Print.IT Reseller - issue 85

01732 759725 VOX POP 48 ...continued ever for MSPs to provide the right advice for what each business needs. If their customer is only using basic print management features such as secure print release and find-me printing, they’re prime candidates for cloud migration. Of course once parity is reached, all bets are off! It’s a trade-off between flexibility and low touch versus full capability/ functionality that has been built over many years.” www.papercut.com Sajan Shivshanker, Chief Operating Officer, Aura : “I would agree that it’s important to invest in cloud offerings and be proactive about helping customers migrate to the cloud. Over the past few years, our specialist consultants have worked with customers to reduce on-premise infrastructure to help increase agility, enhance security and sustainability. “Cloud-based services have been, and will continue to be an area of growth. We have all seen organisations such as Adobe and Microsoft moving products into the cloud (Office 365 back in 2011 and Creative Cloud in 2013) and adopting a subscription-based model, while others like Google only having cloud-based products. Print will be no different and with the release of cloud-based Universal Print drivers, these organisations are now offering a ready-made print infrastructure to make the transition to the cloud even easier. However, all customers have slightly different requirements, so we don’t take ‘a one size fits all’ approach, there are different types of cloud-based MPS solutions, so it’s important to create true depth of understanding to deliver value to customers.” www.aurafutures.com Tony Wills, Country Director, Canon UK & Ireland : “In many ways, the pandemic has accelerated the move to cloud- based services within the print channel. Flexibility and scalability, combined with increased security and reduced costs, have all been listed as important benefits that can help companies transition effectively to a hybrid working model. “However, it’s also important to remember that printing is only one part of the cloud proposition with input management including document digitisation and scanning, all sitting comfortably within the cloud environment. As a result, MPS providers looking to invest in their agile working proposition must also carefully consider their overall cloud strategy. “Once a supplier has built its cloud offering, it is important for the MPS provider to invest in staff training – thereby ensuring their employees can confidently support customers with the most suitable solutions for their business, including any future needs.” www.canon.co.uk Mark Bailey, Managing Director, EBM Managed Services : “I do agree, but only to a certain extent. On paper, cloud- based services seem to be the way to go, given that flexible working arrangements will likely continue beyond the pandemic. All B2B suppliers will need the ability to deliver flexible solutions to grow, given the paramount importance of remote connectivity. It would be naive not to prepare. That being said, at EBM we have yet to see any great shift away from the traditional model. Cloud printing is already a part of EBM’s MPS offering and there has been little difference in uptake. Whether that will change remains to be seen.” www.ebmltd.co.uk Neil Sawyer, Director of Channel & Partner Alliances, HP Inc : “The pandemic dramatically accelerated trends around digitisation and workplace services. We’re encouraged to see customers embracing these trends as they shift to hybrid work models. We absolutely see the move to cloud-based services as a major growth area for the channel. HP MPS providers looking to invest in their agile working proposition must also carefully consider their overall cloud strategy Sajan Shivshanker Mark Bailey Tony Willis