As the old saying goes – waste not, want not. Office waste is one of the biggest drains on the company budget and reducing it is a great way to save money. However, from excess print supplies to paper that goes from printer to trash, waste can seem like a massive challenge to overcome. Waste is everywhere, and often as invisible as the printing processes which create it.

Fortunately, however, office waste is relatively easy to tackle with a few changes in the way a company approaches its print environment. By making a few simple changes and enlisting the help of a managed print service, offices can enjoy a greener, more productive, and waste-free environment.

The True Cost of Wasteful Printing

Know what it costs for the company to print every month? According to Xerox, most companies have no idea. The reality, however, is that it’s somewhere between one and three percent of a company’s total annual revenue. Printing represents one of the biggest operating expenses that a company has after rent and utilities. It’s such a ubiquitous practice, however, that it often goes unnoticed altogether. Printing is everywhere and every company does it, but it remains a surprisingly difficult activity to track.

While it’s true that printing can cost a company upwards of $1,000 per month if a company is in a paper-intense industry such as law, excessive printing has other steep costs as well. This includes:

● An increased carbon footprint. The more cartridges and paper used by an office, the greater the carbon footprint. Consider, for instance, that the production of a single toner cartridges puts about 10.5 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

● Higher utility bills. Although many office devices now come with Energy Star certifications, printers still consumer a significant amount of electricity.

● A hand in deforestation. According to the EPA, the average office worker prints some 10,000 pages per year, of which at least 1,400 of them will end up immediately in the trash.

● No guarantee that recycle bin papers will get recycled. The EPA notes that only about 65 percent of all paper ends up recycled, even if it’s in the recycling bin.

Unnecessary printing affects more than just the company’s bottom line. It has far-reaching effects on the community and the environment.

How a Managed Print Service Helps Save Money and Reduce Waste

Eliminating unnecessary printing from a company may seem like an ambitious goal, but it’s perfectly achievable. For companies struggling to get their printing under control, a managed print service can provide the necessary clarity and guidance.

A managed print service provider is a third-party specialist with access to the tools and experience needed to streamline a print environment. With these experts, a company can save money and reduce waste at the same time through:

● Better print environment visibility. It’s hard to know exactly what an office spends on printing when it doesn’t know how much printing happens. An MPS can implement print tracking software which records what gets printed, where, when, and by whom. Additionally, it helps manage supply orders, stay on top of maintenance requests, and identify opportunities to reduce printing.

● Reduced reliance on printing. The easiest way to cut costs and reduce waste in a print environment is to print less. A managed print service can help a company identify digital alternatives to help keep materials from getting printed which don’t need to be.

● Discount and remanufacturing programs. OEM cartridges are expensive and resource-intense in their production. A managed print service provider, however, likely knows about discount programs or supplies for remanufactured cartridges which the company hasn’t yet discovered.

● More efficient settings. Small changes in printer settings can make a world of difference. An MPS can help a company set up automatic duplex printing, eliminate cover pages, or choose the optimal settings for the types of printing the company routinely does.

According to Xerox, a managed print solutions provider can help a company reduce its printing expenses by up to 20 percent. The best part? These are low-disruption, high-impact changes which any company can make.

Save Money and Print Better with a Managed Print Service Provider

Companies that want to save money on their print costs often consider enlisting the help of managed print services. These providers can identify opportunities to improve, refine, and reduce the amount of printing a company does. With printing representing one of the biggest operating expenses that a company has, reducing unnecessary printing can save thousands of dollars per year. However, reducing office printing waste isn’t just great for the bottom line. Less waste also means a reduced environmental footprint, and fewer resources wasted.

XMC helps companies refine their workflows and business processes with the right tools and technologies. Start a conversation today about how we can help your office reduce its printing waste.