Brother launches MPS offering at small customers

Brother has launched a pilot subscription service to get more small firms comfortable using managed print services (MPS).

The vendor has seen strong demand over the past year for managed print, and its PrintSmart Essential offering helps complete the jigsaw, with a small firm option that gives users a chance to get familiar with the world of managed print without obstacles and heavy commitments.

Customers will get the chance to pay monthly for support, device installation, supplies recycling and maintenance services, with a three-month notice period. Prices range from £17 to £62 a month, depending on page volumes and the hardware chosen.

The expectation is that the channel will be able to pitch the option to customers, with no need for credit agreements and cancellation at any time, which should make it attractive for small customers looking for inkjet and laser printers.

Greig Millar, general manager for sales at Brother UK, said that the firm had seen some of its highest levels of growth with managed print services in the past year and viewed MPS as an area where there were further opportunities.

“MPS represents a key area of growth for the print industry in general as more businesses recognise the benefits of greater simplicity, cost-effectiveness and productivity through having their devices managed,” he said.

“PrintSmart Essential meets the growing demand from smaller firms for non-committal subscription services that we know reseller partners in the market are looking for. Unlike the offerings from competitors, there is no credit agreement, no contract and no long-term financial commitment,” he added.

Millar said that with PrintSmart Essential it could now arm partners with options for all customer sizes and help foster further growth in the base of users consuming managed print services.

“This solution completes our MPS range, which spans from the complex, multi-service offering for large networked businesses, through to PrintSmart Essential, our new, low cost print subscription service,” he added.

“This solution represents a significant milestone in making print more simple and effective for small businesses, and we look forward to working with our reseller partners to continue providing more accessible services.”

Managed print has been one of the areas where the pandemic has accelerated user adoption, with more customers looking for greater flexibility as they move deeper into a hybrid working world. Brother shared that ,for the first three months of 2021, its MPS print volumes saw it hit 78.1 million pages, which was the highest quarterly total recorded.

Print industry commentators have urged more of the channel to get involved with MPS to offset the more irregular revenues that come from hardware sales.