Choosing a printer is a complicated decision that we must take very carefully, because such important things will depend on it such as our work capacity, the productivity of our SMEs and our employees, the expenses associated with printing and also part of document management, and this will also influence the security of our IT environment.
There is no doubt that not all SMEs have the same printing needs, nor do they have the same demands in terms of management, administration and security. Thus, a printer that may be ideal for one small business may not be for another, and this implies that in the end we must start from the real needs of each company and choose accordingly.
However, there are a series of criteria or general requirements that operate in any case, and that we can take as a basis to choose a good printer for SMEs. In this article we want to share with you five of those keys because we believe that they will be of great help to you, and they will make things a little easier for you when choosing.
1.-Printer with security and management functions
We live in a fully connected mode, which is why security plays a fundamental role even for the smallest company, especially since the rise of the connected world has made security threats bigger and more dangerous, and no longer are limited neither to computers nor to large companies, they also affect printers and SMEs
A professional printer works with data and sensitive information that could be exposed if an attack occurs, and the consequences of this could take us to a point of no return, both due to the impact at the cost level and on the reputation and image of our company. Therefore, it is necessary that the printer is properly protected so that we can work with peace of mind.
As for the management tools, they are of great help for Follow up of the use made of the printer, facilitate the establishment of inspection and control policies, which is key in spaces with shared printers, and facilitates the implementation and maintenance of printing equipment.
2.-Low cost per page in both color and black and white
no doubt this is one of the most important expenses when it comes to cost of ownership of a printer, and it is totally normal because it will be the one that will determine to a large extent the load that our SMEs will have to assume every month for the simple fact of printing, that is, of using the printer.
Some still believe that minimizing printer usage helps save money, but really, all we’ll be doing is underutilizing a tool that has cost us money. It is not a solution.
Many manufacturers offer high-capacity cartridges as an option to reduce the cost per page, but the ideal is to opt for a printer that allows us to access services based monthly print plansquarterly, semi-annual or annual, since these types of plans are the ones that offer the best value in relation to cost per page.
3.-High availability of printer consumables
It is useless to buy a very cheap printer if the consumables it uses have a very low availability and a high price. In the end, we will waste a lot of time looking for compatible cartridges in stores and/or suppliers, and we run the risk of ending up paying very high prices for those consumables.
Other problems associated with the low availability of consumables is the classic take the trip to the store for nothing, and in more current cases, waste valuable time searching the Internet without any success.
In this case, services based on services with printing plans that automatically supply ink at home are the best optionand for this we need to have a printer that allows us to access this type of services.
4.-Multi-device connectivity and printing
A good printer must be adapted to the routine that we live in SMEs, and for this it is essential that it has wireless connectivity and mobile printing support, two specifications that will help us to be more productive, and that will facilitate its integration in multi-device environments.
Wi-Fi connectivity represents an essential value because it allows simplify printer installation, and create multi-device environments where computers, tablets and smartphones are located.
On the other hand, thanks to that connectivity also it will be easier to adapt it to any change that occurs in our companysince we will not have to deal with the problems that wired connections usually give when there are structural or distribution changes.
5.-Good printing capacity and speed
Before choosing the printer we must be clear what duty cycle we have to cover, and what printing speed would be adequate to be able to carry out that work cycle without any problem. This will also allow us to better define the purchase options.
The ideal, in general terms, is to choose a printer that can cover a little more of the duty cycle than we need, and that it can do it optimally. In this way, if our needs increase, the printer will be able to cover that change without problems, and we will not have to change the printer again.
For example, a printer that cycles 500 pages per month will not need to be as fast as a printer that is designed to optimally print 1,500 pages per month. Higher print speed means Less waiting and greater productivity.
