Most new business owners are excited about the same aspects of owning your own business: hiring the staff you want, setting up the office the way you want, making the “big bucks,” creating a website, etc., because these are the exciting things.
On that same note, most are just as unexcited about the boring aspects of business, and this includes office copiers. For those who are not experts regarding office copiers (and who is?), it seems as simple as going to the store, picking one that looks affordable, and making the purchase. Unfortunately, there are a few more aspects to office copiers than most realize.
Before jumping into features and different types of office copiers, it is important that a small business owner understands why the company needs a copier. Do people make a lot of copies? Will you need to use the copy machine as an office printer? Is your office copier going to also serve as a fax machine?
Knowing the answers to these questions will help make sure you make the right decision. Always overestimate when it comes to answering these questions, and then you’ll be ready to start shopping.
Finding a copier that’s right for your company is easy if you answer the right questions and follow the right steps:
1 – Choose the type of office copier that is right for you.
There are two different types of copiers to choose from: analog and digital. Analog copiers are the less expensive choice and are considered easier to use by some, but the vast majority of companies opt for a digital copier. Digital copiers will copy something once and then be able to print copies quickly from memory. These types of copiers offer better quality and you are more likely to find any replacement parts needed if something happens.
It is important to realize that both types of copiers exist so that you don’t make the mistake of buying the outdated analog type office copier if you want something that will last longer. However, some very small businesses find that an analog copier is more than enough.
2 – Do you need a fax machine, printer, or a scanner?
Many office copiers also work as a fax machine, scanner, and printer. These are known as “all in one” and a very popular choice for businesses. This can help you scan documents and then send documents from computers to printers or fax the documents to others all in one machine. This will also help a company save money when it comes to ink and paper.
However, some businesses prefer to have smaller printers set up around the office as opposed to one for the entire office, and some businesses don’t spend much time faxing documents. Evaluating your company’s needs will help you determine if an “all in one” machine is right for you.
3 – Consider how much memory and storage an office copier offers.
Digital office copiers are able to produce many copies of one document without having to continually feed in the originally copy (one of the best features of a digital office copier). However, the reason that these office copiers are able to do this is because they keep an image of these pages in their memory. Memory is very similar to the memory that you would have on your computer.
You can add memory as needed, but you’ll want to make sure that you have an office copier with a fair amount of memory options. In general, you will want a copier with around 16 MB of copier memory. You will also want to consider the printer memory and fax memory if you’re going for the “all in one” option.
4 – Consider how much you’re willing to spend on an office copier.
Once you know the absolute necessities for your office copiers, it’s time to consider price. You will want to take into account the equipment as well as the supplies needed to keep the office copier successful. Office copiers can typically be purchased or leased, starting at around $2,000.
Naturally, the more features the machine offers the more expensive it will be. Aside from just the actual machine, you will want to consider costs such as paper, ink, and toner. This usually ends up costing much more than a business owner is expecting, so be sure to calculate how much this will cost based on the number of office copiers you are purchasing.
5 – Consider other advanced features.
Other advanced features of an office copier include color copiers, photo printing, sorting, and document editing. While photo printing isn’t usually as popular amongst small businesses, color copiers are usually very popular. Although employees may not be urged to use color when it’s not needed, it’s nice to have the option. Sorting allows someone to print a booklet or sort the documents into different piles for easy access, and document editing will allow you to print 2 sided copies or add numbers to different pages.
Are you happy with the features of your office copiers? Is there something you wish you knew when you were buying your first office copier? Let us know in the comments!
About the author? Amanda DiSilvestro is a writer on topics ranging from social media to business promotional items. She writes for an online resource that gives advice to small businesses and entrepreneurs for the leading business directory, Business.com.
Credits: Photo courtesy of Marcin Bartowski.