Think back to the time you or your company bought a copier/printer for the business.
You likely had to decide whether you should purchase or lease the machine.
At the time, you may have opted to purchase from a retail giant like Wal-Mart or Staples.
If you can relate to this, and you currently own a copier/printer that you purchased outright, this blog is for you.
First, we explain the five reasons you may want to switch to leasing a machine instead. Then, we clarify who shouldn’t switch to leasing.
5 signs it's time to switch to leasing a copier/printer
1. Business has grown and evolved
Small businesses sometimes opt to purchase a multifunction printer (MFP) outright with cash because they, at the time, don’t need the production quality or bells and whistles that come with larger machines.
However, as the years go on, and businesses grow and expand, the organization will likely outgrow a small desktop MFP.
Switching to the leasing option allows businesses to choose a machine better suited for their needs. Higher quality machines can often be too costly to purchase outright. Leasing is easier to budget for because it provides affordable monthly payments.
2. Your current machine is breaking down
If one's copier is costing the business time and money spent on repeated service repairs, it may be time to switch to a leased machine.
If the current machine was bought from a retail giant, such as Wal-Mart, Amazon, or Staples, the cost-of-service repairs falls directly on you. However, these types of machines are built to be replaced, not fixed.
Instead of spending money on another machine from a retail giant, that will inevitably give out again, invest in an MFP that will last the business years.
Leasing also comes with a maintenance plan, which gives you access to highly tenured and local technicians. Maintenance plans ensure the company will always have a working machine.
3. Tired of wasting time & money trying to find compatible toner
How much time have you spent trying to find compatible toner? Most MFP owners can attest to the hassle and high cost of purchasing toner as needed.
Many customers have also fallen victim to running out of toner during work hours. There is nothing more inconvenient than running out of ink at the start of a busy workday.
Another problem with retail-bought machines is the toner’s cost per copy will be high.
For example, a retail MFP will cost around $.17 per color copy. A commercial copier (machines sold by copier vendors) will cost around $.11 per color copy. When printing hundreds of papers per month, this makes a difference.
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4. You are a medium-large sized business
Medium to large-sized businesses should be leasing an MFP.
Running large operations on a retail machine will lead to the machine’s death rather quickly. Retail printers are not designed to handle the workload of medium-large businesses.
Investing in a high-quality MFP will save more time and money in the long run than trying to run daily operations on a printer that can’t handle your business needs.
5. Wanting/needing office technology that can increase productivity
Another benefit of switching to a lease is the newer technology you’ll have access to. Besides being faster and more durable, these machines have the option of adding productivity tools and features.
For example, you can add a voice command system to the machines. GABI voice print and copy solution allow employees to use the machine hands-free, ensuring fewer people, a.k.a fewer germs, will be touching the equipment.
Another popular print solution is Y Soft’s Safe Q Enterprise Suite.
Research tells us printing expenses can make up as much as 3% of your annual revenue. Businesses need a way to track and analyze machine usage to avoid overpaying for printing consumption.
SafeQ Enterprise Suite allows companies to:
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Track, analyze, and take action to control costs
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Increase productivity by streamlining repetitive processes
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Reports that allow you to quantify how much you're spending per month
Along with this software, leased MFPs have a gallery of apps designed to increase office productivity.
There are apps for the education environment, legal, healthcare, and more.
One of our favorites is the Xerox translator app. This app allows you to translate documents from one language to another. The translator app is perfect for language barriers within the education or business environment.
Another popular app is the Xerox Audio document, which allows you to listen to lengthy documents on the go. This app is perfect for busy professionals.
As you can see, when you opt to lease a high-quality machine, you get more than just a printer.
These are five situations where one should consider switching to leasing their machine. However, while leasing may be the most popular option, it’s not for everyone.
Who should not switch to leasing?
After discussing when one should switch to leasing, we want to be open and honest about those who don't need to lease.
1. Those using the machine as a personal printer
Those needing a printer for home use, staying well below the recommended printing volume per month, likely won’t need to lease.
We still don’t recommend purchasing from a retail giant like Wal-Mart or Staples. Those machines typically aren’t durable for business needs.
Contact a local copier vendor and request information about purchasing a printer for home use. There are plenty of durable options to choose from, with the ability to add a maintenance plan if the idea of never having to worry about service issues or toner appeals to you.
2. Those who don’t need advanced features and technologies
Part-time or small businesses, with only a few employees, might not need a leased machine. As long as the recommended print volume is followed, a purchased machine may work fine.
As mentioned earlier, once the business grows and evolves, you’ll likely want to make the switch to upgrade your machine to ensure that business needs are met. This is when it might be a good idea to consider leasing.
Ask about trading in your current machine
Whether you have a local copier vendor in mind or are local to the DFW area and want to do business with us, consider trading in your current machine for a leasing option.
If you resonate with one of the five reasons why someone would want to switch to leasing, please stop putting money into your current machine. Let us help set you up with an MFP that will save you time and money instead of wasting it.
