Law firms rely on paper documents in almost all their daily business activities, perhaps more than any other profession. In part, that is because court systems and government agencies are still very paper-bound. But it doesn’t mean printing and print-related costs should be a burden to your law firm.
Law firms are under especially intense pressure right now, as court closures and stay-at-home orders have made it difficult to meet with clients or meet billable hour requirements. A new law firm survey by practice management company MyCase found that the coronavirus crisis has forced 87 percent of law offices to reorganize their businesses, as they struggle to maintain financial stability and keep up billable hours.
In response to these challenges, a third of firms say they have cut expenses. But how can law firms remain productive while cutting costs? One answer might be Managed Print Services (MPS).
MPS to the Rescue
Law firms often have a mix of print devices but have no system to optimize or control usage of those devices. That means a firm has no way to know if it is getting best use out of its machines or whether supply resources are being wasted. Your staff may be printing to devices which aren’t best suited to their needs or printing pages that just go to waste. Fortunately, a well-designed Managed Print solution can:
- Make sure your firm has the right number of devices in place
- Analyze usage to save costs on paper, ink and toner
- Put controls in place to limit wasted paper and print jobs
Securing Your Remote Workforce
Last year the FBI issued a warning to law firms that hackers see attorneys as a back door to the valuable data of their corporate clients. Today’s print devices can print, send email, scan and, yes, even store documents, meaning a hacker can steal your confidential client documents from any networked printer.
Managed Print can protect that sensitive data from potential security threats by hackers. A MPS solution offers security services, such as:
- Implementing authorized user lists, hard drive encryption and swipe-to-print technology
- Properly configuring security measures to restrict entry points for malware or viruses
- Proactively updating print software, printer firmware and scheduling regular assessments
An Investment, Not a Sunk Cost
Buying and maintaining printers is an expensive line item for any law firm. The good news is that Managed Print is budget-friendly, helping to reduce costs and improve ROI. And with more staff working at home for health and safety, law firms need to have compact, multi-function device that can produce high-quality, high volume print and scan jobs from a remote office. That means your home office needs the same kind of remote monitoring, firmware and security updates found in an office with a Managed Print Service. MPS allows a law firm to:
- Set a fixed, monthly budget, anticipate expenses, even out cash flow and reduce administrative cost
- Reduce maintenance, service calls and replacement costs for aging hardware
- Rely on printer supply fulfillment based on actual use and likely consolidate the number of printers
Talk to GFC About Law Firm MPS
Today’s Managed Print solutions can benefit law firms of all sizes and practice areas. If you’d like to discover the benefits of a Managed Print program for your organization, contact us today for a no-cost, no-obligation Print Environment Needs Assessment. We can help you build a paperless office, and managed services ensures all usage, communications, and costs are tracked in real time, helping you bill your time more effectively or even adopt alternative or flat-fee structures.
