By Sherman Parker, vice president and general manager, Public Sector, Xerox
Spring is a good time for taking a fresh look at things – cleaning up the yard, the house, your desk – to make life and work a little more simple. State and local governments too are looking at every part of their infrastructure in an effort to make work more efficient and serve the public in faster, more efficient ways. Believe it or not, the print infrastructure is still one place most haven’t looked – and it remains a huge opportunity for cost savings.
Managed Print Services (MPS) is a way for government entities to keep it simple this spring and maximize cost savings without a major investment. For example, the city of Aurora expects to save up to 35 percent of print costs by centralizing the management of output devices, like printers, copiers and fax machines and eliminating unused or outdated devices.
The right MPS partner can help make “spring cleaning” in the form of MPS seem less daunting. Here are a few things to consider when selecting a provider:
- Consider contracting options like The Cooperative Purchasing Network (TCPN), a national group purchasing organization that recently awarded Xerox the MPS contract for U.S. state and local government agencies to help control operating expenses and increase productivity.
- Review industry research reports and customer success stories of vendors. A crowded MPS market means service and delivery can vary significantly across vendors.
- Clarify upfront that your MPS vendor will maximize existing technology investments, including multi-vendor devices and mobile technologies. Using a vendor partner who will sell you what you actually need, even if it means supporting competitive products, will ensure you achieve the best results.
- Confirm that change management support will be provided in the long term to help employees successfully adapt to the new technology and streamlined work processes.
- Challenge your MPS vendor to continuously suggest innovative ideas to help you grow and improve your business.
Beyond the fact that MPS is a valid spring cleaning approach for governments (and a new way to save money, paper, supplies and energy) – it’s important to know that it’s not just about changing technology or devices. The data and analysis governments can get from a good MPS partner can go a long way in simplifying the way information flows through the organization, ultimately improving what matters most: public service and satisfaction.
