In our technology-rich age, what is print management and how has it evolved from its earlier iterations? What does enterprise print management look like in an organization that’s well-positioned to meet future challenges?
To a large extent, the answer to those questions lies in self-service printing. This is an approach that empowers end users to handle basic aspects of print management themselves in a user-friendly but tightly managed fashion. By giving end-users more client print control, such as the ability to choose their destination printer or easily install a new printer, it lifts some of the burdens of responsibility from IT’s shoulders and even expedites routine print-management processes.
Many organizations embrace this idea but are naturally skeptical toward enterprise self-service printing and how it will play out on the ground. And those concerns are valid. For example, how can self-service printing capabilities be given to an entire workforce that might span multiple locations across the globe? Or, in a more extreme (but not unheard of) case: If a user doesn’t understand the distinction between the Internet and a web browser, how can they be trusted with any aspect of print management?
PrinterLogic’s scalable, streamlined solution is redefining what print management is and how enterprises can implement features like self-service printing in a way that’s intuitive, seamless, and reliable.
Our enterprise-grade print-management software—both the on-premises version and its cloud-based SaaS counterpart—includes a native self-service printer installation portal that enables users to locate and install authorized printers with a single click. All they have to do is visit a webpage that they can access through a URL or the Printer Installer client. This secure, centrally managed portal provides users with a consistent and straightforward installation experience directly through PrinterLogic’s direct-IP printing platform.
More confidence in client print control
One of the most popular features of PrinterLogic’s self-service portal is the ability for admins to upload customized floor plan maps for their organization. Once users have selected their location, floor, or department using the convenient tree view in the left-hand pane of the portal, the corresponding floor plan map will appear. Users can then identify nearby printers and install them—along with the associated drivers—just by clicking on an icon.
Unlike standard multi-step printer mapping, this method is much more comprehensible to the non-technical user. It’s also close to airtight, because admins can use PrinterLogic’s centralized management console to select preferred printer drivers and carefully control which printers are visible to which users. That significantly reduces the risk of users accidentally choosing the wrong printer or the wrong driver.
Along with its added reliability, this added client print control has multiple benefits. Most importantly, it reduces the volume of calls to the help desk because employees no longer have to solicit dedicated IT support just to install a printer—even if they happen to be in a new location. Cutting out the middleman allows users to accomplish routine print-management tasks quickly, making things much more satisfying for the end-user and far more efficient.
Seeing the results of self-service printing in the bottom line
Ultimately, the efficiency of self-service printing is reflected in cost savings. Having eliminated a cumbersome print-management task, end-users, as well as admins, can be more productive.
Organizations like Guthrie, a non-profit integrated healthcare delivery system, and CENTRIA, a leading designer and supplier of architectural materials, reported that PrinterLogic’s self-service portal optimized printer installations in their large, distributed environments and helped the number of help-desk calls to plummet. Another PrinterLogic healthcare customer, Children’s Bureau, Inc., found that the self-service portal completely changed its end users’ “habits and their attitude toward printing.” Those factors contributed to PrinterLogic’s proven ROI and put these organizations in a better position to deal with growth and evolving environments.
The ease and efficiency of enterprise self-service printing is something your organization can capitalize on as well. Sign up today for a free 30-day trial of PrinterLogic and see firsthand how ceding more client print control to your end users can drastically cut printer-installation times, reduce the number of help-desk calls and save on the costs of print management.