Entangled in Managed Print Services

Several years ago, I had an opportunity to visit my friend John in Thailand. While there, John thought I might enjoy a unique shopping experience. He took me to something called a "floating market" where we bought fresh tropical produce, flowers and hand-crafted goods. We did all of our shopping from a rented, wooden boat. Every transaction took place vessel-to-vessel as we and the local merchants floated alongside each other in a slow moving river. It was an enjoyable day—until it was time to leave.

"When we exit the boat," John announced, "try to stick together. There will be a lot of people around at this time of day and many of them will want your money in a very bad way."

I dismissed—and soon regretted dismissing—John's warning.

I wandered away from him, and before long found myself sporting two giant, slithering pythons as necklaces. As they bore down on my throat, a very fast speaking Thai gentleman took my picture and demanded money.

Fortunately, John found me before the two serpents could cut off my air supply. With watering eyes, I attempted to communicate my deepest regret for not heeding John's admonition.

"Grelallurrp!" I said, as clearly and apologetically as I could.

Then I expressed my very strong desire for him to pay the Thai gentleman whatever he wanted and as quickly as possible.

"Grellllurrrrrp! Grggggl!"

John, having several years of experience in matters related to buying and selling in Bangkok, seemed to be in no hurry to facilitate my extrication. As I struggled for breath, he casually engaged the man in a friendly monetary negotiation for my release, which when the matter was settled, turned out to be a very disappointing one third the original asking price.

I have not been back to Thailand ever since.

A Similar Entanglement

I have, however, and only just recently, found myself again imprudently entangled in an uncomfortable situation from which I sought immediate extraction. I made the mistake of offering to combine and manage copier and printer services on our campus.

If you didn't catch that, I just likened what we printers call Managed Print Services to the experience of being squeezed to death by two giant pythons.

Yes. That is about right.

My offer to join and then govern the fleet of localized print devices was made as a cost-savings suggestion when word came down from the president of Messiah College about something called a "prioritization initiative." I do not recall the exact wording of the communication but it went something like this:

"Blah blah blah institutional savings blah blah blah print and mail."

A task force was assembled and work began to identify a list of potential cost-saving opportunities. It was here I proposed looking at data for campus copiers and printers. I knew the college was spending tens of thousands of dollars each year on inkjet and laser printer cartridges. I also knew that we were printing production-like volumes on our desktop devices. Faced with the additional challenge of an aging copier fleet and an increased demand for scanning and color print capability, I presumed we could address several needs with a carefully crafted plan. Plus, a new campus print program could help to bring our overall copy and print strategy into alignment with our commitment to the priority of sustainability.

Features of my proposal included:

• Grouping employees into "work clusters," and prompting them to share print devices rather than maintaining printers in individual offices. (Due to the nature of work in some areas, certain offices retained individual or departmental print capability.)
• Secure printing to the cloud, allowing students and employees to print almost anywhere on campus. Each strategically placed copier would act as a release station, initiated by a card swipe or password login to ensure confidentiality and reduction of waste.
• Improved "pay as you use" billing processes for both printers and copiers. Departments would no longer need to purchase toner cartridges or printer paper. The costs of these items were built into the "pay as you use" price schedule. The price schedule was designed to help users make the best decisions about where and when to print.

Complications

It all looked good on paper, but nothing could have possibly prepared me for the seemingly infinite technological, organizational and cultural complications we would have to address along the way:

• Was the user an employee or a student? Both? Neither?
• Would he or she print using a PC or a Macintosh computer?
• What accommodations would need to be made for specialized workloads?
• Did any of the items being printed require staples or drilling?
• Was the user printing from the Web or from a native file?
• What would the page size be?
• What is the substrate? Would the user sometimes require printing onto an envelope?
• Is color printing desired or is black and white sufficient?
• Would I prefer my snake death by asphyxiation or venomous neurotoxin?

The need to accommodate so many constituencies was enough to make my throat constrict. I learned more about networks, firmware upgrades and print drivers than I have ever cared to know. The whole thing reminded me of my ophidian troubles back in Thailand, and just like then my neck was on the line.

A Softer Approach

My good friend Ray Chambers, founder of Chambers Management Group, once cautioned me against taking on an endeavor such as this. He proposed a softer approach involving strategically placed assets and improved communication.

"If it is at all possible," he said, "try to avoid conflict. My suggestion is to not take away desktop devices, but instead persuade clients to modify their work habits when they can. Encourage them to move their printing to a nearby, multi-functional copier."

Looking back, I can now see that Ray's advice was spot on. One should not attempt to take on managed print services in the same way a python takes on dinner. Pythons swallow their food whole and then take just a few weeks to digest it. Implementing extensive change will always go easier if you have the luxury of time.

Additionally, I would not advise taking on a project of this magnitude unless you can assemble a winning team like the one we have at Messiah College.

• You will need the full support of a dedicated and hardworking ITS team.
• You will need a customer service-oriented staff of quick learners who are willing to take on new responsibilities and do so with integrity and a positive attitude.
• You will need to partner with a knowledgeable vendor with documented experience and good references.
• You will have to have the support and collective knowledge and experience of professional organizations such as the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA) or the Association of College and University Printers (ACUP).
• You have to work with great people. My colleagues at Messiah College have been patient and supportive.

It has now been four months since changes were implemented on our campus. A first quarter review of the program reveals some promising numbers:

In addition, our overall local print volumes have dropped, and we can project with a great deal of certainty that our cost savings objectives will be realized.

If you should ever find yourself in the clutches of budget constraints, one possible means of extrication might be an institutional review of localized printing. If you attempt to do so, please take the advice of my friend John back in Thailand and stick together. This will be no time to wander off on your own. Successful implementation of a managed print program must be a community effort.