Choosing the correct equipment for your business is very important. Like with employees, a poorly chosen bit of kit can have a knock-on effect on the day to day running of the entire business. With printing equipment, you are faced with two distinct types of machine: desktop printers or larger, standalone photocopiers. Which will be better for your business? You will often be recommended the machine that will prove most lucrative for your supplier, however, we hope to give you a better idea of what is suitable for your requirements.
Firstly, we will discuss the merits of smaller desktop printers. This type of machine would be advantageous in a setting that calls for confidentiality, as they allow for employees to have their own personal machine and reduce the possibility of other people seeing documents that are potentially sensitive in nature. A workplace with a high number of staff may also benefit from smaller machines. These, again, can be given to individuals to improve organisation and save time by reducing the physical distance between employees and their printed documents. A surprising amount of time in the office could potentially be lost from employee distraction on the way to get their printed documents.
Photocopiers are typically suited for environments that do high volumes of printing, such as schools, accountancy firms and any business that finds ordinary desktop printers not quite up to the task. If a business prints enough, then it is highly likely that acquiring the services of a freestanding photocopier will prove cheaper over time than persevering with desktop printers. The potential saving comes from the lower cost of producing documents, as photocopier consumables (such as ink/toner cartridges) tend to be more efficient and allow for a greater amount of printing. Furthermore, moving the majority of your printing to a centralised photocopier, able to deal with the volume, will allow for consolidation of office equipment. It may prove easier in some situations to maintain one single machine as opposed to numerous smaller ones, and you will free up office space.
As with most things, however, pitting printers against photocopiers is not black and white. It is not always either or, sometimes the most effective way to handle your business’ printing requirements is through a combination of various types of machines. For example, even though photocopiers prove typically more efficient, it can be slightly foolish to place all of your faith in one single machine. If something goes wrong, a desktop printer can be a suitable back up in emergency situations.
Printers? Photocopiers? Both? What works for you? We would love to hear of your experiences with either machines and what you think is best for your business.less and less efficient?
