Supplies as a Service (Consumables)

With a Printing Supplies as a Service solution, a managed services provider (MSP) or value-added reseller (VAR) works with a business to assess print media and supplies needs, optimizes purchasing, often by standardizing supplies from one provider, tracks inventory, and manages orders to ensure necessary stock is always on hand.

Why It Matters to Your Customers

Printing has become an integral part of many processes, and if printing supplies run out, some operations, for example, barcode labeling before shipment, can grind to a halt. Businesses that have experienced rapid growth or that have added new divisions or revenue streams may have never standardized supplies use, so may be devoting more time than necessary to tracking supplies and placing orders with various suppliers. Printing Supplies as a Service enables the business to turn over management to a single MSP or VAR to gain the assurance their supplies will never be out of stock.

Why Printing Supplies as a Service (Consumables) is an Opportunity

There are several print media and supplies providers that have attractive partnership opportunities for MSPs and VARs. In some cases, the supplies are designed for the vendor’s printers, and the vendor may offer a free printhead protection program or other benefit if your client exclusively uses their supplies. The vendor may also assist you with a vendor managed inventory (VMI) program to stock for particular clients’ needs and give you the ability to schedule regular deliveries (or even same-day delivery, when needed) of commonly used products. Other offerings are subscription services based on average usage, with supplies delivered on a regular basis and the client charged a predictable monthly fee.

Bundle Printing Supplies as a Service with other offerings such as managed print or Hardware as a Service to create a turnkey printing solution that ensures continuous printing processes for the client while saving them time and IT labor costs.