In the world of business, there’s nothing more expensive than cheap office machines. The money you think you’re saving can often be spent many times over in terms of service costs, supply costs, and downtime. This is equally true for older printers and copiers when they have exceeded their estimated operational lifespan. Even top quality equipment needs to be replaced from time to time, and there is no advantage to delaying upgrades until you can fit them into your budget.
Technology continues to change the ways we do business, and the modern workplace uses computers, copiers, printers, and phone systems to grow and service its customers’ needs. This is every bit as true for a small boutique business as it is for a large high technology firm. Unfortunately, even the highest quality equipment has to be replaced over time. As your office machines approach the end of their anticipated operational lifespan, the money you think you’re saving could actually be losses in terms of output and productivity.
Many offices run very lean operations, and there’s never been a leaner time than right now. Most new small businesses struggle mightily to operate profitably, and they have to find creative ways to trim their budgets while still providing the quality customer service their clients have come to expect. If they don’t, their competitors will!
There’s an old idiom about being “unable to see the forest for the trees,” which definitely applies for many small businesses. Small business owners have to wear a lot of hats, and can often get so bogged down dealing with small details to the exclusion of the big picture.
Is your copier on its last leg? Do you have the service telephone number memorized? Are you on a first name basis with the technicians? If you answered yes, it’s probably time to consider replacing your copier. You might think a new copier is something you don’t need or can’t afford, buy you do, and you can!