SMBs have the opportunity to bring their print costs under control by buying smart and making much better use of their print capability, according to the recent IDC White Paper, SMB Buying Considerations for Smarter Business Printing, sponsored by OKI Europe.

The IDC study identifies a number of top tips as part of a phased approach for SMBs looking to achieve smarter print performance:

Step one
Undertake an analysis of the existing laser/LED print devices.  This should ask the following questions:

• How old are the current printers? New print technologies offer much improved performance, in terms of both print speeds and output quality
• How much energy they consume in each mode? Latest devices typically consume up to 30 per cent less energy and 20 per cent less toner than earlier models
• How much space do they take up? There may be value in adding the versatility of an affordable A3 machine or an MFP, especially if they cover a similar footprint
• Is there sufficient value in bringing outsourced colour jobs in-house? Modern devices enable a broader range of materials to be produced in-house with the added flexibility for short runs on-demand

Step two
Based on this assessment of the organisation’s current print capability, the SMB can then determine the options available in ‘buying smart’. This should include:

• The optimum print quality and speeds appropriate to the needs of the business
• The overall cost of running the device or devices, including print toner, drum life and energy consumption
• Energy-saving features designed to enhance environmental performance and save costs
• Software tools to track usage and identify users, in order to allocate costs effectively and assign print rules
• Default mono, duplex and draft quality printing settings to optimise paper and toner usage
• Secure printing, with document encryption, PIN/ID card printing and auto delete of unprinted jobs

Act now
Terry Laidlaw, managing director, OKI Europe, says: “The publication of this white paper comes at the right time for today’s small and medium businesses. New print technologies such as those provided by OKI Europe offer the opportunity for them to compete more effectively with their larger competitors and this study highlights how SMBs can get the best return from their print investment.”    

The full white paper is available for download at: www.oki.co.uk/IDC-White-Paper