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A copier printer is a lot like a car.
The longer you drive a car, the more likely you’ll have to replace tires, breaks, filters, or engine parts. The more wear and tear you put on an aging car, the more you’ll have to take it in to be serviced.
At a certain point, the amount of service needed to keep your car running may cost more than the car's worth.
Like a car, a copier printer is a machine. This means that your office copy machine or all in one printer has moveable parts that are worn down over time, especially with extensive use.
If you own your laser printer and didn’t lease it from a vendor, then it may be challenging to find someone to help with constant repairs. And, if you do find a service technician, the repair costs add up fast.
As a Xerox Platinum Partner and print vendor local to the DFW metroplex, STPT is your one stop printer shop for service and information.
If you bought or leased a laser printer, then this blog will address the top printing mistakes you may be making and how to avoid them.
1. Overusing Your Laser Printer
There are a couple of different ways you could be overusing your printer.
The most common one is printing more than your machine can handle.
Every printer has a recommended print volume and monthly duty cycle that determines how much the machine can safely print.
A printer’s recommended monthly print volume is the number of prints or copies you can safely make on the machine in a month, and the duty cycle is the maximum number of prints or copies the machine can produce in a given month.
The duty cycle number tells you the maximum amount of prints or copies you can make in one month, but the recommended print volume is the actual number of prints you can safely make without overusing supplies or damaging your laser printer.
Many companies print more than their their copier printer can handle, and it ends up costing them more money per page than if they purchased or leased a copier that was able to print at the volume they needed.
Another common mistake that leads to printer overuse is allowing too many people to use one machine.
This hinders productivity in the office and costs your company valuable time.
The third way people overuse their copier printers is by printing special media on a machine that wasn’t built for that type of print job.
Special media is thicker or glossy paper that you would use for marketing material or pictures. Specialty media is meant to be run on production printers that can handle various media types.
If you frequently need to print on specialty media paper, consider investing in a printer that is more suited for those needs.
2. Using a Printer Until it Dies
While you can technically use a printer until it starts smoking, you’ll need to expect and plan for a rise in service and maintenance issues. Remember the car we talked about earlier? Copier printers require more service the older they get.
Not only will service start to cost more than the value of your machine, but you’ll also be missing out on technology advancements that can increase security and productivity in your office.
Newer models have security features that will ensure all documents and data are protected. Updated apps and features allow you to enhance your document workflow and protect your office from cybersecurity threats.
It may be time for an update if you’re spending more time servicing your copier than it’s worth.
Don’t wait until your copier printer is on fire. Call a local vendor today so they can review your current fleet and help you upgrade.
3. Replacing Toner or Other Supplies Too Soon
Replacing toner too soon is a mistake people make all the time.
People often change toner when the copier says the toner is low, instead of waiting until it’s completely out.
Your machine will give you two warnings. The first warning will say low toner/reorder toner. At that point, you should have new toner ready on standby.
The second warning will say replace toner. When you receive the second warning, you should replace the toner cartridge.
A common misconception is that low toner will affect the print quality. However, if your using OEM (toner made by the equipment manufacturer) printer will not produce lesser quality prints when the toner is low.
This misconception leads to wasted toner, which means wasted money.
If your machine is covered by a maintenance agreement that includes toner, replacing toner too soon can also disrupt your auto-shipments of toner.
Do you need to know more about how long toner really lasts? Check out our blog How Long Does Toner Last? [Everything You Need to Know] for more information.
4. Not Using Your Machine to Its Full Potential
The biggest mistake you can make with your machine is not using it to its full potential.
Today’s all in one printers come with apps that can enhance your office productivity.
If you are currently outsourcing print jobs for your marketing efforts, consider looking into printer leasing. You can lease a light production machine that allows you to print booklets, flyers, and other marketing materials at a reasonable price. Having a copier/printer in your office that can handle your everyday tasks and marketing materials will save you valuable time and money.
At no extra cost, you can reach out to your local dealer and they will help you decide if you could save money with a different machine.
5. Not Considering Available Office Space
Sometimes customers don’t have a ton of extra office space and end up putting their copier printer in a place that could create future problems.
For example, putting your machine in a tight corner or enclosed cabinet makes it hard for service technicians to access your machine when needed.
Most importantly, your machine will likely overheat if it is in an enclosed space with little airflow. This creates a fire hazard.
This is a very real and severe danger, so you should plan ahead to make sure your office has adequate space for your copier printer.
Ask your vendor if the space you have picked out is suitable and safe, and be open to choosing a different area if necessary.
Treat Your Copier Printer Like You Would Your Car
You take care of your car. Why not your laser printer?
The fact is that old, mismanaged, or overused copier printers cost you money, time, and they can even be a serious safety hazard for you and your team members.
If your office equipment breaks down due to mistakes or issues that could be avoided, then it will negatively affect the production of your office.
At STPT, we care about you and your business. We want to use our experience and expertise to help you find the right laser printer and care for it properly.
