Optimizing Your Print Environment: The Role of Right-Sizing

Optimizing Your Print Environment for Better Efficiency and Savings

For businesses looking to save money, boost productivity, and reduce their environmental impact, optimizing the print environment is a game changer. One of the best ways to achieve these goals is through right-sizing—essentially, adjusting your print fleet to fit your business’s specific needs.

The Problem with an Unoptimized Print Fleet

If your print environment isn’t optimized, you might find you have more devices than you actually need, with many being either underused or overworked. This imbalance can result in unnecessary costs—whether it’s on materials, maintenance, or energy. Right-sizing is all about fixing this, ensuring that the number and capabilities of your devices align with your actual printing demands.

How Right-Sizing Works

The first step in rightsizing is performing an audit of your current print environment. This means taking stock of all your devices, figuring out how often they’re used, what they’re used for, and what they’re costing you. By collecting this data, you get a clear picture of how your print fleet is operating, and you’ll be able to spot any areas that are wasting resources.

Digging Into the Data

Once the audit is complete, the next step is to dive into the data and make smart decisions about how to allocate your devices. You might find that some devices need to be moved to different areas, some need to be replaced, or perhaps you just need to swap in more efficient models. The idea is to make sure each device has a purpose and is being used as effectively as possible.

Smart Printing Strategies

Right-sizing often goes hand-in-hand with implementing smarter printing rules. For example, you might set default printing to duplex and grayscale, limit color printing to certain devices, or establish print quotas. These small changes can add up to significant savings and help cut down on waste.

Planning for the Future

It’s also important to think ahead. Your print fleet should be flexible and scalable, so it can adjust as your business needs change. This forward-thinking approach helps keep your print environment efficient and cost-effective as you grow and evolve.

Continuous Improvement

Right-sizing isn’t a one-time task—it’s something you should regularly review and adjust. This ongoing process ensures your print fleet stays aligned with your business’s needs, helping you keep costs down and productivity up over time.

At QLS, we specialize in helping businesses optimize their print environments. We work closely with our clients to conduct thorough audits, analyze data, and offer expert advice. Our goal is to ensure your print fleet is perfectly suited to your business’s needs, resulting in maximum efficiency and savings.