Do you have one of those workplaces where the printer is located deep into the office, in the furthest corner in the room? You might think that you are getting your steps up every time you need to collect your printouts, but the truth is, it’s not that efficient? Or perhaps your office flow is perfect, but the printing technology leaves little to be desired. You are not alone, on all accounts. In the new year, plan for a greater business flow, by simply improving your printing setup. Let’s take a look at how this can be possible.
Firstly, are you equipped with the right machine?
It’s one thing to have a sleekly designed office space, but it’s quite another to have premium printing tools that will give you the best outputs. There is simply no point investing in poor printing products when there are modern machines and HP toner cartridges available, and a lesser product will always cost you more in the end. A new machine will reduce reprints, dissatisfaction, and will please your entire team. Not sure what you are looking for? HP, Epson, Canon and Konica Minolta is always a great place to start.
Placement is critical
Where is your printer currently placed? It might surprise you to learn that most office bottlenecks are entirely avoidable with the right office design deployed. This can be particularly difficult if you have a multi-levelled office, so choose where the most amount of employees sit and the level which has shared amenities (kitchen, bathroom). If you are committed to this exercise, you can always try moving the printer to various locations over a month and get feedback from your team about what is or isn’t working.
Paper availability and disposal
How is it that there is never paper in the tray when you need it most, or when the printing line is about five documents deep? Keeping more reams than you need at the ready will assist with your setup, as will finding a printing champion who is tasked with keeping the trays stocks and ready to go. You may even want to task this to a whole department who typically print more than the rest of the office. You should also look at sourcing paper disposal bins to be close by, as they ensure that documents are shredded should they need to be. This also ticks a lot of compliance boxes. Some sustainably-minded offices will actually save paper that has been printed on one side and place it in a tray to be reused, which is perfect for internal documents and draft work.
Keep your team engaged in the process
OK, so you have paid for the top printer and are using premium, authentic cartridges… Now what? It’s important that you show your office team how to use the printer so that they are maximising its capabilities and benefit the overall business. Some staff members feel they need to come into the physical office to print their documents when their printer already features remote printing. Others send their printing jobs offsite to a professional printer, despite their printer being able to print A3. does this sound familiar? Take the time to induct your team on the features of your printer, as it will save you time and money in the future.
By just taking the time to optimise your printing setup, you can really improve your business operation and educate your team on what is and isn’t possible with your in-house printing solution. Investing in the right printing technology will underpin your setup success, so ensure you are starting correctly.
