Buying a new printer for the office can be overwhelming. There are many options to choose from, even when you narrow down the categories to multifunction printers. At WiZiX Technology Group, we help California business owners choose the best office equipment for their needs. We put together this guide on what to consider when buying a multifunction printer to help ease the shopping process.
Six Factors to Consider When Buying a Multifunction Printer
1: Capacity
One of the main factors to consider when buying a printer for your business is exactly what your office will need to use it for, and how often you will need to use it. A multifunction printer can print, copy, scan, and fax documents. If your office only needs one of those functions for day-to-day operations, investing in a single function machine would be more cost-effective. However, if you expect to be printing and copying daily, it can save you money to choose a multifunction printer over two separate machines—even if you don’t plan to scan or fax very often.
2: Size
Although they’re smaller than copiers, multifunction printers are still large machines, so it’s important to check if your office has enough room for one. If you run a small business with tight space, however, that doesn’t mean a multifunction printer isn’t right for you. Multifunction printers also come in compact sizes that can fit on top of a desk, freeing up valuable space in the rest of the office.
3: Cost
If your office will be using the machine every day, you may want to consider investing in a higher-quality multifunction printer. While it does cost more, a high-quality printer will be better equipped to handle heavy use than a lower-end machine. A cheaper model might malfunction more often, costing you more in repairs over time than you would have spent on a high-quality device.
You should also consider whether buying or leasing a printer would be more cost-effective for your business. If you plan to upgrade frequently, leasing a printer can help you save money since you only have to commit to the machine for the duration of its lease. You can also customize your lease payment schedule so you pay more over a short period of time or less over a long period of time to fit your budgetary needs.
4: Workflow
Multifunction printers are capable of handling large jobs at top speeds, helping improve workflow and boost productivity in the office. When choosing a multifunction printer, look for features that will further improve your workflow, such as wireless functionality and mobile connectivity. It’s also important to ensure that the device is user-friendly, and has an intuitive design so that it won’t cause confusion or take very long to train employees on how to use it.
5: Security
Document security is essential for any type of business, and printers handle all kinds of sensitive data. Make sure to choose a multifunction printer that you can password protect and that employs end-to-end encryption. Setting up your printer in a room that you can lock so that only authorized employees can access it can also help improve document security.
6: Sustainability
If you’re looking to maintain a green office, there are many eco-friendly printing practices you can implement to reduce your environmental impact. For instance, you can print in black and white and on both sides of the paper to reduce ink and paper consumption. When buying a multifunction printer, you should also consider its energy efficiency—more efficient printing leads to less energy consumption.
Multifunction Printers in Northern California
It may feel like there are simply too many factors to consider when buying a new multifunction printer for your office. Luckily, the experts at WiZiX Technology Group in Northern California can help. We’ll work with you to determine exactly what your office needs and which machine will make your business more productive. Call us at 866-846-1411 today to discuss buying or leasing a multifunction printer.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (7/15/2022). Image by 雪飞 王 from Pixabay