Is it Time to Retire Your Printer?
Your printer has been your trusty office partner for years, a diligent workhorse pushing out page after page of printed sheets signaling new deals, fresh marketing initiatives, and revised strategies. Day in and day out, your printer works—and perhaps even flawlessly so.
So why would your business consider investing in new printing solutions when the current office dynamo remains a steady, reliable force?
Because your current business environment is likely not what it was when that printer debuted in your office. With the proliferation of on-the-go employees, mobile devices, and cloud-based tools, many once-modern printers have struggled to keep pace with technology's ever-quickening pulse.
“While no business needs advice when a printer fails to meet its expectations for quality performance, all businesses should consider how their work environment has changed and the role a printer plays in that evolving environment,” says Stephan Schmitt, head of product and segment management for HP Office Printing Solutions.
So is it time to retire your printer and investigate new printing solutions? Here are four key questions to consider:
Question #1: Is your printer mobile friendly?
The traditional concept of the office has changed: businesses feature a more mobile workforce, while partners often extend beyond the office to subcontractors and freelancers. These workers often need to print from multiple devices and in various locations ranging from the cubicle to the car to the café, which requires more flexible and dynamic printing solutions. Sales associates on the road, for example, demand a hard copy of the latest contract when and where they need it, not simply when your office can supply it. If your current work environment cannot deliver this mobile versatility, then it's likely time to explore new printing options.
Question #2: Is your printer secure?
Printer security is too often overlooked, a mistake in today's world where data breaches can prove costly and damaging.
“If the printer is not secure, then you risk exposing core information, which is the lifeblood of any operation,” Schmitt says, adding that businesses should think of printers as the endpoint on a network, configured much like a PC with information maintained within the operation's firewall.
Some modern printers, in fact, boast “intrusion detection.” These printers are smart enough to recognize an attack and counter by rebooting into a default setting that protects the device and your data.
Question #3: Is your printer providing the finished product you want?
When you print in the digital world, providing documents in color can be an advantage in today's visually charged society. If color printing can spark benefits for your business, then it's certainly functionality worth exploring.
“Fortunately, high-quality color printers are more affordable than ever, so businesses don't need to compromise to get the results they want,” Schmitt says.
Question #4: Is your printer using unnecessary resources?
Sustainability remains an incredibly relevant topic for businesses that want to be resourceful both financially and environmentally, particularly by minimizing waste and energy use. For some, the best option might be outsourcing printer needs to a third party, such as HP Managed Print Services (MPS). With the MPS program, your business enjoys the latest HP printing solutions on a service contract and pays only for usage, a potentially more resourceful and shrewd investment that caters to your work environment's precise needs.
So is your printer cutting it?
Even in today's digital era, printing remains an important part of the office workflow. Not to be taken for granted, printing solutions must be as modern as they are reliable, rising to meet the heightened level of productivity today's small businesses and their team members expect.
So if the evolution of your business' work environment has outpaced the capabilities of your current printer, then it's worth considering new printing solutions--even if it means retiring that trusty ol' office workhorse. With printing technology that better addresses your business' needs, you can become a more efficient and effective operation.
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