Focus On The Demand Side of Enterprise Print

Have you ever asked yourself how much printing your organization does? The answer might surprise you, as it is likely higher than what’s on paper. The total print environment for a company is a significant expense. Yet, few business leaders know the total cost, the pricing, the number of output devices, the volume they produce, or IT, admin, and procurement resources to make print happen in an organization.

At PathForward, we have analyzed the printing process in-depth for many clients, and today, we have a crucial question for you:

Did you know that 65% of all printed pages end up in the trash bin within 8 hours?

That is a highly alarming number for any company because all the money and consumables used to print those pages are a waste. And you might be questioning, why does this happen? How can I reduce that percentage?

The answer is simple for both questions. However, it can be complex if you don’t understand your printing environment and all it includes. But, you must take the time to analyze all the printing done within the organization. You can start by asking yourself:

 

1. What is being printed?
2. Why is it being printed?
3. Which departments or employees are printing the most?

After answering those questions, you have the opportunity to begin streamlining your enterprise print operations, protecting your equipment and data while dramatically reducing your printing expenses.

So, what is the next step?

Start Focusing On The Demand Side:

Devices don’t print; people do. If you want to reduce your printing costs, lowering the user demand will help significantly decrease the use of resources like consumables, energy, or IT labor hours.

Most organizations tend to focus on the supply side of the process, getting a new shiny object, buying another printer, or a new MFD. However, very few -to almost NONE- prioritize reviewing and managing people, checking and helping them understand what they are doing and why, and teaching them how to print less and letting them know that printing can be expensive..

The process is easy:

You can create a more efficient workplace by managing the demand side of things; this means understanding why people print to help them minimize their printing habits and find opportunities to transform into a more digital process.

This intention needs to be communicated by organizations to their employees. If you show your staff the behavior you wish to see, you can be confident that they will follow.