01732 759725
IN THIS ISSUE
04
Agenda
Does your office leave you feeling drained?
12
Headsets
Let’s hear it for the headset
14
App Update
New apps for business and leisure
15
Online
Building relationships with co-workers
19
Mailing
Why you should use direct mail to
target digital native
s
22
Cover Story
Ricoh printers and you
24
Digital Signage
The smart way to get your message across
28
Incentives
How to reward staff this Christmas
29
MPS
The pitfalls of managed print services
contracts and how to avoid them
30
Innovations
The month’s best new products and services
32
Telephony
The enduring appeal of the desk phone
36
Workplace
Home-working solutions for the spatially challenged
37
Ergonomics
Top tips for homeworkers
38
Catering
Coffee vending machines get smart
39
Telecoms
Sharp practices in the telecoms industry
41
Drones
Why drones are more than just toys
42
The Month in Numbers
The world of work in numbers
Editor:
James Goulding
0780 308 7228 ·
Advertising Director:
EthanWhite
01732 759725 ·
Publishing Director:
Neil Trim
01732 759725 ·
Group Sales Manager:
Martin Jenner-Hall
07824 552116 ·
Social Media Manager:
John Peters
07711 204011 ·
Art Director:
Nick Pledge
07767 615983 ·
Editorial Assistant:
Tayla Ansell
01962 843434 ·
Advertising Sales Executive:
James Trim
01732 759725 ·
Business Info
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Business Info
is available on subscription @ £40 p.a. to UK
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The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers
who cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions.
No part of
Business Info
magazine can be reproduced without the prior permission
of the publisher. © Copyright 2016 Kingswood Media Ltd. ISSN 1464-8814
Design: Sandtiger Media –
FOR THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS VISIT:
“ ”
After years of 80% and 90% satisfaction and renewal rates,
the managed print services (MPS) industry appears to be
going through something of a crisis, with research company
Quocirca reporting that less than half (43%) of MPS customers
are happy with their existing provider. There are a number of
possible reasons for such low satisfaction levels.With some
organisations now on their third MPS contract with the same
supplier, it is possible this discontent reflects a natural desire
for change; alternatively, it could be that traditional print
providers have been unable to meet customer demand for digital
transformation and paperless business processes; or perhaps
the MPS provided simply failed to deliver the benefits that were
promised.
Another problem highlighted by the
Quocirca Managed Print
Services Landscape 2016
report is a lack of flexibility in contract
terms. This is a particular concern at a time when MPS providers
are targeting small and medium-sized businesses that may not
have the time or expertise to scrutinise contracts as carefully
as they should. New research by the Federation of Small
Businesses reveals that 52% of small firms have been stung by
unfair contract terms with suppliers, at a cost of nearly
£4 billion over the last three years. Common pitfalls include
auto-rollover clauses (24%), lengthy notice periods (22%) and
early termination fees (20%).
MPS offers many benefits to small
businesses but they are unlikely to be
realised if the contract includes potentially
damaging clauses hidden in the small print.
On page 29, Paul Callow, CEO of Cartridge
World, outlines the key questions small
businesses should ask before signing an
MPS contract; and on page 39, Dave Millett of telecoms broker
Equinox highlights examples of sharp sales practice in the
telecoms industry. You will still need to read any contract very
carefully, but familiarising yourself with the tricks of the trade is
a good starting point.
James Goulding
,
Editor
,
Comment
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