Excellent Discussion over on LinkedIn - "Just What is Managed Print Services?"

2/22/2009

The topic was posted by Michael O'Leary, Director- Document Outsourcing at Info Trends.

A sampling of the responses:

"...I hope I did make this point in my explanation--print management is a services-led sales strategy. You will sell equipment but frequently that revenue stream becomes a fulfillment of the print management engagement rather than the entry point..."

- Tom Callinan

"...One of the biggest problems I find in discussing MPS, or PM or any other name that is developed, is that no one is working from the same definition..."

- Shawn Robison

"...I don’t view print management or MPS as new; they are evolving, but what doesn’t? I sold “fleet management” agreements inside of facilities management (FM) agreements for the last 10+ years (A services-led sales approach). Admittedly, we didn’t look at the cost to print at the individual asset level other than trying to move prints to copier-based products or the production center (a mistake)..."

- Tom Callinan

"... in our definition Print Management is two components: Printing Management and Printer Management.

Printer Management is also mostly known out there as MPS. It has everything to do with the device; meter reads, supplies reporting, supplies fulfillment, break-fix information, and various alerts as to what is happening on the machine..." 

- John MacInnes, President & CEO Print Audit

"...one company I recently interviewed (one of the largest managed print services installations in Europe) had a very good perspective on this. They said (and I paraphrase a bit here): "Most vendors are approaching Managed Print Services as 'wrapping' services around hardware in order to sell more hardware."

"What we want, and where the market is moving to, is for a vendor to offer me all of the services required to manage my fleet and hardcopy strategy just like I manage any other IT technology. And oh, by the way, if they provide the hardware also, that's a bonus." 

- Ed Crowley, Industry Pundit - Managed Print Services

### Update ###

This great discussion is done brewing, having been removed from the group.  It was good while it lasted.


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2/22/09

Do You Sell? You Are a Capitalist, and that's OK.

A long time ago, a few Americans, at great risk to themselves and family, disguised themselves as Indians, and dumped tea into the Boston Harbor - over a 4% tax hike.

Today, the California state budget(for last year) was passed. My taxes are going up - a great deal more than 4%.

One radio personality said on-air last night, "...I know how to change this, but there is an 11 day waiting period in California..."

This is not good.

Since September, regular people, business owners, and employees alike - Capitalists - have been scared. Not scared of competition from overseas, or down the block. They are not scared of losing customers or enhancing their customer experience.

The Russians, or the Taliban, or even Bin Laden don't give these people pause.

Today, millions of us are afraid of our own government.

Worse, some, as they witness failure and bad choices being rewarded - "mortgage bailouts" - are starting to fear success.

I have seen the enemy, and the enemy is us.




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More Green - Canon Makes Calculators Out of Old Copiers - Huh?

“Although the cost of manufacturing products using recyclable products is higher than buying new raw materials off the shelf, we believe in doing something to preserve the environment,” says Canon Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd president and chief executive officer Liew Sip Chon.


"As the first office equipment manufacturer to implement a cartridge recycling program in 1990, Canon has long been committed to reducing our environmental impact," said Hendrik Verbrugghe, Marketing Manager, Canon Middle East.

"The launch of this calculator range is a small step towards a truly sustainable manufacturing program. Through continued improvements in resource efficiency, we hope to show that it is possible for all players in the industry to achieve a balance between environmental and business interests."