IT underperformance across (EMEA /Market) businesses results in annual €19 billion in lost productivity

Research commissioned by Epson has exposed a series of short falls in the way that IT and printing technology is managed and used within businesses across parts of EMEA. The findings suggest over one working week per year[i], per employee, is lost as a result of IT systems and hardware failures, equating to an annual productivity cost of €19 billion. Of this, over half is attributed to printers, totalling €9.7 billion.

But while feedback from respondents suggests printer downtime frustrations are responsible for an average 8.5 minutes of daily time lost, the role of printers continues to be essential to both office efficiency and productivity; with respondents believing productivity would decrease by an average 21% if printers were removed.  Similarly, 88% state that printing is important to their role. To that end, businesses would benefit from reviewing their printer fleets as these findings suggests that many do not have the best printing technologies or practices in place. And with over half of EMEA business printer fleets still made up of laser printers, many are missing out on the significant improvements in maintenance, productivity and financial gains afforded by business inkjet technology.

“When you look at the proven cost saving and eco benefits of inkjet technology, it is no wonder that business inkjet is becoming a serious threat to laser dominance,” says Epson.  “But many businesses are still missing out on these opportunities, likely because of legacy fleets or lack of understanding around Inkjet. Our research highlights that only half (50%) of businesses implement new IT as part of a strategic decision, suggesting the remaining 50% don’t yet fully appreciate the impact the right technologies can have on their performance or bottom line.  For example, our Replaceable Ink Pack System (RIPS) printers can reduce maintenance issues by up to 100% compared to laser products[1].”

In addition to maintenance and downtime issues, further time costs result from the distribution of printers with employees walking an average 9.4 meters to their nearest printer, suggesting many businesses still operate a traditional centralised print fleet model. This distance adds up when you consider that respondents print an average 14 items each day. This is an issue that could be easily addressed through a more localised print fleet model.

“The centralised print model is not ideal for every business and has clear limitations. Modern workplaces and smaller workgroups are more suited to the flexibility that localised print models offer, removing frustrations and time associated with the need to leave workspaces to retrieve prints. All of these factors impact employee motivation and productivity, and ultimately business efficiency - meaning that small changes to printer type and fleet structure can deliver a big change to the bottom line.” 

In fact, Epson developed its RIPS printers to help businesses take advantage of the convenience benefits a localised printer fleet offers, but with the predictable costs of a centralised model.  This is in addition to the cost savings and eco benefits that business inkjet offers - reducing the cost of printing by 50%, compared to laser technology, as well as reducing power consumption and waste by 96% and 94% respectively[2]. And when accessed via a managed print service, businesses can benefit from better control over print volumes and costs. 

-Ends-

Notes to Editor

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader dedicated to connecting people, things and information with its original efficient, compact and precision technologies. With a lineup that ranges from inkjet printers and digital printing systems to 3LCD projectors, smart glasses, sensing systems and industrial robots, the company is focused on driving innovations and exceeding customer expectations in inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 73,000 employees in 91 companies around the world, and is proud of its contributions to the communities in which it operates and its ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impacts.

www.global.epson.com

About Epson Europe

Epson Europe B.V., based in Amsterdam, is the Group’s regional headquarters for Europe, Middle-East, Russia, and Africa. With a workforce of 1,700 employees, Epson Europe’s sales for fiscal year 2015 were 1,577 million Euros. http://www.epson.eu

Environmental Vision 2050  

http://eco.epson.com/

About the study

The research was conducted online by Coleman Parks from October 2016 through January 2017.

Audience Profile: SMB’s (10-250 employees). Employees who use printers regularly (at least once a week)

2400 interviews in total.

With white collar workers in offices on location in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, South Africa, Israel, and Greece.

A total of n=2400 white collar workers have completed the survey to date. The breakdown of the respondents who completed the survey in each country are as follows: Czech Republic (250), Slovakia (250), Poland (200), Hungary (200), Romania (100), Belgium (200), Denmark (100), Finland (100), Netherlands (200), Norway (100), Sweden (200), South Africa (200), Israel (200), Greece (100).

Please note that the standard convention for rounding has been applied and consequently some totals do not add up to 100%.

[1] http://www.epson.co.uk/verticals/workforce-pro/inkjet-savings

[2] http://www.epson.co.uk/verticals/workforce-pro/inkjet-savings

[i] Based on a 40 hour week