Hybrid workforces are now pretty common in a post-pandemic world. And with hybrid workforces come many challenges and costs. Printing can be expensive in general, but distributed teams can push print budgets to the breaking point, especially when dealing with security concerns.
Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to minimize overall print costs even with a hybrid workforce.
1. Centralize your print management.
Print servers can be extremely expensive in a hybrid and distributed workforce because they must be maintained at every location and adjusted for team members moving between offices. That means your IT team is constantly bombarded with requests and upkeep, driving up both licensing and labor costs. Going serverless can diminish these costs by getting rid of server upkeep and centralizing administration, making it simpler and faster for your team to adjust user privileges, deploy updates, and add new devices.
2. Utilize integrations to reduce infrastructure.
Keeping hybrid teams connected can be very costly. This can be especially true in a traditional print environment using print servers. They often require VPN connections to keep things secure and allow printing from remote or new locations. With serverless printing, however, integrations with leading Identity Providers (IdPs) can cut down on these costs by allowing you to use a service you already have to keep printing simple and secure. That means you can avoid additional expenses and still allow users to print from all locations.
3. Lock down your print security.
Advanced printing features like Secure Release Printing can help avoid lost or misplaced documents. By requiring remote or hybrid users to utilize this feature, you can ensure that documents are not printed until the person is there to pick them up. This helps you control not only the costs associated with printing the document but also avoids any potential issues with breaches from confidential information being seen by unauthorized employees. That can lead to far bigger costs if a breach occurs.
4. Consider setting print quotas.
Print quotas set limits on user printing. With Print Quota Management, you can create limits for how much users can print by volume or price within a certain time period. Quotas make budgeting easier and can help you cut down on unnecessary printing by making users consider how important printing a document really is.
5. Establish processes and clarify rules.
Beyond using technology to lower costs, setting rules across the business for how and when to print can help cut down on additional expenses. There may be documents that require printing even in a distributed system, but often there are other secure ways of sharing and routing information that don’t require printing. Lay out your rules for when printing is necessary and how to print responsibly and make sure all your employees are clear on these processes.