A multifunction product (MFP) can be a powerful productivity tool for today’s office worker. Combining functions like copying, printing, scanning and faxing into one machine streamlines document processing and cuts costs on supplies, maintenance and service of multiple units. With the wide range of MFPs available for businesses, selecting a device that’s a good fit for your office can be a daunting task. But it’s not rocket science - with a solid understanding of the MFP market and a clear picture of your office’s needs, you can make an informed MFP purchasing decision that will positively impact the bottom line.
Scattered standalone and desktop devices’– from inkjet printers to outdated fax machines – are a drain on many offices’ supplies and maintenance budgets. Expensive replacement cartridges and frequent maintenance calls are costly and hamper productivity. MFPs enable offices to consolidate equipment into one device for each workgroup, simplifying supply ordering and minimizing maintenance calls.
Additionally, MFPs offer convenient finishing features like collating, stapling and booklet-making. These features save employees time, and enable more jobs to be printed in-house, rather than outsourcing.
What Features Does Your Office Need?
According to an estimate by Gartner Measurement Decision Tools for Vendor Selection, organizations usually spend up to a quarter of their overall purchasing costs and almost one-third of their installation time selecting an MFP. So this step shouldn’t be rushed or skipped. Start by identifying your internal needs and define your requirements. Today’s advanced MFPs offer a range of features and functionality, so it is important to understand what’s available and how each feature can benefit your business. Whether you’ve made MFP purchasing decisions in the past, or if you’re doing it for the first time, always be sure to ask yourself these questions to help determine your feature priorities:
* How many pages do you expect to print and copy each month? Every machine has a monthly duty cycle, which indicates how many pages the MFP is designed to handle each month. These cycles can range from thousands of pages to hundreds of thousands.
* Does your office use color documents? Studies have shown that color can dramatically impact the effectiveness of business documents. Color-capable MFPs can address your color and black-and-white printing needs.
* What kind of scanning capabilities does your office need? Some MFPs offer a ‘scan-to-network’ feature, allowing users to have scanned documents automatically converted into electronic, PDF files, and saved to the network or directly e-mailed without being transferred back to a PC.
* Is printing speed a primary concern for your office? MFP manufacturers offer a range of speeds to accommodate a variety of printing and copying needs. For example, Xerox offers more than 20 office-focused MFPs, beginning with the 16 pages-per-minute (ppm) WorkCentre M15i and ranging up to the WorkCentre Pro 90 at 90 ppm.
Gauging Costs
It’s also important to accurately gauge the cost to your business. In addition to the initial equipment price and installation fees, consider the total cost of ownership, which accounts for ongoing costs like supplies and maintenance. In some cases, MFPs that seem a bargain upfront can actually be costly in the long run. Other cost-saving features include two-sided printing, which reduces paper consumption; fax-at-night features, which take advantage of low nightly telephone rates; and energy-efficient modes, which lowers power consumption.
More Important Factors to Consider:
* Network capabilities. It is critical to purchase MFPs that can interact with your existing IT infrastructure, including your network connection, operating environment and software and hardware connections. MFPs that are connected to a network allow users to maximize productivity because they can process multiple jobs concurrently, allowing one employee to scan documents while other employees print from multiple locations, and eliminating the ‘waiting line’ often associated with standalone equipment. Xerox’s SMART (Scalable Multifunction Architecture Technology) controller not only enables its MFPs to copy, print, scan and fax simultaneously without pause, but also supports integration of third-party software applications. Xerox multifunction devices, like the WorkCentre® Pro 45, work with technology solutions from partners, like Cardiff, Equitrac, Kofax, Omtool and ScanSoft, to create forms management, scanning and accounting solutions. Using a single device makes document management easier, and network-ready MFPs allow your business to take full advantage of your intra-office network.
* Upgradeability. The needs of your business will almost certainly change over the years, and your MFP should be able to adapt. Expandable paper trays, RAM memory and printer drive upgrades are all features that will help you adjust to shifting business trends. Xerox offers an upgrade program with its CopyCentre™ and WorkCentre® line of products – so that businesses can start with a basic copier or MFP, and enhance their features as their business needs change.
* Service package. Service after the sale is perhaps one of the most important factors to consider before making a purchase. Be sure the vendor you choose stands behind its products. For example, Xerox’s Total Satisfaction Guarantee covers all Xerox equipment, and allows customers to replace or repair any equipment if the customer isn’t completely satisfied. Xerox also offers service contracts to cover parts, labor and transportation costs for all MFPs.
PULL-OUT BOX:
Five Simple Steps in Buying an MFP
1) Identify and understand your office’s document management needs.
2) Research what type of features and functionality are available.
3) Gauge total cost of ownership and determine your budget.
4) Check the machine’s abilities. Can it be networked and upgraded?
5) Select a vendor partner that offers a customer guarantee and extensive service package.
