option to organisations. These might include outsourcing capabilities or disaster recovery facilities.
Having the peace of mind that document processes can be outsourced to dedicated facilities to produce, or even taken directly to specialist DR sites by staff to complete, can make all the difference to forward thinking organisations.
Does your organisation currently leverage a Managed Workplace Service provider to handle all the responsibilities of your print and document infrastructure?
The advantages of using a Managed Workplace Services provider are attractive and it’s rare for companies to not benefit from using a specialist provider to handle a core business practice like printing.
If you would like to find out more about how Apogee can help your organisation optimise its performance, then speak to our Strategic Accounts team today by completing the contact form below.
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