Print outsourcing: when does it really reduce costs?

Print outsourcing is more than leasing devices and receiving toner. A well-designed managed print service combines assessment, fleet sizing, maintenance, supplies, monitoring, support and usage policies. Savings appear when the company turns scattered and poorly visible expenses into a measurable operation.

The market has also evolved. Quocirca research shows that security, service quality, digitization and workflow automation have become important supplier-selection factors. A decision should therefore consider more than the lowest cost per page.

Understand current costs before comparing proposals

Many companies know the price of paper and toner but do not calculate maintenance, parts, electricity, inventory, support tickets, IT labor, underused equipment and downtime. Without this baseline, it is difficult to verify any savings claim.

The assessment should record volume by department, color versus monochrome usage, formats, demand peaks, device age, location and business criticality. It should also identify personal printers that offer limited visibility and a high unit cost.

When does outsourcing tend to work best?

• Several models and vendors are used without a support standard;
• Supplies are purchased reactively and unpredictably;
• The IT team spends too much time resolving print failures;
• Some devices are idle while others create queues;
• The company cannot measure volume, cost or environmental impact;
• Sensitive documents are left in output trays;
• Branches need the same level of service and control.

Savings do not simply mean printing less

Sustainable savings come from using the right device for each workload, consolidating the fleet and applying policies such as duplex printing, monochrome by default and secure release. Monitoring helps anticipate supplies and maintenance, reducing urgent purchases and downtime.

Reports should show cost by department, device volume, color pages, incidents, availability and SLA performance. Without transparency, the company merely replaces a confusing set of expenses with an equally opaque monthly invoice.

Security belongs in the contract

Printers are network-connected devices, retain temporary jobs and can scan documents to email, folders and cloud services. They require firmware updates, secure configurations, administrative controls and proper data disposal when the contract ends.

Badge or credential release prevents documents from being printed and abandoned. Logs and access policies can also support audits when they are implemented with appropriate privacy safeguards.

What should be reviewed in a proposal?

1. Scope of devices, parts, consumables and support;
2. SLAs by location and criticality, including temporary replacement;
3. Committed volume, allowances, overage fees and price adjustments;
4. Responsibilities for networks, queues, servers and integrations;
5. Reports, inventory and access to operational data;
6. Security, updates, data deletion and device return procedures;
7. Implementation, continuity and contract-exit plans.

A decision based on measurable outcomes

Print outsourcing genuinely reduces costs when it includes an assessment, correct sizing, contract governance and regular reviews. A strong project does not encourage unnecessary printing; it removes waste, preserves necessary workflows and supports digitization where it adds value.

How CSP can help

CSP can assess the printer fleet, size the equipment, coordinate supplies and maintenance, strengthen document security and monitor costs and availability. Contact CSP to determine whether managed print services can reduce waste and simplify your operations.