We are all aware that spas and salons tend to rely heavily upon the digital community to keep their clients up to date. However, it is also important to recognise that printed materials (such as posters, storefront advertisements and brochures) are still excellent ways to increase brand awareness.
The only potential problem here is that managing large-scale printing requirements can be tricky. Perhaps your franchise does not possess the in-house expertise or manpower that is required to address these marketing techniques. This is when the advantages of managed print services (MPS) become clear. Let us look at a handful of impressive benefits to better understand what is in store.
Saving Time and Money
Perhaps the most important benefit is managed printing services can save your organisation time and effort. This is more relevant for larger organisations such as franchised salons, as a great deal of effort would be required otherwise. Hardware issues can be taken out of the equation. Employees will no longer have to devote a significant amount of time to redundant tasks. Not only does this approach save your salon a great deal of money, but you can return your focus to customer service and support.
Increasing Levels of In-House Productivity
Many individuals prefer spas and salons because they often represent alternatives to medical procedures. Whether referring to non-surgical cosmetic treatments or deep tissue massages, meeting the desires of customers can be challenging. Utilising managed third-party printing services will enable employees to better address the needs of individual clients. This leads to higher levels of productivity and naturally, customers will remain much more loyal over time.
A Reduced Carbon Footprint
Similar to other industries, large-scale spas and salons are now seeking to reduce their carbon footprint to boast a more environmentally friendly edge. One of the best ways in which to accomplish such a goal is to employ managed print services. For instance, here are some resources that may no longer be required:
- Bulky hardware such as printers, scanners and fax machines.
- Massive amounts of paper.
- The presence of toners and ink cartridges.
Furthermore, the ability to outsource printing solutions will ensure that the business in question consumes less electricity. This is an excellent way to embrace a “greener” approach and ultimately, to protect the environment for years into the future.
Better Organisation
Managed print services can likewise help larger spas and salons keep track of important day-to-day activities. This is more relevant if your business takes a proactive approach to customer wellness. Perhaps you are looking to enact a health programme for clients over the age of 50 or you have just started a loyalty programme. These are two scenarios that will require a fair amount of coordination if you hope to provide targeted solutions.
Outsourcing print services will help employees to remain focused on the tasks at hand as opposed to becoming distracted due to the presence of other responsibilities. This type of centralised organisation will enable your operations to always remain transparent. Issues such as scheduling conflicts can be averted.
Real-Time Monitoring Systems
We mentioned the notion of cash flow and the ability to save money in a previous section. This is another benefit to recognise in greater detail. Many large spa and salon franchises now employ IT, managers, to oversee their normal operations. However, even trained experts can run into problems if they become overwhelmed.
Managed print services will help to take any managerial guesswork out of the equation. As these systems are normally based in the cloud, IT staff members can easily monitor tasks within real-time settings. They will also be provided with the ability to proactively manage workflows and to make any changes as may be needed without being concerned about the impact of potential downtime.
Improved Security
A final (and lesser known) benefit of managed print services involves the notion of security. Concerns such as the theft of intellectual property and even the release of personal client details need to be taken seriously. The good news is that managed printing services can help.
Due to centralised and offsite configurations, these systems can be used to identify any potential security flaws (such as weak passwords or outdated firewalls). They may also be employed to create multi-factor authentication systems and more advanced access protocols for employees. There are likewise times when specific options such as automatic hard drive wiping can be used as an additional layer of in-house security. The main takeaway point here is that these approaches would be extremely difficult to implement otherwise.
These are some of the main reasons why large-scale spas and salons have chosen to outsource their printing requirements to trusted third-party providers. As this industry is becoming highly competitive, it makes a great deal of sense to leverage the latest utilities and tools at your disposal. We should expect this trend to continue well into the future.
Author Bio: Greg Tuohy is the Managing Director of Docutec, a managed print service business based in Ireland. Being part of the Cantec Group, Greg has helped many businesses throughout the country with their managed print service’s needs.
