Before a new year starts, organizations evaluate their annual IT budgets and choose which projects will take precedence in the coming year. Once the new year kicks off, it’s time to start implementing the top initiatives.
And 2021 is unique, since the events of 2020 had a major impact on the influence of IT priorities going forward. The 2021 State of IT report from Spiceworks Ziff Davis revealed that 76% of businesses are making long-term IT changes due to COVID-19. A large number of survey respondents reported plans to redirect IT spending as a result of the pandemic. Instead of focusing on emerging technology, they plan to concentrate on technology that increases their operational flexibility and empowers their remote workforces.
Many organizations adopted work from home models in response to the pandemic, which are likely here to stay. For example, Google announced that it will maintain a flexible work week after the pandemic is over. Numerous other companies have followed suit. More than half of the SWZD respondents planned to continue similar workplace practices.
Where does print management fit?
Companies aren’t just committing more resources to supporting work from home employees in 2021; they are also getting back to basics. The focus is on increasing network security and strengthening core technologies. The result is a renewed focus on things like secure print capabilities and increased efficiency in print management.
In past years, print environments were often overlooked as areas of real opportunity. Many companies have stuck with the same print management software for years and never changed their print infrastructure.
Unfortunately, that’s prevented companies from realizing the cost savings and productivity gains from a more streamlined print environment. Here’s why:
- Traditional print environments aren’t suited to work from home models. They were originally developed for static wired desktop clients and never changed.
- Conventional print management was not developed to be future-proof. Its scalability is very limited. This is a problem ineffectively solved by adding more and more print infrastructure. And it’s a problem compounded because it reduces scalability potential.
- For these reasons, print security is negatively affected in traditional print environments. When regular print management is already complex, adding secure print capabilities or other advanced features only makes the situation more difficult.
Improved print management as a top IT priority
All of this makes 2021 the ideal year to implement an excellent print management solution. Moving to a serverless printing infrastructure addresses urgent needs, such as supporting a remote workforce, while addressing security needs. The result is additional cost savings and improved efficiency.
Companies with a SaaS variant are ideally suited to hybrid workplaces that include remote employees. Unlike the usual print management software, these companies offer centralized admin control over distributed print environments. In addition to easy-to-use advanced features like secure release printing, they sidestep the VPN dependencies that detract from the security of common cloud and SaaS solutions.
The next-gen interface approach provides more hands-on control without sacrificing ease of deployment and upgrades. Consider a system that allows end-users to identify and install local printers or print securely from mobile devices. Systems like this improve print management efficiency while lessening the burden on IT staff. The bonus is a long-term cost savings from the moment the new system is rolled out.
If your organization is emphasizing workforce flexibility, better security, and infrastructure optimization in 2021, there are companies that provide a way to meet important benchmarks with one solution. Look for companies that deliver a highly available Serverless Printing Infrastructure solution with a centrally managed Direct IP printing platform. These solutions empower end-users with mobile printing, secure release printing, and other advanced features.
Founder Dinis Guarda
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