1) Many organizations implement Managed Print Services (MPS) which conduct print assessments to understand their current print environment and identify opportunities for improvement. 2) These print assessments are often conducted by hardware manufacturers or MPS providers who may not provide fully independent and unbiased assessments and recommendations. Their solutions tend to prioritize selling their own products. 3) For a truly independent assessment, organizations should seek out providers like EKM4 who are not affiliated with any MPS providers and have no motivation beyond advising the customer objectively and identifying the best fit solution for their needs.

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Print Assessments – The Value of True
Independence
Many organisations have realised significant benefits by implementing a Managed Print Service (MPS).
MPS is now in fact seen as the de facto printing solution for medium to large organisations.
The first stage in the process of a MPS implementation is to gain a thorough understanding of the current
state of the organisation including identifying output device numbers and locations, output volumes and
associated costs. Once the current state is defined the organisation can then review how re-
configuration of the print fleet, new technology solutions and supporting services can deliver benefits.
Benefits can include cost reduction, increased productivity and efficiency and improved levels of service.
To understand the current state, organisations typically undertake a Print Assessment or Print Audit.
The assessment and design process can be complex requiring specific skills, tools and knowledge;
therefore, most organisations use specialist Print Assessment providers to complete this work.
A quick Google search provides a list of potential suppliers and interestingly, and almost without
exception, they all proclaim to offer ‘Independent Print Assessments’. But what do they mean by
independent?
‘Independent’ can mean a number of things including:
 Manufacturer independent
 Technology independent
 Supplier independent
 Outcome independent
Manufacturer independence ensures a print assessment supplier is not limited in their ability to
recommend and deliver devices and products from an appropriate range of manufacturers.
Technology independence ensures a print assessment supplier is not limited in their ability to deliver
technology solutions from an appropriate range of vendors.
Supplier independence ensures a print assessment supplier is not limited in their ability to offer both
products and services from a range of supplier partners.
Many hardware manufacturers and solution providers offer Print Assessments but any proposed solution
will typically only include their products and technology. Perhaps more significantly a manufacturer may
be unwilling or often unable to include legacy devices and technology from another manufacturer in the
re-configured print fleet. Replacement of all print devices is unlikely to be the most cost effective
solution.
However, true independence can only be achieved when the supplier of the Print Assessment is not linked
in any way, or motivated by, the supply of the proposed solution; this is outcome independence. This
unbiased approach is the most critical element but isn’t provided by suppliers of Print Assessments as
they are typically designing and delivering the proposed solution. A provider of truly independent Print
Assessments must have no motivation beyond that of advising the customer of their current position,

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recommending the best, most appropriate, efficient and effective solution and ultimately ensuring the
solution meets the Customer’s business needs as opposed to a supplier’s sales targets.
Many suppliers of print products use a Print Assessment as a ‘door opener’, a way of getting in and in
front of a customer with the ultimate aim of selling products and services (including a MPS). The Print
Assessment is therefore likely to be biased towards the products and services that the supplier can
provide and usually those that are most profitable.
These suppliers may still be classed as ‘independent’ from a technology, manufacturer or even supplier
perspective but the key question the customer should ask is ‘what is the suppliers motivation behind the
Print Assessment?’ Will the Print Assessment supplier be interested in providing an unbiased assessment
and solution that meets the Customer’s business requirements or focus on a solution that meets their
sales targets? Are the Customer’s objectives the same as the objectives of the supplier of the Print
Assessment?
Many Independent suppliers of MPS will state they will provide ‘best of breed’ or ‘best fit’, but is it best
for the Customer or best for the supplier? Currently the MPS market is following a ‘supplier centric
model’ where the supplier is driving the MPS requirements, setting the current baseline, defining what
the customer needs and delivering the solution. In almost all cases it is the same supplier who conducts
the assessment, produces the design, undertakes the delivery and leads the monitoring and management
of service delivery. There are a number of significant risks for Customers with this approach:
 Is the supplier’s Print Assessment methodology complete, accurate and more importantly
unbiased?
 Will the proposed design meet the customer’s requirements or the supplier’s sales targets?
 Will the supplier really want to drive down elements of the contract that will potentially reduce
the contract value e.g. total volume, colour volume or number of devices?
 Will the Supplier really be interested in continual service improvement and driving out additional
cost savings and reductions in volumes?
Overall, in the current market the MPS supplier tends to rule, it is the suppliers that are defining the
market and driving the customer. Ideally the customer should lead and control the MPS engagement and
the market needs to move to a ‘customer centric model’.
The Government Procurement Service has recognised the importance of truly independent and unbiased
Print Assessments by including Print Audit Services within the RM1599 Framework (MFD’s, MPS and Print
Audit Services). The Framework has been split into four lots with Lot 3 being MPS and Lot 4 providing
Print Audit Services. Although ‘free’ assessments are included in Lot 3 (MPS), more comprehensive (and
we would argue unbiased) Print Audit Services are available via Lot 4. The risks associated with using
Print Assessments within Lot 3 (MPS) are those already highlighted within the current White Paper.
EKM4’s approach is Customer centric, it is independent and unbiased, focussed on and fully aligned to the
Customer’s requirements. This approach ensures the Customer gains the maximum benefit from a MPS.
EKM4 do not sell or deliver MPS products or services and are not aligned with any MPS provider,
therefore the Print Assessments (and all other services) are truly independent AND unbiased. EKM4’s
motivation is to ensure the realisation of the maximum possible benefits of a MPS to the customers
business, not supply of products.