How to Choose a Secure Managed Print Provider

If you have ever tried to evaluate a managed print services (MPS) provider, you have probably noticed they all sound the same. Every brochure mentions encryption, every sales rep promises secure printing, every website has a “security” page.

So how do you tell the providers who really do this work from the ones who put it in a slide deck?

This post gives you the questions to ask, the red flags to watch for, and the answers a good provider should give you.

Why This Matters More in 2026

A few numbers worth knowing before you start the evaluation:

• 42% of organizations are open to changing their MPS provider at the end of their current contract, and 15% will definitely change. Quocirca
• 42% are very satisfied with their MPS provider, down from 48% in 2024. Quocirca
• IT expertise, cybersecurity expertise, and workflow automation expertise lead supplier selection criteria for 2026. Quocirca

In other words: buyers are unhappy, they are shopping, and the thing they care about most is whether the provider can handle security. The bar has moved.

The Questions to Ask Every MPS Provider

Bring this list to every conversation. The answers will tell you almost everything you need to know.

1. “What security features are standard versus add-ons?”

This is the single most important question. Secure printing should include encrypted data transmission, secure print release, and user authentication by default. If security features are optional, that’s a red flag.

A good provider includes the basics in the standard service. A bad one prices security as upsells, then puts you on a quote for things that should not be optional in 2026.

2. “How do you handle firmware updates across our fleet?”

Unpatched firmware is one of the most common ways printers get compromised. A good provider:

• Monitors firmware versions across every device in your fleet
• Pushes updates on a schedule, not when you ask
• Reports on patch status so you can prove compliance

A weak answer sounds like “we update them when we are on site for service.” That is not a print security program. That is a hope.

3. “Do you monitor our printers as endpoints, or just as printers?”

Printers should be monitored the same way your laptops and servers are. That means looking for unusual behavior, unauthorized access attempts, and signs of compromise.

A good provider can describe how their print monitoring connects to broader cybersecurity tools. A weak one talks only about toner levels and page counts.

4. “What happens to the hard drive when a device leaves our office?”

Every leased MFP coming off contract has a hard drive full of your documents. The provider’s answer should include:

• A documented wipe process (DoD or NIST standard)
• A certificate of data destruction for each device
• Optional hard drive removal and physical destruction for high-sensitivity environments

If the answer is vague, assume the hard drives are leaving with your data on them. That is a real risk every print buyer should ask about.

5. “Can you help us meet HIPAA, PCI, CMMC, or our state’s privacy law?”

The right answer is not “yes” by itself. The right answer names specific features that map to specific requirements:

• Audit logs for HIPAA
• Network segmentation for PCI DSS
• Access controls and documentation for CMMC
• Breach notification support for state privacy laws

If the provider cannot connect their service to your regulations, they have not thought about your business.

6. “Who actually responds when something goes wrong?”

This separates real providers from resellers. National MPS companies often subcontract service to third-party technicians who may not know your equipment or your environment.

Ask:

• Are your technicians employees or subcontractors?
• Are they factory-certified on the brands we use?
• What is your guaranteed response time, in writing?

If the response time is not in the contract, it does not exist.

7. “How is your service connected to your IT and cybersecurity practice?”

This is where most MPS providers fall apart. Print, IT, and cybersecurity are sold as separate things by separate companies. Then a problem crosses the boundary and nobody owns it.

A good provider can describe how their print service connects to managed IT, identity and access controls, and 24/7 monitoring. A weak one says “we can refer you to a partner.”

Red Flags to Watch For

A few specific signals that should slow down a sales conversation:

• Security features sold as upsells. Encryption and authentication should be baseline, not premium.
• “Trust us” answers on compliance. A real provider will show you the documentation.
• No on-site assessment before pricing. A serious MPS provider walks your fleet before quoting. A reseller sends a quote based on your existing bill.
• Vague firmware policy. If they cannot explain how they patch your devices, they probably are not patching them.
• Subcontracted service. Not always a dealbreaker, but you should know what you are getting.
• Hidden costs. “Per page” rates that exclude common scenarios. Click charges that climb over the contract. Service calls billed separately. Ask for a fully loaded monthly number.

What a Strong Answer Looks Like

For each question above, the strong answer follows the same pattern: specific, documented, and connected to a process. Not “yes we do that” but “yes, here is how, here is who, here is the report you get, and here is the SLA.”

If the provider cannot get specific, they are guessing.

How Novatech Handles These Questions

We have been managing print environments for over 25 years, and we are a Canon Advanced Partner with Elite status as well as a partner of Sharp, Konica Minolta, and HP.

Our managed print service builds security into the standard offering, not as upsells. We monitor printers as endpoints alongside the rest of your network through our managed IT and cybersecurity practice, so you do not have one company for print and another for security with a gap in between.

Our Office X-Ray assessment is the on-site walk-through we mentioned above. It catches firmware gaps, unsecured access points, hard drive risks, and compliance issues before you sign anything. You get a written report whether or not you decide to work with us.

Your Next Step

If you are evaluating MPS providers right now, run them through the seven questions above and see how they answer. If you would like us to be one of those providers, contact us here and we will book your Office X-Ray.

No pressure. No jargon. Just clear answers to the questions you should be asking everyone.