Jan 27, 2022
Managed print services (MPS) are services offered by a provider, like Milner, that help to decrease costs, improve efficiency, add productivity, and lower risk by assessing, optimizing, and continuously managing an organization's document output environment. Have you had your company’s printing environment reassessed? If not, find out more about your printing environment and how having it reassessed is the first necessary step to making your printing processes as efficient as possible. We're here to help you make smart choices regarding your managed printing services in the future based on the latest trends in commercial printing.
Many of the same issues the industry faced in 2021 will continue to persist in 2022. The most significant disruptions to the commercial printer market in 2021 were supply chain disruptions and increased shipping costs. Both of these disturbances are expected to continue through 2022 as shortages of components and raw materials, including microchips, LCD displays and certain oils used in manufacturing, are expected to continue. It is because of these disruptions that printer supplies are in short supply, especially in the consumer market; as a result, printer prices have risen. The extent to which this trend will continue through 2022 is difficult to predict as it is dependent on the vendor and the country in which the printers are manufactured.
Markets for entry- and mid-level consumer devices achieved good results during 2021 primarily due to the continued demands of work-from-home and remote schooling. The trend was especially pronounced among inkjet multifunction printers (MFPs) and ink tank printers, which saw spikes in sales as consumers sought out equipment with low running costs. Although low cost at-home options were needed, the business segment suffered as a result of low demand. As more companies implemented return to office policies, this dynamic changed late in 2021, and as more businesses return to office in 2022, IT budgets are expected to rebalance.
The increased move to hybrid work will be a catalyst for digital and print workflow transformation. To realize the benefits of hybrid working, employers will need to create consistent employee experiences, regardless of where or when they work. The extension of managed print services (MPS) to the home environment will help organizations manage and secure a hybrid and agile print environment. Integrating print and capture solutions that are flexible and scalable will drive employee productivity as organizations accelerate their digitization initiatives. Count on Milner to help you determine what your printing needs will be in 2022. We have the best in thermal printing from Zebra Technologies. Find out how our managed print services can make your business more efficient and improve employee productivity.
New products and services will be introduced as a result of technological improvements in commercial printing. A renewed emphasis on design is predicted as companies hire graphic designers and digital print experts to stay competitive by generating revenue from logo and website design. Two commercial printing production techniques, shimmering and laser cutting, are expected to trend throughout 2022 as a way to provide dramatic three-dimensional and textured effects.
In addition, businesses that can offer digital marketing services, including podcasts, online marketing campaigns, alongside more traditional campaigns like direct mail marketing campaigns, have a greater likelihood of growing their business by connecting with customers and reaching target prospects. Milner can help make sure that your production and commercial printers can handle high monthly volumes, professional quality output and pro-quality inline finishing options.
Customers no longer rely only on traditional models' success as their sole criterion for choosing vendors and models. The business landscape today is driven more by experiences than by products alone; customers expect their technology providers to deliver more connected, personalized, and intelligent services. This means that printing service providers will need to become data driven and leverage cloud, AI and automation technologies to remain viable in 2022. Due to the rapid transformation of work-from-home over the past few years, many businesses are at different points on their shift to cloud-based solutions where a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. Milner knows that you may not know where you are on your cloud journey. Our experts can help you extend your legacy infrastructure to cloud environments while ensuring that you can also leverage cloud-based print management and document workflow solutions. Additionally, Milner can help make sure that your printers aren’t a weak point in your overall IT security plan by ensuring that all your printers are secure.
Want to know if your all-in-one printer is secure? Download our printer security checklist.
Finally, business purchasing decisions will increasingly consider sustainability over the next year. The accelerating pace of sustainability initiatives is requiring manufacturers and channel partners to offer technology services with a low environmental impact. A move to cloud-based print contributes to the move toward sustainability, as it presents the possibility of reducing IT energy use and associated carbon emissions. But new technologies in printing services can also help make your printing greener through the use of enhanced data analysis, carbon data analysis and process automation. Additionally, IoT and cloud-based platforms can create new opportunities to measure and monitor environmental impact in smart buildings and offices through measurement-based and monitoring-based technologies. If you’re interested in making your printing processes more environmentally friendly, reach out to Milner for all your sustainable printing options.
