MPS: What’s in a Name?

I’m beginning to agree with Steve Reynolds (LYRA). I am reading article after article, and having conversations that are beginning to dominate my day about managed print services, or MPS. While I thoroughly enjoy the strategy and semantics debate as much as the next guy, something is starting to get under my skin…

The definition of MPS… everyone has to define it! Why? More importantly why does that matter to you? Does it offer you comfort to label things in such a way? I read articles debating whether cost-per-copy (CPC) programs are really MPS, if MPS is the next “it” thing, or if you know what MPS really even is?

Is it getting a little noisy in here?

Are you frustrated and confused as to your next step? Are you still trying to get a grip on just what to do, or how to make what you have work better?

The good news is that you are not alone. Welcome to the business of running a business. Folks, the cut and dry of MPS is that it can be just about any program or process whereby you drive down costs and/or offer increased transparency to your clients in an output strategy.

Well, if it’s that simple then why can’t I figure it out?

Good question, and I’m glad you asked. The reason is most companies, even really big ones, often suck at follow-through and commitment. Copier dealers, or “document output solutions providers” (said in a deep and booming voice) are notoriously short-sale focused. It’s the emotional high of closing that first deal or landing the big deal that gets your heart thumping.

But let me bring you back to an important point: documents are the vehicle in which information travels in and through your business. In thinking of strategy, you do have to be considerate of just what processes you will be touching with your go-to-market strategy. In other words that sale surely feels great, but don’t fall victim to feature-blindness – or the tendency to shove features on a client’s workflow that are not appropriate simply to make a sale.

In a nutshell…

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to help your clients, and you don’t necessarily need to subscribe to the latest, franchised buzzword to make it all work. However, you do have to have a program or process that makes sense to your business and to which you adhere. As the great football coaches like to say, “Let’s get back to basics.”

Image courtesy of OrangeAcid.

Ken Stewart’s website, ChangeForge, focuses on the collision between the constantly changing worlds of business and technology in an information-centric world. Ken is also the founder of Seeking the Son. He is always interested in connecting; To discover the many ways you may connect with him, visit him at DandyID.