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| Copiers Buyers Guide - Choosing Photocopiers-00-6186 |
By:
Jennifer Robinson |
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Cost
The most important factor when buying a new photocopier or multifunction printer is firstly decide on your budget. The price can vary from 100 pounds for a basic desktop MFP to over 80,000 pounds for a high volume top of the range digital model.
Most copiers are sold below the manufacturers recommended retail price. In fact at Onlineconnect you can find prices up to 50% below the RRP. So depending on the features you have added on to your copier, you can negotiate down from the list price.
Color or Mono (black and white)
If the majority of your output is black and white text documents you can purchase a mono photocopier. For greater flexibility or if you print more than the occasional colour document then consider a colour photocopier. Prices vary dramatically depending on the features you need. Colour photocopiers generally cost approximately 25% more than mono photocopiers to run. A good alternative for companies that do a small volume of colour copies is a colour enabled photocopier that can switch between black and white and colour usage, keeping running costs down.
Volume
If you copy/print less than 500 pages per month you should consider a small desktop copier or Multifunction Printer.
To calculate your copy volume look at the counter on your current photocopier (if you have one). Add on an additional 20% to the figure to allow for future growth. If you are intending to use your new photocopier as a network printer then increase the figure by at least 40%. This figure will be helpful when you are deciding which model best suits your requirements. Where budget allows always consider choosing a photocopier that more than meets your current requirements to allow for business growth. An overworked photocopier will inevitably result in more service calls.
Speed
Copiers are rated by the number of pages of A4 copies per minute (ppm) they are able to produce. If you do a lot of single copy work, make sure you find out the time it takes for that initial copy to print. A3 copying, duplex copying and sorting will take longer to produce.
If you produce a low (less than 8000) volume of copies per month we recommend you consider a photocopier/MFP with a speed range of 20-25 pages per minute (ppm).
If you produce a medium (8000-40000) volume of copies per month we recommend you consider a photocopier with a speed range of 25-50 pages per minute (ppm).
If you produce a high (over 40000) volume of copies per month we recommend you consider a photocopier with a speed of more than 50 pages per minute (ppm)
Network
A multifunctional photocopier that is connected to your network allows your staff to print, copy and send faxes from their computers so you no longer need a separate laser printer and fax machine. Some machines allow you to scan and send documents to e-mail, shared folders and ftp. Documents can be edited and reviewed digitally in PDF form.
Features
Consider which features are a 'must have', which features would be nice to have and which features you would probably never use (or have never heard of!). Our Photocopier Glossary will help you identify what each feature is for.
Lease Rent or Purchase
How you finance your photocopier will depend on your company situation. Typically if you lease your machine the price you will pay will be 20% higher than if you purchase the photocopier outright. Another alternative is to rent your machine, the rental price you pay will include all service calls and toner without the need for a separate service contract. Although you will never own the photocopier you have the flexibility to change the model whenever you want to as as when your copying and printing requirements change.
Service Agreement
A service agreement covers the cost of all maintenance calls and breakdowns. It also includes any replacement parts and toner. Typically you will be guaranteed an engineer on your premises within 4 hours of reporting a problem. Costs for a service agreement are calculated on a cost per copy basis. The cost per copy will depend on the machine size and the volume of copies produced. A service agreement offers peace of mind that your equipment will never be out of action for long, also you will never receive any large, unexpected repair bills.
Copier memory
Memory (RAM) is essential for supporting digital copier features such as scan once print many, automatic page numbering and printing. Insufficient memory will result in slower output and an inability to print new documents. Additional memory can be added to boost productivity if required.
Security
Consider if you need security features on your photocopier. Some photocopiers allow you to encrypt print and scan documents with a watermark and print to secure mailboxes. Some photocopiers allow you to allocate password IDs to gain system access.
With so much to consider it is worth consulting an expert to help determine your needs and select the best machine for your requirements. Experts at Onlineconnect are more than happy to help and advise you.
About the Author:
Online Connect UK are an office equipment supplier and document management expert. They offer massive range of digital http://www.onlineconnect.co.uk/photocopiers.html. Visit There website:http://www.onlineconnect.co.uk/Click here to read more on http://prenet.co.za. |
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