CLOUD-BASED PRINT MANAGEMENT
Aiming for the clouds Most businesses now expect to use cloud-based print management in the future, as IT continues to change structure away from physical servers, but for many businesses it is a journey they are still on.
the need for physical print servers – and thereby saving energy costs, freeing up office space and reducing environmental impact – is cited by 80% of organisations, according to Quocirca. Reducing costs But as James Stacey, solution consultant at ECI Software Solutions, notes, while there are many benefits to cloud-based technology, the significant cost savings these solutions can generate is a big driver for many businesses currently. “This has never been more important given the immense financial pressure many businesses are currently facing,” he says. “The introduction of cloud-based technology should be a key aspect of any cost reduction strategy and this is always something that we highlight to dealers. By automating day-to-day processes and reducing the amount of time employees spend on administrative tasks and data input, resources can be freed up and focused toward more value add activity. These solutions can reduce errors or oversights, as well as working around the clock for your business. “Similarly, through the implementation of cloud-based solutions, teams can access core applications from home, without needing to
Momentum in the cloud print sector continues to grow post-pandemic as many businesses are continuing to migrate their business functions away from physical applications and into the cloud as part of their ongoing digitalisation. The growth in home and hybrid working over the past two years, which is now becoming the norm for a significant number of employees, has also helped to fuel this momentum in cloud-based print management, and it seems set to continue to grow in the coming years. Currently, 43% of businesses have implemented a cloud print management platform, with another 37% planning to do so within the next two years, research from Quocirca, published earlier this year, found. However, Quocirca’s research found that businesses with a fully outsourced managed print service (MPS) were less likely than those using a hybrid MPS approach to have switched to a cloud-based print environment. Indeed, 52% of fully outsourced MPS customers are still operating their print environment fully on premise, compared to only 31% of those that manage the print infrastructure in-house. There are many reasons for businesses migrating to the cloud but reducing or eliminating
James Stacey, solution consultant at ECI Software Solutions
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