Why is it vital to partner with the best business copier solutions provider?
Working with the right provider gives you access to the best commercial copier and copier solutions, empowering your business to achieve optimal results without overspending on resources while helping maintain profitability. The right managed print services provider will also ensure that your copiers are always secure, optimized, and available, allowing you to achieve maximum productivity and efficiency.
On the other hand, working with a copier solutions provider that can’t meet your business needs can lead to problems such as disruptive downtime, underutilized resources, uncontrolled print costs, time-consuming maintenance, and security issues. What’s more, subpar copier providers usually can’t address all of their client’s needs, so businesses that partner with them tend to have multiple printing contractors, which result in higher expenses.
Essential questions to ask when looking for the best copier machine for business
When deciding on which provider to go with, it’s imperative to do substantial research on what copier options are available to your business. While some larger corporations have their own internal team responsible for choosing the best commercial copiers, most businesses do not have this option. To make a smart and strategic decision, ask these questions when vetting copier solutions and their providers.
1. How will the copier be used?
The first thing you should do is determine how the copier will be used. For instance, if you need to copy extremely large documents such as blueprints or engineering drawings, you’ll want to make sure that the copier can handle these tasks and provide clear images despite their size.
Make a list of your printing needs so you can pin down the features your copier must have. Also, list down features that are nice to have in addition to the essential features — your final decision may come down to these key feature differences.
Some guide questions you can ask in determining copier use are:
- Which teams regularly use the copiers and for what purpose?
- Are there teams that need multifunction or specialized copiers?
- Do employees typically print in color or in black and white?
- How important are factors such as paper capacity, speed, graphics capabilities, and memory capacity to the business and its operations?
2. How much and how often will you be printing or making copies of documents?
3. How many copiers does your business need?
4. What’s your budget for the copier lease?
5. What are your considerations for copier consumables and service?
The cost of leasing a copier is one important consideration, but you should also budget for the copier’s total cost of operation. In addition to the machine’s cost, your business should plan for annual ink and/or toner cartridges refills and other consumables. These can become quite an expense over time, so you should decide if you’d pay for service on a time and materials basis or if you would rather purchase a service contract.
For instance, MBM Technology Solutions offers a full-service printer-to-printout chain package in which our experts handle all of the costs for a fixed monthly payment. This includes rental, supplies, maintenance, and support. We’ll also optimize your print processes and train your staff to help increase efficiency and reduce costs.
6. Which brands do you prefer or find reputable?
It’s vital to research which copiers are trusted in the industry. This is because the best copiers for business don’t just pop up out of nowhere: they gradually earned their way into being known as leaders in their field. Trusted brands like Xerox, Konica Minolta, and Ricoh are well known to carry some of the best commercial copiers, and each brand offers its own unique features and advantages.
But while you don’t necessarily have to limit your choices to these big brands, selecting machines from a reputable company with good customer service can save you a lot of headaches in the long run. Trusted brands often have years of experience in servicing copiers and you can rely on them for support in case you need to find parts or make a warranty claim.
7. Is the copier compatible with existing equipment?
Before committing to a copier lease agreement, it’s important to verify that the provider’s machines are compatible with all of your existing equipment or technology, such as fax machines and computer operating systems. The last thing you want to do is purchase something that won’t work well or provide efficiency with the rest of your tools.
Compatibility is especially important if you plan on upgrading older units, and you wouldn’t want to experience compatibility issues in the middle of an office move. To make sure that everything is well-matched from the get-go, consider talking to an expert who specializes in commercial grade machines.
Depending on your business needs, size, and budget, it can be a challenge to choose which copier to lease. Make sure to ask these seven questions when looking for a copy machine provider to get the best value. Schedule a call with an MBM Technology Solutions copier expert to get a complimentary consultation.