A report from Quocirca said that print specialists will have to increase the volume of remote working.
Quocirca has been charting the changes, with the analyst firm releasing its tenth edition of its insights into the managed print services (MPS) landscape. The latest report is dominated by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and has discovered that, according to business leaders, there are going to be some long-lasting repercussions.
Print volumes for many have dropped during the months affected by Covid-19, but a third expect volumes to be lower when offices do reopen.
Quocirca found that almost half of those leaders it canvassed had approved home printers for remote staff, 37 percent have already implemented a cloud print managed platform, and a further 37 percent plan to do so. Those that already used MPS had been able to get printers and support to home workers.
Those that can deliver MPS are still facing demand as society starts to unlock over the next few months. But the 53 percent of business leaders who expect spending on MPS to increase over the next year is down from 79 percent in 2019. Customers are also looking for partners that can deliver workplace services, cloud print services and sustainability services.
Quocirca director Louella Fernandes said that there will be no rapid return to pre-Covid-19 print volumes. Businesses are planning office consolidation, capacity reduction and, in some cases, closure.
“Hybrid working is here to stay, and MPS providers must position themselves to assist clients with home printing and information security, but also a wider range of complementary workplace services that help implement the accelerated digital transformation prompted by the pandemic and aid home-office collaboration in the hybrid environment.”
