According to the last study carried out by the National Health Service (NHS) in UK between 2008 and 2009, about 9.3m working days were lost in the United Kingdom due to work-related back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

With many employees spending the majority of their time at work and at a desk, it is easy to see how important ergonomics can be when it comes to maintaining a productive and healthy organisation.

But this is an area that is often overlooked by organisations looking to cut down on costs. It is important that you know the full range of solutions available and the demonstrable difference that they could make to your organisation.

One of the golden rules when purchasing office chairs is that prevention is better than the cure. Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) reduces the costly burden of injuries to organisations as well as improving staff performance and reducing sick days.

It is estimated that computer workstation related illnesses cost organisations between €1,600 and €1,900 per employee yet ergonomic accessories are available from as little as €16 or €19 each.

New research reveals that employees who can’t get comfortable at their desk could be costing their organisation on average more than €4,000 per person per year in lost revenue through time off sick and reduced productivity.

Are you aware of the risk and costs associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)

With 71% of employees having already suffered from ailments during the last three years, as a direct result of using computers for work, you cannot afford not to invest in providing a safe and comfortable working environment for your people, especially when they share workspaces and work from multiple locations.

With employees spending an average of 6.7 hours a day working at a computer, the concerns about lost productivity and revenue are going to increase.

Not only does ensuring a safe and comfortable working environment make good business sense, there is also a legal obligation to do so under the European Union (EU) Directive 90/270/EEC, which outlines the minimum requirements for working with display screen equipment.

By having an effective ergonomics programme in place, you can demonstrate your commitment to staff and ensure a positive reputation externally as well.

Slouching when sitting is a major cause of back pain among office employees and the combination of an ergonomic chair and foot rest can go a long way to correcting posture.

There is a huge range of chairs available and of course not everyone will be suited to the same products. It is important to find products with multiple settings, which will offer the most tailored fit to a wide range of heights and frames.

Poor ergonomics can have a real impact on an organisation’s profitability, often leading to a drop in staff productivity and, in some cases, extensive time off work.

Ergonomically-friendly equipment like chairs and desks are only half the story and it is important not to let common office problems like disorganisation undermine even the most ergonomically-advanced equipment when it comes to wellbeing.

Fellowes’ research found that one in four people suffer from wrist-related pain from either using their mouse or typing.

It has been known for a long time that RSI (repetitive strain injury) can cause you long-lasting pain and result in absences and vastly decreased productivity. The range of wrist supports for both mouse mats and keyboards is ever expanding.

Beyond bigger equipment, desk tidies and filing solutions can be integral to a comfortable working experience

Consider for example a messy desk. While an office employee may have the most comfortable office chair to sit on and the perfect complementary desk, they won’t be making the most of them, or using them properly if their working space is continually disorganised and they struggle to find essential documents, stationery or personal items.

In today’s fast moving working environment, staff have an increasing need for accessories to suit their working lifestyle and status. Ergonomic products are an essential part their toolkit.

To learn more about how we can help you enjoy a comfortable working experience, please click here.

Many employees have the mindset that once you purchase a piece of printing equipment, then prints are basically free from that point on.

This couldn’t be further from the truth and the inability to track these costs exacerbates the issue.

With a print management program, your business will be able to recover wasteful spending through these processes:

• Track and monitor current printing behaviour around the office
• Identify wasteful behaviour, equipment and sources of unnecessary cost
• Optimize printing processes, equipment and systems to improve efficiency and reduce overall costs
• Continued management and optimization to improve processes and keep costs low

A print management program will take your company through these steps so that your business can begin to recover lost printing and document costs.

Not only will the program help you recover lost costs, but it will also improve document workflow, reduce Information Technology(IT) support issues and improve data security.

With all of these benefits, your organisation has nothing to lose and everything to gain from considering a print management program.

Contact us today to get started recovering your printing costs, please click here

The document, entitled ‘Canon imageRUNNER Advance Security’

Please visit the following link:
http://www.usa.canon.com/CUSA/assets/app/pdf/ISG_Security/wtpaper_digital_press_ir_ipress_security_.pdf

A CBS News investigation last year revealed last year, that various companies have not been taking the necessary steps to erase sensitive data from copier hard-drives when disposing of their old machines – making them, their staff as well as customers vulnerable to data loss.

While vendors of copiers are usually mindful of the risks posed by their print devices and will provide a range of security options, it’s often employees and the companies they belong to who fail to pay sufficient heed to the potentially devastating consequences of copier security breach.

Canon hopes that its straightforward white paper, which addresses security features on the leading Canon imageRUNNER Advance copiers, will give administrative and Information Technology (IT) personnel usually responsible for print device management, all the information they need to implement serious and robust security policies for copiers within their businesses.

Copier Security Threat

Last year, an investigation by US news channel, CBS, exposed what had been up until then, a major blind-spot for most businesses across the globe…

Almost all copiers manufactured since 2002 contain a hard drive – the same kind that you would find installed on most typical desktop Personal Computers and which on copiers store images of every document which has been scanned, copied, faxed or emailed from the print device.

With such large amounts of potentially sensitive information stored on single copiers, it’s not surprising many have expressed concern that companies have not been conscious enough of the risks they face. In their investigation, CBS News referred to the issue of copiers’ security as ‘a digital time-bomb…’

When considering that copiers will at one time or another be exposed to National Insurance Numbers, bank account details, birth certificates, passports, tax forms – it’s easy to see that in the wrong hands, second-hand copiers could be a very valuable commodity indeed.

It was in February 2010, that CBS News in the US decided to put copiers’ security to the test. Taking copiers security expert, John Juntunen, with them to a New Jersey used copiers warehouse, CBS purchased 4 copiers from the vendor based on price and the number of pages that had been printed from each.

All were around the $300 mark. Juntunen was able to remove the hard-drives from the copiers in just 30 minutes and using free forensic software, available on the internet, download tens of thousands of documents from them in less than 12 hours.

What was discovered is absolutely incredible. One of the copiers had come from the Buffalo New York Police Sex Crimes Division and was loaded with documents ranging from domestic violence complaints to details of wanted sex offenders.

The second of the copiers was from the Buffalo Police Narcotics Unit and contained details of suspects in a major drugs operation.

The third copier held design plans from a construction company working on a site near Ground Zero in New York. The copier also had on it images of pay stubs with employees names, addresses and social security details.

Most disturbingly of all, the fourth of these copiers, which came from a New York-based insurance company, contained some of the most sensitive and personal information conceivable – 300 pages of personal medical records.

The CBS investigation revealed just how widespread the failure of organisations to put in place effective security measures for their copiers and Multifunction Printers (MFP’s) has been.

Since that time, Canon, amongst other leading copier manufacturers, has been leading the way informing organisations of the security features its copiers provide, how they may be best configured and the additional optional security components which are available to those with an additional security requirement.

Canon copiers’ – the Security Solutions

Canon’s imageRUNNER Advance range of copiers provide a number of innovative platform benefits, including improved security features.

The new Canon imageRUNNER Advance copiers comply with the most stringent industry standards and give users a range of security features from which to choose – from employee user ID cards through to a Document Scan Lock Kit to protect critical business data and access to an Adobe LifeCycle Rights Management policy server which provides controlled access to scanned PDF documents.

Such advanced security features on copiers can only be effectively utilized when administration/Information Technology (IT) personnel within an organisation understand how to properly configure their devices.

Canon’s white paper, ‘Canon imageRUNNER Advance Security’ is an attempt to address this knowledge-gap. As well as providing all the security information on Canon imageRUNNER Advance copiers in both networked and stand-alone environments, the document is tailored to the requirements of those Information Technology (IT) managers and administrators who would usually be responsible for overseeing copier security within organisations.

The white paper provides all relevant information on how best to configure the array of standard security features on Canon imageRUNNER Advance copiers as well as providing details of optional security extras which provide complete peace-of-MIND.

One option, which was recommended in the CBS News write-up on their investigation, is a dataEncryption solution – Canon’s version of this is its Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Data Encryption Kit.

Canon copiers’ HDD Data Encryption Kit

Using some of the most advanced data encryption algorithms, the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Data Encryption Kit will protect all of a copier’s temporary data as well as any documents that have been stored onto the device. The kit provides users with a dedicated plug-in board which encrypts every byte of data before it can be committed to the copiers hard drive.

The system uses 256 bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) or 168-bit Triple Data Encryption Algorithm (TDEA) depending on the printer device model. Using a special encryption key which is stored on the plug-in, the board encrypts and decrypts all data that’s stored in random non-continuous sections of the copier’s disk drive.

Also discussed in the Canon white paper, is the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Data Erase function which ensures that when data is deleted from a copiers hard-drive, it’s deleted permanently.

Canon copiers’ HDD Data Erase

Not a lot of people realise that data remains effectively retrievable on a copiers’ hard disk until it has been overwritten. That’s where Canon’s copiers Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Data Erase function comes in. By overwriting data on copiers’ hard drives with either null data, random data or null data three times, the data erase function ensures neither temporary data nor document data will remain accessible copiers, giving users the power to truly permanently, fully delete.

For the Canon ‘imageRUNNER Advance Security’ white paper discussed here, please visit the following link:
http://www.usa.canon.com/CUSA/assets/app/pdf/ISG_Security/wtpaper_digital_press_ir_ipress_security_.pdf

To learn more about copier security, please click here

Their paper usage is through the roof, The machines use three different kinds of toner, and three different agencies for maintenance.

Why? Because it is the way they have always done it.  Not to mention three suppliers of toners and three vendors for maintenance. Sound familiar?

Desktop printers were introduced decades ago, in the form of dot matrix printers. The early desktop printers were made for IBM and for Epson and used a 6 pin dot matrix to print.

Since that time, printers have evolved into today’s standard of high quality.

With the introduction of these high quality desktop printers the world instantly changed and a new way of producing professional documents with ease was introduced.

Desktop printers are seen in nearly every home that has a computer and desktop printers are largely used in the office environment today.

So why the comparison of Office Multifunction Printers (MFD’s) versus desktop printers?

Why would a company have desktop printers in their offices even though the operational costs can sometimes be 400% more than that of an Office Multifunction Printer (MFD)?

Reasons for having a desktop printer

One good reason for having a desktop printer in the office environment is for confidential printing or keeping the document away from prying eyes or those unauthorized to view it.

This situation is found in payroll or in legal firms where confidentiality is paramount.

Another reason (and this is my favourite) is that having a separate printer to other pieces of equipment is that it provides backup in the event of outage due to maintenance or malfunction.

The third reason I find for having a desktop printer is one of cost. They are significantly less expensive to buy than multi-function devices(easier to get approval to buy!).

Now, let’s take a further look why this argument persists between copiers and printers.

Reasons for having an Office Multifunction Printer

When an office printer consultant advises you that putting all of your equipment together in to a brand new multi function printing device they are not just doing so to get a bigger sale with a better piece of equipment.

They are actually advising you on how to save time, money and effort!

Confidential printing is an excellent idea and a good office printer consultant should always make sure his clients in specific industries protect their documents through correct document automation.

The latest in technologies for Office Multifunction Printers (MFD’s) provides user authentication security and allows secure-print jobs to be processed.

Any user on the computer network can send a password protected print to the Office Multifunction Printer(MFD) and save the print until that he/she is at the device to enter the correct password(using a mailbox).

This reflects exactly the same method as outlined above (printing a document so that others can not view). But here is the kicker: This method can reduce printing costs in an instant by up to 400%!

Now, about the maintenance issue of having ‘down-time’ on an Office Multifunction Printer (MFD) if a problem occurs? Excellent question!

It is true that when maintenance is required on an Office Multifunction Printer (MFD) that there will be a period when the office printer device will be out of service. How are we to overcome this?

I would recommend having either redundant Office Multifunction Printers(MFD’s) (if your print volume justifies the cost) or having a back-up printer to be used only during maintenance periods, thus ensuring that printing will not stop during maintenance periods or when the occasional glitch occurs with your Office Multifunction Printer(MFD).

Printers are reliable devices!

Maintenance can also be scheduled during off hours or during periods of low demand.

Printers are cheaper… to buy but the comparison in cost ends right there. But what is so great about purchasing a cheaper piece of equipment when it costs four times as much to run in consumables?

There is no justifiable cause in owning a cheap desktop printer or even a cheap Multifunction Printer if it is going to throw your Profit & Loss statement into the ditch.

Consider your options when it comes to how you run and set up your office printing environment as you could be losing money by the print.

Which has greater impact on the operation…having to walk a few feet to another desktop printer or incurring the cost of an additional printer or copier that is used only as a backup?

Use the same device, print through your Office Multifunction Printer (MFD), copy on the Office Multifunction Printer (MFD), scan to email from the Office Multifunction Printer (MFD), Internet Fax from the Office Multifunction Printer(MFD)  & fax from the Office Multifunction Printer(MFD) and you can print from your smartphone to your Office Multifunction Printer (MFD).

Doing this not only can keep your costs down but you can also maintain your costs while introducing true document automation in to your environment.

To learn more about Office Multifunction Printers (MFD’s), please click here

All of this is enabled as part of a company’s managed print infrastructure, retaining full cost control, print and network security.

Canon uniFLOW v5.1 is the only print and scan management system in the market with completely integrated mobile print capabilities.

It provides several different methods for you to submit jobs, including submission via e-mail, uploading a job via a web browser and printing directly from an application using an Internet enabled driver.

Canon uniFLOW also supports direct printing for iPhone and iPad.

All of the print release capabilities within Canon uniFLOW are seamlessly supported for mobile users.  No problems for you!

Mobile print jobs can be released from any Canon uniFLOW controlled printer via card access or pin code.

The mobile device itself can also be used to control the release of the print jobs at the device. Via the Canon uniFLOW mobile web browser page users will be able to identify themselves, select a printer and then select which of their jobs to release.
There is also a Canon uniFLOW native software application for Apple iOS devices like iPod, iPhone and iPad.

The application enables the mobile device to identify the printer, for example by a QR code (scan the barcode from your mobile Smartphone), select a print job from the user’s personal print queue, make necessary print settings and release their job.

Canon’s uniFLOW works with many printers from Canon and other vendors (e.g. HP, Xerox and Konica Minolta – sometimes via third-party add-on software) ranging from the 7680 desktops to the high-end multi-function printer devices.

Canon UniFlow Version 5.1 handles scanning, printing and copying, and now brings the same security, cost controls and multi-vendor device finishing options to users of mobile devices.

“Recent research found that over half of workers using smart phones can’t print from their device, but want to,” said Luke Maddison, group manager for business marketing at Canon Australia. “With uniFLOW version 5.1, organisations can now offer their employees flexible ways of working, including mobile printing and printing from their devices on the go.”

Canon uniFLOW 5.1 handles usage tracking and chargebacks, and allows for printing as a free or charged service (e.g. in hotels or universities).

A free uniFLOW app is available for the iPhone and iPad. Print jobs can also be submitted via email, a web interface, or an Internet-enabled print driver.

There are three key business models for you: • Ad hoc usage, whereby customers submit a document to the uniFLOW printer and pay per print job • Mobile printing as a service, for example in an airport lounge where it is offered as a complementary service to frequent flyers • Internal / departmental usage, for example in a corporate environment or university where users have an account

To learn more about how you can print from your smart phone, please click here

Fitting out?

Refurbishing existing?

Moving your company’s offices, fitting out or refurbishing existing to make better use of the space, can be hazardous to your financial health if you are not prepared for what lies ahead.

Most managers put in charge of coordinating company relocation, fit out or office refurbishment have never lived through the experience before. How can they know what to expect?

The volume of detail that must be attended to is mind-boggling. Mostly, they learn as they go by making costly mistakes. These mistakes are costly both in terms of capital expenditure and lost productivity. As one such beleaguered manager put it, “The best education comes with a large tuition bill”. This does not have to be the case however.

Mistakes to avoid

The thousands of decisions that face an average relocation, fit out or refurbishment manager resembles a minefield. You simply can’t see where the hazards are until you step on them. Sadly, there are an almost unlimited number of ways to make costly mistakes. Here are the seven major areas where the most common mistakes are made:-

* Concluding that one building is much the same as the next
* Allowing the Comms Room to be an afterthought
* Getting started without an accurate office move budget
* Pretending you can manage the entire project yourself without outside help
* Assuming that all fit out contractors are the same
* Believing that the Landlord is unlikely to have any house rules
* Avoiding health and safety matters and hope the Health & Safety will not interfere

Concluding that one building is much the same as the next

A good relocation and fit-out manager should be keen to carry out detailed surveys of the short-listed buildings. These will typically include a mechanical and electrical survey; looking at the building’s services, a building survey; looking at the fabric of the premises, IT services and telecoms

Each of these surveys will identify issues that will have a bearing on the selection. They will also help with the negotiation process, as each defect in any survey will have a potential financial implication; much as it does when buying a house.

Each selected building will have its own unique characteristics; some will be relevant to the business, some not. There will be some which are indispensable, such as the way the offices will accommodate the right number of people with the potential for expansion, or the right services for the company such as security, power back up or energy efficiency.

Allowing the Comms Room to be an afterthought

The Comms Room is among the most important features of the modern office. It’s strategic location is vital; it’s relationship with power supplies, it’s security, size and environment must be carefully evaluated. Relocating the Comms Room after occupation is a task that you would be wise to avoid, not only is it highly likely to cause major disruption, it will also prove to be very costly.

At a very early stage the manager’s IT team will need to assess whether you need specialist facilities and should take into account the size and location of the Comms Room as well as the need to provide adequate cooling and fire protection. The provision of a UPS (un-interruptible power supply) or an emergency generator may also affect their plans as they too must be considered in detail from the outset.

An accurate budget is critical

Most business relocations are performed without any budget at all. Inexperienced move managers will get some quotes for furniture moving, a new telephone system perhaps and will then let their general contractor or architect control the most expensive item – the interior fit-out.

Costs escalate and can frequently run way over the initial estimates. This is madness. An experienced relocation move manager would tell you that you simply MUST have a comprehensive budget that includes ALL costs associated with business relocation. If you don’t know what to expect, you can permanently scar your business with cost overruns.

Many businesses decide not to move at all once they see the entire cost of the project. Imagine not knowing these costs in advance! A budget also helps you make better decisions about selecting suppliers & contractors, considering options, minimizing cost overruns, and keeping people honest. A detailed budget is mandatory. Moving without a budget is suicide.

Pretending you can manage the entire project yourself with occasional help from someone in Administration

In the battle to optimise productivity and retain talented people the working environment faces the glare of the spotlight like never before. Companies which recognise the importance of using skilled professionals will gain a critical advantage over those which do not. The best advice is to always take advice!

Taking advice however from ill-informed people or less experienced companies can also lead to problems. Ensure that the advisors are the best you can afford with a proven track record of delivering the services you require.

Don’t assume that all fit-out contractors are the same

The starting point for selecting the right one is to make sure of comparing `apples with apples’. A good fit-out manager should have established links with all the key disciplines; workplace consultancy, design, IT, construction, project management, furniture supply & funding as well as post contract support and facilities management.

A good fit-out and refurbishment manager will be able to find out quickly which contractors are most suitable for the project; whether the project is too big or too small for them; and will check whether they specialise in high or low value contracts and whether they can easily service the project from wherever they are based. They will also make sure that they use language you understand and do not merely communicate in industry jargon. Most importantly, do they seem as though they really want the project? Are they committed? Will they do whatever it takes to deliver the brief on time and within budget?

The fit-out will involve significant costs and the implications of the chosen fit-out contractor failing to complete on time, or at all, could be substantial.

The fit-out manager should also ensure that the selected fit-out contractor really does have the ability to implement the brief and achieve the objectives. He will ask for confirmation that `what you see is what you get’. In other words, the people you meet during the selection process are the people you will work with throughout and not just “front men”.

Don’t assume that the Landlord is unlikely to have any house rules

The implications of not being fully conversant with the Landlord’s house rules can have
serious implications on the project timescale and costs especially in the case of multi-let buildings. For example, the fit-out contractor may be obliged to only work outside normal business hours, may not be permitted to use the lifts for bringing in materials or furniture and may have restrictions on delivery times and noisy working.

The best advice is for the fit-out manager to meet with the Landlord or their representatives to fully understand any rules and regulations that may affect the programme. This should be done prior to signing any lease.

Avoiding taking any responsibility for health and safety matters and hoping that the Health & Safety will not interfere

From the outset of the project until its completion both the tenant and the fit-out contractor will need to fully comply with health and safety regulations. These regulations not only cover the way in which the site runs, but also the way the design team works together to create a project that does not put people at risk during the build process and after completion.

To get help with your Office move or upgrade, please click here

The key questions to consider for office printers;

Do you need a single-function printer or a multifunction printer (MFP)?
Consider whether you’d rather have separate devices for faxing, copying, scanning, and printing versus a single printer that does it all.

At a minimum, a multifunction printer (MFP) combines a printer and scanner and works as a copier as well. For an office multifunction printer (MFP), you’ll probably want one that also works as a standalone fax machine. Advantages of multifunction printers (MFPs) include cost and space savings, as well as integration of some features.

On the other hand, single-function printers are optimized for certain tasks that your business may require. Laser printers for general office use are usually faster than comparably priced multifunction printers (MFPs).

Photo and graphic arts studios will certainly want a high-end photo printer, and probably a single-function scanner as well.

Road warriors may also want to get a portable scanner, for scanning business cards or receipts while away from the office. Of course, buying a specialized device doesn’t preclude you from getting a multifunction printer (MFP) as well.

If you decide you want a multifunction printer (MFP), you might also want to look for an e-mail feature, which is potentially more useful than faxing. Most often, that means the all-in-one printer (AIO) will launch an e-mail message on your PC and attach a scanned document. Some all-in-one printers (AIOs) can e-mail scanned documents directly, however, and a few offer both choices.

Finally, if you are getting a multifunction printer (MFP), you should demand an automatic document feeder (ADF) so that you can fax, copy, scan, or e-mail multipage documents with minimal work.

Do you really need colour?

If you never print anything but letters and monochrome documents, there’s no reason to spend money on colour. When considering whether you need colour, though, keep in mind that many colour lasers can print at high-enough quality to let you produce your own advertising handouts and trifold brochures. If you tend to print only a few hundred copies of this sort of output at a time, doing it yourself can save substantial amounts of money compared with printing small quantities at your local print shop.

How big a printer are you comfortable with?
Just because something is called a desktop printer doesn’t mean it’s small enough that you’d want it on your desk. Even a printer with a small footprint can be tall enough for you to feel as if it’s towering over you. Be sure to check out the size.

How are you going to connect?
Most printers designed for the office include both USB and Ethernet ports, but you may prefer a wireless connection, particularly in a home office. Keep in mind, though, that if you have a wireless access point on your network, you can print wirelessly from your computer to any printer on that network, whether the printer itself offers a wireless connection or not.

What level of output quality do you need?
Printers vary significantly in output quality. Check out text, graphics, and photos separately, since high quality for one kind of output doesn’t necessarily mean high quality for the others.

For office use, you probably want the kind of crisp, clean edges for text and line graphics that you can only get from a laser printer. But consider also whether you need graphics and photos that are merely good enough for internal business use, or whether you need high-enough quality to print your own marketing materials.

How much speed do you need?
If almost everything you print is one or two pages, you probably don’t need a fast printer. But if you print a lot of longer documents, speed is more important. In that case, be sure you’re judging speed by actual throughput.

Most importantly, note that you can’t compare claimed speeds for inkjets with claimed speeds for lasers. As a rule, laser printers will be close to their claimed speeds for text documents, which don’t need much processing time. Inkjets often claim faster speeds than more expensive lasers, but don’t live up to the claims.

How much do you print?
Figure out how much you print by how often you buy paper and in what amounts.

Then pick a printer designed to print at least that much.

Unfortunately, this isn’t as simple as it could be. Contrary to what most people think, a printer’s maximum monthly duty cycle isn’t the maximum you should be printing. It’s the maximum you can print without damaging the printer. Some manufacturers state a recommended maximum in addition to a maximum duty cycle. For those that don’t, you can follow the (very rough) rule of thumb of picking a printer whose maximum duty cycle is at least three times the number of pages you print per month.

Also consider input capacity. The rule of thumb here is to pick a printer with enough capacity to let you add paper no more than once a week.

There are other paper-handling issues, too: Check the minimum and maximum paper size. And if you need to print on both sides even occasionally, make sure the printer has an automatic duplexer

Keep in mind, too, that the more people are in your office, the more you may benefit from things like a stacker or sorter, to keep the print jobs separate from each other. Also consider whether you can benefit from a finisher to handle things like stapling and hole punching.

How much does it cost?
Finally, be sure to check out the running cost and total cost of ownership.

Most office printer suppliers will tell you the cost per page. To get the total cost of ownership, multiply the cost per page by the number of pages you print per year. Multiply that by the number of years you expect to own the printer, and add the initial cost of the printer.

Compare these totals for any printers you’re considering, and you may well find that you’ll save money in the long run by buying the more expensive printer. Once you’re armed with that information, you’re ready to pick the best choice for your office.

For more help in selecting your office printer, please click here

draining millions of Euros from their bottom lines.

That cost centre is the cost of operating laser and ink printers.  Organisations are spending up to 3% of their annual revenues on office printing, according to Gartner.

The costs have been hidden because typically not one group is responsible for tracking all of the costs.  The (Information Technology) IT department handles printer service.  Toner and paper are purchased through an office supplies account, or by the facilities group.  Often, different operational groups within an organization are responsible for making the purchases when needs arise.  As a result, there is no overall strategy guiding these decisions.

There is good news.  Tools and methods have been developed to help

companies analyse the costs and then put together a strategy for reducing

these costs without sacrificing the needs of their users.

Paper consumption is increasing 6% – 8% per year

The paperless society is a myth.  The fact is that more and more documents are being printed every day.  According to XPLOR, paper consumption is increasing 6% – 8% per year with no downturn in sight.  Email has actually increased print volumes by 40%, according to AIIM.  Unfortunately, PC Magazine has concluded that 75% of all print output is waste.  That means if a normal organisation spends up to 3% of their revenues making prints and 75% of that is waste, that normal company is throwing away €22,500.00 of every €1 million in revenue they take in.

Equipment cost is truly just the “tip of the iceberg” when calculating the total cost of ownership

Walk through a typical business today and you will see a proliferation of document creation devices.  Laser and ink printers in most offices, departmental printers spread around the building, connected copiers placed where regular copiers have always been and a back room filled with several large printers and copiers.  It is easier than ever for users to make prints and lots of them.

Another factor is that while the speed and quality of desktop printers have increased, the acquisition costs have been coming down.  It is easier than ever for a user to get a desktop printer purchase approved.

Unfortunately, purchasing the printer is truly the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to calculating the total cost of ownership.  There’s a 25 page per minute black and white laser printer that’s available for €649.00.  However, if that printer makes 5,000 prints per month, the total cost to operate the printer over 3 years will be over €4,750.00.  That €649.00 printer is actually going to cost €5,400.00 to own for 3 years.

Desktop ink printers are even worse.  A €129.00 ink printer will cost over €1,600.00 to operate for 3 years, printing only 25 sheets per day.  The total cost of ownership is actually well over 10 times the price of the printer!

These figures are based on the manufacturer’s supply pricing and yields.

Calculate that by the number of printers in a company and it is obvious to

see why this is so critical.

Analyze.  Reduce.  Manage

There is a 3-step process to now get the office printing costs under control.  Those steps are to:  analyse, reduce, and manage.

Analyze usage for each individual printer and user

The first step is to analyze the current situation.  Which users are sending what print jobs to what printers? Knowing this can greatly enhance understanding the document flow, so that a process of good decision making can take place.

It’s possible to track the following types of information:

• Who sent the print job?

• How many pages was the print job?

• What printer printed the job?

• Whether colour was used in the print job?

• What printer(s) receive the most print jobs?

• Which user(s) make the most print jobs?

Once the data has been collected, professional document production consultants can analyze the data and begin to formulate a plan for the second step in the process.

Large print jobs can be redirected to printers that have a lower price per page

If 75% of all printed documents are waste, then it should be possible to reduce that percentage.  Once print tracking systems are in place, one of the best ways to reduce unnecessary printing is inform the users that prints are now being tracked and monitored, indiscriminate printing will be reduced.

Another option is to place quotas on users and jobs.  If an administrative person in the accounting department doesn’t need to be making many colour prints, that person can be limited to X number of prints per month on colour printers.

If a user looks to be abusing their printing privileges, quotas can also be set for that user to help maintain control.

Once analysis has been completed, the higher cost per page devices can have quotas set for them.  Large print jobs can be redirected to printers that have a lower price per page.  Users can be notified that they need to select a more efficient printer if the job that they are trying to print exceeds the maximum size for the less efficient device.

By reducing the overall volumes for the most expensive devices, large savings can be realised while not depriving users of private/personal printers.

Now that the Reduce stage has been implemented, the final stage, Manage can be set up.

Ongoing analysis and consultation by a professional document expert can insure that an organisation is continuing to make good decisions about office printing

The primary problem with printers is that there is no management strategy behind their purchase or use.  Printers are purchased because it was approved into the budget, or it fell within discretionary spending limits.  Unfortunately, since no analysis has taken place, there’s no knowledge whether or not that purchase was a good business decision.

Obviously, more times than not, the decision does not make good long term sense for the organization.  Ongoing analysis and consultation by a professional document expert can insure that an organization is continuing to make good decisions about office printing.

Without an ongoing management process, how will the following questions get answered?

• Can the printer that was requested handle the workload planned for it?

• Is the printer we are purchasing overkill for the application?

• Are we purchasing our printer supplies at the lowest possible price and receiving the highest quality?

• Do we have our printers properly allocated to insure that the most efficient printers are printing the highest volumes?

• Should we change the distribution of our printers, so that users have access to the proper printers?

• Where are the proper locations for colour printers, now or in the future?

• Are there more efficient printers available on the market?

Finally, we get to answer the most important two-part question:

Given what we now know, what is the total cost of owning a particular printer? Does it make sense to buy or continue to own that particular printer?

Office Technology representatives are available to make on-site visits to further explain the methods we use to begin the process of analyzing the office printing.

Each organisation is different, and all recommendations are customised to provide the maximum print cost savings while respecting the environment of each customer.

Contact Office Technology today to schedule an initial on-site consultation, please click here

Call us on 01 460 44 44 or click here. We will schedule an appointment for you with one of our Account Managers.

The Account Manager will conduct a survey of your office.

He will assess your current office photocopying needs, as well as any future workload requirements (new staffing, change of operations, etc.) that may have an impact on your photocopying needs.

In addition, the newer photocopiers are multifunctional, giving you the added capability to print or fax documents from the desktop.

The account manager will take all of these factors into consideration and will recommend the appropriate photocopier that is right-sized for your office needs.

There are three major advantages of the contract hire plan (leasing);

1. There is no capital outlay.
2. You pay for the office printer equipment as you use it.
3. You can keep up to date with changing office printer technology.

To learn more about leasing, please click here

What features do I want with my photocopier?

The most common photocopier options are document feeder, finisher, scan, print, fax, and duplexing (automatic double-sided printing). Depending on the photocopier some of these options will come standard.

Other options will increase your monthly lease cost. Please note that most of the photocopiers come standard with scan, fax, and print capability.

We are hiring some new employees. How can I figure out how many more photocopies a month we will be running?

Check out a few of your monthly invoices.

Suppose you currently run 5,000 copies a month and have 20 employees. Divide the number of monthly copies by the number of current employees (5,000 (20 = 250). This gives you an estimated number of copies each employee runs in one month.

Now, combine the number of current employees with new employees (20 + 5 = 25). Multiply the estimated copies per person times the total number of employees (250 x 25 = 6,250). So, you can estimate that 25 employees will be running about 6,250 copies per month if there are no major changes in your copier demands.

What photocopiers are the most dependable? What vendor provides the best service when my copier breaks down?

We carry Canon, and Kyocera office multifunction printers, among the best the industry has to offer.

We constantly monitor service calls to ensure that our service technicians continue to provide high quality service to our customers.

We stand behind our office printers and encourage you to call us if you have problems. Our goal is to provide excellent customer service that helps your business.

Does my monthly lease include my supply cost?

In most cases, supplies (spare parts and toners) are included with your lease at no additional cost.

What is my next step?

Call us on 01 460 44 44 or click here. We will schedule an appointment for you with one of our Account Managers.

Aside from the initial monetary savings, renting a photocopier, printer or multifunctional printer as opposed to buying, eliminates upkeep and most supply expenses.

Your business will enjoy the convenience of the equipment without coping with the hassle of breakdowns or the fixed, periodic cost of toner cartridges and other parts that need service or replacement. After weighing the pros and disadvantages, you might find it’s in the best interest of your company to rent an office printer rather than purchase it.

As a cost-saving measure especially beneficial to start-up businesses with limited capital, multifunction printer rentals provide company with the modern technology they will use immediately. So, what is the difference between leasing and renting?

In a lease agreement, an organisation agrees to be charged a monthly fee for a specified period of time for a printer, copier or other equipment. The company initially saves money that would otherwise be used to purchase the equipment outright, thereby freeing it up for other outlays, while the lessor covers the expense of maintenance and repairs.

On the flip side, the terms of the lease contract may be inflexible, requiring a three to five-year contract with a significant fee for changing equipment or terminating the agreement.

Should your organisation close or your company needs expand or lessen, you may be saddled with making lease payments to fulfil the contract, regardless of whether or not the office printer is doing the job for you adequately.

Equipment rentals are similar to leases, though they do feature more flexibility. Probably the most important difference is the time frame.

Most rentals are month to month, and a business can usually upgrade or downgrade office equipment or cancel outright without penalty, provided 30 days notice is given.

Rental contracts generally cover all service, parts and supplies, although the business is required to purchase their own paper and staples

For maintenance or repairs, service calls are generally answered within hours, while a next-day guarantee is almost always provided.

This package provides a small company with the opportunity to make use of better, more sophisticated printer equipment they might not otherwise have access to due to the high cost, and the capability of replacing as printer technology advances.

Depending on the rental company, an organisation in need may be able to select from a wide selection of office printer equipment.

Standard printers and copiers are available almost universally, but many offer other machinery including monitors, shredders and even computers and hi-def TVs.

Most office printer rental organisations allow you to personalize your office printer  – for example, a copier can be ordered that includes all the bells and whistles including; an automatic feeder, sorter, duplex or stapler, two-sided printing(duplex)

Over time, it might make sense to buy office equipment such as copiers and printers.

From a tax point of view, it is always wise to consult with your accountant to determine which form of payment is ultimately most cost effective.

But, for new businesses, the opportunity to rent could mean the difference between adequate capital to get started, or foregoing important equipment until your business begins to grow.

In any event, with the rapid innovations in office printer technology, a new photocopier may be virtually obsolete in a year.

Equipment rental allows your business to keep up with the latest and greatest, accruing the greatest advantage for the lowest risk exposure and expense.

To learn more about office printer rental, please click here.