Decrease printing costs in 5 easy ways

You may think that your printing expenses aren't a major concern. But if they're not managed well, you may end up with a bloated IT budget. It is mostly comprised of hardware, supply purchases, and equipment maintenance costs. Decrease printing costs time by following these five tips.

Replace outdated printers

Your outdated and cheap printers may meet the minimum requirements, but they're costly.

Any piece of equipment that is five years old (or older) requires frequent repairs. Because old printers are no longer under warranty, fixing them is costly and challenging. It’s also difficult to find replacement parts for old printers because manufacturers have stopped carrying them.

When you replace outdated equipment with newer, you’re investing in hardware that will pay for itself. It also increases productivity and efficiency.

Decrease printing costs BY Avoid purchasing unnecessary supplies

A poorly managed printer environment will result in a stockpile of cartridges, toners, and reams of paper. This happens when, for example, an employee mistakes a basic malfunction for a lack of ink. This doesn't decrease printer costs, it increases it with an unnecessary supply request. This is more common than you may think and definitely more expensive.

In the absence of a dedicated printer manager, you can avoid this situation by automating supply replacement. Assign a point person to be responsible for placing orders when supplies are about to run out.

Impose strict process workflows

Submitting expense reports, filing trip reimbursements, and other administrative tasks require a proper document workflow. Without proper guidelines, employees and administrative staff end up printing unnecessary documents.

Automate your company’s document-driven processes to reduce or prevent redundant print jobs that result in stacks of abandoned documents. These print jobs aren't just wasteful, they're also a security and privacy concern.

Decrease printing costs BY GoING paperless

Designing a document management solution that reduces paper consumption is an effective way to save money. Printing lengthy email chains that can be discussed in a meeting is a wasteful practice that should be avoided.

Reduce IT support calls for printing issues

An in-house IT technician assisting with paper jams, printer Wi-Fi issues, and other concerns. You and your IT personnel could avoid dealing with productivity killers by identifying the problem of your print environment. Then, you can work on solutions specific to your office, such as drafting a printing workflow.

Partnering with experts to manage your IT workflow will make your day-to-day operations more efficient and save money on printing costs. Our experts will gladly recommend best practices and tips on document management. Call us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.