A study shows that organizations are looking to centralize the contracting of IT services, which could require a new behavior from print providers.
According to a Quocirca survey, nearly 7 out of 10 respondents (68%) consider finding a partner capable of managing their IT and printing solutions simultaneously. Part of this expectation is a natural consequence of the demand for hybrid work, as there is an expectation of secure, integrated, and flexible services.
“Organizations are struggling to consolidate the adjustments made during and post-pandemic, while also addressing ongoing security and regulatory challenges and a challenging employment market”, says an excerpt in the survey. That opens an opportunity for print providers to embrace other areas of activity, integrating technologies and partnering with other businesses to consolidate relationships.
One of the changes is the difficulty of providing so-called in-house services. That type of solution becomes more expensive and complex, due to the flexibility and management capabilities of cloud services. Cloud reduces the need for investment in IT infrastructure and expands security, risk, and compliance aspects.
Although a moment like this brings risks for organizations in the sector, it is also an opportunity due to the various existing solutions and possibilities for security, digital transformation, cloud, and collaboration.
The importance of partnerships
One of the topics highlighted by Quocirca is the need for print providers to establish partnerships with other businesses to meet customer demand for technology integrators. It is not simple for an organization specialized in one activity, such as print providers, to encompass other technologies for comprehensive IT management.
That comprehensive vision goes against what is expected of third-party services, which tend to specialize in niche or more specific activities. However, customer demand is migrating, which will require new solutions from organizations operating in the technology sector, such as print providers.
One way to do this is to offer the so-called white label services. That means: when a solution is resold by other companies without disclosing their copyrights. In practice, the same service is offered, but it is not clear which brand is behind it.
>> NDD Print makes it easy to manage hybrid work in your company. Learn more!
Many businesses have restrictions on the white label operation, but Quocirca states that this care “frees up resources to focus on bringing additional value to customers’ print environments and integrating this within a broader managed IT services offering”. Through this collaboration, print providers can add value and generate competitive advantages.
Adding value to services
Within this context, print providers are already adding new services to their portfolios, meeting customer demand. In general, two services have become part of the work routine:
Digitization workflow – Creating clear procedures and processes for document scanning, as this becomes a necessity in a data-governed environment. We talked more about this topic in this article.
Managed device service – In a hybrid work scenario, many companies struggled to provide the necessary infrastructure for employees to be productive. The management of other devices was resolved.
However, it seems that print providers will eventually have to look for more comprehensive solutions for their customers. Is your business prepared for this new demand?
Learn more about the relationship between NDD Print and hybrid work with our consultants!
