Print and the revolution

March 2, 2015 by Andy Crow at Chorus Business Advisers

Print and the revolution

Many small businesses are spending more than they need on printing with business owners having too little time to focus on this challenge. Often though the issue is that the business is unaware how to manage, control or measure their day-to-day printing overheads.

When asked as part of a recent survey from a leading copier company, 63% of respondents said that they had ‘no understanding’ of their level of spending. Only 15% knew that their printing costs could be accurately predicted.

As new technologies such as the cloud and mobile continue to change the way we work, perhaps now is just as good a time for small companies to review their printing processes.

So how can small businesses reduce their costs, while still accommodating the needs of their staff?
Firstly it is vital to recognise that although businesses should take every step to reduce unnecessary printing and paper wastage, they should accept that the need for printing is not going to disappear overnight. There is always going to be an intrinsic need for printing within any business. Therefor wiser investments in new printer stock can give fast returns and savings in the long run.

Instead of ignoring printing costs, audit them. It’s important to record who is printing, when and where. Do you have models from different companies? Do staff need to print from mobiles and tablets? Before you can take control, you need to know what you are dealing There are numerous small steps that can be easily taken and won’t impact anything other than the bottom line. For example; make double-sided printing the default option also default to black and white printing except when colour is essential. Make sure printers are switched off at night.

Also don’t purchase new printers outright and consider managed services options. These enable businesses to keep printers, supplies, maintenance and support in one, all-inclusive ongoing contract. These contracts also enable the business to optimise printers, consolidating with new multi-function, energy saving devices and advising on best practices.

These services are often offered on an ongoing basis with continuous monitoring and strategic recommendations.

Working in this way can lead to more sophisticated assessments of overall document workflow and security. New printers enable the customisation of the user interface to integrate all document-related tasks into a company’s document workflow. This enables a move from a manual to an automated workflow, making it easier to track and reduce printer usage.

Chorus Business Advisers can help you make the right choice for your business. Please call 0845 8671263 or email info@chorusadvisers.co.uk for more info.