3 Simple Device Management Tips for SMBs

What is device management?
Device management is the effective implementation, operation and maintenance of devices within your organisation, from printers to smartphones. It’s about maximising the value these devices bring to the business, whether that’s functionality, reliability, availability or security.

Small inefficiencies in device management add up quickly and waste your employees’ valuable time. For example, if a printer stops working, staff may have to wait hours for the device to be fixed before they can continue work.

Why are SMBs starting to explore smart device management?
With organizations of around 750 employees shown to spent3,700 hours of IT support time on their printer fleet, there is significant scope to boost efficiency.

You don’t have to do it all on your own, either – automated device management functionality that may already be available on your systems can help you get the most out of your hardware.

Here are three ways to get started with improving your device management:

Map your device environment
To manage your devices more effectively, you need to understand what devices are being used within your organization and the most common issues. For instance, does a printer jam often? And which departments use the most paper?

You must also take into account the employee experience and the workflows that the devices enable. This will help you focus your efforts and allocate resources more effectively.

Monitor devices centrally
Central monitoring means being able to view the status of all your devices at a glance. You can then use that information to take action that will boost efficiency, such as prioritizing certain jobs or changing the location of devices to better manage demand.

But what if you need your printing device running reliably all the time? If you’re a law firm or insurance company that needs to print critical documents for time sensitive projects, malfunctions or maintenance issues could spell disaster. You need predictive maintenance to identify potential faults or failures, so you can predict and address them before they even occur.

EP-BB enabling Smart Remote Services, for example, proactively alerts Fuji Xerox to possible performance issues, toner levels and important machine data. This ensures your Fuji Xerox devices function at optimum performance levels and remain healthy, so they’re always available when you need them.

And, because Fuji Xerox automatically notifies you ahead of time about any necessary maintenance, you’ll lessen the burden on your IT help desk and help your devices last longer.

Control access to printers and devices
Modern device management solutions – like those offered by Fuji Xerox – also provide the ability to easily change access privileges for different devices, to keep workflows flexible. This means if there’s high demand on a particular printer, for example, you can quickly give staff access to a free one.

By taking these steps, you can better manage and reduce your device-related costs.
Best of all, your systems are likely already equipped with the functionality you need, meaning it’s just a matter of applying it in the right way; there may be no need for an expensive, bespoke solution.

Employees need to play a role, too. While these technology-driven steps are important, they should be complemented by a change of workstyle. Staff should be encouraged to take an active role in proper device usage, such as self-reporting faults and consumable issues.

Ready to find out more about how Fuji Xerox can help with your device management needs? Get in touch or view some of our other helpful blogs including Five Phases of the Document Life Cycle and Is your business prepared for digital transformation?

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