US 2006/0221387 A1 · Method and apparatus for managing printing devices

Abstract

A process of management of printing devices at distributed sites, comprising providing a database portal accessible continuously, the portal giving a visual display of performance of the printing devices compared with predetermined targets for key performance indicators. A process of preparing for and implementing management of printing devices located at distributed sites carried out by a contractor for a client, comprising: the step of the contractor negotiating with the client key performance indicators applicable for the duration of a management service contract and including targets for the key performance indicators, and rewards and penalties for performance of the printing devices against those targets, and the step of the contractor periodically monitoring the key performance indicators to provide the client with an indication of performance against the targets. A process of management of printing devices at geographically distributed sites within a client organisation, carried out exclusively by a contractor under a management contract, comprising allocating a contract manager in the contractor organisation and dedicating that contract manager to the task of managing all the client's printing devices over a plurality of the distributed sites, whereby the contract manager regularly monitors the status and usage of the printing devices and associated software and services and consumables supplies, regularly seeks to optimise their overall performance against predetermined key performance indicators including cost, implements changes over the period of the management contract to optimise performance, and regularly provides reports to the client organisation.

Claims40

Dependent claims

Providing a management service to plural client enterprises, for a fleet of printing devices at distributed sites of each client enterprise, the service being structured to be provided by a single contractor enterprise which has staff located in geographically distributed offices, including staff responsible for global management of entire clients and staff responsible for local management of respective individual geographical regions of the clients' enterprises, each region containing one or plural sites;

the global management service comprising collecting and processing data, related to the use of the printing devices, from all the client's sites, monitoring the performance of the printing devices against key performance indicators and providing output information periodically to the client to enable optimisation of the fleet by making appropriate changes;
the local management service comprising collecting and processing data, related to the use of the printing devices, from the client's site or sites in the corresponding geographical region, monitoring the performance of those printing devices against key performance indicators and providing output information periodically to the client to enable optimisation of the fleet by making appropriate changes, and providing output information periodically to the staff with global management service responsibility;
the service structure being configured such that essentially the same processes and documentation are used in its implementation regardless of the number of sites, so that any size of client enterprise may be serviced;
the service including the step, in the event that the client requires management only of one region, of unifying the local and global management service roles, such that they are undertaken by the same staff.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for managing printing devices

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for managing printing devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims40