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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Managed Print Services: The Numbers of Impact

I really don't want to and Xerox sure as heck doesn't need me to promote them, but this little video is just about palatable.

100% acceptable and completley adequate.

The numbers are right on and illuminating, and there really isn't any advertising until the very end.

Check it out



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2 comments:

  1. Lots of nice sounding statistics. But give me a break on the statistic that an average office worker spends 10 weeks every year on unnecessary print jobs.

    Show me proof.

    If you say that they spend 400 hours per year READING stuff on paper rather than off their screen OK. But you are not going to save your customer 400 hours by not printing it, you are saving them click charges. Based on the average hours in a "work year" being 2080 hours, what is being implied is that an employer can lay off 20% of their work force by adopting a managed print services system.

    This reminds me of the statistic that I've heard foisted repeatedly on customers that 40% of help desk calls are print related. The implication is that your MPS program will reduce the customers IT help desk calls by 40%. Will your MPS system field calls for users who can't get Publisher to mail merge a postcard correctly? Or if the wrong print driver on the server causes problems? Or maybe the user calls because they can't clear a paper jam. Does your MPS plan cover all help desk print issues or just toner delivery and maintenance? I which case you are leaving the customer with 35% of their 40% of print related help desk calls.

    Why is an entire industry participating in the "30% catastrophe? MPS is a sales related thrust, based on the fact that you cannot sell new boxes. You have to sell or starve, so you make up justifications to take annutiy stream away from Lexmark, HP. et al. This is a time honored business model. But don't fool yourself into thinking that this is an altruistic endeavor to save the customer money. This is entirely focused on making you money. It's not nearly as win-win as you portray. Its 75% smoke and mirrors and you don't want to know the details, because then you would know you are at best misleading your customers to get a sale.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ok - Anon,

    First off, you have great points - good enough to stand behind with a name. And yeah, that 10 weeks thing...may be a little dubious.

    And you get right behind the issue of MPS - Defined.

    I know of plenty of MPS programs that could handle ALL of your questions.

    You make a great observation, yet may be missing the point: "MPS" being bantered about as a "sales related thrust" is not MPS.

    I repeat - MPS is not a 'SALES MOTION' although there is a MPS selling motion.

    Drivers questions falling under a MPS? Yes.

    Printer and printing related Helpdesk calls handled by MPS? Yes.

    The ability to remotely manage drivers, set-up, diagnosis, and facilitate repairs, on-line? Yes.

    "...just toner delivery and maintenance..." as you correctly observe, is NOT MPS.

    But that doesn't mean toner and delivery is not PART of MPS.

    MPS is not a sell of starve alternative - if it is for you, you will die.

    The first stages of MPS effect instant savings; but this is becuase copier ilk over the past 2 decades have abused their customers with this "time honored business model".

    Here's the deal:

    I do it every day.

    I save customers money AND I make money doing it.

    I reduce the number of machines in field.

    I reduce the number of prints they generate.

    I reduce the number of printer support calls the help desk receives - if not eliminate completely.

    I reduce the number of PO's they issue and invoices they process.

    My MPS Engagements preemptively service - saving clients time and headache.

    When they save 20%, they can keep the same number of FTE's. Or lay people off.

    I have issue with the 30% Catastrophe too.

    Tom alludes to a belief that we on the inside of the industry can control the death of all those copiers - we can't.

    Finally, your statement, "...But don't fool yourself into thinking that this is an altruistic endeavor to save the customer money. This is entirely focused on making you money. It's not nearly as win-win as you portray. Its 75% smoke and mirrors and you don't want to know the details, because then you would know you are at best misleading your customers to get a sale..."

    If this is true about some MPS Practices, they will fail.

    Period, without doubt.

    I can only speak for me, there is no smoke and mirrors, only math.

    Great Comment!

    Keep coming back, and next time, post with your name.

    ReplyDelete

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