How to Prepare a Strong Business Case for a Managed Print Services Contract

Why Businesses Are Reassessing Their Print Environment

For many organisations, printing remains a critical part of daily operations — but unmanaged print environments can quickly become expensive, inefficient, and difficult to secure.

As businesses face increasing pressure to reduce operational costs, improve cybersecurity, and support hybrid work environments, Managed Print Services (MPS) have become a strategic investment rather than just a procurement decision.

However, getting approval for a managed print contract often requires more than identifying outdated devices. Decision-makers need a clear business case that demonstrates operational value, financial benefits, risk reduction, and long-term scalability.

This guide outlines how to prepare an effective business case for a managed print services contract and what stakeholders should consider before moving forward.

What Is a Managed Print Services (MPS) Contract?

Managed Print Services (MPS) is an outsourced approach to managing an organisation’s print environment. This can include:

Rather than managing multiple vendors, reactive servicing, and inconsistent print costs internally, businesses move to a predictable and centrally managed print strategy.

Why Businesses Need a Formal Business Case

A managed print contract impacts multiple departments, including:

A formal business case helps stakeholders evaluate:

It also helps procurement teams compare vendors more effectively and avoid selecting solutions based purely on upfront hardware pricing.

Step 1: Assess Your Current Print Environment

The first stage is understanding the current state of your print infrastructure.

Key areas to analyse include:

Device Inventory

Document:

Current Costs

Your assessment should include:

User Experience Issues

Identify pain points such as:

This baseline becomes essential when measuring potential savings and improvements.

Step 2: Identify Business Objectives

The strongest business cases connect print management to wider organisational goals.

Common objectives include:

Reducing Operational Costs

Businesses often seek:

Improving Security

Modern print environments are increasingly part of an organisation’s cybersecurity strategy.

Security objectives may include:

Supporting Hybrid Work

Modern workplaces require:

Sustainability Targets

Many organisations are also focused on:

Step 3: Build the Financial Justification

Finance teams typically require measurable outcomes before approving an MPS agreement.

Your business case should include:

Current Annual Print Spend

Projected Savings

Demonstrate potential reductions through:

Predictable Monthly Costs

Managed print contracts often convert unpredictable capital expenditure into manageable operational expenditure.

This can improve:

Productivity Gains

Operational efficiencies may include:

Even small productivity improvements across large teams can create significant value over time.

Step 4: Address Security and Compliance Risks

Print security is often overlooked during procurement discussions.

However, modern multifunction devices are network-connected endpoints that can create security vulnerabilities if unmanaged.

Your business case should address:

Industries such as healthcare, legal, education, and finance may have additional data protection obligations that strengthen the justification for managed print services.

Step 5: Include Scalability and Future Planning

A business case should also demonstrate long-term suitability.

Consider:

An effective MPS strategy should scale with organisational requirements rather than requiring another major refresh in a few years.

Step 6: Compare Vendor Capabilities

Not all managed print providers offer the same level of service.

Your evaluation criteria may include:

Service Response Times

Monitoring and Automation

Security Features

Reporting and Optimisation

Look for providers that offer:

Questions Stakeholders Should Ask Before Approval

Before finalising a managed print contract, businesses should ask:

Why a Strategic Print Assessment Matters

A successful managed print agreement starts with a detailed assessment rather than simply replacing devices.

Businesses that take a strategic approach often achieve:

The strongest business cases focus not only on hardware, but on how print infrastructure supports wider business outcomes.

How to Build the Financial Business Case for Managed Print Services

For many organisations, the financial case is the deciding factor when seeking approval for a managed print services contract. A simple framework can help demonstrate the value of moving to a managed print environment.

1. Calculate Current Print Costs

Start by identifying all print-related expenses, including:

2. Estimate Managed Print Costs

Work with your provider to forecast:

3. Identify Potential Savings

Consider savings from:

4. Quantify Productivity Improvements

Measure potential gains such as:

5. Present the ROI

Summarise:

A clear financial summary helps decision-makers understand not only the cost savings, but also the long-term business value of managed print services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in a managed print services contract?

A managed print services contract typically includes printers or multifunction devices, toner and consumables, maintenance, servicing, monitoring software, support, and usage reporting under a fixed monthly agreement.

How much can managed print services save a business?

Savings vary depending on print volumes and device usage, but many organisations reduce costs through fleet optimisation, automated supply management, lower maintenance expenses, and reduced IT administration.

How does managed print services reduce costs?

Managed print services reduce costs by consolidating devices, lowering cost-per-page, automating toner replenishment, reducing downtime, and improving print efficiency across the organisation.

Is print security important for businesses?

Yes. Modern printers are connected network devices that can create cybersecurity risks if unmanaged. Features such as secure print release, user authentication, data encryption, and audit trails help protect sensitive business information.

What departments should be involved in a managed print services business case?

Finance, IT, operations, procurement, and security teams should all contribute to evaluating a managed print services proposal to ensure it meets financial, operational, and compliance requirements.

Should businesses lease or purchase office printers?

Many businesses choose leasing or rental agreements because they reduce upfront capital expenditure, provide predictable monthly costs, and often include servicing and support.

How do you build a business case for managed print services?

A strong business case should assess current print costs, identify operational inefficiencies, evaluate security risks, estimate potential savings, and demonstrate how managed print services support long-term business objectives.

What should businesses look for in a managed print services provider?

Businesses should evaluate service response times, proactive monitoring capabilities, security features, reporting tools, local support availability, and the provider's ability to scale with future business needs.

Final Thoughts

Preparing a strong financial business case for a managed print services contract requires more than comparing printer specifications.

The most successful proposals demonstrate how managed print can improve operational efficiency, strengthen security, reduce costs, and support long-term business strategy.

By aligning print infrastructure with broader organisational goals, businesses can move from reactive print management to a more secure, scalable, and cost-effective document environment.

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About the Author

Shaun Taylor is the National Sales Manager at Sharp New Zealand, with over 20 years’ experience in business technology, print solutions, and managed services. He specialises in helping organisations improve productivity, strengthen print security, and modernise workplace workflows through practical, scalable technology solutions.

Connect with Shaun on LinkedIn