How to Streamline Your Printer Fleet and Save Money

Introduction

Over time, many businesses accumulate printers without a clear plan, leading to a mix of brands, models, and devices scattered across different departments. This approach often results in higher costs, inefficiencies, and unnecessary security risks. If your company has been adding printers on an as-needed basis without evaluating your overall print strategy, you could be spending more than necessary.

At ManagedPrint, we specialize in helping businesses optimize their printer fleets—reducing waste, lowering maintenance costs, and improving overall productivity.

By taking a strategic approach to fleet management and leveraging tools that provide real-time data, you can cut costs and streamline operations while maintaining a secure and efficient print environment.

In This Blog You Will Learn:

• Why a scattered printer fleet leads to high costs and inefficiencies.
• How fleet monitoring tools like EKM help manage your devices.
• The benefits of consolidating printers for better productivity and cost savings.

The Hidden Costs of an Unmanaged Printer Fleet

If your business has been purchasing printers one at a time to meet immediate needs, you might be facing several hidden costs:

1. Unnecessary Device Redundancy

Without a clear strategy, companies often end up with too many devices—or the wrong type of devices—for their actual print needs. Employees may have personal desktop printers that cost more per page than larger, shared devices.

Solution:

At ManagedPrint, we conduct a comprehensive fleet assessment to identify underutilized or redundant devices. Our team will help you consolidate your fleet, ensuring that every device serves a purpose without driving up unnecessary costs.

2. High Maintenance and Supply Costs

Different printer brands and models require different types of toner, ink, and maintenance kits. This variety increases supply costs and complicates inventory management.

Solution:

With ManagedPrint, you can standardize your printer fleet, reducing the number of consumables needed and lowering overall supply costs. Our proactive management solutions ensure your business always has the right supplies without overstocking or waste.

3. Security and Compliance Risks

An unmanaged printer fleet can create serious security vulnerabilities. Outdated devices may lack modern security features, and unmonitored print networks can be entry points for cyber threats.

Solution:

With ManagedPrint’s security-focused approach, we ensure all devices receive necessary firmware updates, security patches, and compliance monitoring. This prevents unauthorized access and strengthens your business’s data security.

How Fleet Monitoring Tools Like EKM Improve Efficiency

Fleet monitoring tools like EKM (Enterprise Key Management) provide real-time insights into your entire printer fleet, helping you make data-driven decisions. Here’s how ManagedPrint leverages EKM to enhance your print environment:

1. Visibility Into Printer Usage

EKM provides data on which devices are used most frequently, which are underutilized, and where print volumes are highest. This helps businesses allocate devices efficiently.

2. Automated Supply Management

Instead of manually tracking toner levels, EKM can automate supply orders based on actual usage, ensuring you never run out of essential supplies.

3. Proactive Maintenance Alerts

By monitoring printer health, EKM detects potential maintenance issues before they become costly repairs, reducing downtime and increasing device longevity.

At ManagedPrint, we take EKM one step further, integrating it with our managed print services to provide proactive support, automated toner replenishment, and real-time security updates.

The Benefits of Consolidating Your Printer Fleet

A well-structured print environment leads to significant cost savings and increased efficiency. Here’s how ManagedPrint helps businesses consolidate their fleets for better performance:

1. Lower Printing Costs

By replacing multiple inefficient desktop printers with fewer, high-performance multifunction devices, businesses can cut costs on per-page printing, supplies, and energy consumption.

2. Reduced IT Workload

IT teams often spend unnecessary time troubleshooting and maintaining multiple printer models. With ManagedPrint, your IT team can focus on mission-critical tasks while we handle printer maintenance and monitoring.

3. Improved Employee Productivity

With fewer, strategically placed printers, employees spend less time walking to distant devices or troubleshooting unreliable machines, improving overall workflow.

Next Steps: How to Optimize Your Print Strategy

If your business has accumulated a disorganized mix of printers over the years, now is the time to take action. Follow these steps to streamline your fleet:

1. Schedule a Free Print Assessment with ManagedPrint – Identify all devices, their locations, and print volumes.
2. Analyze Usage Data – Use fleet monitoring tools like EKM to understand usage patterns.
3. Standardize Your Devices – Reduce the number of printer models to simplify maintenance and supply management.
4. Implement a Print Management Solution – Automate toner replenishment and monitor device health.
5. Eliminate Unnecessary Printers – Remove underutilized devices and transition to shared, high-efficiency printers.

By working with ManagedPrint, you can reduce costs, improve security, and create a more efficient printing environment tailored to your business needs.

Ready to Optimize Your Print Fleet?

At ManagedPrint, we specialize in helping businesses take control of their print environment with strategic fleet consolidation, automated supply management, and enhanced security protocols.

📞 Contact us today for a free print assessment, and let’s find the best way to streamline your print operations while saving your business time and money.