Canon reseller AG Group is teaching the channel how to sell managed print services rather than hardware after winning a contract with Sheffield-based Longley Park Sixth Form College.

The agreement will combine Canon production black-and-white and workgroup colour multi-functional printers (MFPs) with Uniflow Output Manager print accounting software.

The idea, explained Matthew Searle, director of Canon’s partner channel, is to recommend a more efficient way of handling printing costs. “We work out where all the money is being spent, identify how resources are being wasted and create a better infrastructure,” he said.

The Uniflow system analyses whether or not quality printers are being used for jobs that could be run on cheaper printers.

“As a service provider AG directs every print job to the most cost-effective machine. Since half of anyone’s print-outs are never even collected, it does not print your job unless you visit the printer with your swipe card,” said Searle. “It is all about saving money for the user.”

He denied that cutting customers’ consumables expenditure ­ often the most valuable revenue stream for resellers ­ was counterproductive.

Peter Howarth, commercial manager for AG Group, said: “If a machine goes down, the client is
losing money. We are proactive about keeping systems going, so we are often on the scene before they know there is a problem.”