Wikipedia defines Managed Services as "the practice of outsourcing day-to-day management responsibilities as a strategic method for improving operations and cutting expense".  

It’s a good nutshell definition that includes two major tenants of Managed Services: increasing company productivity and reducing its' costs.  At the basic level, it’s a company’s IT system monitored and maintained on a regular basis for a monthly fee.

 

When my young daughter asked about clouds a few years back, I told her that is where the future of business is going.  She looked up at me perplexed and confused as many are in understanding the Cloud concept and went back to placing their shapes.

 

Last night on 60 Minutes, Steve Kroft's segment:  Help Wanted - the march of the machines, reported on how technological advancements, primarily robotics and automation, are revolutionizing the workplace.  Actually, it was the second time CBS aired this episode.  The premise was that rapidly accelerating improvements in technology are making companies more productive than ever but are not necessarily creating jobs.  Structured tasks and job functions that used to require human involvement are being replaced by robotics and automation. 

It is often said that companies looking to initiate a green strategy are encouraged to start with the low hanging fruit.  Projects that get employees engaged with green ideals, deliver quick results and don’t cost much to implement are great places to start.  

Company printing is one of the easiest and most impactful places to start a green initiative in the workplace.