Parallel Office and Document Solutions’ vision is to be a truly ‘customer-focused’ managed print service provider. The core value of putting the customer first has won them another prominent contract from the multi-national distribution company Bunzl PLC.

Bunzl PLC is the largest value-added distributor in the world, with sites across the globe and over 4000 employees.

The organisation is split into multiple units, and this project focuses on the Cleaning & Hygiene Division of the organisation (BCHS).

Bunzl had been part of several print management contracts with other suppliers for some time when they started discussions with Parallel Office & Document Solutions. They were having reporting issues with their current supplier, and this lack of transparency was making it very difficult to manage and account for the print costs across the business.

Parallel Office & Document Solutions specified, installed, and now manages the fleet of printers across the 21 BCHS sites. Using Parallel’s industry-leading Pre Delivery Configuration (PDC) rollout meant 21 sites could be rolled out in less than three weeks. Once installed, the machines were connected via Papercut Print Management Software. This system provides the clear and accurate data that was lacking with the previous supplier.

Alongside the improvement in reporting, Parallel’s industry-leading PDC system means all configuration is completed on a machine before it leaves the warehouse. Once the unit arrives on site and is connected to the network, it can be ready to use within 5-10 mins of the engineer plugging it in. This reduction in downtime and minimal disruption was a key part of the proposal.

Post installation, the entire fleet was connected to the ECI Printanista & Papercut software solutions. The Papercut solution provided vital information and allowed the Bunzl team to easily view current volumes and set parameters within their departments to gain a real-time understanding of the cost of their print.

Printanista allows the IT department to have a hands-off approach to printer issues – the software uses error codes to spot any machines on the network that are experiencing issues and can dispatch an engineer to the site, often before the end user even realises there is a problem. Similarly, the software will monitor consumables helping ensure the right consumable or replacement part is in the right place at the right time!

Sustainability is fundamental to Bunzl Plc, and Parallel’s partnership with Print Releaf was another key decider in the decision-making process. Bunzl can log in and see how many trees have been reforested (730 to date!) as a result of offsetting their printing volumes. This then becomes an integral part of the environmental statement of the entire business and further develops the green credentials of the organisation.

Craig Goody, Bunzl’s Bunzl Cleaning and Safety IT Support Manager, said: “Working with Parallel Office & Document Solutions was really easy. The software & reporting they have provided gives a simple way of seeing accurate data on our printing operation. The units’ installation was incredibly efficient – in installing & configuring in excess of 100 machines – only one had an issue, and even this was solved quickly. Rolling out twenty-one sites in three weeks was some feat, but Parallel delivered every step of the way!”

“The additional benefit of the PrintReleaf partnership and knowing that our print volume is being offset into new forests worldwide also appealed to us as a business. Our ongoing relationship with Parallel continues to grow, and we look forward to continuing to work with such a forward-thinking managed print services provider.”

Gavin Auckland, Parallel’s Managing Director, added, “Our vision to be a transparent Managed Print Service provider has really delivered on this project. Tired of companies hiding behind reporting issues, we want to give our clients accurate data, which means they can make executive decisions about their print operations and volumes and always have the right agreement in place for their business. When we say we put the customer first, we mean it and want to be a long-term business partner, not just a service provider to our clients. Adding Bunzl PLC to our growing portfolio of clients has been a key win for the company and one I am incredibly proud of”.