Why Your Law Firm Needs to Look at Managed Print Services Now
When your law firm’s printers jam or break, who gets called on to repair it? If you are a large enough firm to have an IT person on staff, the answer is obvious. But for those firms who cannot afford that luxury, or if the IT person on staff is on vacation or sick, how would your explanation of a broken printer causing a late filing hold up in court?
So do you look to Jerry down the hall who is good with printers? Or perhaps it is in the hands of the administrative assistant to make the repairs, or make the call. How many lawyers in your firm received their degree in IT and have the spare time to stay up to date on technology and printer repair?
The desire to have a job done properly by an expert is a strong motivation for many firms that decide to investigate Managed Print Services. According to the Gartner IT Glossary for a definition of MPS:
“Managed print services (MPS) are services offered by an external provider to optimize or manage a company’s document output. The main components provided are needs assessment, selective or general replacement of hardware, and the service, parts and supplies needed to operate the new and/or existing hardware (including existing third-party equipment if this is required by the customer). The provider also tracks how the printer, fax, copier and MFP fleet is being used, the problems, and the user’s satisfaction.”
For the small to mid-size law firm, lacking an internal IT department or printer maintenance personnel, Managed Print can be a dream come true. It allows a law firm to stop getting angry and stressing out about running out of ink when getting dangerously close to a filing deadline. It eliminates concern over having a broken printer or fax machine, as well as allowing the firm to control employee print costs.
More than 80% of the cost of printing occurs after you’ve actually purchased the printer. If you’re looking to cut your expenses, one of the first places lawyers should investigate is MPS. Not only does it provide greater efficiency of your staff by ensuring their time is spent on billable client time, it reduces costly help desk calls, automates supply ordering, and can possibly eliminate the need for multiple printers.
What to Expect from an MPS Provider
Below is what you should expect from a Managed Print Service provider:
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- All inclusive plan: everything is included except the paper (i.e. toner, maintenance kits, all parts, labor, etc)
- “Per page” billing, which means how much you pay per month will depend upon how much you print
- Preventative printer maintenance
- Automated print supply ordering and trouble notification
- Your printers are monitored remotely, catching problems early and resolve them more efficiently. Items to monitor include: the toner level of a printer, any errors that are generated, and page count.
- Detailed reports with information that gives you a better overview of your print operations, plus insights as to how you can further reduce your costs.
Managed Print Services and Technology in Today’s Law Firm
MPS can not only create better efficiencies in your law firm, but can be a significant cost savings for your budget. Learn more about technologies like MPS in our free eBook: Technology in Today’s Law Firm.
Learn more about the author Bob Martin