More on MSPs and MPS

Doc has written before about the merging of Managed Service Providers (MSP) and Managed Print Services (MPS). Seems the MSP guys, who deal mostly with traditional IT services, have taken notice of the MPS boom and are starting to get involved in providing those services.

But now we learn, from a survey by the Website MSPmentor, that only 20% of MSPs focus some of their time on managed print services. According to MSPmentor writer Joe Panettieri, that number is surprisingly low.

So what's holding back the managed print services market? I've got a few hunches. For starters, many printer companies remain too difficult to work with. During a phone call last week with a Texas-based MSP, the company CEO told me he had essentially scrapped his managed print efforts because his chosen vendor was big, monolithic, slow-moving and enterprise-facing. There was little to no SMB focus from the printer company.

No doubt, many printer companies want to generate managed print profits. And one large printer company was recently quick to celebrate its continued managed print success in Europe. But there was nary a mention of partners in the news announcement.

Still, there are some noteworthy victories in the managed print market. We keep hearing about managed print conferences hosted by Photizo Group. And there are anecdotal success stories out there with partner programs.

But if managed print services is such a huge opportunity how come we hear from so few MSPs on the topic?

Good question, Joe. It just goes to show you that when it comes to print or document management services, it may take a specialist who knows that field inside out. Print may not be just another aspect of information technology.