When it comes to selecting the right copier for a business office, one size does not fit all. Selecting the best copier offers benefits for employees and a business's bottom line.
When considering which copier or printer is right, businesses should consider the following questions:
How Will the Copier Be Used?
Make a list of tasks you expect your office copier to perform. For example, many businesses use their copiers for copying, scanning, faxing, printing, folding, stapling, binding and saddle stitching. With the right office copy machine, these tasks can be automated. It's a good idea to separate the task list into two columns: must-have features and wanted features. This list will help you determine the final configuration and investments required for your equipment.
What Is Your Monthly Print Volume?
Essentially, how much are you using your office copier? Are you printing thousands of documents, or are you printing a few pages each day? How many employees use the copier? Higher-end copiers handle higher print volumes better than lower-end varieties.
How Many Copiers Are Needed?
Many factors need to be considered when you're determining how many copiers your business needs. First, look at the volume. Next, consider the number of employees who use the printer regularly. Finally, think about your office layout. How far does each employee have to go to get to the nearest printer? If they're required to wander through a maze of cubicles or go to another floor in your building, the copier's placement might be wasting your employees’ time.
Does Your Copier Keep Up With Demand?
If employees are frustrated with how long it takes to print a document, your copier is not printing enough pages-per-minute to keep up with demand. Alternatively, the copier might be tied up producing a large print project. While this one is a bit trickier to gauge, try paying attention to your copiers during their busiest times of the day. Are the machines backed up? If so, they either need to print faster, or you could benefit from adding another copy machine to your fleet.
What Are Your Current Print Costs?
To determine your current print costs, start by listing every type of cost associated with your current print network. Are you spending money on repairs? What do your supplies (toner, paper, staples, etc.) cost? How much are you paying for maintenance and repair service? How much is it costing you to print documents?
Use this chart to understand expenses that affect print costs:
Read Understand the Components that Determine Your Printing Costs for assistance in gathering and calculating all costs related to your organization's printing. Or, request a Marco print assessment. Marco can help assess your copier and printer fleet to find improvement and cost-saving opportunities.
When it comes to payment, instead of purchasing, leasing or choosing a cost-per-page agreement, another option to consider is Device as a Service, which also is known as all-you-can-print, pay-per-device or unlimited print.
Marco's unlimited print model contract pricing is based on the number and type of devices you have. The unlimited print model eliminates the need to collect meter readings, so your organization won’t pay more for the service during times of heavy use. With unlimited printing, businesses can easily budget the cost, as there are no fluctuations based on print volume. You’ll only see a difference when devices are added or subtracted. Marco’s Managed Print Services program is paid monthly, with no initial investment. We’ll supply any necessary equipment and manage your fleet, in addition to providing recurring supplies and services.
Choose the Right Copier/printer
Answering these questions will guide businesses toward the ideal decision. However, unless you've been consciously paying attention to your costs and print volume up to this point, it might be difficult to get an accurate measurement on your own.
As a copier/print provider, Marco assists organizations in collecting this information. Once the data is gathered, a Marco Technology Advisor will work with you to analyze and determine the best solution for your organization. The right machine for your office isn’t necessarily the one offering the most features or lowest price point. The right copiers and printers are the ones that fit seamlessly into the day-to-day operations in your workplace. We can help you choose the right copier for your office.
