DocuSense Blog

Ten Things to Consider When Buying a Multifunction Printer: Article 7

February 26th, 2010 by admin under Multifunction Printer MFP, Uncategorized. 8 Comments.

Know its Bi-Directional Communication Capabilities

Want to have your IT department babysit that new multifunction printer you installed in your office? Get a device without adequate bi-directional communication.

An often under-rated feature of multifunction printers, bi-directional communication refers to the ability of the device to exchange information with the user’s PC.

Bi-directional communication, at its most basic level, will allow the printing device to report back to the user, notifying them when print jobs are completed and when it is ready for the next job. While nice to have, basic functionality isn’t good enough today. You want users to know why their job didn’t copy or print or fax and what to do about it; all without draining IT resources. So look for a device with more advanced bi-directional communication capabilities.

The device with this capability will report its status back to the user’s workstation thru the print driver, notifying them of toner low, paper out, paper size mismatch or other error conditions. The best devices will give step-by-step instructions simultaneously on the users screen and at the device telling them what they need to do. Some devices go further, if needed, by opening up a service ticket through the internet, then running a diagnostic on the machine which will then report back to the user with resources for how to correct error conditions.

Typically, advanced bi-directional reporting is not an option and doesn’t cost you anything. It just automatically comes with good equipment. So, give your IT guys a break. Understand your device’s bi-directional communication features and make sure you purchase a machine that helps users help themselves.

Does anyone have a story to share related to this?  Please write back!

Previous articles:
1. Know your requirements
2. Know the Total Cost of Ownership
3. Know what third parties have to say
4. Know how easy it is to connect to an existing network
5. Know how easy it is to use
6. Know its multitasking abilities

Upcoming articles:

8. Know the available device management, remote intelligence, and support
9. Know whether it provides the level of security and confidentiality you need
10. Know what software and solutions are available

Multifunction printers can help you streamline duplicated and cumbersome document processes and electronically organize, edit and archive your paper documents. With an MFP and a simple software application you can turn paper documents into electronic format and send to multiple destinations – email, document repositories, network folders, even remote printers – with a single scan.

Once you’re armed with the knowledge you’ve gathered by asking these questions, you’ll be prepared to make the right decision for your business.

Please contact us with any questions. DocuSense 1-800-422-0080

Tags:administrative costs, Business Improvement, DocuSense Business Education, Printer cost of ownership, total cost of ownership.

The Six Tenets of the Copier Company (and how you can get a better deal)

June 17th, 2009 by docusenseadmin under Print & Copy Best Practices. 7 Comments.

Purchasing the right multifunction office equipment can be very tricky.  Make the wrong decision for even one copier/printer device in a workgroup setting and  you can easily overspend on acquisition, service and supplies by thousands of dollars.   Sounds expensive?  Don’t worry; it gets much worse.  ”Soft” costs such as lost capabilities, user frustration, down-time and office inefficiency will multiply the expense tenfold. (more…)

Tags:administrative costs, Business Improvement, Cost Per Page, document management, managing devices, multifunction, office printing, service cost, supply cost, Xerox Printers.

Document Output: Where is the Cost?

May 13th, 2009 by docusenseadmin under Complexity Simplified. 14 Comments.

Question: The Most Costly Portion of Document Output is?

A) Equipment Acquisition Cost
B) Supply Costs
C) Service Costs
D) Administration and IT Cost

Answer: D

Industry analysts generally agree that printing, copying, faxing (Document Output) is expensive and the costs are largely undocumented and unmanaged in most firms. The total cost of document output (measured by adding up acquisition, supply and service expense) is somewhere between one and three percent of total revenue. Acquisition, supply and service expenses are easily measured. However, the costs of managing devices across business networks are much larger and more difficult to measure.

IDC research estimates that for every $1.00 spent in document output costs (acquisition, service and supply) firms spend $9.40 in IT support, administration and document management. So the answer is D BY ALMOST 10 TO 1!

If workgroups use varied equipment, the cost can increase quickly. Multiple equipment often entails more training, IT expense, multiple vendors, contracts and service options; increasing managing complexity. It pays to try to simplify the equipment and support options.

To plow through the increasing rush of daily information, corporate employees today typically spend up to 45% of their day working on paper and electronic documents. Multifunction printers can play a huge role in streamlining duplicated and often cumbersome processes but it’s extremely important to pick the right mix of equipment for your business.

For more information or advice in making this important business decision contact a support specialist at DocuSense by calling 1-800-422-0080.

DocuSense – Complexity Simplified!

Tags:administrative costs, document management, document output cost, DocuSense, equipment cost, managing devices, service cost, supply cost.