smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

Maximising the efficiency of your printing could save more than just ink and paper.

Costs can be reduced from every part of your business. For Stephen Burt, business manager at computer maker Dell, a simple measure is to move from individual printers to a network
system: ‘[Removing] individual printers can sometimes cause contention but, frankly, unless you need them for confidentiality, managers should make the shift straight away as the cost savings are enormous.’

Print-happy staff can lead to substantial extra costs for a business. Burt adds: ‘Paper can be the most expensive cost. Using a duplex facility allows you to print on both sides. It is also a good idea to use recycled paper for non-essential printing.’

Think before you print

Barry Ferdinand, chief executive of printing solutions company Apogee, says unnecessary colour printing can cost companies a lot of money – something that can be prevented through print management software. ‘It costs about six pence per page to print in colour as opposed to half a pence in mono. The software enables users to manage print queues in terms of who has access to mono and who uses colour. It can also ensure that certain
printers aren’t being overused, and send large printing jobs to machines that can run them at a lower cost.’

Once your efficiency system is in place, Ray Cranston, sales manager at printing specialist Epson, advises policing staff to make sure the company is getting the maximum benefit. ‘It’s really important to keep reminding staff against unnecessary printing. This will help to instill cost saving into the psyche of the company.’

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