TL;DR
Printers may feel like old technology, but in today’s enterprise environment, they still consume time, money, energy, and IT resources if left unmanaged. A strong print strategy focuses on five pillars: improving IT efficiency, reducing costs, strengthening security, supporting hybrid work, and practicing environmentally-responsible printing. Done right, print management simplifies workflows, lowers expenses, and keeps sensitive data safe.
If Printing Were Designed Today
If office printing were created using modern design standards of today, it would look much different than in years past. Devices would ship as cloud ready, with strong encryption enabled, no unnecessary ports open, and would include consistent workflows and protocols across all printers. Print servers would be obsolete, with cloud services or desktops handling coordination. Data analytics would drive smarter fleet decisions. Imagine the possibilities …
While print was not designed this way, modern tools and strategies can help organizations get as close as possible to this ideal.
From Paper to Digital: The Evolution of Office Printing
Printing has been around for centuries, but modern office printing really began with HP’s commercialization of the office laser printer in 1984. Since then, printers have become a fixture in nearly every office.
The challenge? Unlike other IT systems, office printing has not kept up with modern standards for security, interoperability, and usability. Most organizations still treat printers as machines that process paper and toner, not as connected devices that require strategy, oversight, and protection.
Every printer is essentially a digitally connected small manufacturing plant. It consumes raw materials, requires energy, and outputs a product. Without proper management, the costs—financial, environmental, human, and security-related, as these connected devices can expose networks and endpoints to risk—can quickly spiral.
That’s why a thoughtful, modern print strategy is essential.
The Five Pillars of a Modern Print Strategy
1. Improve the Experience for IT
Traditional print environments are complex, difficult to maintain, and often riddled with hidden inefficiencies. IT teams waste hours troubleshooting driver issues, managing servers, and fielding user complaints. A better print strategy reduces server dependence, simplifies management, and frees IT resources to focus on higher-value projects.
Resources to explore:
- Article: 8 Benefits of Cloud Print Infrastructure
- eBook: Creating a Cloud Migration Strategy for Print Infrastructure
- Article: How to Streamline Workplace IT Operations with Serverless Printing Solutions
2. Reduce Printing Costs
Printing costs are notoriously hard to measure. It’s not just paper and toner—it’s IT labor, maintenance, capital investment, wasted output, and even compliance risks. Organizations that adopt smart print solutions often see costs drop by as much as 40 percent and can free up more than 60 percent of the capital invested in underutilized printers.
Resources to explore:
- Article: How to Reduce Printing Costs in the Modern Workplace
- Case Study: Citizens Bank and their 45% Decrease in Monthly Print Costs
- Self-Assessment: Understanding Print Costs
3. Enhance Security and Compliance
Printers are endpoints, and like any endpoint, they can be exploited. Many still run on outdated, unencrypted protocols. Sensitive documents left at the printer can put organizations at risk. A secure print strategy ensures encryption, access controls, and monitoring are in place to protect printers and the printed documents they produce to meet compliance requirements.
Resources to explore:
- Article: Printers and Cybersecurity
- Whitepaper: Supporting Zero Trust Print Environments
- Whitepaper: Data Privacy and Regional Document Storage
4. Support a Hybrid Workforce
The way we work has changed, and printing must change with it. Employees need to print from multiple locations, devices, and networks—easily. Mobile printing options, the ability to print across networks from anywhere, and location-based printing that automatically adds and removes print queues from user workstations based on their location enable user flexibility while reducing IT headaches. Cloud print management helps deliver a consistent, secure experience across office and remote setups.
Resources to explore:
5. Embrace Environmentally-Responsible Printing
Sustainability is now a requirement, not an option. Investors, employees, and customers all expect organizations to show progress on environmental responsibility. A sustainable print strategy includes reducing waste, consolidating devices, monitoring usage, and reporting ESG data transparently.
Resources to explore:
Wrapping Up
Printers may not be the most exciting technology in your IT stack, but they represent one of the last unmanaged areas of many organizations. By creating a thoughtful print strategy, you can reduce costs, protect data, improve IT efficiency, support your workforce, and meet sustainability goals.
Printing should be simple, secure, and seamless—and with the right strategy, it can be.
