We quoted the service cost as 0.8cent per page for both black & colour. The next best alternative quote was for 0.8cent per black copy/print & 6cents per colour copy/print.

 Both offerings included all call outs, all parts & toners. Ours included black toner only and the colour toner was to be purchased separately as required. The other company would supply both black & colour toner but the service cost on colour prints and copies on their offer was 6cents per page versus 0.8cents per page from us  (a difference of 5.2cent per page).

 We won the business on machine price, service capability but also on that the basis that we would save the customer a significant amount over a 3 year period.

 We are now at the end of that 3 years and here are the results.

 Our Option:

• 660,000 Black Copies/Prints at 0.8 cents per copy/print   = €5,280.00 (Black Toner Included)
• 1060,000 Colour Copies/Prints at 0.8 cents per copy/print = €8,480.00 (Colour Toner Excluded)
•                                                         Total Service Costs: = €13,760.00
•                                        Colour Toners Costs Additional: = €8,231.00
•                                                                      Total Costs: = €21,991.00

 Other Supplier Option:

• 660,000 Black Copies/Prints at 0.8 cents per copy/print   = €5,280.00 (Black Toner Included)
• 1060,000 Black Copies/Prints at 6 cents per copy/print  = €63,600.00 (Colour Toner Included)
•                                                        Total Service Costs: = €13,760.00
•                                                                     Total Costs: = €68,880.00

 Total Saving By www.Photocopiers.ie: = €46,889.00.

It would have cost the customer 300% more had they opted for the alternative quotation which is actually an industry norm for suppliers in how they price their service contracts.

 We at www.Photocopiers.ie are different. We offer you exceptional service and exceptional savings!         

 When it comes to acquiring new equipment (either because you need to invest in the latest technology or your present Photocopier or Printer is creaking along), at www.Photocopiers.ie we recommend that you consider the total cost including service before you make your final decision.

As a business owner you need to do whatever you can, to conserve your cash flow.

When it comes to acquiring new equipment (either because you need to invest in the latest technology or your present Photocopier or Printer is creaking along), at www.photocopiers.ie we recommend that you consider the benefits of leasing the Photocopier or Printer as opposed to paying out hard cash for it.

 So why is leasing better than outright purchasing?

It is more tax efficient –

•  Depending on your circumstances, you can write off the lease payments against your profits. Lease payments can usually be deducted as business expenses on your tax return, reducing the net cost of your lease

You conserve your cash-flow –

•  With leasing you are usually paying a Monthly cost versus writing a cheque up-front for the equipment.

Budgeting is easier –

•  The payments are fixed so you know what you will have to pay each month

Upgrade Flexibility –

•  As your needs change you can take advantage of the latest technology without having to worry about low trade in values

 Leasing, for all of its advantages, has some disadvantages.

 If you are not a “Business” and are a School, College, Charity, Non Profit Organization etc., then leasing may not be for you.

When you lease equipment, the cost of the finance or interest is added onto the original value. Therefore, the amount you will have paid back at the end of the leasing term, will be higher than the original price of the Photocopier or Printer. If you cannot take advantage of the tax deductions associated with leasing, then you may be better off purchasing outright – if you have the capital available.

However at www.Photocopiers.ie we provide leasing to many Schools, Colleges, Non-Profit Organizations etc as it helps them acquire the equipment they need, without having to use their scarce funds for the purpose.

I recently surveyed members of LinkedIn on what they thought were the most frustrating things about Photocopiers & Printers.

Here is what they said!

1. Paper Jams:

• This unsurprisingly was top of the list. It is indeed very frustrating when you are waiting on an important document for a colleague or a client & the Printer or Photocopier jams.

          i.      At  www.Photocopiers.ie we suggest:

o        Always fan the paper before putting it into the paper tray. This removes the static from the paper.

o        Store your paper in a dry place. If the paper is cold or damp, it will jam. The heat from the Photocopier or Printer will draw the moisture from the paper & make it curl. This will cause it to jam.

o        Have your Photocopier or Printer serviced regularly by a reputable company. Rollers etc wear out and need to be replaced. Cars need regular servicing – so do Photocopiers & Printers.

2. High Cost Of Ink:

• Sometimes you can spend as much in 3 months on Inks as what you paid for the machine in the first instance .

         i.      At  www.Photocopiers.ie we suggest:

o        If you are doing a lot of printing, then it will be much more economical to go for a Laser as opposed to an Inkjet model Photocopier or Printer. In an office environment, I would suggest a Multifunction Photocopier & Printer. The machine will be initially cost a bit more, but will save you lots in the long run.   

3. IT Issues: Printer or Scanner not working

• When you buy a Photocopier or Printer, you would expect it to be a pretty simple exercise to connect it to your PC or Computer Network. However all the manufacturers use different “Drivers” or software that enable the PC’s etc to talk to the Photocopier or Printer.

         i.      At www.Photocopiers.ie we suggest:

o        Download the latest driver from the manufacturers website (see Printer Repair Service) for some of the main links that you will need.

o        Get an IT company to install the machine onto your PC or Network. For a relatively small fee they will save you hours of frustration.

4. Waiting for them to warm up

• Most Photocopiers & Printers have an Eco function that switches them off when not in use to save energy. However some are particularly slow to warm up when switched on say in the morning or reactivated from sleep mode. This is very frustrating & also wastes time.

          i.      At www.Photocopiers.ie we suggest:

o        Our range of Digital Photocopiers & Printers have an average warm up time of between 6 seconds to 30 seconds.

5. People do not know how to use them (load paper, toner etc)

• Photocopiers & Printers, are designed for ease of use in a normal office environment, by mostly non-technical people. If users have not been given proper instruction on their use at the time of installation, then undoubtedly things will not run as smoothly.

         i.      At www.Photocopiers.ie we suggest:

o        Make sure your supplier offers user training as part of their agreement.

6. Often misleading & unfair service contracts that accompany Photocopiers & Printers

• Photocopiers & Printers, need to be serviced & maintained regularly if they are to run smoothly. Most suppliers offer some sort of service contract option to cover call outs & parts etc.

         i.      At www.Photocopiers.ie we suggest:

o        Make sure you read the agreement fully to be certain that it meets your needs.

o       This is a huge area with lots of various contract options out there. I will post a Blog soon on the Pro’s & Con’s of each.

 7. Slow Page Per Minute

• Photocopiers & Printers come with various features & speeds.  They go from say, 15 pages per minute at the low end up-to in excess of 100 pages per minute at the top end.

         i.      At www.Photocopiers.ie we suggest:

o        Make sure you research the various models before you buy. Its is better to get a Photocopier or Printer that will suit your needs not just today but into the future. Cheap is not always the best in the long run.

8. Not being able to copy or print sets of pages

• Some lower spec Photocopiers & Printers have less functions on them. This means that if you are trying to Photocopy or Print many copies of a multi page document you may need to do a lot of manual sorting.

         i.      At www.Photocopiers.ie we suggest:

o        Most Office Range Digital Photocopiers & Printers have digital sorting as standard. This means that you can print or copy those multi page documents with ease.

 9. Running out of toner

• It’s very frustrating when you go to Photocopy or Print something and the machine runs out of toner.

         i.      At www.Photocopiers.ie we suggest:

o        Photocopiers & Printers that are designed for office use have much higher toner capacity. They will also warn you well in advance that the toner is running low. Make sure your supplier leaves you with a backup supply of toner so that if it runs out at that critical time, you will be back up & running in no time.

Above are the most frustrating things about Photocopiers & Printers. I also got a few extra ones that are worth mentioning.

• They always seem to run out of toner when I’m wearing a new white blouse.
• The Glass is way too thin
• The Sales People Attached

Wer’e much nicer!