Author: Rob Farrell

I’m always mindful of how what we do in our lives affects our planet, and although I could never have imagined that we would experience the tragedies of a global pandemic in our lifetime it’s good that there are some areas of impact that have been positive; like the effect it has had on sustainability with reduced emissions worldwide. We expect this to continue long term with so many leading companies embracing hybrid work models for their teams. I’m also intrigued that the pandemic has increased our propensity to be more sustainable. Organic food product sales have dramatically increased, people are mindful about purchasing ethically/sustainably produced products,  and large companies are leading the way with changes to office space that supports hybrid work and sustainability. The transition to hybrid work is resulting in ongoing use of less fuel and energy for commuting while enabling a better work/life balance. The new focus that many have on the work/life balance has allowed our society to slow down a little. Many have found new hobbies, are spending more time outdoors and are experiencing new vacation adventures closer to home. The transition to hybrid work models is here to stay and this will have a lasting effect on reduced emissions that will positively support sustainability. 

Three years ago, prior to the pandemic, Microsoft had designed a new Canadian headquarters downtown Toronto. It has been built with a plan to optimize the space for a hybrid workforce with flex space for employees, partners and customers in mind. Eric Wand, head of IT at Microsoft Canada was tasked with implementing technology to support the team. There are dual large screens in each meeting room to enable content on one with a view of the meeting attendees on the other, state-of-the-art microphones, speakers and AI-powered cameras are in place to enable a similar meeting experience regardless of where the user is working. Many leading technology companies including Cisco are on a similar path, and they have productivity and sustainability in mind as they shift to their hybrid plans.

It seems that work is no longer a place to go to, but it is something we do and it’s clear that people want work to fit into their lives while having more control on the balance. Employers are more focused on productivity, efficiency and getting the work done on time and less focused on the hour of the day that the work is done.

My prediction is that companies will follow the lead of their peers and ensure that their employees have the tools they need to be successful with a hybrid model. Technology is playing a vital role in the hybrid transition. 

Here are some technology changes and investments we have seen companies complete in support of the transition:

• Collaboration platforms supporting inclusive of in-office and remote, supporting balanced verbal and chat communication to enable involvement from different communication styles (extrovert vs. introvert)
• Digitization applications are enabling flexibility to close the gap on proximity with mobile digital capture and workflow software, so that regardless of where the worker is they can complete their tasks with the automation and processing of departmental workflow with integrated approval processes, audit trail and repository connection, keeping the business flowing in a hybrid model
• Thoughtfulness about when we need to collaborate live in the office and when we can save the expense of energy and fuel for travel and collaborate virtually while saving commute time supporting life balance and sustainability
• Simplifying by standardizing a balanced deployment of print/scan devices for in-office access to printing with quick easy cloud connection for employees, partners, and customers (guests)

The SmartPrint team has a passion to help create a future that is more sustainable by improving the way that we operate our business and by helping our clients implement technology and software solutions that help to achieve a net zero future. I’m excited to see more successful sustainable office transition projects completed. The future of our planet depends on it.

Sometimes what looks like savings can turn into a hassle. If you are running aftermarket supplies in your print devices, reach out to see how we can help to convert you to OEM. We typically find that we can help our clients make the change to OEM without impacting the total cost of ownership and the monthly operational cost to run the print environment. If you are currently running OEM supplies and are thinking about trying aftermarket supplies to try and save some money, there may be a better way to save! Reach out to talk to one of our MPS experts.

HP OEM supplies provide the confidence you can rely on for everyday printing. HP is committed to the environment by using recycled materials in new cartridges and offering a free recycling program from one of the 100 most sustainable companies in the world. Supplies also meet eco-label emission criteria to help maintain the air quality. Trust is also provided from the packaging to the chips to use supplies that protect your printer and your data. Lastly, peace of mind is provided in knowing that you are using HP OEM supplies.

​If a device has reached the “end of life” it must go. Closing the security vulnerability gaps is critical, and when firmware updates and patches are no longer available from the manufacturer because it is end-of-life, there is a real risk. How do you make that happen while the technology supply chain is in complete disarray? What’s the stopgap while you wait for hardware manufacturing and the supply chain to catch up? While you are thinking about that, it’s also important to note that buying print hardware that is available from an e-commerce giant or a big box store will not support a standardized, secure print infrastructure with equipment that can be properly managed by a managed print services (MPS) partner that can provide end to end coverage for your fleet of print equipment. It may surprise you that acquiring the right equipment, as recommended by managed print services experts will not only enable you to mitigate security risks but will also cost less in the long run. 

Top 5 reasons to upgrade your end-of-life print hardware now

1. Security vulnerabilities
   • Cyber activity is continuing to increase, and a breach may have a huge impact on your business. If a device is around 5 years old, firmware patches may no longer be supported, and vulnerabilities can be exploited.
2. Your users’ requirements have changed
   • Do you still need a big complex copier? Use this opportunity to give your users what they need with equipment that takes up half of the real estate.
3. Sustainability
   • Lower your carbon footprint with equipment that uses less energy, while reducing the capital and operational costs.
4. Print infrastructure optimization
   • Implement software tools to automate print device security with reporting, while saving IT time, with a stack of simple, yet robust software tools to enable consistent print infrastructure management. Don’t get caught with this risk again.
5. Lower costs
   • Enterprise-level print equipment has a lower total cost of ownership (TCO). An MPS partner whose team has the technical depth to build a simple, world-class print infrastructure will deliver a strong return on the efficiency of your IT team. Partner with experts to mitigate risk and keep your team focused on their core competencies.

An MPS expert can help to secure your existing print infrastructure while building the right plan to upgrade the equipment when it becomes available. It’s important to get in the queue for new hardware.

Reach out to SmartPrint and we can provide a simple free assessment so that you can understand the risk of the current state of your print infrastructure.

Without central control of your print fleet, security settings are extremely difficult to manage, and entry points for cybercrime are more easily overlooked. It becomes even more complex supporting work from home employees and integrating equipment to workflow automation systems.  Your IT team could be focused on configuration settings and authentication rather than working on other valuable IT projects or support. Encryption and authentication can be accomplished universally with an integrated automated security management tool. We’ve had great success with HP JetAdvantage Security Manager, ask one of our experts to share best practices in this area.

During my years of experience in the tech industry, I haven’t encountered a company that demonstrates a bigger commitment to sustainability than HP Inc. HP has been focused on sustainability for years and you can see the level of commitment through their investment in focused corporate roles for sustainability. HP Canada has a Head of Sustainable Impact who is engaged internally to make a difference at HP and is very engaged externally with partners to help them make a difference. We at SmartPrint work closely with HP as a sustainability Change Maker partner. The Change Maker designation gives us access to the vast set of tools HP has developed. HP has been recycling hardware since the1980ss and was one of the first technology companies to move toward improving the power consumption of their equipment supporting the Energy Star program. For more than a decade HP has also invested in a toner and ink supply return program to ensure the plastic and metal supply components are recycled and avoid the landfill. As we all know, climate change is not going to fix itself. Humankind has created this issue and there are leaders like HP that are doing their best to create awareness while doing their part with aggressive action and extending their reach with their business partners.

Earlier in 2021 HP Inc. shared its sustainability vision that includes measurable goals.

Here are some highlights from the plan:

• Carbon neutrality and zero waste mark in HP operations by 2025
• Net-zero carbon across the HP value chain (operations, supply chain and customer product use) by 2040
• 50% reduction in value chain greenhouse gas emissions, in specific areas by 2030
• Reach net-zero deforestation
• Counteract deforestation resulting from using non-HP paper in its products and print services by 2030
• Carbon neutrality in HP’s supplies business by 2030

There is demand for sustainable solutions in managed print services and it’s great to see that many of our clients have this focus. As independent MPS experts, we’ve had requests to help to ensure that the new office and production print equipment we recommend is the most sustainable option while supporting their application. Through the process of completing fleet assessments and balanced deployment plans, we are helping clients to reduce their carbon footprint related to their office printing equipment and supplies with our managed print services programs. Here are some examples of the potential opportunities:

• The best equipment for the requirement with power consumption, cost and sustainable supply chain
• Supply chain decisions for consumables, ensuring that clients use original supplies from a manufacturer that has a focus on sustainable supply chain management and recycling makes a measurable difference. This also improves the long term uptime and longevity of equipment as well as user satisfaction
• Implement a secure pull printing software to reduce wasted print jobs and the wasted paper that goes along with them; using the same tool also reduce paper consumption with business rules for duplex printing
• Save money and energy consumption by upgrading outdated, aging print devices that use more energy and cost more to run and support
• Find areas in their business to avoid print and move to digital

With 35 years of experience, SmartPrint’s Managed Print Services experts can complete a full assessment with a future state plan to help your business optimize the print devices and print infrastructure while reducing your carbon footprint. We can provide measurable results for the sustainability leader in your business. Contact us to find out more.

Sometimes what looks like savings can turn into a hassle. If you are running aftermarket supplies in your print devices, reach out to see how we can help to convert you to OEM. We typically find that we can help our clients make the change to OEM without impacting the total cost of ownership and the monthly operational cost to run the print environment. If you are currently running OEM supplies and are thinking about trying aftermarket supplies to try and save some money, there may be a better way to save! Reach out to talk to one of our MPS experts.

HP OEM supplies provide the confidence you can rely on for everyday printing. HP is committed to the environment by using recycled materials in new cartridges and offering a free recycling program from one of the 100 most sustainable companies in the world. Supplies also meet eco-label emission criteria to help maintain the air quality. Trust is also provided from the packaging to the chips to use supplies that protect your printer and your data. Lastly, peace of mind is provided in knowing that you are using HP OEM supplies.

Global supply chain issues are causing serious challenges for technology manufacturers. Intel’s CEO shared that “the chip shortage won’t end
until at least 2023”.

The chip shortage is not only hitting the PC/laptop market; Apple has had to cut the production of the new iPhone 13;  Toyota had to cut production by 40% in October, and every office print manufacturer has been affected. Some are worse than others. In the MPS business, equipment, supplies and parts shortages are a challenge because of manufacturing delays and significant backlogs at ports globally. Shipment containers are stuck on ships for weeks due to crane operator delays. 

How do you navigate a return to the office with these issues? What if your copier that has had a lot of downtime is overdue for replacement, or your MPS agreement has lapsed, is month to month, and your current provider is not supporting your business with good solutions? Here are 3 important things to think about:

1. Engage a professional to figure it out.

   An MPS Consultant can provide a plan to reduce the risk of your company being affected by completing an assessment of your needs while leveraging your existing equipment that still has serviceable life. Where there is a need for new equipment an MPS Consultant can recommend equipment from manufacturer(s) that are in the best position with equipment inventory now, and the supply of print consumables and parts to keep your business up and running. An independent expert will know what manufacturer partner is ahead of the game and has the plan and financials to survive the current challenges. The office won’t go back to how it always was, leaders need to engage experts to support their people in this new hybrid model.

2. Security

   Cybercrime is at an all-time high and Covid made it worse with employees being targeted and potentially exploited from their home offices. It’s important to work with an expert that can secure your print infrastructure with automated software in the office and for the hybrid/home office worker, including policy management for device firmware to properly harden the print endpoints. Paper documents lying around the office can cause critical breaches of personal data. Physically securing the print equipment with a secure printing tool that requires the users to authenticate with a PIN, badge or mobile device using NFC will mitigate data loss risk through paper documents; it will also increase productivity and support consolidation of print equipment.

3. Intelligent Workflow automation supporting anywhere, anytime access to get things done.

   There are dozens of mixed media document workflows in your business that can be completely digitized and automated with an Intelligent Workflow system.  You can enable your employees to work successfully and efficiently at the home office, the coffee shop, or in the office. The pace of business is speeding up and making your hybrid team successful by automating business processes that will increase efficiency, create a competitive advantage and improve employee retention. Connecting the printing and imaging equipment to software to automate business workflow can be simple, and there has never been a better time to take the first step to see how easy it can be to get started with digital transformation.

The three areas above are tightly connected. When you are thinking about approaching one of them, the expert you engage should be thinking about each area to be sure you have a scalable, secure print and document infrastructure to reach your business goals. 

Reach out for a brief qualifying conversation with one of our experts.

Without central control of your print fleet, security settings are extremely difficult to manage, and entry points for cybercrime are more easily overlooked. It becomes even more complex supporting work from home employees, and integrating equipment to workflow automation systems.  Your IT team could focused on configuration settings and authentication rather than working on other valuable IT projects or support. Encryption and authentication can be accomplished universally with an integrated automated security management tool. We’ve had great success with HP JetAdvantage Security Manager, ask one of our experts to share best practices in this area. 

Businesses that want to grow or maintain their market share need to automate and optimize workflow to make their employees more efficient, and ideally improve their customer experience. McKinsey & Company completed a survey called The Imperatives for Automation Success. The survey shows that 66% of respondents are taking action, and the % has increased by approximately 15% “…Two-thirds of respondents say their organizations are at least piloting the automation of business processes in one or more business units…”  The future is now, it is time to make workflow automation a priority in your business.

Artificial Intelligence will be one of the six technologies that dominate 2022 and it is coming to your office. Many companies are ahead of the game using AI to drive competitive advantage by increasing productivity with simple projects, like automating data entry in finance with accounts payable and expense management, or automating the inbound flow of incoming documents using AI to classify documents and automating decisions with simple workflow from all incoming channels (web, email, snail mail, fax etc.). Getting started with one successful project will open the eyes of the organization to look for the next productivity win. It can become addictive for management teams.

4 key things to think about when getting started with workflow automation in your office.

1. The right on-ramp

   – This is where your integrated MPS (managed print services) partner with experience and deep capabilities in Intelligent Workflow AI tools for the office, will add significant value. This isn’t just about software, you need the right future print/scan/fax hardware that will integrate and even kick off workflow.

2. The right security– Most workflow automation projects in the office deal with confidential data, like invoices, client information, intellectual property etc. It’s crucial to lock down the end points involved from a digital and physical standpoint.

   – Intelligent Workflow software will connect to multiple systems including the web and your Financial or ERP software.

   3. The right AI workflow tools

   – This is truly becoming a crowded space. There are dozens of software companies with similar competing technology.

   – Which of the many are best in breed with ease of use for your users?

   – What software company is ahead of the pack with pre-built connectors to integrate with your systems?

   – How will you know which software will drive rapid and measurable productivity gains?

   – Do you want a point solution or a solution that can automate workflow in multiple departments?

   – Not to oversimplify this, but this is where your independent experts can help you answer these questions and provide all of the components of the solution, along with connecting all of the dots to make it all work through a successful implementation.

   4. The right process for your people

   – A current state analysis of your businesses operating models in the top 3 priority workflows with today in mind, and the future with hybrid workforces. Let’s face it, we need to change the way we work and often where we work.

   – Employee retention through job satisfaction has never been more important; it is time to automate those mundane repeated processes and get the best of your employees through engagement in thoughtful work.

No one will disagree that the future of work in the office will be different moving forward and that the pandemic has increased the need for change dramatically. Intelligent Workflow solutions will simplify mundane tasks, reduce errors, improve productivity and employee engagement and improve your customer’s experience.

Reach out to find out how the integration of our MPS and Intelligent Workflow expertise can help you catch up, or get ahead of your competitors.

The predicted disruption of hybrid work is no longer a theory, it’s happened, and it is here to stay.
It’s time to enable the hybrid worker regardless of where they decide to work.

Automation has become ubiquitous in the manufacturing process and AI (artificial intelligence) automation tools are quickly taking over website customer service and support. One area where automation is used extensively in business is with software automation tools for mining financial data. The next area of focus that is now gaining momentum is workflow automation for employees. There are very powerful, yet simple to use intelligent workflow tools for your business that deliver measurable efficiency gains resulting in a significant ROI. Think about where there is variation or costly errors in an important business workflow and you have found a good place to take your first step.

Automation of your current workflow helps to reduce manual work and redundant tasks, and with the ability to put all of the automation in the cloud. It doesn’t matter if the employee is in the office, a coffee shop, or their home office, they can complete their part of the workflow efficiently.

Here are 5 workflow automation opportunities to add efficiency while including and benefiting the hybrid worker:

1. Travel and Expense reimbursement
   • Automate the input of receipt data with digital capture
   • Simple online manager approvals
   • Finance receives all of the details and no longer have to chase people down
2. Invoice management and approval (Accounts Payable)
   • Save a lot of time and improve accuracy by getting rid of the mundane, error-prone data entry
   • Visibility of all stages of the AP process
   • Integration with existing systems
   • Integrated web/mobile approvals
3. Contracts Management 
   • Increase contract visibility with anywhere, anytime secure user access
   • Shorten approval times
   • Never miss a contract renewal
4. Customer Service
   • The quicker the response, the happier the customer
   • Reducing errors will make the team more reliable
   • Increase the efficiency of the  team by lightening the low-value workload
5. Human Resource Automation i.e. Onboarding employees
   • Simplify this process and improve the first impression for your new employees
   • Put the whole paper trail on-line
   • Give time back to your busy HR team

There is a link to MPS (managed print services) because the hybrid worker has a requirement for handling some paper-based documents and if they don’t have the tools they need they are likely wasting time trying to get by doing everything digital when they are working from their home office. For many workers, if they are going to be productive, they need the ability to print, scan and copy with a secure business-class device that fits the space they have. The hybrid worker needs support for the equipment and your IT team already has enough to deal with. Also, security is absolutely critical for your business because hackers are targeting homes to gain access to business data and networks. Connect with your MPS and workflow experts to help connect all of the dots in the document lifecycle. We can connect your whole team with workflow automation tools that will improve your business.

Without central control of your print fleet, security settings are extremely difficult to manage, and entry points for cybercrime are more easily overlooked. It becomes even more complex supporting work from home employees, and integrating equipment to workflow automation systems.  Your IT team could focused on configuration settings and authentication rather than working on other valuable IT projects or support. Encryption and authentication can be accomplished universally with an integrated automated security management tool. We’ve had great success with HP JetAdvantage Security Manager, ask one of our experts to share best practices in this area.