3 elements of a future-proofed print management program

For the past several years, conversations in the Managed Print Services (MPS) industry were centered around how to better support remote workers. Market leaders were challenged with how to rebalance workplace systems and services to address the needs of remote employees alongside the ever-changing needs of the business. Most of this restructuring was done under pressure.

Flash forward to 2024 and as more and more workers return to the office, the need to reimagine MPS is once again up for discussion. This time around, organizations are focused on how the ways of work have changed—not for a year or two, but indefinitely. In our increasingly fast-paced society, what’s here today may be gone tomorrow. So how do we prepare for an uncertain future?

Keypoint Intelligence’s 2023 Market Insight on Managed Print highlights three important factors in future-proofing MPS: information, automation and innovation. We are at the forefront of a new era—one that includes vast amounts of data and the full-scale implementation of AI (artificial intelligence) at every level, in every industry—and the time to prepare for the future is now.

Here’s what to look for in a future-proofed print management program.

As the ways we work evolve, they will continue to revolve around information. Whether it’s supporting hybrid and remote workers and systems, or transitioning to cloud-based solutions, MPS customers are looking for ways to optimize their fleets and reduce costs. The demand for cloud print solutions has doubled or tripled every year since 2019, reinforcing the need for MPS providers to support remote workers with cloud solutions that can be accessed from anywhere.

To maximize collaboration, communication, and productivity, businesses must find ways to effectively manage the information that is trapped in systems and silos. MPS customers will need to implement more flexible, scalable, and data-driven ways to manage their print fleets.

In North America, there is a focus on cloud-based solutions that address the need for a wider range of services that encompass the larger document and business process environment, including a focus on workflows, document management and security. These advanced MPS engagements represent the largest MPS segment by revenue and are the only engagements that are expected to grow in coming years.

Organizations today need scalability and security built into every information management system – and that includes print.

Today, a managed print service ecosystem should feature:

• Zero Trust implementation and policy enforcement

• Micro-segmentation

• Custom automation

• Data classification

• End-to-end server to hardware encryption

• User authentication and auditing functionality

• Integration with cloud-based authentication

• Optional IT support for laptops, PCs and other services

• Extended Managed Services including content, document, security, and IT services as a complement to MPS programs

As a leader in managed print services, our deep commitment to innovation is evident across the entire MPS ecosystem. In addition to print management systems, we support workflow, information and records management, A/V solutions, and hybrid conferencing and collaboration, along with industry-leading security and compliance strategies.

Leveraging a comprehensive portfolio, we help support our customers’ meet the needs of their office environments through a range of products and software platforms, including applications like Streamline NX and CloudStream. Our methodology right-sizes solutions based on a consultative engagement that includes evaluating on-site, remote, mobile and hybrid workforces and delivering a consistent user interface.

And we can sell and support MPS in nearly 200 countries and territories worldwide. Global knowledge sharing in conjunction with customized solutions and nearly a century of experience delivers leading MPS solutions across industries and markets—yet it’s the spirit of innovation that brings ongoing value to each and every customer.