How Managed Print Services Save Time, Money and Headaches
What if we told you that your printers might be draining more money, time, and energy than you think, and there’s a smarter way to fix it?
Welcome to the world of Managed Print Services (MPS), the unsung hero of cost control, data security, and office productivity. Whether you’re a small business or a national enterprise, the way you handle printing can either be a money guzzler or a strategic advantage.
In this article, we break down:
• What MPS actually is (minus the jargon)
• The real cost savings it delivers
• How it protects your data
• Why it frees up your team (and your sanity)
What Are Managed Print Services, Really?
Managed Print Services (MPS) is a solution where a provider (like Upstream) takes over the monitoring, maintenance, supply management, and optimisation of your print environment. Think of it as outsourcing your entire print headache with reporting, performance insights, and guaranteed uptime.
You don’t just lease printers. You lease peace of mind.
The Hidden Costs of DIY Printing
If you’re still buying your own printers, ordering toner when it runs out, and ringing IT every time a paper jam happens, you’re not alone.
But here’s what that chaos is costing you:
• Wasted time: Office staff can waste up to 18 minutes per day on print-related issues
• Over-purchasing: Most businesses overbuy toner by 20–30%
• IT burnout: Helpdesk teams spend a large portion of time on printer issues
• Lack of visibility: You don’t know who’s printing what, when, or why
MPS fixes all of this, here’s some ways it can help.
7 Big Benefits of Managed Print Services
1. Automatic Toner Replacement
No more last-minute toner orders or frustrated staff. MPS detects low toner levels in real time and ships replacements automatically before you run out, no need to call or reorder manually. This ensures uninterrupted workflow and eliminates the stockpiling of excess supplies. It also reduces admin time spent chasing deliveries or managing printer inventories across multiple devices or locations.
2. Reduced Print Costs
Through consolidation, print-release technology, smarter device placement and usage audits, MPS can cut your print costs dramatically. By identifying underused printers and eliminating unnecessary devices, you reduce energy consumption and maintenance overheads. Print rules and authentication controls also help reduce wasteful or unauthorised printing, driving long-term cost efficiency without compromising productivity.
3. Better Device Uptime
Broken printer? MPS includes proactive maintenance and fast-response servicing — often before you notice there’s an issue. Remote monitoring alerts the service team to potential faults in advance, allowing for preventative action. This reduces downtime, shortens wait times for repairs, and keeps your team productive. It also takes pressure off your internal IT support, who no longer need to troubleshoot basic printer issues.
4. Data Security
With print security features like follow-me print, secure release, and access controls, MPS helps protect sensitive documents from being left at the printer or being accessed by the wrong people.
5. Environmental Sustainability
By reducing waste and optimising print volumes, MPS supports eco-friendly business practices and can help you report on your impact. And through our partner programs you can reuse, recycle and participate in reforestation and have a positive impact on the environment.
6. Increased Productivity
Managed Print Services remove the day-to-day disruptions of running out of toner, chasing service calls or waiting on IT support. By automating supplies and support, your staff can focus on their core responsibilities without the constant interruption of print-related issues.
7. Analytics and Reporting
Gain insights into your print environment: usage trends, waste, cost centres, and opportunities to improve. With detailed reporting, you can manage what, when and how often you’re printing across departments or locations. Make informed decisions, set usage policies, reduce unnecessary printing and allocate costs more accurately. It also helps you identify underused devices, optimise fleet size and set benchmarks for future savings.
So… Is MPS Right for You?
If you’re running a business and:
• Have multiple printers or locations
• Are tired of toner emergencies
• Want better print cost control
• Need to reduce staff frustration
• Care about sustainability and data security
Then yes, Managed Print Services will transform the way you work.
Make Print One Less Thing to Worry About
At Upstream, we help Australian businesses streamline their print environments with fully managed solutions that just work.
Book a free print health check.
We’ll review your current setup and show you how much time, money, and stress we can save you.
Click here to contact us or call us on 1300 877 111 to get started.
You manage your people, your strategy, your customers.
Let us manage your print.
