Press Release

Parts Now! Offers Managed Print Solutions for
Office Equipment Dealers and Service Organizations

* * *
Comprehensive Solution Helps Cut Print Costs by 10% to 30%

MIDDLETON, Wis — February 14, 2008 —  In corporate America, there remains one piece of equipment that if overlooked, often results in large, uncontrolled costs: the office printer.  According to Gartner, Inc., “Unmanaged office printing and copying costs money, and organizations that manage it effectively can save 10% to 30% on a recurrent basis.”* Parts Now! announced that it is launching a new answer to uncontrolled print costs called Managed Print Solutions. The comprehensive solution will help office equipment dealers and service organizations reduce their customers’ overall document imaging costs.  

“We have earned a reputation as the nation’s most trusted resource for quality parts and supplies,” stated Bruce Hagan, Parts Now! CEO.  “Moving forward, we’re committed to leading the industry with unique solutions that optimize our customer’s business. Our approach combines a strategic view of a company’s document activities and equipment with managed print solutions expertise to optimize their document imaging fleet.”

Parts Now! named Bill McLaughlin director of Managed Print Solutions. McLaughlin has extensive experience in developing total solutions that provide a cost-effective, single point of contact for managing customers’ entire document imaging environment.  Most recently, McLaughlin served as corporate vice president of Print Management and Data Center Solutions at Allied Office Products. 

According to McLaughlin, “Predictions that we will become a paperless society haven’t panned out.  In reality, we are printing more as a society than we ever did.”

McLaughlin’s insight is confirmed by Gartner’s findings. Although there are greater opportunities than ever for companies to effectively manage printing costs, Gartner, Inc. suggests that the opposite could occur, “Paradoxically, [document imaging] spending is likely to increase in and after 2007 as price inducements entice users to print more and more color pages. Organizations that fail to take control now may see their costs climb in coming years.”*

McLaughlin stated, “Document output still flies under the radar of most companies. Office equipment dealers and service organizations are in a position to prevent uncontrolled print costs, frustrating downtime and exceedingly poor return on their equipment investment. Our goal with Managed Print Solutions is to transform a company’s unmanaged printing into the service provider’s own competitive edge.”

The key to Parts Now!’s unique MPS solution is a comprehensive team of sales and marketing, training and technical experts needed to partner with dealers to execute their strategic plan. The MPS team develops marketing plans, and provides access to sales specialists and ongoing technical support whenever needed.  McLaughlin said, “This MPS partnership team, coupled with “best-in-breed” software, is a strategic and practical approach that delivers powerful benefits. The solution helps dealers control print-related expenses, reduce costly, disruptive repairs, and lessen the workload for their customers’ IT and help desk staff.” 

Parts Now!’s Managed Print Solutions (MPS) joins unparalleled people power in document imaging strategies with an unbiased software solution that delivers all the data needed to optimize the client’s printing assets, regardless of the office equipment’s brand. Powered by PrintFleet, a global leader in print management and assessment software, the software is both intuitive in the front end and scalable in the back end. 

MPS has minimum system installation requirements and works on any computer. Within minutes of installation, the Parts Now! Data Collection Agent pulls detailed information from networked output devices including printers, copiers, faxes and multi-function peripherals. Powerful analytics tools then translate the raw data into useful reports accessible via Web interface, including current status, page counts and meter reads, supply levels, utilization and page coverage, cost/page tracking, automated service alerts and trend reports. The Parts Now! team of experts then put this data to work in document imaging strategies that optimize the company’s document activities.

“As a result of implementing our customizable and comprehensive solution, customers can expect to right-size their printer fleet, streamline usage and other document activities across the board. This reduces output costs, lowers equipment costs and keeps their business printing efficiently and cost-effectively,” stated McLaughlin.

Source*:  Gartner, Inc.  Key Issues for Print Management, April 12, 2007 ID G00146562 by Ken Weilerstein