When was the last time you took stock of your print environment? Many companies do print audits only rarely, if at all. What if you knew that doing a thorough print assessment could save you as much as 3% of your total annual revenue? If you’re ready to get started, here’s what you need to do.
Look at your inventory
To get an overview of your print environment, take stock of all your print devices, including printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners and multifunction devices. You should note the manufacturer, make, model, and age of each device. It’s also beneficial to draw a map of the office, noting where each device is located. You’ll also want to determine the printer to employee ratio.
Understand your current costs
Printing costs can come from a variety of sources including:
- Device maintenance
- Service calls
- Supplies, including toner and paper
- Electricity
- Any outsourced print jobs
Clarifying these costs will help give you a broader picture of your monthly print expenditures. Be sure to include any print jobs you are outsourcing and note why, how often, and how much they cost.
Look at employee burden
How much time do your employees spend taking care of your printers? How often does it take away from their other responsibilities? For a clear picture of your overall print costs you’ll need to take into consideration how much time employees spend doing print-related tasks including:
- Supply orders and refills
- Managing printer inventory
- Troubleshooting printer problems
- Scheduling or performing maintenance
These numbers will show you how much burden your print environment puts on your employees.
Assess your goals
To understand if your print environment is working for you, take an honest look at your business goals, both current and future. What role does print play in the success of your business, and does your current printer fleet meet these needs?
Though this type of assessment may seem time consuming, it is a very valuable exercise that can identify key areas where you can make improvements to create a more efficient and less costly print environment. A Managed Print Services provider has the knowledge and tools to conduct a thorough print audit and interpret the results. With their expertise in printer management, they can create a strategic print plan for you that will help curb your costs and create a print environment to better serve your business.
