What we cover in this article

  • How MPS cuts costs by 10–30% (20–25% realistic with fleet rightsizing and policies).
  • Why IT leaders value MPS for fewer tickets, automated supplies, and proactive service.
  • The security layer: authentication, secure release, patching, and policies.
  • How to track ROI with simple math you can reuse.
  • What to ask a provider before you sign an MPS contract.

What is Managed Print Services—really?

Managed Print Services (MPS) is an ongoing program where a specialist partner designs, implements, and runs your print environment—devices, supplies, service, software, and reporting—against shared metrics (cost, uptime, security, user experience). Day to day, that usually means:

  • A right-sized fleet (fewer models, smarter placement).
  • Automated supplies (toner arrives before you run out).
  • Proactive service (remote monitoring, scheduled maintenance).
  • Secure release (jobs print only after user authentication).
  • Policy enforcement (duplex + mono defaults, color by role).
  • Monthly reporting (pages, costs, issues, sustainability measures).

| Doceo Pro Tip: Ask to see a sample monthly report before you sign. If you can’t see page volume by device/user group, color use, and SLA attainment on one page, keep looking.

Where do the 20–25% savings come from?

Short answer: active management. Organizations that actively manage office printing generally reduce spend 10–30%, with most well-run programs landing around 20–25%.

Savings levers you can validate:

  1. Fleet consolidation & standardization
  2. Volume & color discipline (secure/pull printing, role-based color).
  3. Automated supplies & optimized service (DCA triggers toner just-in-time).
  4. Contract transparency (aligned cost-per-page, no “breakage”).
  5. Cloud & policy controls (serverless print or centralized rules).

| Doceo Pro Tip: Pressure-test savings claims. Ask for the math behind each lever, along with the reporting you’ll receive monthly to prove it.

How MPS improves security (and why this matters now)

Printers are smart, networked, and store data. A majority of organizations report at least one print-related data loss incident each year. A Managed Print  Services (MPS) program reduces this risk by:

  • User authentication & secure release (badge/PIN/SSO).
  • Lifecycle patching & hardening (firmware updates, default password removal, TLS, disk encryption).
  • Policy enforcement (restricting color or external destinations).
  • Decommissioning processes (secure erase; certificate taking back).mOS

Plain English: MPS builds accountability into printing. You know who printed what, where, and when—and you control how.

What changes for your IT team?

Before: IT fields toner tickets, device software prompts, driver conflicts, mystery jams, and “who printed this?” investigations.

After (with MPS):

  • Tickets drop (fewer break/fixes, supplies automated).
  • Updates/firmware happen on cadence.
  • One partner manages SLAs and reports; IT grows exceptions.
  • Security & audit get cleaner data.
  • Procurement aligns devices to actual usage.

Mini-scenario (3 lines):

  • You run ~180 devices across 6 sites.
  • Unclaimed pages average 8%; color is 38%.
  • Enabling secure release + role-based color drops monthly cost by ~22% and cuts 40 IT tickets a month.

How MPS works, step-by-step

  1. Baseline & model (devices, volumes, costs, policies, security).
  2. Design (right-size fleet; secure release plan).
  3. Deploy (drivers/queues; authentication; DCA install).
  4. Run (monitor; supplies; proactive service).
  5. Report & optimize (dashboards; quarterly reviews; refresh planning).

What to ask a prospective MPS provider (buyer’s checklist)

  • Reporting: Can I see a sample dashboard?
  • Security: Which controls are standard (auth/secure release, TLS, patch cadence)?
  • Monitoring: What DCA do you use? Is SNMPv3 supported?
  • SLAs: Response/restore targets; escalation paths.
  • Cloud & hybrid: Can you manage serverless/cloud print?
  • Commercials: How do page bands adjust if volumes shift?
  • Change management: Training for end users; comms templates.

ROI / Impact (simple math)

Formula:

Savings = (Baseline monthly run-rate – New run-rate) × 12

Hard-cost reduction = (Pages avoided × blended cost/page)

IT time value = hours avoided × loaded hourly rate

Example:

  • Baseline spend: $8,500/month
  • New run-rate: $6,650/month (~22% reduction)
  • Savings: $22,200/year
  • IT time back: $31,200/year
  • Impact (year one): ≈ $53,400 combined hard + soft savings

Who does what?

You own MPS provider owns
Outcomes, budget guardrails, approve policies Fleet monitoring, supplies, service dispatch
Identity & access standards Secure release setup, device hardening
Governance (reviews, steering) Monthly reporting, SLA delivery
Vendor strategy & refresh Optimization recommendations

FAQs

1) Do we have to replace every device to start?

No. Start with the very costly devices; refresh others as needed.

2) How does secure release work?

Users to verify (badge/PIN/SSO); jobs print only on release—cutting waste and risk.

3) What about hybrid work and home printers?

Policy decides: either onboard approved models or block devices.

4) How is DCA security handled?

Modern DCAs collect counters via SNMPv3, sending encrypted data outbound—no inbound ports.

5) Is 20–25% savings guaranteed?

No. Results vary, but 10–30% is the documented industry range.

Explore a no-pressure print assessment with a Doceo Advisor.

You’ll get a clear picture of your current costs, uncover hidden risks, and see practical options for right-sizing your fleet — all shared in plain English so you can decide what makes sense for your team.

I’d like to request my FREE print assessment → https://www.mydoceo.com/lets-talk