Specialist
There is no doubt about it – purchasing equipment for your business today has never been a more complex process, between security, networks, technologies, speed, quality…the list goes on.
We’ve put together a few hints and tips for you to think about when choosing your next photocopier or printer. We aren’t suggesting that you’ll come to an instant conclusion about the right machine by reading these questions, but at least you’ll start creating a filter process for your business, about what’s important and what’s not important.
Remember, this is a critical piece of office infrastructure; it’s your workhorse and therefore a vital investment. And we want to make sure that you are getting the right return on your investment.
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Mono or Colour: Do you require mono (black and white) or a colour/mono option?
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Volume: What volume of print do you do or does your business do per month? The volume will determine the size of the engine. If you do low volume, then it is likely that a 20/22 page/per minute machine with a low engine capacity will suffice. However, if you do high volume, then you should be looking at a high engine capacity machine that can produce anywhere from 50-75 pages/per minute.
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A3 size or A4: Do I need the machine to have A3 capacity (this will automatically do A4, B4 sizes etc)?
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Desktop or Standalone: Do you want the machine to be a desktop or a standalone printer/photocopier?
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Quality of Colour: If you do a lot of colour photocopying/printing, is quality an important factor for your business? For example, if you are in the fields of architecture, engineering, event management, auctioneers, marketing, this will most likely to be prime decision factor?
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Speed: Is the speed of output from the photocopier/printer important to your business?
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Managed Print Services: Are you looking for a managed print service (MPS) or an unmanaged print service? If you are unsure about this, check out our blog on this very topic.
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Current Infrastructure: How will the machine fit into your current infrastructure and workflow? For example, is your business using MAC or PCs? Does your business use a service or is everything in the cloud? Are there any impending changes to your IT strategy that could affect your purchasing decision?
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Security: Is security on your network important to your business?
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The Future: Where will your business be in 5 years’ time? It’s important to plan ahead, e.g. will your business be upscaling or downscaling?
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Migration: Will you require your business to migrate from print to scan?
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Paperlight Office: Are you looking for a paper light office?
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Document Management: Do you have a document management system or are you planning on getting one for your business?
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Confidential Information: Is any of the information you are printing sensitive or confidential? g. if you are an accountant printing off client files, do you need the image on the hard drive to be continuously wiped or overwritten?
Matching the right machine with your printing needs is a vital first step in setting up an efficient and cost effective print system.
Article supplied by Highline Office Technology