Having a large business or workforce can be a pain when it comes to managing several printing devices across a large area. Most people are unsure of the best way to optimize their fleet so that all their devices can work together cohesively, saving them time and money. We here at Strategic Technology Partners of Texas, as an authorized Xerox partner, have a lot of knowledge when it comes to organizing and managing a large printer fleet, that we know will ensure maximum efficiency for you and your organization.
What is a Large Copier/Printer Fleet?
A large copier/printer fleet is described as any fleet containing more than 15 machines. Copier/Printer fleets can span across a large building, or several buildings in a large area.
How Do I Optimize My Fleet for My Business?
In order to optimize your fleet, you first need to consider the following things:
- How many printers and multifunction printers do you have?
- What kind of documents are you printing?
- What are the needs of your employees?
In addition to these topics of consideration, it’s also important to keep track of where your machines are located, and how they might be serviced. If you have several buildings throughout a city, state, or even across several states, you need to partner with a larger organization that can service your entire account.
What Does Your Office Look Like?
Copiers, printers, and multifunction printers are all different types of devices. Knowing how best to utilize which one in certain scenarios will significantly benefit your fleet and your business.
For example, you may have several smaller printers and one larger multifunction printer (MFP) that everyone uses in a breakroom or workroom type of setup. Or you may have just a few MFPs that everyone prints to. Or, you may even have a little bit of both, where several people in the office have their own personal printer and there are a few larger MFPs throughout the building.
The first step in optimizing your fleet is performing an analysis of what you currently have. We here at STPT provide a free assessment that analyzes all your printing devices, giving you a clear picture of what your environment looks like. This way you know what you have, and how much you’re printing at each device.
What’s Right for Me?
This really depends on your office environment. It may be that every employee needs a personal printer because their specific duties demand that they stay in their office, and they don’t have enough time to walk across the building to a centralized MFP or a particular printer with a specific job (like printing checks or labels).
In many cases, a few smaller printers such as the VersaLink C405 and a few larger MFPs such as the AltaLink C8155 in a prime location could be the best route for your business. This way there’s a nearby device for routine print jobs, and a larger device for more robust tasks.
What Not to Do
There are four main mistakes that we see frequently, that can end up costing consumers a significant amount of money.
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Printing large files or documents with many sheets on a smaller printer. This can be quite expensive because it costs more to print on smaller devices rather than a larger MFP like an AltaLink B8155, which is designed for larger departmental printing.
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Printing color documents that could be printed in black and white. While color costs can be inexpensive on a large color MFP, the cost is still much higher than printing in black and white, and even more expensive on a small color printer.
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Printing documents to the wrong printer. You may find that a print management software can help you manage unwanted printing, and with follow-me-print, you can make sure that you’re printing when you need it, where you need it with secure release.
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Not utilizing larger devices to their full potential. We see large devices all the time that are just used for scanning and copying, when they could be used for copying, printing, scanning, faxing, and hundreds of other functions found in the Xerox App Gallery. Make sure that you’re aware of what your larger devices are capable of doing and use all the features that are available to you.
What's Next?
Now that you’ve gained knowledge on fleet optimization, take a look at your office and how your various devices are being utilized. Is there a more efficient way to design your workspace? Are there machines barely being utilized, while others have lines of employees? Do you have all your devices being managed from one central dashboard? We encourage you to read the following pieces of material for a deeper understanding of fleets, and fleet management:
- Top 3 Copiers/Printers for Small/Medium Business
- What is Y-Soft SafeQ Print Management Suite?
- Should You Invest in a Copier for Your Business?
We also have a team of specialized business consultants that are happy to assist with any questions or request you might have. If you’re interested in a free assessment of your office fleet, we encourage you to contact us at any time.
