Managed print Services and Managed Services

Originally post, 9/2013

Too consider one better than the other is to miss the point completely.

Reminiscent of the way some consider MpS and copier service agreements as separate, it seems most regard managed (IT) services and managed print services as two, unique arguments.

Along the same line, this leads me to ponder:

Why isn't Big Data, simply Data?
When will virtual reality, become reality?

Why is social media not simply media?
Why isn't Cloud computing, just computing and mobil print, simply...print?

Smartphone or phone? Hardcopy or copy?  Things that make you go, "hmmmm".

If you think about it, all of our offerings are silo'd in some manner.

Monitoring software like PrintFleet is separated from monitoring software from Preton which is separated from N-Able.  Copiers are separated from printers.  IT services are separated from business services.  BPO is different than BPM - "basic" MpS is apart from "advanced" MpS....on and on.

But here is the challenge: Do our prospects and clients think like this?

Today, in the field, Jennifer and I run into these degrees of separation at nearly every turn and we can tell you this: customers don't want to be in the middle of our separation anxieties.

Some of your prospects are telling us they do not understand why their MSP doesn't monitor printers. Indeed, more than a few MSPs won't allow a DCA installation, on 'their network'.  What the heck is THAT ? You DO NOT monitor printers and will "not allow" any 'data collection' software on your clients' network?   Time to get a new managed services provider.

It's the old story - clients want one throat to choke (I dislike that phrase). They want one invoice and even more, they want one person to talk with regarding their business challenges and answers technology may provide.  

They don't care about your quota, the logo on your 'thing', your month end, volume discounts or how many years you've been in the business.  You know this.

So, do you have one invoice for both copier and printer usage?  Are you calling all this "MPS"?

Great.  But when are you going to start referring to your entire offering as "Managed Services" instead of managed print...manage network...or managed IT services?

It's all the same to the ones who really count - your clients.

Hmmmm...?