HOW TO CHOOSE A COPIER FOR A SMALL BUSINESS

When it comes to capital expenditure on office equipment, small businesses can’t afford to make the wrong decisions.

Ensuring that the equipment is appropriate for the required function is all –important and there are many other practical considerations. Fancy software or the latest multifunction copier may be very appealing – but are they right for your needs?. Small businesses can ill-afford to make expensive mistakes and now more than ever, smaller entities have to make very carefully considered investment decisions. That’s easier said.than done – and with manpower at full stretch, many small businesses are not in a position to always spend the required time and effort on doing all the groundwork preparing to buy new equipment.

So when it comes to purchasing a new copier, fax machine, printer, scanner etc – these few hints may help. Each business will have different needs, but a structured approach will save time and money in the long-term.

· Consider what you need the new equipment for (both current and future needs) . Do you want black and white printing, colour or both? Other factors to think about are print volumes, scanning and fax machine needs, copier speed, scan resolution, paper handling, collating etc.

· Are you looking for high quality full colour marketing materials, presentation documents etc?

· Are you hoping to reduce the amount of printing outsourcing ?

· Do you require multitasking capabilities from your new machine? Many multifunctional machines can do several different jobs, and it may be worth considering whether you need a truly multifunctional machine (one that is able to do several jobs concurrently) or whether a regular device would be sufficient.

· What are your networking requirements and do you require the device to operate wirelessly?

· Functionality is important. How many people will use the machine, what training will be required, is it user-friendly?

· Copier volumes are an important factor – loss of productivity happens when people hang around waiting for print jobs to be completed.

· Maintenance requirements.

· Does your business require document management functions? There is software available that enables electronic organisation of files and data and this can be a vital asset to a small business, but always check the compatibility of the software and the device.

· Equipment peripherals eg copier cartridges.

When it comes to space, small businesses are often hampered by small premises so issues around size, noise levels etc are important. A leading Perth photocopiers supplier, Adscopiers, say that Samsung recently announced the evolution of the smallest and quietest multifunction laser printer in the world, with market research showing that the Samsung CLP-300 colour laser printer series was the best-seller in Australia in 2007.

Many multifunction office devices cost around the same as a specialised photocopier machine, such has been the advance of technology. For a small business, making the right choice in office equipment could be the difference between the status quo or making it big.