As different brands of printers and photocopiers are suited to different industries, it is very important that you consider which printer and photocopier type is most suited to your business. We know that the decision making process is never easy, that is why the below article will help you achieve a more productive office environment and also help you save efficiently by buying what you actually need.
EDUCATION
It is increasingly important for educating bodies to be cost efficient. Printers and photocopiers can be deceptive when it comes to cost, for example a machine may seem cheap at first, but hidden costs surrounding toner and colour printing could add up. Therefore, it is important for schools to select a printer, that is fit for purpose and will service the needs of the school for the lifetime of the contract.
Most schools will require a mixture of different types of device, that can produce varying types of documents, or to service distinct functions within the school. For examples classrooms may require desktop printers to support lessons, a floor-standing photocopier may be best suited to shared locations or a school library/resource centre, whilst a light production or RISO printer may be best suited to reprographics departments and print rooms.
By adding additional software such as PaperCut print management software to a school fleet, the school can then effectively manage the entire solution.
NEW BUSINESS STAR-UPS
Within a new business start-up, it can be very tough to understand what requirements you have, and those requirements can constantly change as the business evolves and grows. Short Term Contracts are generally the best route to go down as they give you the flexibility to upgrade/downgrade if/when the business takes a different route, not leaving you stuck with needing to pay penalties for long term lease settlements. STORM is able to offer many different financial packages to suit all new start businesses, so if you are looking for support in your new business journey then be sure to give STORM a call and see how we can help you.
SMALL TO MEDIUM BUSINESSES
Typically, they require their technology to be cost effective, as unexpected drains on budgets can really throw a business from a path of positive progression and growth. Reliability and efficiency are in turn equally as important. These businesses can vary in available office space, and if advanced print functions are not required, then a smaller machine that does not take up a huge amount of space could be an option. If advanced print features such as complex finishing or additional print sizes are required, then a larger machine should be considered for the office. Wired and wirelessly connected printers offer different benefits to a growing business. Wired connections are a robust and speedy function for a fixed office, and a wireless connection is cheap to deploy, provides accessibility, but is not as fast to use. SME’s will greatly benefit from adopting a Managed Print Service, some could make savings up to as much as 40%, as well as reaping the benefit of fully outsourcing this function.
LARGE CORPORATES
Larger corporations usually need a wide variety of machines with a range of capabilities. Bigger businesses tend to work from multi-roomed or multi-storied offices, with each room or office potentially requiring different print needs. For example, one room may need a desktop printer that is solely able to print, and print constantly, whilst another room may need a shared multifunctional printer. Products such as inkjet printers, that require little to no heat should be considered by large corporates, as environmental issues are often important parts of their company culture. Additionally, printers and photocopiers that are able to use advanced managed print software’s, may also benefit larger entities, allowing such businesses to monitor the amount and type of printing being done and who is doing it.
LEGAL
Law firms do not have the time to wait for machines to be fixed. They also cannot afford to wait for important documents to be printed when court deadlines are looming. Therefore, legal firms generally need their office printers and photocopiers to be reliable and innovative. Advanced finishing options such as hole punching, stapling and collating, tend to be high up on the list of requirements for law firms, as they need to produce accurate and organised court bundles of a high quality. Document security is also paramount to legal organisations, as client data must be safe and secure. PaperCut may be a useful software to use as well. These types of software limit access to who can print, and in what quantities, meaning cost savings could also be possible.
CHURCHES
Religious organisations normally require, much like large corporations, different print capabilities from church to church. For example, one church or parish building may only wish to be able to print newsletters, in which case a small and cheap machine may be needed. In contrast a different church may wish to print larger or more complex items such as hymn books and leaflets, in which case a larger and more advanced multifunctional machine would be more useful. The typical religious institution would have old-fashioned equipment that they have been using for many years to try and get the most out of the investment. However operationally this equipment tends to be expensive to power and run, so replacing these with new, innovative machines can actually help save money and time. Lastly, as churches tend to be run by volunteers, it can be hard to keep them connected and able to work from anywhere at any time, so advanced connectivity features allowing them to do so, may also be beneficial and worth considering.
MULTI-SITE ORGANISATIONS
Although many businesses may prefer to work from one location, as a business grows the need for additional sites and locations may arise. It is therefore necessary for these multi-site businesses to be able to deploy cost effective Managed Print Solutions that keep all parts of the business connected and operating as one sole entity. There are many things that can be beneficial to a business when working across different sites, things such as a uniformed fleet allowing everyone across the business to utilise the same equipment. Follow Me Printing can be extremely time saving for employees of a multi-site business, it is a type of roaming software that detects the nearest printer to you and allows you to print directly from that machine, instead of looking round to find out the nearest printer yourself. This type of technology can be very useful when employees are constantly moving round to different offices or are part of a mobile workforce and it can stop the unnecessary duplication of work. Multifunctional printers that can be paired with managed print software may be the option for multi-site corporations and organisations. Simple software solutions such as these can save vast amounts of time and keep a business working smoothly and efficiently whilst managing all devices under one roof.
For more information on types of hardware and software, but also finance options please contact us on 01908 272729 or fill out this form and we will come back to you very soon.