5 Questions to Ask when Buying Office Printers

5 Questions You Should Ask When Buying New Office Printers

Buying a new office printer for your business can be a minefield. We’ve highlighted 5 questions you should think about asking before buying new office printers. At Rawson Digital we’ve put together an article that will help you with the right questions to ask when buying a new office printer or photocopier.

The Purchase of New Office Printers

When purchasing a new office printer or photocopier for your business you must make the right choices to get the right equipment. Purchasing the wrong office equipment could cost your business more in the long run. As there are so many different options it’s always best to consult professionals before making decisions. It is also worth considering do you need servicing for your devices, as machine breakdowns can cost your business downtime.

1. Will the device meet your office needs?

Many businesses don’t know their current print volumes, colour usage or job types. Not knowing the answer to any of these can impact the decision you make and may mean you purchase the wrong device. Every business has different needs, and the perfect device for yours may not be the same for every business. Before committing to any device purchase you will need to carry out an audit of your current print environment. This audit will help you identify:

• How many pages your business prints each month?
• If you require colour or black and white?
• What type of documents does your business print? Is it mostly black-and-white text or colour imagery?
• What paper size do you print on?
• How many employees use your devices?
• What is your print budget?

2. Do you need a multifunctional printer (MFP) or printer?

At home a printer may be just what you need, however in a busy office employees may need to print, scan, copy and even fax. This would be where an MFP would be best for your business. As these devices house all the functionality within a compact device they can be perfect for your office, especially if space is limited.

You might think purchasing multiple A3 or A4 small printers might be cheaper, but a large MFP could be more cost-effective, especially if your company has high print volumes. Especially given you would need to service multiple machines vs one device.

3. Are there extra printing functions you might need?

Once you have decided which printer is best for your business be that an MFP or a standard desktop printer. There might be other functionality that may benefit your business, these options could help to boost office productivity. The most popular functional options are:

• Hole punching and stapling
• Duplex or double sided printing
• Fax
• Key card swipe access
• Wi-fi connectivity
• Touchscreen functionality

These options can usually only be added to MFP’s and not desktop printers. So choosing your device carefully is vital. Some MFP’s can have features like hole punching and stapling retrospectively added if your business grows.

4. Does your business require print security?

If your business deals with any sensitive information you will need to consider security. Hackers continue to find weak spots in any businesses security measures and print devices are one area that can be hacked. Security features that keep your print devices safe are data encryption, firewalls and passwords for login. If you require this level of security you need to ensure the MFP or desktops printers you choose have these features.

5. Is leasing or buying a printer better for your business?

Once you’ve decided on the printer or photocopier type and the features you need, you’ll need to consider how you will buy it. There are two options available to you, lease or outright purchase. The difference between these two is how much it will cost your business. An outright purchase will cost you more at the beginning while a lease will allow you to spread the payments over a number of years. This can be particularly helpful if you have a small business with less capital. You can learn more about leasing or purchasing a printer in our recent blog.

Buying your perfect office printer or photocopier

Armed with the information within this blog you can ensure you ask the right questions when purchasing a new office printer. Make sure you buy a device that not only suits your business’s needs but also the business’s future needs. Should you require assistance with the correct device for your business Rawson Digital are on hand to help. We can provide free print audits for your business, this ensures you get a device that suits your business needs.