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opinion
26 Print.IT Reseller
Print’s not dead
Contrary to popular opinion, print
isn’t dying. A recent study by
technology research house Quocirca
showed that amongst 150 European
SMBs, 56 per cent view printing
as critical or very important in
supporting business activities. Many
of the organisations questioned
in the survey reported a growth in
colour print volumes which translates
into a higher spend on consumables.
Whilst print isn’t about to make a
disappearing act from the working
environment it is clear that managers
are looking to reduce print related
costs and gain control of usage.
Isn’t this what MPS set out to achieve
some years back? Yet MPS today remains
the preserve of mid-market enterprises. And
whilst some mature print resellers have
successfully transitioned their business
models and embraced MPS, many have yet
to tread these waters.
For MPS to deliver on its full potential, I
am of the firm opinion it must find popular
acceptance in the SMB market. Of the
five million businesses in the UK, some
99 per cent employ less than 250 people.
It’s a huge market and one that must be
carefully segmented and targeted with a
relevant MPS proposition. MPS can deliver
rich dividends to suppliers in the form of
lucrative recurring service revenues. It’s also
a powerful differentiator in a crowded and
highly commoditised space.
So how can resellers increase their MPS
revenues? In my opinion, the first step
is to help businesses simplify their entire
print infrastructure and extract maximum
value from their investment. A solution that
enables businesses to procure, maintain
and upgrade their print hardware with one
provider helps to eradicate bureaucracy,
waste and downtime. Over time, as the
relationship develops, the customer can be
furnished with timely device usage data
that show departmental print activity. Such
information can be used to determine
future deployment plans, manage budgetary
control and operate effective cross-charging
policies. In a relatively short transition
period, the customer can benefit from an
optimised and modern print infrastructure –
one that’s wholly serviced and maintained
by a trusted partner.
Of the five
million
businesses
in the UK,
some 99%
employ less
than 250
people
By Chris Cowell, Sales
Director for the Office
Equipment division at
BNP Paribas Leasing
Solutions
Chris Cowell, Sales Director. Office
Equipment, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions
Chris can be contacted at
chris.cowell@uk.bnpparibas.com
We manage print
At BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, we have
recently launched ‘We Manage Print’. Billed
as the complete print finance solution, this
product effectively enables a print supplier
to offer the above benefits to organisations.
Aside from offering an all-inclusive cost-
per-print on new devices, it also features an
innovative ability to collate service provision
for all customer-owned print equipment
under one contract.
It’s a great way to grow service revenues,
increase customer footprint and develop a
deeper understanding of the print appetite
across the organisation. Another selling
point is that whilst BNP Paribas Leasing
Solutions retains control of collecting
contracted billings, excess service fees are
collected by the reseller. This arrangement
benefits both parties as it keeps the supplier
in regular contact with the customer for
enhanced service delivery and supports a
proactive asset management strategy.
In a cost sensitive climate where
businesses must squeeze every ounce of
value from every investment penny available,
‘We Manage Print’ offers transparency and
is an effective way for companies of all
sizes to exert tight control over their print
expenditure.
It’s also a credible solution for print
resellers looking to transition to an MPS
business model. A proposition that rests on
being able to deliver print hardware and
service provision for the customer’s entire
print fleet is a sure way to increase customer
lifetime value and grow profitable service
revenue.