The coronavirus crisis has hit many industries in a previously unimaginable way. The office print industry included. Most businesses are currently focusing on survival tactics. But some of the changes made will be here to stay. So, what can the office print industry look forward to in the future? Quocirca has some of the answers.
Louella Fernandes, Research Director at Quocirca recently authored a new report. It takes a look on the impact of the coronavirus on the office print industry. The report identifies the trends in the cloud, digital workflow, and collaboration areas that are creating opportunities during and after the crisis.
What Will The Office Print Industry Look Like after Coronavirus?
On the one hand, we can expect to return to office-based work. However, this may be different than before. Productivity in home offices is, in general, better than expected. However, we will at some stage return to social, personal interactions in the offices. This means that a hybrid of office and remote work can be expected. An emphasis on touchless technology is to be expected. These are the main aspects that the office print industry is facing.
The Quocirca report shows that over 75% of executives expect the crisis to cause significant ongoing disruption. 70% of respondents are already seeing a decline in print volumes. Several opportunities, however, were identified in the report which the office print industry can focus on.
Secure home printing solutions
Some employees working in home offices do not have access to a printer. Those who do, often have a device that is far from meeting the security and data protection demands required in a corporate setting. 86% of industry executives stated that their customers have concerns about home printer security. ezeep’s cloud-managed printing offers a secure option for home offices. You can find more information here.
Cloud-enabled digital services
The report states that 89% of respondents expect to see an increase in the need for cloud-based workflow services. 75% expect growth in the digitization of paper-based processes. As a result, this means that there are opportunities for smart MFPs in the area of document capture and automated workflows.
Cloud print infrastructure transformation
Cloud print services are fast becoming the best way to create a cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable print infrastructure. By managing network printers in the cloud, businesses can reduce capital expenditure and operating costs through scalable cloud services. According to the report, 71% of print industry executives stated that they expected demand for cloud-based print management to expand. Furthermore, ezeep is already leading this field with its cloud-managed printing solution.
Expanding Device/Desktop-as-a-Service offerings
One area of opportunity is the office-in-a-box bundle for home offices (e.g. laptop, printer, etc). This could provide traditional print channel partners with new business models. Desktop virtualization is another area expected to grow significantly. Printing is difficult to set up for home office employees though. However, Microsoft’s chosen solution for Windows Virtual Desktop printing offers a perfect answer for those looking to tap into this opportunity.
Developing touchless technology propositions
More and more businesses are looking at how to make their office spaces safer for employees. Automatic hand sanitizers or motion-based lights etc. are obvious examples. Another area though is touchless biometrics like pull printing with smartcard authentication. ThinPrint’s Personal Printing Release Station offers an easy-to-implement option that utilizes contactless RFID cards and importantly, works with any existing printer.
Enhancing integrated collaboration services for office and home workers
The report found that 92% of print industry executives foresee growth in collaboration and communication services. Home office and work office employees need the tools to work productively and conveniently despite their physical separation. Cortado Mobile Solutions show how home office employees can be easily integrated. And Teamplace takes a look at how home office employees can be motivated and what tools are useful in this area.
Sustainability in the office print industry
The coronavirus crisis has had such an impact on our day-to-day lives that the reduced human activity has benefited the environment. Sustainability is an area where the office print industry will continue to focus and build upon. The industry needs to ensure that customers can become greener. ezeep recently took an in-depth look at the actual environmental impact of printing. The findings are available here. Also, ezeep offsets the CO2 caused by customers’ printing volumes through the support of the justdiggit.org initiative. More information on ezeep’s approach to sustainability and Justdigit can be found here.
You can find more details on the Quocirca COVID-19 office print industry report here. Should you have any questions relating to printing during and after the crisis, and in the workplace of the future, we’ll be happy to assist. Simply can get in touch with us here.