The evolving MPS landscape

The evolving MPS landscape
European vendor analysis 2009
October 2009 Managed print services (MPS) offer organisations the opportunity to control costs, reduce the complexity of managing a heterogeneous infrastructure and improve business processes. With many organisations striving to do more with less, MPS can cut both capital and operational expenses. Now is the time to tackle the huge cost and productivity drain represented by an unmanaged print environment. MPS passes control of this complex infrastructure to the experts leaving an organisation to focus on its core business competencies.
Louella Fernandes Clive Longbottom Quocirca Ltd Quocirca Ltd Tel +44 1753 754838 Tel +44 1189 483360 louella.fernandes@quocirca.com clive.longbottom@quocirca.com
REPORT NOTE: This report has been written independently by Quocirca Ltd. During the preparation of this report, Quocirca has spoken to a number of suppliers involved in the areas covered. These include Canon, HP, Lexmark, Ricoh, Samsung, Toshiba, Xerox, NewField IT and EKM4. We are grateful for their time and insights. Although Quocirca has taken what steps it can to ensure that the information provided in this report is true and reflects real market conditions, Quocirca cannot take any responsibility for the ultimate reliability of the details presented. Therefore, Quocirca expressly disclaims all warranties and claims as to the validity of the data presented here, including any and all consequential losses incurred by any organisation or individual taking any action based on such data.
©Quocirca 2009 Page 1 THE EVOLVING MPS LANDSCAPE October 2009
The evolving MPS Landscape
European vendor analysis 2009 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Quocirca believes that the use of managed print services (MPS) will increase significantly over the next two years as organisations of all sizes focus on reducing the cost, complexity and risk associated with an unmanaged print environment. MPS is growing in adoption, particularly in larger organisations, and is increasingly characterised by out-tasked engagements where flexible services are tailored to business needs. Yet there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and for any organisation tackling spiralling print costs a multitude of considerations must be borne in mind before committing to, and developing, an MPS strategy. ? Organisations must undertake MPS as part of a strategy to lower costs, manage complexity and reduce the risks associated with unmanaged multi-vendor environments Unmanaged print environments represent a huge cost drain and are characterised by fragmented ownership, device sprawl and a mix of old and new technology. This results in poor visibility and control over what is printed, leading to excessive consumption of paper, toner and ink. MPS rationalises the print environment by minimising device proliferation through reducing user-to-device ratios. This simplifies management tasks, provides economies of scale in respect to managing supplies and maximises business uptime through proactive monitoring. ? HP and Xerox dominate the MPS market and continue to reshape their MPS strategy A maturing and consolidating market has increased manufacturers' focus on services as a vehicle to increase margins and long-term revenue opportunities. Xerox's recent acquisition of ACS, a BPO provider, is reflective of a market that is expanding to include business process transformation, and positions it well to offer a wider service portfolio to enterprises looking to automate paper dependent processes. Meanwhile HP has filled gaps in its product portfolio through its strategic alliance with Canon, enabling it to give MPS customers access to a broader range of devices. Much of HP's success has drawn on leveraging its strong relationships with IT decision makers, particularly in enterprises looking to outsource both their IT and print environments. Quocirca expects both vendors will strive to differentiate their offerings as the market becomes increasingly competitive. ? Environmental assessments are increasing in popularity Assessments which measure the environmental impact of an organisation's printing infrastructure are playing a larger part in many MPS tenders, with HP, Ricoh and Xerox all ... [download for more]