This blog takes a high-level look at how Managed Print Services (MPS) and, in particular, enhanced MPS support IT goals as described in an analysis from Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends.1
An analysis published by Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends contains good advice for IT professionals who’ve been pulled into the world of MPS. To level set, The analysis, “Managed IT Infrastructure: Managed Print Services,” defines MPS in this way:
MPS are services-led offerings that help companies solve their pain points typically around costs, management, and/or document processes.
Components of an MPS engagement typically include:
- Hardware
- Supplies
- Solutions
- Services
Three MPS Engagement Levels
A focus of the report is “enhanced” managed print services, one of three levels of MPS engagement:
- Supplies and break-fix
- Hardware optimization-print management
- Enhanced MPS
MPS Shifts to an Enhanced Value Proposition
Enhanced MPS represents an important shift in the MPS value proposition. It includes the first two levels, but in addition offers advanced solutions for:
- Workflow improvement
- Document management
- Security and compliance
- Environmental and sustainability commitments
IT Benefits from MPS Assessments and Reporting
The entire document lifecycle of scan/capture, devices, movement and hybrid digital and print output varies by vertical market, and even from business to business. It’s a complex world, but it can be outsourced with confidence. With MPS, the document environments and devices are optimized, controlled and monitored in real time.
One way enhanced MPS expands the value proposition for IT is through data from assessments and monitoring. This information helps IT teams pursue continuous improvements, particularly around their document processes and output environments. Advanced analytics help IT track the impact of cloud and mobile technologies on their document environments. With an MPS provider to control, optimize, customize and monitor in real-time, IT stays informed but not in constant demand.
Document Management and Workflow Overlap with Other IT Systems
The entire document lifecycle of scan/capture, creation, sharing and movement can be seen as a single environment, but it doesn’t operate in isolation. The documents are intimate parts of any business. They deliver customer service and experience, and this is reason enough to consider enhanced MPS.
IT gets involved in MPS when it overlaps other business initiatives like environmental sustainability, document security and workflow improvement. The lines between MPS, business process and workflow management and automation have blurred, according to the InfoTrends analysis. Whether IT is ready, MPS is definitely coming to IT.
Implementing and managing comprehensive document services involves working with a variety of business technologies, but this is a way of life in IT. In addition, businesses generally prefer to limit the amount of professional and managed services vendors utilized within their organization. Any opportunity to confidently consolidate services with the MPS umbrella makes sense.
Get the Analysis: “Managed IT Infrastructure: Managed Print Services”
If your responsibility involves managing documents and processes or other areas like security or customer experience, download this analysis for further study of the relationship between IT and MPS. You’ll learn how MPS vendors have enhanced their capabilities to incorporate digital workflow and business process automation. The 23-page “Managed IT Infrastructure: Managed Print Services” analysis offers an objective deep dive into sophisticated managed document services beyond print. Download and share your copy with your IT team.
- Source: “Managed IT Infrastructure: Managed Print Services” Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends March 2015 23 pages
