What's in a name?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet? - Romeo and Juliet (II, ii,1-2)

Start looking on the internet for a definition of managed print services (MPS) and you will quickly drive yourself insane. Google it and you will come up with at least 25 million results. Start reading the blogs and the debate rages on.

So where do you start? Everyone seems to agree that MPS does include service and supplies for a fleet of print devices. After that.....not so much. Most will say that it involves a "strategy" for managing, monitoring and optimizing the devices. Okay, but it sure sounds a lot like the traditional fleet management services agreements.

A significant, but smaller, group say that you have to consider workflow and how the fleet of devices are utilized by the client. Then you can add document management and change management and behavior modification and outsourcing and the print shop and document lifecycle management and content management and I've already lost my mind.

Now the newly formed Managed Print Services Association is taking aim at providing a "definition" of MPS. I'm all for the creation of the MPSA and hope to be very involved, but you couldn't pay me to be the one to try and come up with that definition. My guess is that finding a definition will be like the pursuit of peace in the Middle East. It really sounds great, but for some reason every one keeps arguing anyway.

So how does one navigate these waters? Probably the most insightful comment I've heard regarding MPS was made by Randy Elliot from Dow Chemical. He made the comment during the creation meeting for the MPSA. His comment was something to the effect of he didn't see much point in any definitions or standards from the MPSA because what does it mean for him.......as a CUSTOMER.

I could feel the collective shock in the crowd of dealers, vendors and manufacturers as the comment was made. In the background was the sound of shattered dreams and crashing ivory towers. The MPS true believers (I'm still one of them by the way) had been challenged and struggled for a legitimate reason why it was needed.

So, what do we take from this. There is clearly value in MPS, whatever definition you choose to use (don't forget MPS is really the combination of many disciplines that had previously had a market in and of themselves). But maybe we all should step back and remember why we are all having this debate. It is about winning! We are all pursuing this to win at each of our own respective businesses. And how do you do that? By providing what the CLIENT is looking for and not what YOU are looking to sell them.

Do you need all of the vast capabilities that could encompass MPS? Honestly, no. Maybe you're happy being a resident of the cost per page world. Well, guess what? That is a part of MPS. Is that the total of what MPS is? No, but is a part.

At the end of the day, I think we all need to remember that the name MPS is nothing more than marketing. No doubt created by the same people who come up with the commercials that will make me skip a part of the Super Bowl for a bathroom break rather than a single commercial. It's just a repackaging of solutions that have been in existence for a while.

So go forth in peace and don't worry about the stinkin' definition. To quote my one of many sales managers.....

"Shut up and go sell something!"