Print.IT Reseller
eseller
.co.uk
25
mps
PITR:
As economic recovery takes
hold and business activity increases,
do you expect the focus on the cost
of print, which has driven so much
MPS marketing, to diminish?
LF:
Cost is always going to be a key driver
for MPS, particularly with the majority
of businesses still struggling to manage
device fleets that may be outdated and
inefficient. However, as businesses start to
gain control of their print infrastructure,
they will be looking for further cost
savings beyond those achieved with device
consolidation. Moving from a hardware-
centric to a process-centric MPS model will
be key. The use of solutions, such as print
management for rules-based printing and
document workflow, can not only reduce
costs by minimising wasteful printing
and paper bottlenecks, but also lower
environmental impact, enhance security
and improve productivity.
PITR:
Do you think printing and
the advanced aspects of MPS, such
as business process improvement,
are natural bedfellows or should
they be tackled and delivered
completely separately?
LF:
There is certainly a natural fit, as many
paper-based processes can be automated
through better utilisation of MFPs. Often
businesses do not fully leverage the
document capture and routing capabilities
of these devices. MPS can provide an
effective platform for integrating paper and
digital workflow. MPS is definitely a think
big, start small approach and business
workflow improvements cannot be
implemented until the print infrastructure
is under control.
PITR:
What aspects of delivering
MPS pose the greatest difficulties
for the channel?
LF:
The shift to MPS is far from
straightforward and the channel is
challenged with maintaining business
through a transactional model while
building up an MPS offering. The
challenges vary depending on the maturity
of the reseller: for those with no experience
the key challenge is to develop the
infrastructure that enables them to create
proposals, determine pricing and automate
supplies delivery. According to our
research, the top challenges for delivering
MPS are creating service definitions and
determining pricing.
PITR:
Are OEMs doing enough to
help their resellers overcome these
difficulties?
LF:
OEMs could certainly be doing more,
particularly around training and financial
support. Some vendors have made more
progress, having scaled their enterprise
MPS offerings for their channel partners.
This is a critical time for the market, which
requires a simple and flexible offering that
minimises the effort and investment to on-
board a reseller into an MPS programme.
What is particularly key is the ability to
manage a multivendor fleet – particularly
for the IT channel – and it is this capability
that will set apart the leaders of channel-
led MPS offerings in the market.
PITR:
Are the interests of OEMs and
channel partners aligned or does
MPS create conflict?
LF:
The channel is absolutely vital to the
adoption of MPS amongst the SMB and
midmarket and in this market both OEMs
and their channel need to be aligned on
the need to expand their penetration in
order to gain recurring revenue streams.
PITR:
How do you expect MPS to
develop in the next two or three
years?
LF:
MPS will continue to evolve as both
OEMs and the channel adapt to remain
relevant in today’s increasingly mobile-
and cloud-centric world. MFP devices
are also evolving and the emergence of
the latest cloud-connected MFPs means
that, at a hardware level, there will be the
opportunity to update existing devices.
This is an opportunity to transition to an
MPS contract and build flexibility to offer
enhanced document workflow solutions.
The channel can profit more if they
expand their solutions sales – whether it’s
mobile printing; document security, such
as pull printing; or creating customised
workflow solutions. This is the future
opportunity for MPS and it demands a
new breed of reseller that can look beyond
the printed page to the broader workflow
opportunities.
Louella Fernandes is Associate Director
of Print Services and Solutions at
Quocirca Ltd.
Five steps to
success
Quocirca advises resellers interested in
MPS to take the following steps
1. Deepen market knowledge.
While cost is often high on the agenda when companies
decide to start using MPS, end users consistently cite
improving document workflow and administrative
efficiency and reducing paper usage as prime motivators.
MPS can also minimise customers’ IT burden and improve
user productivity through automated consumables
management tools and software solutions. Resellers need
to engage with customers to discover their needs and
identify the appropriate solutions.
2. Establish key partnerships.
It is essential to establish relationships with third parties
to build a comprehensive and commercially viable
portfolio of services and software. For instance, resellers
that lack the skills to develop their own MPS platform
may partner with existing MPS vendors to gain access to
cloud MPS infrastructure platforms. Resellers should also
look for partners – whether printer manufacturers or ISVs
(independent software vendors) – that can deliver and
support a flexible software portfolio that addresses areas
such as mobile printing, document workflow and secure
printing.
3. Develop strong SLAs.
Service delivery is absolutely vital to the success of any
MPS engagement. When multiple parties are involved in
the delivery of services and solutions, it is essential that
roles, responsibilities and expectations are clearly defined
through appropriate agreements.
4. Educate the market.
Resellers should establish their MPS credentials and
reinforce their role as trusted advisors. MPS is a broad
and often misunderstood term, so each customer is likely
to have different attitudes and expectations. In order to
establish trust, a reseller should offer a proactive approach
that demonstrates that they can address some of the prime
inhibitors to MPS, such as cost, lack of clarity on benefits
and poor flexibility.
5. Establish a clear structure and accountability.
Changing from being a hardware provider to a service
provider takes time. To make an effective transition to an
MPS model, a business must have clear accountabilities
for delivery in place. Measuring performance through
SLAs and KPIs, with an aligned system of incentives and
rewards for sales staff, can help resellers implement their
commercial MPS strategy successfully.
