In a difficult economy, businesses of all sizes have cut purchasing dramatically, but how many are looking to reduce waste in assets they already own? Managed Print Services (MPS) is an abbreviation all small business owners need to know. The savings realized by MPS programs in large corporations has begun to catch the eye of small to medium sized business owners everywhere.

On average, a larger corporation can see a 30% reduction in their total hardcopy fleet cost, a 60% reduction in carbon emissions, and 10% of their IT Staff’s time freed up from print-related support activities. The newness of MPS in small businesses makes it hard to predict savings, but if used efficiently there’s potential to save thousands.

Consider this statement from the Director of Technology at ARC, Jonathan F. Styrlund: “With MPS, the accepted basic principles which deliver efficiencies and cost-savings are workflow optimization, fleet optimization, fleet standardization, ongoing fleet management, and pay-by-usage.”

While the majority of small businesses will NOT be able to implement a comprehensive MPS program into their budget, there are steps you can take to save money and eventually expand into a full program.

Without knowing, understanding, and practicing the very basic principles of MPS, waste is inevitable. Learning to effectively manage the most undermanaged expense in a corporation of any size, will put real dollars back on the bottom line. Here are four tips to help you get started.

• Find the right MPS vendor. Even small businesses can have a complex hardcopy fleet. Styrlund: “The right vendor can consolidate multiple vendor relationships into a single, easier to manage partnership. The best MPS programs align the goals of the company and the MPS vendor so that both achieve a successful long term relationship.”
• Get management engaged at the onset. It’s important to have a company’s management team actively engaged in any work done with the software tools provided by the vendor. It will be up to the management team to work with their respective departments to turn the software and study results into actions.
• Standardize your hardcopy fleet. There are many benefits to having a standardized fleet. User familiarity, ease of operation across the line, similar inks, toners, and parts for each machine, etc. Additionally, the time not spent on training and maintenance will allow your IT staff to focus on more important projects.
• Stay up-to-date and continually improved. The needs of a small business are continually changing, this means the usage of your hardcopy fleet will be changing as well. Make sure to choose a partner, not a vendor. Your MPS partner should be flexible and proactive.