As Hewlett-Packard, Oki Data and other IT vendors push deeper into the managed print services (MPS) market, some managed service providers are making plans for a managed print conference in Europe. Here are some quick details and bigger-picture perspectives.
To me, the managed print market seems ready for lift-off because (A) many customers already lease their printers (B) all customers need paper and ink refreshes (C) solutions providers can tie together A and B into a complete hardware as a service (HaaS) offering.
Still, the managed print market has been hit-and-miss because (A) many printer vendors are still sorting out their offerings and (B) many vendors are still working to integrate their printers into open APIs (application programming interfaces) offered by MSP software providers.
Vendors Making Progress?
After several false starts, printer makers finally seem serious about their managed print efforts.
One reason: Seven out of 10 MSPs are interested in managed print, according to a March 2009 reader poll by MSPmentor.
In recent days, Oki Data Americas launched a Total Managed Print initiative for its dealers and solutions providers. And Hewlett-Packard has formed an internal group to help drive managed print services forward, according to PC World.
I checked in with HP for more details. Initially, HP’s managed print effort involves direct sales to top enterprise customers, with a channel strategy still emerging.
“HP does sell MPS directly to its top enterprise customers,” according to an HP spokesman. “The current offering is not scaleable for smaller implementations. However, we recognize the tremendous opportunities around MPS for mid sized and small enterprise customers and are currently assessing our MPS offering to scale solutions specifically for our channel partners.”
Translation: Stay tuned for HP’s managed print channel strategy.
Also of note, Xerox continues to push its PagePack effort — a recurring revenue opportunity for VARs and MSPs — across the US and Europe.
Finally, Dell, Ingram Micro and the Utility Company each have started some managed print initiatives.
Events and Education
The managed print buzz is now spilling over into the events and conference business. It’s safe to expect managed print services to be a key topic of discussion at both CompTIA Breakaway (Aug. 3-6, Las Vegas) and the CompTIA Managed IT Services Summit (Oct. 7-9, Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.). Disclosure: MSPmentor will be moderating sessions at Breakaway and we’re attending the Managed IT Services Summit.
Meanwhile, Photizo Group plans to host a Managed Print Services Conference, Oct. 21-23 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Previously, Photizo Group held an April 2009 conference in San Antonio, Texas, which was attended by IT managers, facilities managers, purchasing departments, solutions providers and hardware manufacturers.
Generally speaking, conferences don’t grow and thrive without healthy interest from vendors trying to reach customers, and confused customers trying to find clear answers from vendors.
In other words, I think the managed print services market has reached its tipping point.
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Posted In: Europe | Hardware as a Service | North America | Partner Program
Tags: CompTIA Breakaway | CompTIA Managed IT Services Summit | Hewlett-Packard Managed Print Services | Managed Print Services Conference | Oki Data Managed Print Services | Oki Data Total Managed Print | Photizo Group | Xerox Managed Print Services | Xerox PagePack
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If by “Tipping Point” you are referring to the “big boys” finally getting into the game, then yes agreed.
Customers and prospects drive this niche and although Xerox, HP, Ricoh and Oki all have their own flavor of MPS(all of them appear to be good offerings) how the customer responds to the execution of these programs will dictate who stays in for the long haul.(doh)
Globally, the European MPS market appears more mature then the domestic and the potential MPS market in the Far East has been documented to be huge.
So yes – Global.
The journey continues…
Greg: There are multiple tipping points. Vendors are just one. But if customers and partners don’t express a critical mass of interest, IT markets die. In this case, it appears that all three audiences — vendors, partners, customers — are reaching tipping points near the same point in time. Could be a perfect, positive storm for managed service providers…
Joe, Yes this will be a key area of discussion at Breakaway. We are having a Managed Print Pavilion in the Technology Vendor Fair and we are also having a workshop Breakout for Managed Print Services during the Services & Support Executive Forum.
We are using the workshop to solicit input for Best Practices from the industry for the development of a Managed Print specialization as part of our Managed IT Services Trustmark.
I’m from Ricoh Hong Kong (yes Far East!) and i can tell you that MPS in the Hong Kong market is taking off! Unlike the western market, where the concept of leasing and “all in” contracts for BOTH printers and copiers are just getting into shape, we are well prepared already. In fact, we’ve been offering the MPS to Ricoh customers for many years. The ONLY thing that is missing is the management of 3rd party vendor devices, which we are working on with subcontractors.
But then, despite the market push for MPS, the question inside my head is whether vendors could really make MORE money (margin) than they used to. Possibly need some time to track.
Ron: Thanks for the updates on Managed Print at CompTIA Breakaway. We’ll be sure to further the story at the conference.
TC Chao: Thank you for offering some perspective from Hong Kong. We try hard to offer reader global perspectives … and we appreciate you adding to the conversation. Please be sure to keep us posted as you notice additional managed services trends in Hong Kong.
Joe,
Great article. A couple of other items to note which are, in my mind, indicative of the market moving mainstream:
1. There is now an MPS Assocation (the MPSA). (Linked In Group at Managed Print Services)
2. The MPS industry has a publication (the MPS Insights Journal) focused just on the MPS market.
3. Our studies have identified growth in MPS engagements globally including very strong growth
in Western Europe and North America.
MPS is clearly moving into the market mainstream.
Again, thanks for the good article.
Ed: We’ll be sure to cover your European event news as it unfolds. Thanks for the 3 pieces of info above.
Best,
-jp