A little research really goes a long way when it comes to sifting through copier companies to find the right match for your business. Understanding how your business needs match up with the kinds of copiers on the market today is half the battle. You want a copier that can handle your estimated copy and print volume and has all the features your business needs to succeed. That means looking at what kinds of features you want out of a copier, sure, but it also means asking a few questions about your business and your future needs. Whether you’re in the market to buy a new copier or you want to have all of your future maintenance details handled with a copier service contract, making an accurate assessment of your business needs is critical.
Estimating Your Future Copy and Print Volume
In the same way that you would look at what kind of warranty and overall reliability a new or pre-owned car had before buying, investing in a copier requires a bit of due diligence.
Ask yourself, on average, how many pages per day, month, and year you’re going to be printing and copying. Be cautious about simply rolling over your old copier service contract’s or lease’s copy and print volume because your actual needs may have changed over the years.
A copier service contract covers everything from toner and drums to regular servicing and emergency repairs, so making an accurate assessment of your business needs can help ensure that you’re comprehensively covered for years.
Really think about how you’re going to be using your copier over the next year or two. If you’re going to be making a lot of sales copy and trying to forge ahead into promising new markets, then your needs may have changed.
Konica Minolta’s Bizhub multi-function color copiers can now make two- and three-hole punches, three holds for mailings, and booklet foldings with a saddle stitch so that your business can stay that much closer to current and prospective customers.
Copy Volume: Laser Versus Inkjet Printers
Copier companies typically suggest laser printers for printing high volume in color or black and white around the office. Typically, copier companies consider laser printers best for clear text and document printing at higher volumes.
As a general rule of thumb if you’re printing smaller volumes somewhat irregularly and you need vibrant color prints, then an inkjet printer may be the way to go. That’s not necessarily the average office situation, though.
All but the smallest offices are going to benefit from a multi-function laser printer.
These can print dozens of pages per minute in color or black and white (the Konica Minolta Bizhub C558 Color Copier Printer Scanner can do 55 color or black-and-white prints per minute) and are great for high volume and quick network scanning.
Aside from being able to print at many times higher capacity per minute than inkjet printers, the laser toner in Konica Minolta laser printers won’t dry up over the weekend or if left unused for a while.
Another important factor to bear in mind is that laser printer cartridges last longer, even when they do receive regularly use, compared to inkjet cartridges. That’s probably why more businesses are transitioning over to laser printers.
Without a doubt, laser printers are the way to go if you want sharp text, high volume, incredibly fast network scanning, and high data security in the cloud.
Some copier companies are still keen on inkjet printers for color graphics and specialty prints, but if you’re looking for high volume on a budget then go with laser.
