Thought Leadership

Digital Transformation series: Build a competitive advantage with the cloud

| By Anthony Toope, Channel Marketing Manager ANZ

The pandemic delivered the most dramatic change in the way we work, cloud platforms are big enablers of change. For Channel Partners Cloud printing is an untapped opportunity.

TAGS: Cloud Services, Internet of Things , Imaging Technology, Thought Leadership, Mobile, Managed Print Services, Lexmark Print Management, Partner, Smart MFP

In the last of our ‘Digital Transformation’ blog series, we’ll cover the most recent industry insights shared by Louella Fernandes, market analyst at Quocirca. In our recent Digital Transformation workshop with channel partners, Louella provided insights into how the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of cloud and why the channel needs to package cloud capabilities.

The pandemic precipitated the most dramatic change in the way we work our generation has ever experienced, with cloud platforms as the big enablers of this change. But cloud printing specifically, continues to be an untapped opportunity for many organisations of all sizes. Cloud-based MPS offerings, therefore, remain an attractive opportunity for channel partners. Moreover, there’s a real opportunity for MPS providers to provide cloud-based managed services beyond print and position themselves as “Digital Transformation Providers,” said Louella.

Despite the decline in print volumes due to remote working, the paperless office will not materialise, according to Louella Fernandes. “Even though print volumes may never return to pre-COVID levels, ultimately there will always be a need for print in many organisations, particularly business critical applications,” she said. But the next wave of print managed services is cloud centric. Some of the most significant trends taking place, according to Louella, include the compression of digital transformation initiatives, the rise of cybersecurity spending, and the increase of sustainability as a key consideration for IT buyers, all of which has a place in the cloud.

In the next few years, cloud technology will consolidate as the new default for organisations as they support remote and hybrid work. Recent research from Quocirca revealed that 44% of a surveyed sample of large organisations across the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the USA, plan to operate at a lower office capacity than prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, while 23% plan to consolidate all office locations. These are dramatic changes that impose challenges to traditional print management as teams continue to operate as usual, just not on premises.

Louella expressed that, “the print industry is now at a critical point where it must create momentum around MPS and expand services across a hybrid workforce to remain competitive”. MPS providers who understand the reasons and benefits of cloud printing can deliver transformational solutions for their customers who are undertaking digital transformations will be the ones most likely to succeed.

Louella also summarised the top reasons for channel partners to promote cloud-based MPS into the following six points:

 

1) Cost savings

Capitalising on the acceleration of cloud services and digital transformation includes cost and time savings. As a single server can host multiple applications, saving costs towards hardware and maintenance is reduced, as well as the time taken to carry out laborious tasks. This also takes the burden off the reseller as the system is all managed centrally in the cloud platform. Additionally, prodigal spending is more predictable, if not reduced, as customers only pay for cloud features that are used.

 

2) Value-added services

Given the varying needs of customers, cloud print providers can offer value-add services that provide solutions to support the customer’s digital transformation. Service providers can generate greater profitability by offering additional managed services to their subscription package. Such services include collaboration tools, extra security, data analysis, firmware updates, problem resolution, consumable replenishment and system control.

 

3) Long-term customer relationships

For channel partners, cementing themselves as the primary source of MPS information will ensue trust and continued partnership into the evolving print industry. Creating customisable service options to suit individual needs and budgets will again establish trust due to transparency of information.

 

4) Security

Cloud-based print managed can provide stronger access controls, security and compliance with software updates, management of fleet and reporting being handled by the provider. Organisations with sensitive security needs, such as law firms, can customise their service to include complex suites of permissions that prevents other customers from accessing the content. Public cloud platforms, on the other hand, can be used for less sensitive business processes.

 

5) Sustainability

The top print management challenge is sustainability, which shows for the first-time customers take environmental impact over cost reduction. By 2025, 83% expect sustainability to be important to their business in order to meet different ESG criteria of their clients. Therefore, controlling the amount printed, purposes for printing and duplications across teams can be managed within the cloud.

 

6) Ease of entry

Repositioning towards being a trusted partner of the ever-growing IT service expertise will ensure longevity in the print industry. Channel partners must adopt a shift in mindset from selling products, to a consultancy role, by offering cloud-based services and the subscription model that comes with it. Guidance to new and existing customers on how to enter and navigate the different types of cloud services is a crucial step. The ease, flexibility and choice of application can be custom made to suit the individual needs of the organisation.

 

Louella Fernandes is Director of Quocirca and is globally recognised as a leading authority on market trends in the print, imaging and managed services industry. With 25 years’ experience in the sector, Louella delivers an unparalleled insight into the evolution of print in the digital age and is a highly respected expert on digital disruption in the print industry. As an independent industry analyst, Louella provides unique strategic insight and competitive analysis of markets which include Managed Print Services (MPS), Security and Channel trends.
Anthony Toope is the Channel Marketing Manager for Australia and New Zealand at Lexmark. With over 20 years’ experience marketing technology products across Consumer Electronics, IT and Print he has a wealth of knowledge and expertise. At Lexmark, Anthony supports Channel partners and their ability to market products and services to small and medium-sized businesses. In addition, he is an expert in cloud-based managed print services (MPS) and thrives in helping partners understand the current demands and dynamics in the market.