With so many organizations embracing digital workflows, it might seem like paper and printing are becoming obsolete. But the truth is, printing remains a vital part of daily operations for organizations of all sizes. From contracts and invoices to marketing materials and internal documents, the reliance on printing persists whether you’re a small company or a global enterprise. However, without a property strategy, this essential function can significantly hinder productivity and drain business resources, both financial and environmental. That’s where print management comes in! Let’s explore what print management is and why businesses of all sizes, not just the buy guys, should consider investing in a print management solution.
What is Print Management?
So, what exactly is print management? Simply put, it’s the proactive monitoring, management, and optimization of your entire printing infrastructure. It’s about gaining control over who prints what, when, and how, ultimately leading to greater efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced security. At its core, print management software helps organizations to:
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- Monitor and control their print usage
- Reduce printing costs
- Improve workflow efficiency
- Maintain security and compliance
- Support sustainability goals
Print Management Benefits for Every Business
Now, you might be thinking, “My business is small; do I really need to worry about print management?” The answer is a resounding yes! While the scale might be different, whether you’re a small business with a few printers or a larger enterprise with dozens of print devices across multiple locations, print management offers universal benefits to organizations of all sizes.
- Cost Savings
Uncontrolled printing can quietly eat into your bottom line. In fact, it’s estimated that companies can spend up to 3% of their annual revenue on printing-related expenses. Utilizing a print management solution can help organizations to reduce costs by:
- Eliminating unnecessary printing through rules-based printing
- Reducing waste by requiring user authentication at the device through print release
- Routing jobs automatically to the most cost-effective print device
- Implementing print policies such a defaulting the black and white printing
- Tracking expenses by department, project, or user for accountability
By implementing basic print management policies and practices, organizations can see savings of 20-30% on average.
Additionally, industries like Education and Legal can benefit from features like job tracking to be able to charge back printing to students and clients.
- Enhanced Security
Whether you’re an organization that needs to remain compliant with regulators, or you just want to enhance document security throughout your organization, a print management solution can help. With sensitive and/or confidential information passing through printers on a daily basis, print management can help through features like:
- Secure print release (documents print only when the user is physically present at the printer)
- Comprehensive audit trails of who printed what and when
- Integration with existing network security protocols
- Watermarking and other document security features
- Regulatory compliance support for industries like healthcare (HIPAA) or finance (SOX)
- Environmental Impact
Printing smarter also means printing greener! When organizations implement a print management solution, they can reduce their environmental impact by:
- Reducing paper consumption through implementing print policies such as duplex (double-sided) printing
- Minimizing wasteful printing through print release
- Providing reports on environmental impact reductions
Every sheet saved, every unnecessary print job avoided, makes a difference, whether you’re a small company or a large enterprise!
- Improved Productivity
Utilizing a print management solution helps to streamline printing workflows with features like centralized monitoring, proactive maintenance alerts, and user-friendly interfaces that minimize downtime and ensure smooth operation. This allows employees to focus on their core responsibilities rather than wrestling with printing issues, boosting overall productivity regardless of company size.
- Scalability and Flexibility
Whether your organization has one printer, one hundred printers, or even one thousand printers, print management scales with you. For a small business, a basic solution might involve implementing print quotas and enabling default print policies like duplex and black and white printing. As your business grows, so will your print needs and more advanced features like secure release and detailed reporting can be added as you add locations, staff, or additional print devices. Organizations with more complex print needs can leverage more sophisticated print management solutions with features like mobile printing, advanced cost accounting, and integration with existing IT infrastructure and business systems.
Getting Started Doesn’t Have to Be Overwhelming!
Investing in a print management solution is not just about saving money; it’s about creating a more efficient, secure, and sustainable work environment. While it might seem like getting started is a daunting task, it really isn’t! There are various print management software solutions available to meet the diverse needs and budgets of organizations of all sizes, whether you have five employees or five thousand.
So, take the first step today by contacting the team at Parmetech and before you know it, you’ll be reaping the many benefits print management has to offer! We can help you assess your current print environment and recommend the best solution to fit your needs. You can give us a call at (800) 727-6387, email us at info@parmetech.com, or by contacting us through our website form.
