Print supplies, maintenance, and other costs are often essential expenses. As a result, many organizations simply bite the bullet and pay the costs without considering the alternatives. Print budgets grow with the organization and department heads begrudgingly write larger and larger checks to pay for these expenses.
What if there was a better way to look at printing within an organization? What if there was a method of approaching printing that could reduce costs and improve efficiency? That is the entire concept behind managed print services and, best of all; it’s not some pie-in-the-sky solution but actually something that organizations of all sizes are implementing right now. With 50% of office waste consisting of paper, looking closely at printing processes is a great place to start for organizations that want to reduce their environmental footprint and save money on their budget as well.
The City of Hazelwood asked how their printing expenses could be brought under control and discovered many managed print services benefits within their own operations. In this article, we will look closely at how managed print services for local government can make a huge difference on the budget and in the day-to-day operations. The City was happy to share their success story in a compelling video testimonial.
How Did It All Begin?
Like many local governments, the City of Hazelwood, MO was looking at their budget and assessing if taxpayer dollars were being spent in the best way possible. Glen Robinson, IS Manager with the City of Hazelwood, noticed significant spending on print-related supplies and maintenance.
In addition, Glen felt that their systems were not operating at peak efficiency and could be costing the city valuable time and money. To help discover potential improvements, CDS Office Technologies was brought in to complete a managed print assessment.
During a managed print assessment, every aspect of printing within an organization is considered. Simple changes like placement of printers may be recommended while more detailed solutions like changes or improvements to workflow processes could also be implemented. Every unique organization will have different needs and challenges which is why a managed print assessment is an essential first step when looking to reduce printing costs and improve efficiency.
How Much Money Was Saved?
After the managed print services were implemented, the City of Hazelwood immediately began to notice savings on toner and printer maintenance. The budget line for toner was slashed by $12,000 per year and the cost for printer maintenance was reduced by $6,000 per year. You read that right. The City of Hazelwood immediately saw improvements from managed print services that allowed them to save $18,000 per year.
That is money that can now be redirected into other services or departments that could have a direct benefit on the quality of life for the residents of Hazelwood. Above the monetary savings, residents and employees can also feel good that city staff has been able to become more efficient and reduce waste which is important as people become more aware of green initiatives and the environment.
What Other Improvements Are Offered by Print Managed Plus Services?
Of course, improvements aren’t always measured in dollars and cents. Seeing the budget line decrease for printing-related costs is nice, but how does the entire organization benefit beyond the balance sheet?
One of the big advantages of choosing managed print services for local government is the time savings. Using managed print services, the City of Hazelwood was effectively able to reduce the amount of time they dedicate to monitoring and maintaining their printer network.
After Print Managed Plus services were implemented, day-to-day tasks were simplified. Easy online ordering of print supplies, free replacement of defective toner cartridges and printers, streamlined monthly billing, and other improvements were all implemented to help reduce the amount of time and effort people like Glen have to spend on maintaining printing infrastructure. As he puts it himself, the city was “getting more and more out of less and less.”
For Glen personally, that meant less time dedicated to maintaining and monitoring the city’s print network and more time to work on other projects, effectively creating more value for his employer beyond just the numbers on the budget.
See the Benefits of a Managed Print Assessment Today
Whether it’s managed print services for local government or services for small and medium-sized businesses, the first step involves a thorough managed print assessment. At CDS Office Technologies, we work directly with your organization to find and recommend changes that can drastically improve your printing infrastructure.
Want to see savings like the City of Hazelwood discovered within your own organization? Contact us at CDS Office Technologies today!
