It’s no secret that MSPs dislike print.
Printing devices can create a giant hassle for MSPs, wasting their time and resources.
MSP technicians will be the first to admit that they don’t really get print devices, nor do they typically want to deal with them. Printers and copiers are complex machines that most IT staff would rather not handle.
However, when clients don’t have a responsive print vendor, they call their MSP for all print-related issues. Whether they like it or not, MSPs that don’t work with a print vendor are frequently stuck with print support calls.
At Print Partner, we collaborate with MSPs across the country, handling print for clients so MSPs can quietly hate print from afar. We know first-hand how irritating print can be for MSPs that don’t have a print partner to deal with print-related issues.
This article will cover some of the main reasons MSPs hate print, and how you can help relieve your print-related anxieties.
1. MSPs are Not Print Experts
Managed print services (MPS) providers troubleshoot print. At least, in theory.
But as your technicians have likely observed, clients that do not have MPS (or, if they do, it’s not from a good vendor) call their MSP for all their print-related needs.
Clients often view their MSP as their trusted technology advisor. And while this title may flatter you, clients expect your MSP to fix any issues that are even remotely tech-adjacent: including print devices.
And for ill-equipped technicians, troubleshooting printers and copiers can feel like Sisyphus rolling his boulder up the mountain. Only, the copy machine is probably even heavier than the boulder.
So, why don’t MSP’s technicians simply “learn” printer? It isn’t that simple.
2. Diversity of Print Devices
With so many different devices on the market, it would be impossible for MSPs to learn about them.
When dealing with a printer, there are several variables to consider, including brand, model, print volume, user interface... the list goes on. The many types of printing devices bring us to our next main reason why MSPs hate print: too many types of print devices!
This is especially true when their clients have disorganized print service.
Who could keep their dozens of different user interfaces straight if they have 80 different device models across multiple locations?
Even dedicated print vendors can struggle with fleets that are not standardized.
This issue can be solved when your clients work with print vendors that emphasize device standardization. Structured, organized MPS providers can clean up your client’s print fleet and handle support going forward.
That way, your team won’t have to keep playing janitor for some random vendor’s messy service!
To learn more about the benefits of print standardization, read: How Print Vendors Manage National Clients
3. Print Support Creates High-Priority Issues
For clients that rely heavily on their print infrastructure, a device malfunctioning can bring their operations to a screeching halt.
Because of this, many print-related calls are frantic, high-pressure, and generally unpleasant.
And when your staff is not prepared to handle the complex, messy print issues thrown at them, these frantic calls can strain and damage the relationships you’ve worked so hard to cultivate!
It’s no wonder why MSPs hate print calls!
When your MSP works with a preferred print vendor, you’ll have a team of experts to collaborate with when necessary.
You’ll have a partner to send your stressed-out callers to when the support calls are beyond your team’s skillset. And that support backup can save you countless clients and dramatically increase your MSP’s client retention rate.
For more tips on retaining clients, read: Top 4 Tips for Retaining Your MSP's Clients
4. Print Devices and Security Risks
Perhaps an MSP’s most important service is the security they bring to their clients’ technology suites.
A breach in a client’s network can cost them immeasurable amounts of money lost, and it can cause them to lose their clients and their reputation.
That’s why MSPs tend to prioritize security above all else.
And that brings us to another reason why print devices drive IT technician’s crazy: they serve as gateways for hackers to get around security.
As air-tight as an MSP’s network protection can be, sloppy security on third-party devices can easily compromise your staff’s hard work.
That’s why you need to work with a print provider you can trust to perform the best possible IT service for your clients. Work with a team you know will patch the security holes in devices that your team can’t and give your clients the air-tight security package they deserve.
5. No Money in Print
What’s the worst part of print? For MSPs, it’s a complete waste of time and resources, since dealing with print issues creates no additional revenue.
Think about it. When clients call their MSP about print issues, they are asking a company to service machines they do not produce and cannot profit from.
Would you call your plumber and expect them to fix your roof? Without pay? Exactly.
When MSPs troubleshoot copiers, there’s nothing in it for them. It’s not their device, and they will make no extra money.
Find a print provider that understands this MSP/print relationship so that your organization won’t waste your staff’s precious time you won’t see a dime from.
Print Partner’s Solutions
Dealing with print isn’t easy. We know that MSPs like yours are justified in resenting the industry.
That’s why Print Partner is here to help!
When your MSP partners with us, we take the burden of print off of your shoulders. Your clients can trust us with their fleets, and we’ll take care of those pesky print support calls that plague your MSP’s call volume.
Plus, we’ll pay you for referrals! For each client you introduce us to, we’ll pay you at least $250, plus $1,000 per copier sold and an additional 5% on their lifetime print allotment.
So what are you waiting for? Stop banging your heads against the wall and dealing with devices you shouldn't need to service.
Partner with us, a Print Partner you can trust.
