The Simply Smarter Blog

Let’s face it, when most of us think of an office copier, we think of that scene from Office Space in which three office employees demolish their printer with a baseball bat. If you’ve ever been frustrated by a copier that doesn’t perform as needed – you can relate. Which is why, like a car purchase, you should really think about what you need a copier to do before you go all in. Thinking about the bells and whistles desired on your new car is easy because you’re more familiar with cars, and let’s face it – they are much racier than copiers. Herein lies the ultimate question - What should I look for in an office copier to avoid being casted in Office Space 2: Revenge of the Copier?

Drumroll…… it depends. What kind of office do you have and what are your printing habits? In general, here are the things that you should think about when selecting a copier for your office.

Organizations strive to reduce expenses and increase efficiency, but one area that is often overlooked is their print environment. According to Small Business Trends, 64% of small businesses can't track printer usage or cost. Managing a fleet of printers can require a significant amount of work, especially since printer management is rarely centralized. And, when multiple departments are involved with managing a fleet of printers, it's challenging to fully understand and keep tabs on critical elements like unforeseen issues, uptime, cost and productivity.

Rather than dedicating internal resources, organizations can consider subcontracting the management of their print environment. When outsourced, external providers can implement Managed Print Services (MPS) to manage and optimize an organization's document output so internal teams can focus on business development. If your organization is on the fence about implementing MPS, here are some things to consider.

When it comes to selecting the right printer for your office or organization, whether that’s at home or in an office setting, there are a lot of factors to consider. From cost and size to technology capabilities and color options, there can be a lot that impacts your overall decision. With so many variables, it’s hard to know which to choose. So, what are your options?