While it might be tempting to think that big savings only come from big changes, that's not always the case--especially in the education industry. Little shifts in unexpected places can make a big difference, and so can steady updates to processes and tech environments. It all starts with your school's printers--and that's where managed print services comes in.
Print Management for Schools?
When you hear what managed print services is all about--managing workflows, devices, connections, and print supplies--you might think this solution is only for traditional workplaces. However, that couldn't be further from the truth.
In reality, managed print is for any business that relies on printing. That includes healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, and--yes--education.
How does it work? The key is to remember that managed print services should never be a "copy-paste" solution. Your provider must take the time to learn the ins and outs of your industry, school, and challenges, allowing them to personalize approaches built around you. While some of the same ideas might apply to multiple organizations--for example, streamlining workflows to save time for faculty and staff--the end goal will always reflect your unique position in the education industry.
Cost-Saving Solutions from Managed Print Services
So, how does managed print services save money for schools? Here are just a few examples:
Print Audits
When you don't know where your problems are, it's difficult to solve them. Fortunately, managed print always begins with a print audit, where your provider takes the time to investigate every element of your school's print environment. While you'll get all kinds of helpful information, one of the most important things you'll learn is where your print budget is actually going.
Better yet, your provider can perform print audits at regular intervals to keep an eye on how things are going, where you're making progress, what your return on investment looks like, and more.
Fleet Consolidation
It's easy to collect devices over the years, often because you aren't sure when to let go of them or whether you might need them down the road. However, an oversized fleet can drain your school's budget by using too much energy and too many supplies.
The good news is that managed print is here to help. After a print audit, your provider will be able to tell which devices are used most regularly and for the most important tasks. This helps you decide what to eliminate from your fleet, which saves money and streamlines tasks for employees who no longer have to figure out which printers to use for what jobs.
Device Upgrades
In some situations, you may be relying on aging devices that don't seem like a big issue but can seriously impact efficiency, productivity, and cost-effectiveness. Managed print services helps you identify weak links and budget for upgrades that will fill the same needs (or more!) without being as slow, wasteful, or inefficient as an older machine.
Settings Optimization
Schools often overlook one of their most powerful tools: settings. Networks, mobile devices, printers, and other devices all have settings that can be optimized to better fit your security and budgeting needs. For example, you could set your printers to only make black-and-white prints to avoid wasting color ink. You could also set limits on what users can do from mobile devices to minimize unnecessary or wasted prints that may never be picked up.
Supply Management
Do you over-order supplies and end up with nowhere to store them or, worse, end up wasting them? Or do you under-order and find yourself in a jam when a big project comes up? Either way, print supplies can be a big problem--but managed print services is the ideal solution. That's because your managed print provider can track usage habits and help you schedule supply orders at the right times and in the perfect amounts.
Repairs and Maintenance
Faculty and staff shouldn't be responsible for printer problems. Luckily, managed print services often comes with maintenance agreements that allow you to lean on your provider for this kind of support. When you have expert help repairing breakdowns, establishing maintenance routines, addressing downtime, and more, you won't run the risk of damaging your machines or wasting time and money your school doesn't have.
Conclusion
Although there are plenty of smart ways to save money in the education industry, managed print services might just be everything you need. It's simple, effective, and scalable, which means it will fit your school and help identify customized solutions for your biggest challenges.
Interested in saving money with managed print? Contact us today to get started!