Although purchasing a color copier for a business may seem like something ordinary, it’s actually a pretty big decision. Why? Well, because color copiers are so important and they assist many functional areas in business, especially marketing. In order to produce top quality prints every time, you want to make sure you procure the right one in order to fully satisfy your business’ printing needs.
The truth is, many managers make less optimal choices when selecting a color copier for their business and this comes as a result of many overlooked factors that if considered, would have contributed to a more proficient choice. This begs the question, what are those overlooked factors?
Well to find out more, let’s take a look at the most common mistakes businesses make when purchasing a color copier which will enable you to make more confident and informed decisions when you are ready to make your purchase.
Why Color Copiers are Best for Marketing – See How to Choose the Best One!
1. Over or Under-buying
This term may more or less be familiar to many people as it’s also associated with things like insurance and real estate and just like the two over or under-buying a color copier can affect a business in more ways than one.
So, to avoid doing either you should first ask yourself, are you purchasing a color copier that is right for your business needs? To know for sure, you may want to consider these factors before you make a definite decision on the color copier you buy:
- Does it have all of the functions you need?
- Is the copier the right size?
- Is it fast enough?
- Will it handle the number of copies you make?
Using these questions as a definitive guide is the best course to take if you are to procure the color copier that is right for you.
2. Not Understanding the Service Contract
This is easily one of the most common mistakes businesses make when purchasing a color copier. A service contract is basically a warranty offered to consumers in addition to the standard warranty on items.
Just like a lease contract, it can be easy to get confused with a service contract if you don’t thoroughly understand all the terms; this can lead to many inconveniences for a business later down the road.
So, the best way to tackle this would be to work with the supplier/salesperson to make sure the terms of the service contract are understood and agreed upon before signing and going ahead with your purchase.
To better understand a color copier service contract some of the questions you should ask are:
- What is the overage rate?
- What is NOT covered?
- Does it cover network or printing issues?
- Can it be changed annually?
3. Buying used or “certified pre-owned”
To be honest, many people purchase pre-owned or certified pre-owned color copiers simply to avoid the expense of buying a brand new one. Sure, this can save you money upfront, but how much will it cost your business in the long run?
The truth is, these are copiers that have been used before and have sustained wear. Let’s be honest, a pre-owned copier may not be able to handle large volumes of work, moreover it’s difficult to find parts and supplies as a copier ages.
Tell me you can’t see the inconvenience this can pose to a business. Furthermore when buying a pre-owned copier it is possible you could end up purchasing two (or more) copiers when you could have just purchased a brand new one in the first place.
Tips to Turn Your Color Copier into a High Performing Marketing Tool
For most businesses using color copiers for marketing and having color consistency can be a challenge. From the monitor to the printed page, colors can often appear different across mediums.
Basically, displays create colors by combining light while copiers combine ink to create different colors. Why is this important? Well, when working with different types of paper, display settings and copier capabilities, what you see on the screen is not necessarily what will appear on the paper and the bottom line is that consistency is key.
It is important for both your branding and product output. So for the highest quality and consistent color copying here are a few insightful tips businesses should consider.
Procure A High Quality, High-Resolution Copier
With color copiers resolution is just as important as it is for displaying work on monitors. Measured in dots per inch (DPI), the higher the DPI, the higher the resolution so, when buying a color copier, opting for one with a high resolution is the best way to guarantee cleaner, crisper output with whatever you copy.
Use Color Calibrated Monitors For Guaranteed Consistency
When a business decides to use color copiers they expect them to produce the highest quality documents, images etc. The only way to guarantee consistency between what is displayed and printed images/documents etc. is by monitoring calibration.
Most likely your operating system is manufactured with a built in calibration tool but for truly professional output, investing in professional color calibrated monitor/s is recommended for the best results.
Consider Professional Products
If using color copiers for particular services such as marketing, there are many professional software products available that will allow you to create and manage display profiles.
Some software also makes it possible to maintain optimal color for multiple monitors while still managing and storing profiles for later use. This will save you time and make performing tasks a whole lot easier. So to ensure the best quality and presentation with color copiers it would be best to use professional products which are designed to be compatible with your operating system and aim to enhance or improve the work you produce.
Altogether, taking the time to examine each aspect of buying a color copier may be well worth it in the end. It will make your products and services stand out, help to further improve marketing standards and boost the image of your business.
To find out more about the best color copier for your business contact us at Common Sense Business Solutions at (707) 528-2151. We carry a wide range of top brand color copiers that make great options for your business. For more information you can also check out our website at commonsensebusinesssolutions.com
