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Looking to purchase or lease a printer for your business can be a complicated task. Where do you even start to look when purchasing a business printer? There are numerous models, each with their own special features and additions. How can you know which one will be right for your business? In honour of Small Business Week in Canada, we at Brock Office Automation have prepared an overview of how to select a printer for your business.
Look at the size of your company
First, you need to assess how small your company really is. We here at BrockOA categorize small businesses as between 1 and 15 employees and 15 to 50 employees as a midsize company.
As a small business owner, we understand that you need to operate with a little more restraint when it comes to purchases. However, be forewarned that the lowest price tag does not necessarily equal the lowest price. The model could end up costing more in ink or repairs. You need to look at the machine as an investment and make sure that you are getting the best model for your business’ needs. A qualified vendor will be able to point you in the right direction- putting the customer first should be one of their number one concerns!
What do you need to ask yourself?
- How many people will be using the printer. If your business has few employees, you may not need to purchase a personal printer or dedicated scanners. You can limit costs and expenses by purchasing or leasing one multifunctional printer for the office.
- How much paper do you anticipating your business using? Will you be focusing on paper copies or will you be using a combination of digital and hard copies. Depending on the average paper usage in your office, you may require a printer with a higher page per minute (PPM) ability.
- Does the printer allow any room for growth in your company? If your business starts to scale, could the printer handle an increase in PPM? How much? You want a machine that fits your business without being too large or small.
- Are there features that you cannot live without? Features may seem like a small thought when looking at a printer, but they could make your day to day work a little easier. Is double sided printing a necessity? How about wireless capabilities?
Where to go from there
These are only a few of the questions you need to be asking when looking to purchase a printer for your business. Luckily, once you start asking yourself these questions, you’ll be ready to ask vendors, who will be happy to provide further information. As a small dealer of St. Catharines and Hamilton office machines, we understand how small businesses function. Click on our free guide to office automation to understand how the right printer can benefit your company.
