Unisys Africa has developed a managed printer service which is being reviewed overseas with a view to replication within other Unisys subsidiaries around the world.
The service, incorporated into Unisys`s e-@ction service line, was developed locally in conjunction with NCS, a specialist IT consultancy.
"It was clear to us that many of our corporate clients were struggling to maintain control of their vast number of installed printers and other output devices," says Geoff Tuck, sales director, global network services at Unisys Africa.
"As is the case with so many aspects of distributed computing, corporate printing and its costs are out of control, with proliferation of devices and large volumes of unused consumables," says Tuck. "Most companies have come to accept this scenario, but there`s no need to, especially with the technologies available in today`s printers."
Initial proof of concepts have revealed that in most cases, by reviewing an organisation`s current output print and copy strategy and applying the recommended solutions savings of 20% and more of current monthly costs can be achieved.
"Companies can enjoy dramatic savings through having the right cartridge at the right place at the right time, through staff not hoarding consumables, and through enhanced device management and availability," notes Tuck.
The practice of consumable-hoarding is particularly wasteful, Tuck notes, as in many cases consumables are bought but never used. "A cursory scan on just one floor of a client`s office revealed R30 000 worth of consumables that would never be used, as the printers for which they had been bought were no longer in commission."
Unisys`s approach begins with a consulting assignment. User needs are assessed -- including the need for secure and confidential printing for some users -- and the asset register and floor plans scrutinised. From this assessment Unisys provides a company-specific solution that aims to reduce the number of printers, copiers, and fax machines in use, and where possible, to replace them with multi-function devices.
"This approach, in a large organisation, can see us removing half the devices in use," says Tuck.All of today`s printers and other multi-function devices are manageable through the simple network management protocol (SNMP), giving Unisys engineers the potential for remote and secure communication with them. Once the devices have been network-attached, they can report to Unisys`s Sunninghill-based Managed Services Centre on their status. This centre runs 24x7x365 days. If a printer fails or toner reaches a preset threshold, such as 10%, a trouble ticket is issued and a technician despatched to replace it, even before a user is aware of the problem.
Tuck reports strong interest from clients and facilities management companies, with which Unisys will work to deliver the service to companies which need it most, as part of an overall outsourcing engagement.
If a client accepts Unisys`s audit, analysis and recommendations, it typically signs a 36-month engagement: the savings are accrued over a sustained contract, Tuck stresses.
Apart from the obvious, quantifiable financial benefits, Tuck points out the less visible but equally valuable business improvement to be had through higher printer availability, and reduced maintenance costs through proactive servicing and concomitant longer device life.
"As we do not manufacture printers ourselves, we are not partisan to one brand above the other," concludes Tuck. "What we do is provide our clients with the best possible control over their printer installations."
Other benefits to be had from the service include asset management control, device standardisation, problem identification and prevention, follow-up consultation, periodic reports, increase in productivity, single invoice presentation, training and effective optimisation of resources.
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