Y Soft
2 min read
Customer Profile
Methodist Ladies' College (MLC), a prestigious independent girls' school in Australia, is celebrated internationally for its broad curriculum, innovative educational methods, diverse learning opportunities, and exceptional academic and co-curricular achievements. Catering to over 2,100 students from the Early Learning Centre to Year 12, the College remains at the forefront of educational innovation, consistently pushing boundaries to maintain its status as a leading academic institution.
CHallenge
The print requirements for MLC are significant, as it has a large campus in Melbourne, two remote campuses, 2,100 students and hundreds of staff, and a mix of modern and historical buildings. The College has staff and students spread across many areas who need access to printers, all with different user requirements. In addition, print volumes and demand vary throughout the year.
James Berry, Corporate Services Director, MLC, said, “MLC needed a comprehensive print solution that complemented its technologically advanced approach to learning, which includes a comprehensive 1:1 laptop / iPad program for all students. This makes everybody in the College mobile and makes access to printers through any device, anywhere, essential.”
Solution
James confirms, “MLC undertook a procurement exercise that involved looking at our requirements and engaging a broad range of users. We needed a partner that could meet us in technological capability, offer excellent support, be customer-focused, and could offer flexible solutions that met our range of requirements.”
“MLC chose Konica Minolta because it ticked all the boxes from a perspective of technology, capability, and expertise. Importantly, Konica Minolta was prepared to partner with us to identify the right solutions for the College.”
After winning the competitive tender, Konica Minolta reviewed, updated, and consolidated MLC’s printer fleet. The college has 132 devices across all three campuses, including multifunction devices (MFDs), with YSoft SAFEQ 6 as the print management and document capture solution.
BENEFITS
Mobile Printing and Controlled Access via YSoft SAFEQ 6
The YSoft SAFEQ 6 print management solution is crucial in empowering all users for mobile printing. In addition, the software lets MLC load a certain number of prints per student on their card. This is useful for managing print requirements for all students, particularly for the MLC boarding house students who require more print access than day students.
"YSoft SAFEQ 6 has significantly enhanced the print outcomes for both staff and students and allows us to monitor department usage and understand functionality requirements such as scanning, black and white, and color printing. This gives us the knowledge to place the right devices in the right locations and adjust based on accurate information."
Pull Printing Leads to Lower Print Volumes
“In addition, the pull printing functionality means that users can select their job and print at a different machine if a machine is down. We have also noticed a slight reduction in overall print volumes. It’s early days, but we are happy to see this tracking correctly."
Secure Printing Cuts Waste
“Wastage is down. Gone are the days you walk past a machine and see trays of uncollected prints. You have to release the print job from the device, reducing the chance of printing things you don’t need. For example, a staff member might send multiple jobs for printing in the morning that they intend to take home. At the end of the day, when they go to the MFD to release and print these jobs, they can delete anything they no longer need.”
MLC is a large, complex College embracing the new fleet and services.
James concluded, “Thanks to our partnership with Y Soft and Konica Minolta, we're not just seeing operational efficiencies and financial gains from our implementation; we're also well-equipped with the flexibility to evolve and adapt for whatever the future holds."
