Flexible working is standard practice nowadays, with teams distributed across multiple locations on any given day; different offices, houses, and even countries. There is a clear preference towards a more informal work environment which prioritises convenience over complexity, offering easy access to corporate resources and uncomplicated systems through which to print them. In response, organisations are looking for new ways to digitally transform their processes and enable increased flexibility for employees.
Investing in future-proofed technologies is vital for resilience and business continuity. The right solution should drive flexibility, scalability, security and cost-savings, resolve pain-points and add value throughout a business. Does any such thing exist?
Cloud-based solutions are able to tick all of these boxes, so it’s not hard to see why they’re becoming an essential tool for all future-forward organisations. Cloud storage platforms, such as Google Drive, have been supporting distributed teams for as long as a decade. But why stop there? If workers have remote access to cloud-stored corporate resources, a logical next step would be to migrate print services to the cloud as well. Here, we break down the many benefits of introducing a cloud print solution into your business.
What’s the difference between a Toshiba cloud printing solution and my current setup? What are the benefits?
No server hardware required!
Your current print infrastructure might include on-premise server hardware which can be costly to acquire, service and maintain. Solutions like e-FOLLOW.cloud, on the other hand, are completely serverless, meaning local hardware and client software are not required. So long as the e-FOLLOW.cloud app is installed onto your Toshiba MFP, the two can communicate directly and safely with end-to-end encryption, enabling you to start managing your printing remotely without the hassle of hardware installation. If your aim is to reduce the complexity of your print infrastructure, then cloud print management is for you.
Savings
There are many savings to be made by migrating to a cloud printing solution, but cost, time, and environmental impact are the most significant. Cost-savings can come from the moment you make the switch, by not having to purchase print server hardware or having to spend on IT administration, service, and maintenance. There’s also the potential of cost saving across the business, as an indirect benefit of a cloud print solution. For example, the flexibility of cloud printing injects vital agility into workflows, saving teams time that they might have otherwise spent commuting to and from an office everyday just to access, print and retrieve the business documents they need to get things done. Being able to control and manage their print activity from anywhere, workers can maintain an optimal level of productivity which, over time, can ripple throughout a business and increase profitability in the long run.
Cloud printing can also help businesses boost their sustainability efforts. It’s no secret that uncontrolled, poorly managed printing can have a significant impact on both the environment and the wallet, and this needn’t be the case. By managing everything in the cloud, users have more control over what they are printing, how it’s finished, and where they’d like to retrieve it, which reduces the risk of abandoned printouts. By eliminating needless paper waste, companies can make small but mighty steps towards increasing their sustainable practices.
Security
It might be easy to think that printing remotely is a recipe for a security disaster, but people shouldn’t have to be within the bounds of the office firewalls for security to be maintained. With Toshiba’s cloud printing solutions, all communication channels are consistently encrypted end-to-end, meaning all user, billing and print data is maximally secure. Customer credentials and data are strictly separated to ensure protection of personal information, while secure print release removes the risk of sensitive documents getting into the wrong hands.
Self-scaling
A benefit that is not to be overlooked is the scalability of a cloud solution. Whether you’re a small business with just a few devices or a large enterprise with multiple locations, offices, users and MFPs, a cloud print solution helps your business to grow and then grows with it.
The sky is the limit
Empowering teams to embrace more informal, flexible working styles is the sign of a future-forward business that is ready to adapt. Identifying areas in need of future-proofing can be a difficult task, as is understanding which investments can bring the most value for your business. Feature-rich cloud print solutions don’t just free up time for you to focus on these priorities, they give teams the flexibility needed to tackle anything that tomorrow may bring.
We'll help you evaluate which hardware, software and cloud based solution is right for your business, and look for the best ways to integrate with your existing infrastructure, always with the aim of reducing the complexity of your printing environments and improving the efficiency of your workflows. Once the migration is complete, your team will have the flexibility to create, share and print their best ideas from anywhere.
Ask us what cloud printing could mean for your business
