Phase 1 Assess, 
A cost-per-page contract relies heavily on understanding precise fleet and usage levels. A rough estimate is not sufficient; the customer must understand exactly what’s paid, per page, for output. The best way to contract for guaranteed savings on any project is to establish an accurate TCO, which enables both parties to contract for meaningful, guaranteed savings and measure savings against that baseline.
Building an effective TCO picture requires a thorough assessment in all but the smallest offices, using specialised tools. Most popular Web-based tools only offer estimates based on an approximate number of devices and industry averages for cost per page and can’t deliver assessments specific to a particular organisation’s document needs, equipment or output.
Most often, managers in mid-sized operations will be unsure of the exact number or type of output devices in operation, associated costs, or the true output volume of those devices’ print, fax and copy operations. A quick assessment based on their rough estimate will likely significantly miss the mark.
What’s needed is a thorough study to establish the true baseline, performed jointly by the client and the service provider. In that way, both can establish and agree upon a guaranteed savings level based on TCO. This way, the customer knows the savings are real, delivering genuine bottom-line benefit to the organisation, and the service provider has clearly defined and achievable goals.
That assessment must be done jointly by the client and service provider, since it allows establishment and joint agreement of a guaranteed savings level against TCO. Establishing true TCO is the key to knowing that savings are real, delivering genuine bottom line benefit to the organisation.
