Understanding the data that underpins a business has become a boardroom obsession of late, and no wonder; analytics are core to every digital business, as they provide unseen critical insights that can increase operational efficiency and overall business value. They put a spotlight on how a business functions, presenting a rich overview of the state of current operations, while making it easier to predict market patterns and anticipate customer trends.
Intelligent Print Management (IPM) solutions are already primed for the new wave of data-driven business, not just for the insights that they provide, but because of how they help businesses to effectively address their core print challenges, ranging from fleet management, the cost of unmanaged print, security, volumes and environmental considerations.
Not accounting for print is inexcusable
With many businesses now starting to appreciate the considerable financial burden of unmanaged print, it's inexcusable that, in today's ultra cost-conscious business environment, print isn't already managed in the same way that other business costs centres are. That's a situation that's easy to remedy using well established IPM solutions, providing the ability to secure and manage content through the entire document lifecycle. That includes who is printing, which departments print costs can be reallocated to, and which devices are either under or over utilised.
Demand for these solutions will be driven by the economy; while it's better than it was, the outlook is still uncertain and the need to rein in costs will put a renewed spotlight on print. IPM solutions are proven to have a tangible impact on customers' print volumes and costs, and it could be argued that print should be seen as -- and promoted as -- an opportunity to save money, rather than spend it. That's a compelling message for resellers to take to their customers.
Value beyond saving costs
Beyond cost savings, IPM brings control back to the business, by tightening up on other critical considerations like security. All companies have a duty of care to protect their customers' data, and a secure print environment can help them achieve that while bringing peace of mind to the business and customers alike. The same goes for environmental considerations; it may not be at the very top of the agenda at the moment, but environmental impact is still a major consideration for many businesses. IPM enables organisations to review print usage in great detail so that measures can be put in place to reduce volumes, energy consumption and damage to the environment. As "Think Green" still resonates with many companies, resellers can present IPM as a solution that enables them to honour their environmental responsibilities.
IPM helps resellers to add value to business critical matters
IPM technology can help resellers present a print offering that meets their clients' challenges, whether they are in financial or legal sector, healthcare, or local and national government. By demonstrating that clients can apply print management to vertical challenges, resellers are able to have a more strategic and meaningful conversation around the issues their customers face. This, in turn, allows them to elevate the discussion to the CIO or other senior leaders who have more control over budgets, rather than being caught in a conversation loop with procurement. For resellers, this dynamic shift could accelerate the pace at which they move up the decision-making tree to become a strategic partner for their clients.
The digital economy will continue to evolve and as the benefits of data analytics permeate the entire business, IPM exposes the dynamics of print to the same level of scrutiny as any other part of the business, thus helping it to run even more efficiently both now and in the future.
Serge Hyppolite is vice president of product management at Nuance
