Don’t make the mistake of assuming that potential savings in your printer and copier costs are negligible…

Clients I’ve helped save money include a manufacturer where print management savings were over ￡20,000 per annum, an automotive organisation where savings amounted to ￡14,000 over 3 years, and a publishing company where we made savings of ￡94,000 per year.

Examining your printer service level agreement so that it doesn’t cost your business excess overhead isn’t a priority for many companies. To be fair, that’s not a surprise as this area of procurement is extremely time consuming, complicated and often very stressful, and can lead to years of financial problems if a poor decision is made. 

However, before you give up and stop reading, I have laid out a 3 point plan to simplify the process. If you apply these three simple steps, then you should be in a position to obtain the right equipment for maximum efficiency, without paying over the odds for features you don’t need.

YOUR 3 POINT PROCESS FOR PRINTER EFFICIENCY

1. Assess your Needs.

Before your contract runs out, ensure your current equipment still meets the demands of your business. If you have a long lease contract (3-5 years), it may not make business sense to wait until the end of the contract to obtain more suitable equipment. Have a policy of annual review of your business needs. 

2. Find a Great Service Provider.

Rather than obtaining equipment directly from the manufacturer, consider going through a reputable service provider. Printer manufacturers can be aggressive in their sales tactics and don’t always have your best interests at heart. Often you’ll get a far higher level of personal care from an independent service provider. Just make sure that you check at least one reference and the service provider’s financial situation. 

3. Be Specific About your Service Needs.

Get what you need, but don’t pay for what you don’t. For example, some companies can provide 24 hour support for the right price – totally unnecessary for a typical office based business. Pay particular attention to response times should the equipment fail. Don’t sign any contract immediately, take your time and go through it at your own pace before committing to anything. 

Remember, right kit, right service levels, right provider is your aim.

If you would like to take a look at where your organisation may be needlessly wasting cash on print management and copiers, I am currently offering a free, 20 minute telephone consultation to businesses who are serious about cutting costs.

To book, just call 0203 376 3201 or email me.