Derby City Council

The situation

Derby City Council, a unitary authority responsible for education, social care, transport and other functions across the city, operated an in-house print team of three full-time and one part-time staff, led by someone with more than 20 years’ experience. The council managed over 160 multifunction devices. The operational print room produced time-critical reports and mail, where any downtime had cascading consequences.

The council used aging print equipment from a supplier who, when something broke, sent engineers who were trained on general specifications but didn’t understand the council’s specific workflow. Equipment was chosen based on technical specs, not on what the council actually needed to do. In 2018, Derby City Council began conversations with SCC about managed print services.

What SCC did

SCC’s approach was methodical. Before specifying any equipment, they visited the print room. They talked to the print team about what they were printing, what substrates they used, what problems they experienced with current equipment, what frustrated them, what they wished for. They watched the workflow. Only then did SCC propose equipment options — taking the print team to sites where the proposed equipment was in operation so they could see it working and make informed decisions.

When SCC installed new equipment, they were on site for two weeks after installation, working through the workflow with staff, troubleshooting, and making adjustments. The management model was different too: SCC provided proactive monitoring of device performance, predictive maintenance, and detailed project planning with weekly meetings and RAID logs. Issues were identified before they became problems.

What changed

The print room became more efficient. Equipment rarely broke because maintenance was proactive. Staff had more time for customer-facing work — instead of managing equipment problems, they could help departments communicate better with customers. External print outsourcing dropped because the in-house team could now handle work that had previously been contracted out. The council saved money and improved control over its output.

In 2023, Derby’s success led to an extension: SCC took on managed print services for Derbyshire County Council, managing 250 multifunction devices across 200 sites. In 2025, the contract was further extended for six years to 2030.

What the client learned

Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council learned that understanding actual workflows before making technical decisions produces dramatically better outcomes. The councils discovered that managed services, done thoughtfully, cost less and deliver more than reactive models. They learned that the supplier who spends time understanding your work before recommending equipment will serve you better than one with a catalogue to sell. Over 15 years, what began as a print services contract became part of how these councils operate.