If you are like many companies, you probably spend more time ensuring you have the right copier or printer in your office, rather than focusing on how much that copier or MFP costs your business. Printing carries with it many hidden costs. It is not just the expense of the device that you should be focusing on—you must also factor in supplies, maintenance, and loss of productivity if not managed properly.
Assessing the True Cost
When it comes to printing, business owners cannot afford to have a narrow focus. It is imperative to have a complete picture of your entire fleet, as well as all of the associated costs, not just the number on the price tag.
Here are some of the questions you can answer to help ascertain the total cost of your print program.
- How many pieces of office equipment do you have, including printers, copiers, MFPs, and scanners?
- Do you own or lease your equipment?
- Do you know how much you spend annually on supplies and maintenance for these machines? You should be aware of the supply costs for individual devices, as well as collectively.
- Do you have a workflow that determines which print jobs get sent to which printer? Does this process automatically route print jobs to the most appropriate, cost-effective devices?
- How much paper are you wasting? Do most of the items printed or copied end up in the recycling bin?
- Are you scanning or printing confidential data at your office? Do you have the proper security protocols in place or are you at risk?
- How much of your business is disrupted by a down printer or copier? Do you have a backup plan in place in case this occurs?
- Have you assessed the cost associated with employees having to leave their desks to retrieve printed page? Are your print/copy devices in logical places?
- Would having one or two centralized MFPs be more cost effective than your current fleet?
- How much of your monthly and annual budget goes towards print-related line items? Would you like to reduce this amount?
Once you answer these ten questions, you will have a much more well-rounded vision of your print program. Plus, once you start investigating, you will probably uncover other unseen expenses and determine additional ways to cut costs and save money.