How Much Are You Really Spending on Printing?

Uncovering the Hidden Costs Inside Your Office

In many businesses, printing is one of those silent activities that no one pays much attention to—until a problem arises. A printer runs out of toner during a crucial deadline. A maintenance issue disrupts operations. A team member spends hours trying to fix a jammed device. But beyond these visible moments of frustration lies a far more pressing concern: the hidden costs of unmanaged printing.

Most organizations are unaware of how much they’re actually spending on printing. It seems like a small, routine function—until you add everything up.

The Real Cost of “Unmanaged” Printing

When companies look at printing, they often consider only the obvious: paper and toner. But those are just the tip of the iceberg. The real costs are buried in several categories, including:

• Printer Purchases and Replacements: Without a centralized system, companies often buy multiple printers for different departments, many of which are underutilized.
• Supplies Management: Toner and ink cartridges are often ordered reactively, sometimes at inflated prices and in unnecessary quantities.
• Maintenance and Repairs: Ad hoc technician visits and equipment downtime cost money, time, and productivity.
• IT Involvement: IT teams frequently get pulled away from high-value tasks to handle printer issues.
• Energy Usage: Older or inefficient devices consume more power and contribute to rising utility bills.
• Wasted Prints: Documents are often printed and never collected, especially in environments without print tracking or secure release systems.

Taken individually, these costs may seem minor. But across a year—and especially across multiple offices or departments—they can represent a significant drain on operational budgets.

Why the Problem Often Goes Unnoticed

Printing costs are usually scattered across different departments and budgets. The marketing team might handle supplies for their area, while HR manages its own printer maintenance, and IT oversees technical issues. As a result, there’s no unified view of how much is actually being spent—and no strategy for reducing it.

Even companies that assume they “don’t print much” are often surprised by what a simple audit can reveal. In one case, a mid-sized organization believed they had print costs under control. An analysis showed they were operating over 30 individual desktop printers, spending thousands of dollars on toner each month, and printing more than 15,000 pages—40% of which were never retrieved.

What was missing? Visibility, accountability, and strategy.

Introducing Managed Print Services (MPS)

Managed Print Services (MPS) is a solution that helps businesses take control of their printing environment. Rather than managing dozens of devices and supply orders separately, MPS consolidates everything into a centralized, automated, and data-driven service.

Here’s what a well-structured MPS typically offers:

• Fleet Optimization: A right-sizing of your devices based on actual usage and needs—not assumptions.
• Automated Supply Replenishment: Printers monitor their own toner levels and reorder supplies automatically, preventing downtime and overstocking.
• Maintenance and Support: All service and repairs are handled by a dedicated provider, reducing reliance on internal IT.
• Print Tracking and Reporting: Gain insights into who prints, how much, and what can be optimized—down to departments or individual users.
• Cost Predictability: Monthly or quarterly billing simplifies budgeting and eliminates unexpected costs.
• Improved Security: MPS can introduce secure print release, user authentication, and network-level protections for devices.

Ultimately, MPS transforms printing from a fragmented cost center into a controlled, transparent, and efficient service.

Why This Matters in Today’s Business Landscape

In a world where every dollar counts and every workflow is being optimized, printing shouldn’t be an afterthought. Companies are investing in cloud software, automation, and cybersecurity—yet many still run outdated print systems that bleed money quietly.

Beyond cost, there’s also the issue of sustainability. Uncontrolled printing wastes paper, energy, and consumables. MPS can support corporate sustainability goals by reducing environmental impact through duplex printing, energy-efficient devices, and waste tracking.

Final Thoughts

Printing is one of the last unmanaged areas in many offices. And while it may seem small, it often hides a large opportunity for savings, efficiency, and strategic improvement.

If your organization hasn’t yet explored how Managed Print Services could streamline operations and reduce waste, now may be the right time to start.

Understanding the real cost of printing is the first step toward making it smarter.