Dealership Print Cost Reduction Case Study: Multi-Location Dealership Cuts Costs By Nearly 90%
This dealership print cost reduction case study highlights how a dealership group operating across four states uncovered significant contract issues, excessive device counts, and inflated service costs. Through a structured audit and legal intervention, the organization reset its environment and dramatically reduced monthly spend.
The Challenge
The dealership group had inherited a complex print environment consisting of five separate leases, 66 devices, and multiple cost structures. The new CIO, unfamiliar with the print industry, continued operating under the assumption that the existing setup was appropriate.
Costs had escalated significantly, with monthly service and lease expenses approaching $25,000. The environment also included eight different cost-per-copy rates and annual escalators ranging from 15% to 20%, making the situation progressively worse over time.
Early in the engagement, a concerning detail emerged. Devices were reportedly showing up at locations without the CIO signing any agreements, indicating deeper contractual and governance issues within the environment.
What We Found
Once access to the client’s portal and documentation was established, the underlying issues became clear.
Unauthorized Contract Activity
Devices were being deployed without proper authorization. Further investigation revealed that a representative had been signing agreements on behalf of the client without consent.
Overbuilt And Misaligned Environment
The fleet of 66 devices was significantly larger than operational needs required, leading to unnecessary lease obligations and inflated service costs.
Complex And Escalating Cost Structure
Eight different cost-per-copy rates and aggressive annual escalators created a fragmented billing environment that lacked transparency and predictability.
Our Approach
DE Bottom Line kept the process low friction from the start. Rather than creating more work for the client, we gained access to the portal environment and used that visibility to audit leases, billing structures, device placement, and service economics across the dealership footprint.
We validated the true total cost of ownership, identified where the environment had drifted beyond actual business need, and helped the client understand the extent of the contractual and operational issues. Once the legal path forward became clear, the next step was to rebuild the fleet around realistic requirements.
That meant reducing excess equipment, standardizing the environment, and aligning the new structure with what the organization actually needed across its locations.
The Results
- Reduced the print environment from 66 devices to 37 devices
- Lowered monthly costs from nearly $25,000 to about $2,600
- Achieved a dealership print cost reduction of nearly 90%
- Eliminated a fragmented and inflated lease structure
- Standardized the fleet for easier management across locations
- Helped the client escape a highly damaging vendor arrangement
Monthly cost reduction after rightsizing the fleet and replacing an unsustainable print structure.
Beyond The Savings
This engagement was not just about lowering print costs. It exposed how inherited vendor relationships, fragmented agreements, and weak oversight can quietly create oversized environments and serious contractual risk.
For multi-location organizations, dealership print cost reduction often starts with visibility. Until someone independently validates the leases, service terms, and total cost of ownership, it is easy for bad structures to remain in place for years.
Related Services
Think your print environment is carrying hidden cost?
If no one has independently reviewed your print leases, device counts, service structure, and billing complexity, there may be more savings opportunity than you realize.
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