Managed Print Services in the Wall Street Journal

Will managed print services contracts cannibalize machine and supplies sales for traditional printer manufacturers? That's one of the questions Matt Jarzemsky asks in a recent Wall Street Journal article about Managed Print Services. The article, though short, hits on several of the important topics of where the Managed Print Service market is going.

Weilerstein said growth in the managed print business appeals to printer makers because it compares with stagnation in traditional sales of printers, ink and supplies. The providers are also drawn to the area because it allows them to gain control of large fleets of printers at once, he said.

Printing companies' motivation to sign managed print services contracts involves more than just revenue growth. "The service provider is in the catbird seat" because it can install its own products across a client's operations, Forrester Research analyst Craig Le Clair said. "They're going to lose revenue over time if they don't win these coveted spots.

Le Clair said that the overall market for managed print services is expanding enough to give all the established providers room to grow in the area.

Doc doesn't like to over simplify things, but Matt does a succinct job in getting the tone of the MPS industry. Check it out.