Print.IT Reseller - issue 80

Where one MFP could serve a whole office, the same number of employees now need more flexible print estate and support PRINTITRESELLER.UK 45 VOX POP so that we don’t risk the contamination of the corporate data network through other family members’ online activity. “It’s tricky, the home network is shared and won’t have the same level of security as an office’s business network. Businesses need to look at their security, as their on-premises tools won’t necessarily work as intended when their workforce is remote working. Systems might have been set up in haste last spring, but it is worth going back and reviewing what your business has in place to stay safe, no matter what location employees are working in. “One example would be to look at Zoom when masses started using it last year. Initially, there were lots of hacked meetings, as unwanted visitors caused havoc. This was due to the default settings that were in place for meetings, which were eventually changed by Zoom themselves. However, the lesson to be learnt from this particular example is to review. It was the mass movement of people onto a new application that they were not fully knowledgeable in, that resulted in a number of the hacks.” Steve Holmes: “The channel probably recognises that hybrid and WFH isn’t a ‘working lite’ alternative to being office-based. It is going to be the norm now, so it is essential that the channel works with its customers to talk to them about solutions and options that offer the flexibility needed to support different work locations and environments, while also addressing their procurement, cost control, IT governance and security challenges. “Whether we’re talking about devices, services, online resources and security, none can be compromised, or productivity and security could be impacted just at a time when many businesses are starting on their path to post-pandemic recovery. “Staff working from home, and the calibre of the tools they use, will play a major part in kick-starting the economy. To help facilitate this, we’ve been working with our channel partners throughout the pandemic to help them ensure that wherever their customers are printing from, it’s as safe, secure and as environmentally responsible as it is in the workplace. Aiding them and their customers with this goal, is PaperCut’s Mobility Print, a free BYOD solution that enables easy local printing from iPads, iPhones, Android, Windows, Chromebook and Mac devices.” Clive Hamilton: “As previously reported in PITR , Pinnacle has worked with the Xerox Managed Print Service tools to create a fully managed print/managed document service ability for companies and their home workforce. Offering total management, reporting, auto supplies and service delivery.” Michael Field: “I think the market is fortunate that fleet management software has been cloud focussed for some time now. Software such as 3manager, allow us, as a service partner; to monitor performance, deliver pro- active consumable supply, and view usage levels easily and seamlessly. Print management solutions, such as PaperCut; offer a top-level control mechanism for both client and provider, to ensure document security, access control, reporting and print control across all networked devices. “With many customers now using hosted servers on the likes of Azure, it has become simple for them to extend network capacity for home users. Connectivity options including MPLS & VPN provide further abilities. “When it comes to technology, there are very few restraints. The question is can OEMs produce hardware as reliable as those currently designed for office space, in a footprint small enough to fit even the tightest home office. If so, I think we can all look forward to revenue streams sustainable over the long-term, regardless of working practices or location. If you’re mobile, so are we.” Stuart Sykes, Managing Director, Sharp UK: “Working behaviours have changed across the country as a result of the pandemic and all suppliers must reconsider their offering to support customer needs. Print vendors are facing a situation where workforces are no longer centralised – where one MFP could serve a whole office, the same number of employees now need more flexible print estate and support. Whilst workforces split their time between office and home, the traditional office print set up is still required but with the ability to also print at home. “MPS fleet design is the first area to be considered. Traditional centralised fleets predominantly included A3 MFP and satellite A4 models. While these are still needed, A4 models will now be needed by some at home – for example those working with detailed contracts in finance and legal departments. For some home workers, a standard ‘home printer’ would be sufficient for their needs, although these types of devices are not traditionally included in print fleets. However, for other home workers a more robust A4 device would be required. “In these cases vendors need to scale their support for employees at home as if it were an office. Some devices will need engineer support, to be monitored by the organisation and kept secure. OEMs need continued... PrintIT Reseller: In order to make print perform in the long- term, remote workers will benefit from business-quality printers, automatic supplies replenishment and proactive service; while IT will demand tools that will enable them to manage, monitor and control print across both the home and office environments. Is it time to extend traditional MPS contracts to include home offices and how can OEMs help partners to deliver? Stuart Sykes