Posted on Sat, May 15, 2010
The 2010 MPS Conference in San Antonio confirms the industry is growing. It's also very interesting to see where all of these participants line up on the MPS curve.
The attendance was great, with more than double the participants from the 2009 event. In addition, of these attendees, more than 75% have been providing an MPS solution for fewer than five years. This includes manufacturers revising their go-to-market strategies (Ricoh, HP, Canon, OKI, Xerox, etc.), IT Providers, traditional Copier Resellers, Toner/Supply Remanufacturers, and Workflow Solution Providers. With such a diverse group seeking a better understanding of what it means to provide a true Managed Print solution (and how to provide that solution), the Conference was split into multiple tracks to provide this support for the new entrants into the MPS space. There was also a track for end-user customers that provided some additional research around industry solutions and best practices.
As one of the pioneers of Managed Print Services, and the largest independent MPS provider in North America, LaserNetworks participated in several of these discussions around Best Practices. We also led a session around the environment and how a well-deployed MPS solution can provide customers with a significant reduction in their carbon footprint. Beyond being recognized as one of the Top 5 Green IT Solution Providers in Canada, LaserNetworks' commitment to the environment, and specifically to the reduction of carbon emissions has long been a core value of the company. Below was the kickoff slide from my presentation, showing the near perfect correlation between the increase in global temperatues and the increase in CO2 emissions.
You'll also note the significant ‘hockey stick' over the past few decades as industrialization and emissions have increased at an alarming rate. In terms of MPS, I believe a properly deployed solution, focused on maximizing user productivity & the useful life of assets, will drive down this carbon footprint. There was also a very interesting discussion around the footprint calculation associated with the manufacturing of a device. Often the energy calculations presented to customers shows energy savings afforded by switching to the newer technology. This is absolutely true & is good for the environment when the device must be upgraded due to SLA or technology changes. However, the footprint associated with manufacturing a new machine should also be captured somewhere in the analysis. This was also an opinion shared by Dr. David Suzuki, a leader voice on climate change. (See my previous post)
Unfortunately (to date), I have not been able to find any statistics on the carbon footprint associated with the manufacturing of a new copier, printer, or MFP. The closest I have come is a study by Toyota on the manufacturing footprint of the Toyota Prius, which came in at 28%. So, would the impact of an MFP be greater because it doesn't use gas & oil to power its operation...or would the impact be less because it uses paper (can have a significant footprint) and the toner cartridges are often used only once before being sent for recycling? If anyone has info on this manufacturing footprint, it would be greatly appreciated if you could provide us with some additional insight.
Note: for anyone that would like to discuss the presentation or learn more about LaserNetworks and the initiatives we've undertaken to minimize our carbon footprint, please email me at bstevenson@lasernetworks.com.
Again, I thought the conference was excellent & the topics were relevant. News that the Managed Print Services Association now has over 1,000 members (yeah, a bit of a plug for the Association as I am a Board Member representing the MPS Providers) further cements the growth in Managed Print.
One area I'd like to see the Conference add to its agenda next year is around security. Whether it's hardcopy, electronic workflow, old images that may reside on hard drives, or what complications may reside in the cloud, many of our customers are very concerned with this topic.
Congratulations to San Antonio for hosting a great conference (and my birthday!) & looking forward to seeing our European counterparts in Barcelona this November.
Posted on Fri, Nov 13, 2009
In a discussion last week around the uptick of companies looking to implement a formalized print management solution, it was alarming to hear about the uptick of providers willing to step in and provide this service. Now, I want to be careful not to come across as someone that wants their cake both ways as the awareness of Managed Print has increased since the hardware-focused companies, along with smaller IT-oriented companies, began discussing MPS. HP, Ricoh, and Pitney Bowes are the latest manufacturers to proclaim their abilities, and I'm certain they have the resources to eventually build a quality program. However, as a company that has spent almost fifteen years developing and advancing the LaserNetworks Cost Per Page program, I can confirm this service-based solution cannot be built overnight. Unfortunately for the industry, many of these new MPS companies are taking a ‘Me Too' approach with the promise of ‘doing it' for less.
For sure, it is incumbent upon established MPS companies to articulate the customer benefits from Day 1 of the program through to the long-term benefits of reduced capital expenditures and improved workflow solutions. However, just as cars, hotels, and other products/services need to post their capabilities - and live up to those capabilities - so too should companies working in the space of Managed Print Services.
Now for the light at the end of the tunnel. Earlier in 2009, the Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) was established. The Association, which operates throughout North America and Europe, recently acknowledged the need for standards across two areas. The 1st is a challenge to Manufacturers to open the amount of detail information provided in their MIP. If accessible, this information (which is already encoded in the MIP) would permit service providers to drill even deeper into the fleet performance of a customer. The winner: the customer. The potential loser (although debateable): the manufacturer. The 2nd is the possible establishment of a STAR system for all resellers of MPS. This system would be similar to the rating system currently used by hotels around the world.
Many (including me) would argue this type of rating system is long overdue. There are great things happening in the Managed Print industry and customers are receiving significant benefits from strong MPS organizations. It would be a waste if the larger industry players promised benefits that are beyond their current capabilities, leading many customers to believe MPS is simply a marketing tool to sell more hardware.
Good luck to the MPSA...they have my total support.