Printing in an office environment is inevitable. Nonetheless most people, especially your employees, don’t realize just how costly printing can be if not handled correctly. Unfortunately as the business owner you’re the one who ends up bagging all these costs. We’ve prepared a list of tips to help you lower your printing costs without affecting your business’s operations.
Go Paperless if the Situation Allows
Not all situations call for printing. For instance, if there’s a meeting, you don’t have to print a form outlining the agenda. You can send a PDF version to every employee and digitally inform them of the meeting’s agenda. This way, you’ll have achieved your goal without using even a single piece of paper or a drop of ink.
Create a Print Policy and Enforce it
Without some policy, employees tend to print even the unnecessary stuff. This results in a lot of printing resources going to waste, and your supply invoice shooting to the roof. Since you can’t always be at the printer, impose a strict printing policy. In the policy, list rules that’ll help reduce wastage. For instance, urge everyone using the printer to practice double-sided printing and use color printing only when necessary.
Replace All Outdated Printing Equipment
A printer you bought half a decade ago might be functional, but the costs associated with keeping it up and running are usually high than buying a new one. For instance, it requires constant maintenance, and maybe it breaks down every once in a while hence calling for repairs. To eliminate such costs, do away with it and get a modern one. Doing so not only reduces avoidable costs but also brings efficiency as modern printers pack a string of features that improve your firm’s workflow.
Ensure Everyone Is Well Versed with the Process
As mentioned, modern printers pack a host of advanced features for efficiency. At times, a staff member might find themselves stuck, leaving them no option but to contact your IT department for help. This is completely okay if it happens one time.
However, continually calling the IT department for minor issues causes frustration and poor working relationships. To prevent this from happening, ensure every staff member is well-versed with how the new printers work. This’ll reduce IT support calls and enable your IT team to focus on their roles effectively.
Avoid Unnecessary Spending on Printing Supplies
Increased printing costs also arise when your employees keep on ordering new supplies before the existing ones run out. To ensure this doesn’t happen, create a supply chain department, and appoint one person to handle supplies. Such an individual will be responsible for ordering and allocating supplies thus preventing unnecessary expenditure.
