Last week, we discussed the potential benefits to be earned from implementing a print strategy in your business, including lowering your overall costs, managing print output, better environmental outcomes, and less burden on your IT staff. These benefits are often what attracts companies to developing a print strategy. If these advantages are appealing to you, it's time to get serious about implementing a print strategy in your business.
We can help you develop and implement a detailed print strategy in your company. Here's an overview of what an effective print strategy will entail.
1. Start by Understanding Workflow
Understanding your document workflow is the first step to establishing a print strategy. Ultimately, copier and print fleets are there to serve the end user and facilitate their workflow. Without examining the user's document workflow, you cannot develop an effective print strategy. This takes an analyst who understands document processes.
It is unfair to expect your IT department to perform this task. The document workflow in your company should not be anywhere near the top of IT's priority list, or a part of their general expertise. It is extremely important, but it is not an effective use of your IT department's time. You need an expert that works with document workflow everyday.
2. Collecting Data
Your analyst will need to collect data on the volume of output from your current environment as well as a host of other details. Many times we find when collecting this data, certain devices are underutilized or overworked. Some have pieces of finishing equipment that are no longer needed. We see cases everyday in which the users were not even aware a machine had a certain capability!
3. Reviewing the Findings
Once the data collection and workflow processes have been completed, the analyst will review those findings with your team. This is a deep dive discussion when your team and the analyst team determine the major pain points and begin to discuss options to address them.
I should stress that uncovering problems in your print environment is not a sign of negligence or mismanagement from your IT department. These issues are TYPICAL. We see print fleet issues every single day. Problems are not unique to you or your team. IT departments should be focused on managing your vital systems, infrastructure, and security environment. Printer management is not an effective use of their time.
4. Optimize
If it is determined that you would like to move forward with completing the cycle and developing a full Print Strategy, the analyst will then produce a recommended path forward. This can include new hardware, integrated software solutions, or even simple changes in your document workflow to make your team more efficient.
Most of the time and effort for this process is on our analyst team. The time commitment required from your team is actually very minimal. If a Print Strategy is something you feel would benefit your team, sign up for a Business Technology Assessment informational call.