Managed Print Solutions That Cut Costs & Boost Efficiency
Take control of business printing with smarter Managed Print Solutions that help reduce waste, improve efficiency, strengthen print visibility and support more sustainable office workflows.
Managed Print Solutions help businesses reduce print waste, improve efficiency and gain better control over office printing costs.
Printing is one of the easiest business costs to overlook. Devices are added over time, toner is ordered reactively, staff print in different ways, and support issues are often handled only when something breaks. Without a clear print strategy, businesses can end up spending more than they need to on paper, toner, energy, maintenance and staff time.
This guide explains how Managed Print Solutions can help reduce costs and improve efficiency. If you are looking for a provider to assess and manage your print environment, visit our main Managed Print Services London page.
What are Managed Print Solutions?
Managed Print Solutions, often referred to as Managed Print Services or MPS, are a structured way to manage printers, photocopiers, scanners, toner, maintenance, reporting and print-related workflows.
Rather than treating each device as a separate issue, a managed print approach looks at the whole print environment. This includes how many devices you have, where they are located, how much they are used, what they cost to run and whether they support the needs of your staff.
A managed print solution can include print audits, printer fleet optimisation, remote monitoring, toner supply, maintenance support, usage reporting, PaperCut software and advice on reducing unnecessary print waste.
Why business print costs rise
Print costs often increase gradually. A business may start with one or two devices, then add more printers as teams grow. Over time, the print setup can become inefficient, especially if no one is monitoring usage, toner spend, maintenance costs or device performance.
Common reasons print costs rise include:
- Too many desktop printers with high running costs.
- Older devices that need frequent maintenance.
- No clear reporting on who prints, what they print or how often.
- Uncontrolled colour printing and unnecessary single-sided printing.
- Manual toner ordering and emergency consumable purchases.
- Multiple suppliers, contracts or support arrangements.
- Staff downtime when printers fail or toner runs out.
How Managed Print Solutions help cut costs
Managed Print Solutions reduce costs by making print easier to measure, control and improve. The first step is usually a print audit or assessment, which helps identify what devices are being used, how much they cost and where waste is happening.
| Cost issue | How Managed Print Solutions help |
|---|---|
| Too many printers | Reviews whether the business has the right number and type of devices. |
| High toner spend | Improves toner management and reduces reactive ordering. |
| Unnecessary colour printing | Uses print rules, permissions and reporting to encourage better print behaviour. |
| Frequent downtime | Supports proactive maintenance, remote monitoring and clearer support processes. |
| Poor visibility | Gives the business usage data by device, user, department or location. |
| Wasteful print habits | Encourages duplex printing, secure release and more controlled document workflows. |
Start with a print audit
A print audit is often the best starting point for reducing costs. It helps a business understand its current print environment before making changes.
A print audit may review:
- The number of printers, photocopiers and multifunction devices in use.
- Monthly print volumes and usage patterns.
- Colour versus mono printing.
- Single-sided versus double-sided printing.
- Toner and consumables spend.
- Maintenance issues and device reliability.
- Whether devices are in the right locations.
- Whether departments have different print requirements.
Once this information is clear, it becomes easier to recommend a better mix of devices, support, toner management and print controls.
How Managed Print Solutions improve efficiency
Cost saving is only one part of Managed Print Solutions. Efficiency is just as important. Staff need reliable printers, quick access to toner, secure print options and clear support when something goes wrong.
Managed print can improve efficiency by:
- Reducing time spent dealing with printer faults.
- Improving device uptime with maintenance and monitoring.
- Helping staff print to the right device for the job.
- Reducing manual toner ordering and stock issues.
- Using print rules to reduce unnecessary printing.
- Providing clearer reporting for office managers, IT teams and finance teams.
- Supporting secure print release for shared office environments.
Remote monitoring and proactive support
Remote monitoring is a key part of many managed print setups. It allows device status, alerts, consumable levels and usage data to be monitored more easily.
This can help reduce downtime because issues can be identified earlier. It can also make toner supply more predictable, as low consumable levels can be spotted before staff run out.
Learn more about our remote management applications.
PaperCut and print management software
Print management software such as PaperCut can help businesses control how printing is used. It can support secure print release, user authentication, print reporting, quotas and print rules.
This can be especially useful in shared offices, schools, charities, professional services firms and organisations where print security or departmental reporting matters.
Learn more about PaperCut print management software.
Reducing environmental impact
Managed Print Solutions can also support sustainability goals. Many businesses want to reduce unnecessary paper use, toner waste and energy consumption, but they need practical controls to make that happen.
MPS can support more sustainable printing by:
- Encouraging double-sided printing where appropriate.
- Reducing accidental or unnecessary print jobs.
- Helping businesses move away from inefficient older devices.
- Using reporting to identify departments or processes that print heavily.
- Supporting print rules and user controls through software such as PaperCut.
- Improving toner and consumables management.
This helps businesses take a more responsible approach to print without removing the need for paper where it is still required.
Managed Print Solutions, printer rental and photocopier leasing
Managed Print Solutions often work alongside printer rental or photocopier leasing, but they are not the same thing.
| Option | What it focuses on | Useful link |
|---|---|---|
| Printer and photocopier rental | Flexible device supply for short-term, monthly or temporary requirements. | Photocopier and printer rental |
| Photocopier and printer leasing | Longer-term device supply with predictable monthly payments. | Photocopier and printer leasing |
| Managed Print Solutions | Managing the wider print environment, including devices, toner, users, reporting, maintenance and security. | Managed Print Services London |
Which businesses benefit most?
Managed Print Solutions can help any organisation that depends on printing, copying or scanning, but they are particularly useful for businesses that need better control, clearer reporting or more reliable support.
- Growing offices with several printers or photocopiers.
- Schools and charities that need user controls and predictable costs.
- Professional services firms handling confidential documents.
- Construction companies and site offices with project-based print needs.
- Businesses with hybrid teams or multiple locations.
- Organisations where IT teams spend too much time fixing print issues.
- Companies reviewing an existing print, rental or leasing contract.
How London Printer Rentals can help
London Printer Rentals supports businesses with printer and photocopier rental, leasing, service support, toner supply, remote management applications, PaperCut software and wider Managed Print Services.
This article has explained how Managed Print Solutions can reduce waste and improve efficiency. For details of our service, including how we can assess your print environment and support your business, visit our main Managed Print Services London page.
Related services and guides
Explore related services that can support a more efficient print environment.
Managed Print Solutions FAQs
Managed Print Solutions are services that help businesses manage printers, photocopiers, toner, maintenance, print reporting, security and overall print efficiency.
They reduce costs by identifying inefficient devices, controlling unnecessary printing, improving toner management, reducing downtime and giving businesses better visibility of print usage.
Yes. Small businesses can benefit from more predictable print support, clearer costs, better toner management and fewer print-related interruptions.
Visit our main Managed Print Services London page to learn about our print audits, support, remote monitoring, toner supply and print management options.
About London Printer Rentals
London Printer Rentals is a leading provider of short-term and long-term printer and photocopier hire across London and the UK. We offer flexible, affordable rental and leasing solutions for businesses, schools, events, and charities—with maintenance, toner, and delivery included. Backed by our Gold Star Service, eco-friendly practices, and a price match guarantee, we make printing hassle-free and cost-effective.
