REVIEW OF 2022
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Chris Bates , business unit manager, print and supplies, UK and Ireland, TD SYNNEX In 2022, the major trend has been the growth in managed print. That’s being driven both by more customers asking for a managed service and partners promoting it and taking it to market.
While everyone has to be aware of the impact of inflation, we are confident that businesses will continue to invest in the best, most energy- and cost-efficient print solutions and that those partners who take a positive and creative approach will continue to grow.
We’ve seen strong uptake of our OpenMPS service and with the recent addition of on-site warranty cover with full monitoring of devices, we’re expecting to see more activity in this area in 2023. When combined with the existing installation and configuration services we offer, it gives partners a complete end to end service proposition they can take to their customers. Another major trend in 2022 – and we foresee this continuing in 2023 – is rising interest in printers with refillable ink tanks. They are more sustainable, cost less to run, and they are ideal for hybrid working as it means there is no need to constantly replenish supplies.
Chris Bates business unit manager, print and supplies, UK
and Ireland TD SYNNEX
uk.tdsynnex.com
Jonathan Rogerson , commercial solution consultant, ECI Software Solutions
While there’s no denying that 2022 has continued to challenge businesses across a range of sectors, the MPS and office product supplies industries have, largely, had a more positive year. We’ve certainly seen print volumes recovering to pre-pandemic levels throughout the year, with our customers seeking to implement solutions designed to better manage hybrid teams. Overall, it’s certainly not been plain sailing for any business, but the outlook is certainly more
as the industry looks to overcome the challenges faced by a global economic downturn and the energy crisis. Looking specifically at office technology and MPS, the demand for home worker printers is steadily growing and this has had an impact on trading. In fact, a survey of UK and US-based workers showed that 63% of people were printing more at home than they were a year ago, however only 14% of small businesses provided employees with a printer to support home working. These stats indicate that there’s a gap in the market and clear demand for specialist software that can help businesses navigate hybrid working environments. The same research found that 43% of home workers who don’t currently have a toner subscription service in place would be interested in having one, while 54% of respondents said that the device they use at home is not recommended or approved by their employer. Through the deployment of specialist technology, dealers can adapt their MPS agreements and leverage the toner subscription models currently offered by some manufacturers, while also adding a wrap-around next-day exchange service, should a home printer develop a fault or problem. We are confident about 2023. The team at ECI is committed to innovation and we want to ensure we continue to provide customers with the technology and solutions that they need to thrive.
positive than it was this time last year. The two major trends we’ve seen are
diversification and an increased focus on cost- saving initiatives. While businesses are no longer operating under COVID-19 restrictions, the energy cost crisis and skyrocketing operating costs are very real threats. The introduction of cloud-based business management technology should be a key feature of any cost reduction strategy and we are certainly seeing more SME businesses exploring this option. 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. Similarly, we’re seeing many companies implementing print management systems to help reduce waste and the costs associated with printer and copier usage. Diversification is likely to continue well into 2023,
Jonathan Rogerson commercial solution consultant ECI Software Solutions
ecisolutions.com
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