For many businesses, hiring out office printers can save time and money. However, print rental contracts can also become an annoyance and an unexpected expense if they’re not thought through very carefully. Here are a few of the common FAQs to consider when choosing the right printer rental to get, whether you are a small startup or a large corporation, and can, in the long run, save your business money, time, and headaches.
We list the most common mistakes businesses make when renting office printers and how you can steer clear of making them:
Choosing the Wrong Printer for Your Needs
When hiring an office printer, a common mistake is choosing a machine that does not meet your specific business needs. Some printers are more ideal than others for high-volume printing or smaller offices that don’t print much.
How to avoid this: Before signing a lease, consider your office’s printing volume, the types of documents you print, and the speed you need. If all you need is simple printing, steer clear of a top-end model with features you’ll never touch. On the other hand, if your business prints a high volume of documents daily, investing in a more expensive model could save you money on paper and ink over time.
Neglecting to Understand the Terms of the Rental Agreement
Most businesses don’t read the rental contract properly, resulting in hidden costs and jargon. Those costs can escalate when hidden fees are considered, such as a service charge, out-of-network print costs, or a penalty for too many monthly prints.
How to avoid this: Read the fine print. Be sure you know the rental terms, including any additional expenses. Check whether the contract includes maintenance, toner, and ink, or whether those are billed separately. Understand the rental period, early termination fees, and what you will owe if you exceed your page cap.
Overlooking Maintenance and Support Services
Another error is not considering maintenance services when you hire a printer. If your office does not adequately support printers, it can suffer from downtime due to broken ones, which can result in lost productivity.
How to avoid this: Make sure the contract includes upkeep and system support. Opt for a provider that has a fast-response model to remedy any problem before it interferes with your business. Also, ensure that the printer you lease gets regular service calls included in the price and that parts (like toner or drums) are replaced before they wear out or you’ll incur extra, unplanned expenses.
Ignoring the Total Cost of Ownership
Renting a printer can appear cheaper than purchasing one, but the costs increase over time. The total cost of ownership covers the hire of the printer as well as consumables, servicing, and repairs.
How to avoid this: Before signing a printer rental lease, do the math. Be very mindful of the cost of ownership, not forgetting hidden expenses. Add up the rental costs versus buying and running a printer over time. In some cases, purchasing a printer outright is less expensive, and using it for an extended period could pay off in the long run.
Failing to Monitor Your Printing Usage
Many companies simply don’t measure their printing usage after renting a printer and can end up printing far more than they want to. If you exceed your print limit, you could be looking at serious overage fees, particularly if your rental agreement has a per-page overage cost.
How to avoid this: Monitor your office’s printing consumption periodically. Establish clear rules for when printing is needed and encourage employees to be mindful of what they waste. Some companies that rent printers provide tracking tools that allow you to monitor your usage and pull back before you hit any overage limits.
Not Evaluating the Printer’s Energy Efficiency
Printers are energy-intensive, and the wrong one can cost you hundreds of dollars a year in electricity. If you are renting the printer, this could increase the cost of operation compared to what you anticipated.
How to avoid this: Select an energy-efficient printer with a high Energy Star score. Several newer models also have energy-saving features that can help reduce electricity costs, like automatic sleep modes and low-power settings. Also, the printer should be stored where it will not be subjected to extreme temperatures that would contribute to higher energy usage.
Final Thoughts
Renting office printers can be a great option for many businesses. However, you need to make sure you’re avoiding these common mistakes. By examining your needs, understanding the language, tracking usage, and maintaining oversight of your print environment, you can prevent unwanted costs and maintain the efficiency of office printing while keeping it within budget.
Keep in mind that the best printer rental agreement should be a single, affordable solution tailored to your office’s unique requirements. Research, plan, and monitor your usage, and in the long run, it’ll be cost-effective, and your office will keep on ticking smoothly.