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In the past five years, we’ve seen a huge advancement in photocopier technology. Digital devices have replaced analogue copiers and multifunction printers are common solutions. With photocopier technology constantly changing, buying or leasing one becomes more and more complicated. So which copier is the business photocopier for your office?
The cost-effective copier
New photocopiers are driven by digital technology, so the market for machines offers much more than just a simple copier. Now, you copier can do it all — scan, copy, print and fax — all easily networked to your existing office computer system. There is now a cost-effective alternative to standalone printers, faxes, scanners and copiers. The total cost of ownership is greatly decreased. You aren’t spending on toner and supplies for several machines, you can save space and your maintenance and service agreements are now consolidated, all justifying the initial cost.
Get what you pay for
As with most products, the more you spend on business photocopiers, the better the features. Ask yourself what features you really need when it comes to your copier. Do you need the added security measures for confidential documents? How many paper trays do you really need? Take a good hard look at what is necessary and what isn’t to make sure you are spending money where it matters.
And when it comes to monthly usage, take note of the manufacturer’s guidelines to get an idea of the capabilities of the device. Take the number of users into account to figure out exactly what kind of speed you need (in terms of pages per minute). Warm-up times and first copy out times can be frustrating, so make sure you gauge how this will affect your staff.
Speaking of features…
Most manufacturers have rebranded their copiers as multifunctional devices, but as we said above, you only need to put the money into fancy features if they benefit your business. There is a still a strong market out there for traditional copier functionality, like reduction and enlargement of documents, but you can also get so much more.
Don’t forget to think about paper handling. Generally, standard paper capacity is 1000 A4 sheets, with the possibility to upgrade to up to 10,000 sheets on some models, and a print speed of 70 ppm. There are also often A3 trays on some copiers which can hold up to 2,500 sheets. A5, legal and banner trays are also available.
Watch for more tips on how to find the right copier for business from BrockOA. Next week: costs, contracts and getting a deal.
