Managed print services have become a true essential for modern businesses. The days of a single printer with a queue of employees waiting to use it are over. Today, most offices have a network of printers, often connected to a wider network encompassing multiple business systems.
Without proper management, these networks can create security vulnerabilities while the mismanagement of printing hardware can lead to expensive faults. Read on to discover why so many San Francisco businesses are turning to local, trusted managed print services providers.
Why Managing Your Own Printing Services Is Challenging?
The position of some businesses, particularly smaller outfits or startups, is that it’s easy to manage printers. Why pay for someone else to do it? Unfortunately, establishing a functional printer network for a business isn’t as easy as setting up a home printer. There are a number of considerations, such as:
- What type of ink is most cost-effective?
- Is there a way to auto-order peripherals like paper and toner/ink?
- Are wired or wireless printers better?
- Can employees connect their personal devices to the printer network?
- Who will manage the maintenance of printers?
- How expensive will printers be to replace when they break down?
Printers represent a huge financial commitment, not just for the cost of the hardware, but the ongoing peripherals and maintenance. Unless your firm employs a qualified printer engineer, you’ll have to invest in manufacturer-approved technicians to avoid invalidating any warranty. Plus, when printers break down, they can represent a sudden, major cost that may strain business budgets.
What Do Businesses Gain From a Managed Print Services Provider?
Managed print services can take over many of the above responsibilities, helping businesses manage their time and budgets more effectively. Here are just a few of the key benefits.
Reduced Costs for Printing Equipment
Many managed print service providers work with suppliers to negotiate lower costs, often because they buy hardware in bulk or regularly. These savings may get passed onto the client, helping businesses reduce their overall costs. The same applies to paper and toner/ink — sourcing it from a specialist is often more cost-effective than buying from retailers.
Regular Maintenance or New Equipment Upgrades
Prevention is better than cure, and that certainly applies in the world of office technology. Regular maintenance can prevent costly repairs or replacements. That’s why it’s often offered by managed print services specialists. Providers will ensure that qualified technicians run regular checks to keep printers in peak condition.
Supplies as Needed
Managed service providers can also set up regular schedules for toner or ink, paper, and any other printing supplies as required. Some printers will alert users when they’re running low on ink or paper. Service providers may set up their systems so that they receive those alerts. Or, they may use analytics to understand a business’s needs and ensure paper and ink/toner are delivered well ahead of any shortages.
Printer Hardware and Software that Meets Business Requirements
The primary reason most businesses source trusted managed print services providers is that they can create printer solutions that are bespoke to that business. Your business is unique, and your printer setup should be too. There’s rarely a “one-size-fits-all” solution, and the right provider will understand that. Printer solutions should also be scalable and ready to grow with your business. As you expand, the right service provider can offer additional equipment or a higher level of support.
Managed Print Services Increases Company Security
Another critical benefit of managed print services is how they can bolster the overall cyber security posture of a company. Cybersecurity, or preventing attacks on a company’s internet-connected assets, is a primary concern for San Francisco businesses. In 2023, California reported the highest financial losses caused by internet-based crime in the United States — over $2 billion, in total. Ensuring printer networks are secure can help reduce the risk of cyberattacks and help protect data across an entire organization.
Printers are often overlooked as potential security vulnerabilities. However, because they’re connected to a company’s network, they represent a point of access that criminals can exploit. Printers must have a high level of security to prevent threat actors from using them to access reams of sensitive business data.
For example, if an HR team is printing employee records, a malicious actor only has to hack a single network-connected printer to steal hundreds of people’s personal information. The data is held in the printer for some time even after the printing job is complete. More complex attacks could utilize the network connection as a back door into other systems for more devastating attacks, such as ransomware. Attacks of this type can cause companies to grind to a halt and lead to significant reputational damage as well as financial repercussions.
Top Methods to Increase Printer Network Security
Thankfully, there are numerous ways to make network-connected printers more secure. Here are just a few methods savvy businesses can use to increase the cybersecurity posture of their printer networks:
- Ensure employees are “cybersecurity aware” — invest in training and point them in the direction of relevant informational services. For example, in 2022 the FBI ran an in-depth campaign on cybersecurity risks specifically for San Francisco Bay Area companies.
- Create access control protocols — ensure only trained and authorized employees are able to access printer networks and sensitive data. Revoke access to ex-employees as part of your leavers’ process.
- Ensure printers receive regular firmware updates — these may contain specific security upgrades.
- Invest in firewalls and other cybersecurity software — your IT service provider can advise you on the right choices for your organization.
- Work with a local, trusted managed print services provider who understands the challenges and opportunities associated with running a business in San Francisco.
The benefits of managed print services can’t be overstated. If your San Francisco business needs more efficient, cost-effective, and secure printer networks and solutions, contact Golden Gate Office Solutions. We’ve provided high-quality business technology solutions across the San Francisco Bay Area since 1983, and pride ourselves on exceptional service. Let us find you the right support to keep your business running.
