CASE STUDY: GOVERNMENT AGENCY

Project Overview

This government agency sought a comprehensive assessment of its printing costs, capacity, and fleet utilization. With no formal print policies or structured management approach, print operations were handled on a case-by-case basis. Our goal was to deliver a complete overview of the agency’s print environment and propose strategies for optimization.

Contract Length: 5-6 months
Employee Base: 480-500 employees
Fleet Size: Approximately 400-500 devices
Site Locations: Multiple locations

Fleet Composition:

• Printers (EP)
• Multifunction Devices (Copiers)

Main Suppliers: Canon, Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, Konica Minolta, Lexmark

Scope of Work

The assessment covered:

• Actual print volume and costs per page, segmented by site
• Fleet usage, service levels, and device security
• Environmental impact, paper consumption, and duplex usage rates
• Comprehensive floor mapping
• Stakeholder interviews and an employee survey 

Using Netaphor SiteAudit software, we conducted a thorough analysis that enabled us to identify key improvement areas. Our recommendations included a range of strategic changes aimed at optimizing the agency’s print infrastructure.

Key Recommendations

• Fleet Optimization and Downsizing: Reduced the number of devices by 35% and strategically placed newer, high-performing devices across locations.
• Cost Reduction Initiatives: Implemented policies such as mandatory duplex printing and centralized cost control.
• Device Allocation and Floor Mapping: Used data-driven floor mapping to align device placement with actual usage patterns, achieving a device-to-user ratio of 1:12.
• Governance and SLAs: Established a governance model with defined KPIs and SLAs for print management oversight.
• Enhanced Device Security: Updated BIOS and printer software across all devices to strengthen security and ensure compliance with security standards.
• Environmental Initiatives: Prioritized the removal of legacy devices to reduce environmental impact.
• User Training: Provided training on multifunction device features like scan-to-email, scan-to-print, and scan-to-fax to improve user efficiency.

Outcomes

• Achieved a 35% reduction in fleet size without compromising availability or efficiency.
• Retired outdated equipment, reducing overall operational costs and environmental impact.
• Centralized supply and device management through a newly established governance model.
• Implemented a logical, data-backed floor mapping strategy that prioritized operational needs.
• High satisfaction from stakeholders, with positive feedback in post-project interviews, including over 400 responses.

This case demonstrates how strategic assessment, and targeted optimizations can streamline print operations, improve security, and enhance overall efficiency in large, complex organizations.