CLOUD-BASED PRINT MANAGEMENT
physically go into the office. This has allowed many to either scale back their office space to reduce costs, as well as driving operational efficiencies and most likely, increasing staff retention levels.” James adds that many companies are implementing print management systems to help reduce waste and the costs associated with printer and copier usage. “Intelligent print management systems, such as ECI’s e-automate, can allow businesses to enforce duplex rules for multi-page documents, significantly reducing paper and ink cartridge usage,” he explains. “These systems can detect detailed job attributes and then, based on the desired job handling of the organisation, send jobs to more eco-friendly devices, as well as enforcing monochrome or duplex printing. Additionally, the software can hold jobs at the printer until the user is there and requests for them to be released. This prevents the mounds of unclaimed documents that sit in the output tray at the end of the day. “ECI’s e-automate also allows teams to access their devices from any location, at any time. Should an employee need to access the network of office printers from home, for example, they can simply log- in via a secure connection. Rules and policies can be created to ensure spending is tracked, allowing businesses to more effectively manage costs. Similarly, paper consumption can be monitored and overall electricity consumption is reduced.” James adds that it is important for dealers to be part of the journey for customers to using cloud technology and be an adviser to them. “Implementing new software is always daunting, no matter where a business is on its digitisation journey,” he says. “With SMEs often facing a number of unique challenges, it’s important for dealers to really understand customers’ aims and objectives from the outset, engaging throughout to ensure the new technology is meeting their needs.” MPS sector The move to more cloud-based solutions, along with the transition into a hybrid world has had an evolutionary effect on the MPS sector, creating huge opportunities for digital services and new workforce solutions, says Neil Macdonald, head of channel UK & Ireland, HP Inc. “Clients are now not only looking into the right device for the right location, but additionally want to ensure they have the right service. “Many businesses saw immediate benefits from
switching over to flexible, cloud-based solutions like HP Managed Print Cloud Services or HP Managed Print Flex, which are both cloud-first and easy-to-scale solutions designed for customers with hybrid workforces. Cloud-based solutions have proved themselves to be a great way for businesses to save time and money; HP Managed Print Flex automatically adjusts pricing month to month based on customers’ actual print volumes, ensuring they always receive the lowest cost option and gives access to the HP Roam mobile print network which allows workers to print from almost anywhere. “These solutions boost productivity by making it easier for their teams to organise and deliver documents, centralising fleet management and automating print security – saving time, cutting costs, and improving the user experience.” Further opportunities Neil sees no sign of the demand for cloud and digital solutions abating in the coming years – and this will present further opportunities for manufacturers and dealers. “People are finding that digital technologies suit their needs in a hybrid world better than expected, and so a preference for digital-first interactions is likely to dominate in the years to come,” he says. “While services have long been a part of our strategy, the opportunity today is fundamentally different than it was before the pandemic – the market is bigger, growth is accelerating, and the role we can play is greater than ever before. For example, the vast majority of global IT leaders expect to heavily invest in security software this year in anticipation of the continuation of hybrid work. “For channel partners, this means that products offering seamless built-in protection, like HP’s Wolf Security, will increasingly become a market expectation to ensure always-on defence for remote work environments.”
Neil MacDonald, head of channel UK & Ireland, HP Inc.
People are finding that digital technologies suit their needs in a hybrid world better than expected. “ ”
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