The previous Industry Insight in this series dealt with output assessment considerations and the best way to streamline the design process. In this final contribution, I'll cover the implementation of a managed print service (MPS) strategy and how to effectively manage it for long-term success.
Bringing the office output environment under control is not a simple task; to be effective, change management requires that the MPS team be skilled at transitioning office environments while maintaining continuity during rollout across the organisation. This is especially critical for organisations with more than one location.
As the implementation progresses, users will be moving to a new environment with fewer, better utilised devices. It is essential that the service provider maintain high levels of support and availability to cushion the transition. Without it, and a clear focus on end-user requirements during the transition, the project can't achieve full success. The team adopts a disciplined, recognised approach to change management (Six Sigma, for example), proven to deliver robust, measurable improvements in business performance and obviates fuzzy or intangible goals.
Big task
Changing core business infrastructure or process typically is a major, multi-phased project. In the office print/copy environment, this generally means retention of older, multi-vendor equipment for as long as it meets efficiency and cost requirements. This minimises end-user disruption and reduces the up-front capital investment, speeding financial return.
As a part of this phased migration, the service provider should be responsible for tracking assets centrally and transparently managing all install-move-add-change-dispose (IMACD) activities and print-related helpdesk services. This way, transition activity stays on track without adding to the in-house team's workload.
Benefits of an MPS transition occur in two areas:
* The obvious results of transitioning the whole organisation to an optimised print/copy environment; and
* The less obvious, ongoing improvements that occur as understanding of fleet utilisation grows and new efficiency potentials come to light.
To reach the former, a disciplined approach to three key service management processes must be followed. This should be directly supported by the suppliers' MPS tools, employees and infrastructure.
Asset management is the process of maintaining a single database of every aspect of an organisation's managed devices. This database includes information on device type, capability, cost, location, users, contracts, metres and performance.
Incident management ensures that when an organisation has a requirement, the partner knows exactly what it is and how to fulfil the requirement and report on its performance.
Bringing the office output environment under control is not a simple task.
Rabin Ram is MD of the Xerox division at Bytes Document Solutions.
The MPS provider selected should have the tools, software capability, central support and management necessary to deliver an ongoing and systematic, scalable solution throughout the entire organisation. This means managing not just the devices, but also meeting required service levels, including those for consumables replenishment, break-fix services and helpdesk support in the languages required.
The provider must supply a single, consolidated invoice for every location/group, one that includes detailed management reporting. It should regularly report opportunities for additional streamlining and cost savings, encompassing changes in the output environment as business requirements change, and make ongoing improvements as specified by employees to help their work processes.
Importance of data
Core metrics are more than numbers on a chart.
They are targets for incremental improvements based on the ongoing collection of actual data on a daily basis. This includes financial data, volume data and the voice of the customer: the level of satisfaction of end-users.
The assessment that provided the TCO baseline will also provide the roadmap for establishing critical metrics for continual fleet optimisation. In the majority of cases, we've found that the ongoing monitoring, management, analysis and optimisation of the output device fleet usually deliver significant, often unexpected, savings.
An effective document infrastructure can deliver significant cost savings, increased productivity and other competitive advantages:
* Right-sizing the document infrastructure delivers cost savings and efficiency.
* Compliance with regulatory standards and infrastructure security protects corporate information, reduces risk associated with unwanted intruders and avoids costs of non-compliance.
* Pre-emptive organisational support ensures availability at time of need and reduces time wastage.
* Business process integration and workflow analysis improve operational efficiencies.
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