Every business is different, and so are your copier and printer needs. One thing we know is that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all machine, no matter what kind of work you do. But if you know how to ask the right questions, your business can not only have the right printer technology but have it at the right price.
Today, I will share the five questions you should ask your printer supplier, as well as a couple of bonus questions every organization should ask themselves before making a large copier, printer or multifunction printer purchase. There are some obvious questions to ask about your current needs, wishes, pain points, etc., including:
- The number of pages your company prints per month
- The number of employees currently using each device
- How much you pay on print costs per year
- How often you print in color vs. black and white
- Are your printers secure from hackers?
If you buy a machine that is too small to match your printing volumes, then you might wind up paying more in operational costs than anticipated. If you buy a copier too powerful for your work needs, then you have wasted money and space.
However, these questions will just provide a baseline reading, letting you know what models and type of machines you may need. If you want to identify the print technology that will grow with your business and provide flexible options, here are more in-depth questions to consider.
1. WHAT IS THE SERVICE RESPONSE TIME?
If you have a large fleet and need them running at optimal capacity, find out what your provider’s response time is in your area, and what do they consider reasonable in terms of equipment downtime? Find out how long serviced machines go between service calls. (Return calls for same machines indicate a lack of preventative maintenance.)
In addition, always ask for references from customers in a similar business as you. If they can’t give you a reference, there’s a reason for that. Lots of companies claim to have a great reputation for service response time, but actually doing it is another thing.
2. WILL NEW MACHINES MAKE YOUR WORK EASIER?
Modern multifunction devices can do a lot more than just print, scan and copy. For example, current models should be able to automatically forward received faxes and scanned documents to another destination. With conditional routing, faxes, emails and scanned documents will find the appropriate person, no matter where they are working.
In fact, your multifunction devices (MFD) can be the on-ramp for your digital workflows. With the right output management software, you can even send scanned documents directly into a managed content solution such as Laserfiche. With the need for remote work and touchless office environments, these capabilities are not just nice to have, but business critical.
3. CAN YOU GET UPGRADES?
Printers, copiers, scanners and MFPs have all kinds of extra productivity tools that many customers rarely use because they didn’t even know they exist. Modern MFPs can also handle a wide variety of paper sizes and type of paper. While comparison shopping, make sure you find out what types of documents your office prints. That can go beyond paper size to include linen and other specialty stocks.
4. CAN YOU LEASE OR BUY?
Many companies choose not to make large upfront capital investments and choose to lease instead. Leasing not only spreads out payments but also provides flexibility. If you do decide to lease, be sure you understand your role in the agreement, especially if you need to make changes, or default in the middle of your contract. Also, consider if your supplier owns its own leasing company or if it sells lease agreements to a third-party. Keeping a lease in-house makes it easier to renegotiate terms or update your lease when needed.
5. WILL IT FIT YOUR BUDGET?
Look at a variety of pricing options. Consider how much it will cost to ensure ongoing support is built into your agreement. This way, if something happens, all it takes is a quick phone call and help is on the way. Consider your budget for operational costs as well. If you need an energy-efficient device that won’t up your electricity bill, or a printer that will not suck all of your budget into toner cartridge replacement, there is a solution out there.
If you would like one of our business analysts to contact you to help answer any questions you may have about buying printers, copiers or MFD’s, contact us today.
