The advantages of printer leasing for businesses

There is no getting away from the fact that businesses up and down the country are being forced to run a tight ship. With decision makers exploring a plethora of avenues in a bid to cut costs technology is one area that often gets overlooked.

But you may be interested to find out that many businesses now look to lease their office equipment, including printers. Gone are the days when the only option was to buy outright – printer leasing now offers a cost-effective solution for many businesses, saving capital expenses and providing flexibility.

Focus on day-to-day operating costs

Although it is very important to stay up with technology to keep your business competitive within your sector, leasing your printer equipment helps decision makers keep capital available for day in, day out operating costs. Freeing up valuable resources to invest in other areas of the business is particularly important for SMEs and fledgling start-ups.

Keep up-to-date with technology upgrades

It is impossible not to recognise the rapidly changing face of technology. Businesses that purchase printer equipment outright are likely to have to maximise the use of their devices to get the most out of their investment. Consequently many businesses miss the boat with regards to upgrades. Conversely, businesses that lease printers can quickly upgrade at the end of their initial agreement.

Use products that are right for you

There is no substitute for trialling printing equipment within your workplace. Large outlays for printers can be a risky business without installing and testing them first. That’s where the flexibility of printer leasing comes into its own with the ability to test a product before entering a lease agreement. Most professional lessors will also be able to provide industry advice on the best products for individual businesses dependant on past experience.

Reduced maintenance costs

Invariably when businesses purchase high-end printing equipment the cost of maintenance and repairs is also significant. However, the benefit of leasing printers is that many lessors will include maintenance services as part of their package. Such deals can reduce equipment downtime as lessors have specialist access to both replacement parts and engineers.

For businesses interested in discussing how printer leasing could help their business, call First Choice Business Systems, specialists in Xerox printer leasing, on 0800 072 3747.

4 useful mailroom solutions for SMEs

Businesses adopt mailroom solutions in order to create an autonomous workflow for traditional mailroom procedures as well as the entire information process. The most significant benefit of mailroom equipment is that it can provide a single point of entry for all incoming documentation, whether it is scanned paper, emails, faxes and anything else.

Businesses nationwide still depend on mail to liaise with current and prospective customers and spread their marketing message. Mailroom solutions can improve the efficiency of any business’ mail communications whilst being environmentally compatible with the relevant laws and regulations.

Here are four excellent options that are built with the day-to-day needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) firmly in mind.

Frama Matrix F6 Franking Machine

Designed for medium to heavy postal workloads, the Frama Matrix F6 is built to reduce the need for manual handling when franking envelopes, saving valuable office resource in the process. Businesses that make use of the Royal Mail bulk service, Cleanmail Advance, may be interested to know that the Matrix F6 is capable of bulk-handling DL-C5 envelope sizes ready for dispatch.

Frama Access B400 Electronic Letter Opener

Another mid to heavy-duty mailroom device capable of working with speed and efficiency in the office, the Frama Access B400 Letter Opener is Frama’s highest performance model for business and personal use. Processing up to 400 letters per minute using the device’s innovative envelope slitting technology, it is still the only electronic letter opener able to open letters up to 10mm in thickness.

Frama FI62 Folder Inserter

Such an intuitive piece of equipment as the Frama FI62 Folder Inserter can really make a significant difference to the office of any small or medium-sized business. Built to detect and understand various document and envelope sizes and the correct fold lines, the FI62 Folder Inserter is a self-starter solution that is capable of being used without the assistance of an operator manual.

Frama P700 Paper Folding Machine

Most SMEs do not have the space or capacity to install a mailroom solution that takes up considerable room. Multi-faceted mailroom devices such as the Frama P700 Paper Folding Machine are fantastic due to their compact design. You will be surprised at the number of features crammed into something so small, accepting paper sizes from A5 to A3 for folding and working at an awe-inspiring speed of up to 5,200 sheets per hour.

Printer Spotlight | ColorQube 8700 & 8900

Xerox have released the new ColorQube 8700 & 8900 models to deliver businesses an affordable way to use color every day as well as provide them with the cost savings they expect from solid ink technology. The cartridge-free MFPs print and copy at speeds up to 20ppm in the enhanced mode and up to 44ppm in fast mode.

With the Xerox ColorQube MFPs you can print, scan, fax, USB scan and print, with the additional benefits of EIP and mobile print, all in a single device. Mobile printing is ideal for on-the-go workers as they can print securely from any email-enabled smartphone, tablet or laptop without the need to download an application, load a software or search for online printer information.

What’s more the ColorQube 8700 & 8900 models boast a high paper capacity of up to 3,475 sheets, full security, accounting and cost control along with an abundance of finishing options including stapling and 650 sheet stacking.

Solid Ink Technology has enabled offices across the world with a cost effective way of printing in colour. Combined with the ease of use and environmental benefits along with less hassle and more savings, companies can reallocate time and resources to their core business.

Solid Ink Technology offers consistent colour prints that get noticed, regardless of the media type. With Solid ink you can take advantage of the colour-editing tool, Colour by Words, which offers users accurate and vibrant colours from the first print.

Other Key Features of the Xerox ColorQube 8700 & 8900

•    Great colour, great savings – 3 tier billing or pay as you go
•    Ease of use – 7”UI with full smart controller features
•    Simplicity of solid ink, ease of use and administration
•    Environmental footprint is 20% less than competitive faceoff
•    TEC tier III compliant

We here at First Choice Business Systems are an authorised Xerox Concessionaire and pride ourselves in providing offices with a print solution that is tailored to their requirements. Call us today on 0800 072 3747 to find out what service we can provide you and how the Xerox ColorQube 8700 & 8900 could change your workflow.

A brief introduction to electronic document management

In today’s hectic business world, organisations big and small are looking at ways of improving the efficiency of storing sensitive documentation whilst maintaining its accessibility. As a result an increasing number of companies are choosing to digitise their documents using electronic document management systems.

Put simply, electronic document management is a piece of software or a combination of software that seeks to digitise and store sensitive information in an easy to read format. Such a system can improve efficiency and also enhance green practices within an office space, with most solutions containing software that can read and interpret paper documents and therefore reduce the use of paper in the office.

Although a paperless office may sound like pie in the sky to most organisations the fact remains that the Internet has significantly changed the way businesses communicate with their customers. Whilst typewriters and handwritten letters were the order of the day just a couple of decades ago, now businesses are compiling their documents via word processor and distributing via email.

Historically businesses have relied on organised book-keeping to store essential documentation. Many will also have experienced the frustration of spending hours if not days searching for a particular document that may have incurred a loss of revenue with potential customers opting to go elsewhere with their money.

However, electronic document management allows business owners to scan their documents digitally and store them on a computer. Electronic filing enables business owners to discard original documentation once scanned digitally and save valuable desk and storage space within the office.

It is also much more straightforward sourcing relevant documentation via an electronic document management system than sifting through tens of folders and drawers. An electronic solution can capture and index documents in any method that makes sense to each individual business, giving them the freedom to search and retrieve information based upon multiple criteria.

In theory, an electronic document management solution improves the overall productivity of a business, allowing them to find information at the touch of a ‘search’ button. For business owners working in an industry that deals with considerable amounts of paperwork a digital solution would save money long term with the reduced costs of disposable materials.

5 benefits of adopting green printing practices for your business

Running a business across any industry habitually requires the process of printing forms. It is said the printing industry is one of the world’s biggest consumers of energy and subsequently the onus is on business owners across the globe to change their printing habits by adopting greener printing practices.

Green printing is growing in popularity with an increasing number of businesses beginning to understand the impact and threat the printing industry poses on the wider environment as a whole. Adopting green printing practices is a very responsible move for any business, which brings with it a host of additional benefits that organisations can use to their advantage.

Environmentally friendly

Many environmental printing experts recommend green printing for business not only for the reduced impact on the wider area, but for financial reasons too. Digital printing is recommended for businesses that require short run printing, whether it is business cards, flyers or promotional printing. Digital printing has its advantages as it uses 100% non-toxic toner that also produces less chemical waste.

Instant tracking of costs

Businesses that choose to implement GreenPrint Software have the ability to track and monitor the number of pages printed and the costs they have saved as a result. In turn administrators can therefore track savings made on a company-wide basis across all departments.

Educate customers

A great way to establish a business’ reputation and with it additional authority is to educate clients and customers of the merits of green printing for themselves. Many will find that not all clients are aux fait with green design and printing processes. Subsequently it is a good way for businesses to act as an eco-friendly advisor, evaluating individual projects on their merits and helping clients operate within industry standards.

Balance cost with flair

In some cases adopting greener printing practices may appear more expensive in the immediate term. However, it is important not to be put off by pricing issues as businesses can offset initial costs by economising with imagination and creativity. Where possible businesses may look to combine projects using the same recycled paper, which allows them to save money and be good to the environment too.

Encourages businesses to go paperless

Businesses that choose to adopt greener printing practices may also consider going paperless to reduce print wastage. For example, where once companies may have sent printed paper copies of memos or documentation to staff, they may consider making company announcements online via email or a business intranet.

Make your business aware of the advantages of solid ink technology, helping the Government meet new carbon reduction targets and improving your own organisation’s green credentials in the process.