Weāve all done it – hit the pause button on spending when budgets feel tight and the futureās unclear. Itās a safe move on the surface. If you’re a Finance Director staring down budget uncertainty for 2026, pressing āholdā on any non-critical projects probably feels like the right call. But hereās the thing: when it comes to print infrastructure, waiting isnāt neutral. Itās not freezing costs. Itās actively burning money, month after month.
That clunky old printer in the corner? Itās not just slow ā itās silently eating into your margins.
The Money You Donāt See (But Are Definitely Spending)
When print infrastructure isnāt managed properly, the costs donāt always scream at you. They trickle out in quiet, forgettable ways – a box of toner here, an engineer call-out there, frustrated staff waiting for a jammed printer to sort itself out (again). These are the bits that rarely get flagged during board meetings but add up fast.
Delaying action doesn’t save money. It just locks you into a constant drip-feed of inefficiencies – which, letās be honest, you probably canāt afford to ignore right now.
Managed Print Services: Itās Not a Nice-to-Have
Letās cut through the fluff. Managed Print Services (MPS) isnāt some futuristic add-on. Itās a practical move that gives you control over something that, in many businesses, is quietly out of control.
Hereās what that looks like in real terms:
| Hidden Cost | How MPS Fixes It | Real-World Results |
| Consumables & Waste | Automated supply ordering. Print rules (e.g. double-sided printing, limiting colour). | 20% to 35% savings in total print spend through reduced waste and smarter printing. |
| Unplanned Maintenance | Remote monitoring. Fixes issues before they become disasters. | IT teams finally stop being the “printer people” and focus on actual strategy. |
| Energy & Useless Devices | Consolidation of your fleet, using energy-efficient kit. | One client scrapped 89 printers in Year One. Lower bills, less hassle. |
| Chaotic Billing | One predictable monthly bill, based on actual use. | Easier forecasting. No more budget surprises. No more āhow much did we spend on toner!?ā moments. |
What Happens When You Do Act? Some Real-World Wins
This isnāt just theory. We’ve seen this play out across dozens of organisations – big and small – and the results speak for themselves.
- A global professional services firm cut printing costs by 35% across international offices by standardising their print set-up.
- A UK construction company is set to save Ā£500,000 over five years after rolling out a secure āFollow-meā printing system that slashes waste.
- Another business reduced their print fleet by nearly 700 devices, boosting productivity and cutting costs at the same time.
Thatās money straight back into the business. Less waste, less stress, more control.
The Longer You Wait, The More You Pay
Look, we get it. Budgets are under pressure. Forecasts are vague. Maybe you’re waiting for green lights from the board, clarity from the government, or just the calendar to tick over into Q1.
But hereās the uncomfortable truth: while youāre waiting, your old print setup is racking up unnecessary costs. Those costs arenāt going to stop until you do something about them. And every month you delay is another line of spend that could have been avoided.
In our experience, businesses who act now not only save money quickly, they also gain something even more valuable – visibility. They know whatās being spent, where, and why. And in times like these, that kind of clarity is gold.
Want a Quick Win Before Year-End?
You donāt need to commit to anything huge right now. But hereās a smart move: book your free Evolve print environment audit before the yearās out.
Itās no-obligation. Just a straightforward look at where your current setup is costing you ā and what you could save in 2026. Even if budgets stay frozen, knowing the facts puts you in a stronger position.
