More on the "managed print services" (MPS) business

Strangely enough, “Reprographics 101” has attracted visitors from many different countries outside the U.S. Sometimes I can tell “who” visited the blog, but most of the time, not. For example, the other day, someone from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, visited “Reprographics 101” and spent nearly 30 minutes reading articles. I suspect that this visitor is a Xerox wide-format dealer interested in finding information about Xerox’s recent decision to stop selling wide-format equipment.

Within the past couple of day, someone from “The Danwood Group” visited “Reprographics 101.” So, I decided to see “who” The Danwood Group is.

The Danwood Group operates in the U.K. Here’s what they say about their business activities. But, after you read this, make sure to skip below, because I’m then going to “tie this in” to the “managed print services” (MPS) business.

The Danwood Group

In just four decades, Danwood has become the largest independent supplier of office printing equipment, consumables and associated management services in Europe. Today we support companies and organisations large and small via our network of over 40 offices: combining our specialist expertise with the personal touch.

Our business support services span four core areas:

• Consultancy, advice and guidance on print effectiveness and cost reduction.

• Hardware, software and systems for the print, management, processing, storage and retrieval of documents.

• Servicing and maintenance of equipment and systems.

• Consumables for print, copy and fax technology.

Product independence makes Danwood a different kind of provider. We are able to build exactly the right print solution for your needs by working directly with multiple manufacturers whilst still remaining accessible to you as your local dealer on the ground. We focus on your requirements, not ours - and we stay abreast of new technologies too.

One of the operating companies owned by The Danwood Group is this one:

Insatsu Chosa^® is our print investigation consultancy team, specialising in realising cost savings and improving efficiency across organisations.

In the previous sentence, if you click on the name of the company, “Insatsu Chosa” (which is a very strange name), doing so will take you to Insatsu Chosa’s web-site.

If you are interesting in learning more about the “scope” of the “managed print services” business and how to “present” your company as a “managed print services” provider, you can learn that – see that – at Insatsu Chosa’s web-site. I think they did an outstanding job of explaining the business and what it’s all about.

HP's Managed Print Services (MPS) deal with The Walt Disney Company

Here's an interesting “white paper” on the Managed Print Services (MPS) deal HP did with The Walt Disney Company.

You’ll find this white paper posted on my Google Docs site; here’s the link:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B81al4kFAU9JNDNmMThjYTEtMzY3Mi00MTIzLTk0OTYtZjRjN2VjMTFlZmM0&hl=en&authkey=CNjqtTA

Xerox MPS saves City of Rochester, N.Y. over $2 Million

Xerox MPS (managed-print-services) deal saves City of Rochester, N.Y. over $2 Million

(make sure that you scroll down and read the comment below the Press Release)

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Part of the Press Release from the issuing company

Rochester, N.Y. – While many cities struggle to find ways to stretch budgets to fund essential community services, the city of Rochester, N.Y., is working with Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) to save more than $2 million in printing costs.
 


"Xerox came to us with a solution to a problem we didn't even realize we had," said David Mayor, Rochester's chief information officer. "They provided an easy and affordable way to use new and existing technology to reduce costs and really address some of our financial challenges."
 


The city will take control of print costs by applying the same managed print services (MPS) tools and techniques Xerox uses to save millions for large corporations.

Under the five-year Xerox Print Services (XPS) contract, Xerox will help city employees spend more time serving the community and less time on print-related activities by making it faster and easier to fax, scan, copy and print.
 


By reducing the number of printers, copiers and fax machines from 459 to 168, and installing 24 Xerox ColorQube 9200 Series multifunction printers (MFPs) to replace single-function machines, the city will also reduce the cost of everyday color printing and meet its sustainability goals. The ColorQube 9200 Series uses cartridge-free solid ink technology to generate 90 percent less supplies waste and reduce the effects of manufacturing and transportation on the environment. 



"Municipalities need to do the best they can to save taxpayers money, and the city of Rochester is at the forefront of using MPS as a creative solution to this challenge," said Russell Peacock, president, Xerox North America.

Joel’s comment:

After reading this Press Release, it “sounds like” Xerox approached the City with an MPS plan (or strategy) and was selected as the City’s MPS vendor on a “sole-source” basis. I.E., without the City holding a competitive-procurement-process to select an MPS vendor. While I don’t think that’s what actually happened, it might have happened that way. And, if it did happen that way (sole-source), then that was absolutely wrong for the City of Rochester to do. MPS (and copiers and printers, etc.) is not “rocket science” and, for a City (or, for that matter, any County, any State or the Federal Government) to award a procurement (MPS or otherwise related to printing, document management, reprographics, etc.) on a “sole-source” basis, without the benefit of competitive bids or competitive proposals, is downright WRONG. If you see that happen in your local market, go to the mat on that; attend public meetings of city council members, county commissioners, etc. and speak up!