The DSI Way

Are you Getting the Most from your Copier?

If you are not taking advantage of their many functions, you could be wasting a lot of money and time. Although you might still be using the term, “copier,” today machines which provide you with copies are better known as MFD’s (multi-function devices) or MFP’s (multi-function printers). The reason is that today’s machines do a lot more than copy. Today’s copiers can enhance workflow performance, reduce expenses, and even build in security and confidentiality measures.

Today’s copiers no longer restrict their uses to individual computers or even the four walls of your office. With AirPrint technology devices on a network can have the same advantages as someone working at a desktop computer. Whether using a smart device or a desktop, you can determine if you want your document to be printed in grayscale or color, one or two sided or even stapled. To give smart technology users more flexibility, an app provides more control of options and simplifies the procedure. ICloud printing makes “follow me printing” or mobile printing possible. This technology is perfect when you might be visiting another site, such as a convention center or hotel. Your document is printed via an email attachment and a release code provided by the host site. Not only does the system provide you with added security for the printing, but it allows guests to print without accessing the host’s network.

You can also control your copier costs through several options available in multi-functional devices. Many copiers have built-in settings that can be configurated to print grayscale unless overridden. If you are leasing your copier, this setting can reduce your by printing costs as color can cost much more than grayscale. Devices can also track who printed what. We find that even when individual users are not charged for their copies, tallies at the end of a designated period of time help to build awareness and tend to reduce costs.

Other advantages may not even involve a hard copy. Scanning capabilities permit optical character recognition to make even pdf files text-searchable. Some machines also scan directly into Word or Excel formats. Even faxes have changed. The ability to electronically receive and send faxes builds added security without tell-tale paper copies littering the work room. The machines can also be configured to send certain faxes to specific folders on your computer or to email to your inbox as a pdf.

Are You Ready for the Information Mobility Age?

For many off site workers conducting business is a struggle because their companies are not in the information mobility age. Think of how often you send at work-related email from your smart phone. How frequently are you in another location from your office and need files left behind? You are not alone. Almost half of the workforce does work outside the office.

A recent study noted a significant gap between those companies needing to access documents from mobile devices—some 80%–and those which have fully enabled such access—less than 20%. Companies surveyed which had fully embraced the information mobility saw increases in revenue (77%), business process workflow effectiveness (72%), and profitability (68%). They also saw a marked effect on operational costs (62%), new customer acquisition (70%) and customer retention (68%). One of our customers was able to double the size of his business, which is international in scope, without adding a single employee. The national study was conducted by the International Data Corporation in 2015.

Whether your company is a trucking line needing to send updates to the home office, a multi-national organization needing staff to access highly confidential medical records, or a smaller company wanting to build a more efficient system, the combination of the right multi-function copier and appropriate software can take your company into the information mobility age. This transition when designed appropriately can adhere to regulatory standards and retention requirements. In addition, cloud based networking provides a safe haven should a physical disaster strike the office.

Your multi function device documents can be electronically scanned, emailed or printed from one desk to the next whether adjacent in space or across the nation. From a person’s mobile device, one can not only send an email but attach the appropriate document. To take this process to the next level is archiving documents. Document management type services should mirror what you would normally have in your filing cabinets by category. The biggest difference is that you don’t have to rummage through lots of paper files to locate an essential document. Instead, a person can quickly search for a tag that would bring up the appropriate file.

Cloud based services also give added security and enhance institutional knowledge. Although paper file cabinets can indeed be physically locked, access to electronic documents can be restricted to as few or as many persons as needed. With searchable data bases, your organization avoids the risk of not finding something when a crucial employee leaves. Think of how often a secretary had her own filing system, or an IT person had the sole key to your enterprise system—in their heads.

To fully position your company in the information mobility age, the process must go across the entire company—not just one department at a time. Success also requires investment in the right technologies that enable search and collaboration tools, that integrate workflows across departments and that efficiently incorporate scanning and printing. The conversion also requires strong senior management support as well as a vendor who understands the particular needs of your company and your industry.

Organizations which were able to offer a full range of support for mobile apps saw an average increase in productivity of 13%. Where will your company be?

Things to Consider when Buying a Copier for your Business

Purchasing a commercial copier for your business is really a two-pronged decision: First, which copier will you purchase. Secondly, and possibly more important, the company to service the chosen machine. The best-made copier will have issues over three to five years; so the service will become very important later. It is very unusual, but has happened, that you buy a machine from one company and end up with service from another. Depending on the brand, there may be multiple companies able to service your device. Some brands will only have one choice. For those, don’t be afraid to ask about the service staff. Probably, as in any line of business, the cheapest is not always the best deal. In our very competitive business, the pricing is usually close. The savings could very well be eroded by frustration.

Just as you usually would not buy a vehicle or a home appliance without “kicking the tires,” opening and closing the doors, peering inside or feeling the weight of the components; we encourage our new customers to test the products first hand. Go to the showroom or request an in-house demo, get familiar with the touch screen, open and close the doors. How comfortable is changing the paper or dealing with a paper jam?

Parts and servicing are just as important as your decision about which copier to purchase. One company recently purchased a copier from another dealer and after multiple down times cutting into productivity and profits, the owner decided she knew more than the technicians. Unfortunately, she was locked into a service contract that she could not break for a year. Once she switched maintenance plans, she was able to focus more on her business and not her frustrations.

There are a few basic questions to ask when researching service and maintenance. Are the parts kept locally or do they all have to be ordered from the manufacturer, which could cause unfortunate down time. Is your toner included in your contract? Is it “free” but subject to a shipping and handling fee? Ask about the maintenance crew. Are they factory trained? Are your service requests answered locally or are they a national 800 number?

Read your contract carefully for what is covered both in terms of warranty and maintenance. For example, are the drums included? What about the circuit board? Circuit boards are the brains of your multi-function copier. They are what drives your copier. Each one can cost several hundred dollars, not including the labor for replacing the part. Does the maintenance contract indicate renewals and increases in costs? Do they put a limit on increases or is it at will? Can you cancel the contract with perhaps a 30 day notice, or are you locked into a long-term arrangement?

You will also want to inquire about set up of equipment. Are they going to simply download the drivers or might you want some modifications? Most of our customers prefer to install a print driver we provide which has black & white and single sided defaults. This driver helps prevent unintentional color printing, which has a higher cost. Others like to know who is making the copies so if a sudden surge in color copies occurs, they can identify the culprit.

You also need to inquire about network installation, configuring the copier IP address and other network settings. If you have several computers using the copier, make certain you know if the dealer will install print drivers on each computer or whether that task will fall to you. Check each function (fax, scan to email, scan to folder, printing) during the installation and make sure you understand how they work.

Long-term satisfaction with your office equipment may be more than saving a few dollars on the day of delivery. The machine and service performance will outweigh the initial purchase over time.