It’s so simple to print something that isn’t really needed. The fact is that most people have done it at some time or another.
In 98% of offices, documents are left sitting at the printer, their private information on full display. In larger firms, unneeded documents line up in print queues, causing delays. As well as wasting time, paper and ink, print wastage is also a more serious security risk and a financial concern than anyone realises.
“Organisations can reduce their office print spending by 10%-30% by carefully managing their printer fleets;” forecast by Gartner, 2012.
The cost of printing is in fact going up. Hitting the print button might seem like a small decision but, especially for SMEs, it really isn’t.
Authenticated release is the answer, and it’s a quick win for businesses of all sizes.
At Konica Minolta customers tell us the savings they make through authenticated release, even in the first year, are considerable, savings they are able to reinvest back into the business, often in upgrading their IT in other ways!
“Until we introduced a secure printing service last year, we had reams of information sitting at the printer waiting to be collected;” said Tenix’ IT director Jean-Marc Bauquin, “Now, print-jobs are only released when staff members swipe their security pass- we are building a much more aware culture.”
A swipe card pushes the decision of whether or not to print a document to the moment the user is standing next to the printer- and that small change changes everything. Not only does it mean the whole office thinks more rationally about when to print but it also means an office can start to track its print waste. Before they know it, everyone is thinking – and saving the office money.
Not only does authenticated release mean less printing but it also tightens up document security. Basically, if you are standing waiting for your documents, they won’t be left lying around. Again, it solves a problem that is bigger than it seems.
“63% of businesses admit they have experienced one or more print related data breaches;” Quocirca, February 2013.
Here’s the nitty gritty of making swipe cards work:
- Print: Send a document to a network printer from your computer. The document will be held on the network until release.
- Release: Swipe your card on the printer’s card reader to access multifunction printer utilities.
- Collect: Pick up your printed document, or complete your scan.
At Konica Minolta, we’re offering a free card reader, or swipe card, worth $500, to everyone who rents, or buys, a new A3 printer and print management software from us. The card reader – or its voucher equivalent – is available to all business customers without existing print management who order an A3 MFP from us before the end of September but the card itself can be collected anytime before Christmas.
We want to see everyone streamline their document management and become more eco-friendly as well. So join us in Swipe to Save and see the difference it can make.
For more information, click on http://www.konicaminolta.com.au/swipetosave.
