It’s 2020 and your IT team can buy a printer for $49, $69, or $99. The expensive part comes when you understand the model: expensive toner with little capacity. Don’t be fooled by the brand. These resellers don’t challenge your product choice because they know you’ll be back to buy supplies, and soon.
This is why you need to speak print IT.
Speaking print IT will lead you to the right products. Not speaking print IT will lead you to the cheap ones that aren’t actually cheap. Here are 3 words you should know:
- Drivers
- Uptime
- Firmware
Drivers allow your printer and employees to communicate. All printers require software to function properly, so an outdated driver is a problem. The process of updating it will depend both on your device manufacturer and on your operating system. Up-to-date drivers resolve technical problems, add new features, and increase security.
Uptime is one of our favourite words because it means everything is working as it should. The key to this is proactive management, especially in the form of software that encompasses continuous monitoring and remote diagnostics like HP’s Smart Device Services (SDS). Uptime can also refer to supply fulfillment. Software can help to automate your processes here too.
Firmware is a big one because security is top-of-mind for many Canadian companies right now. Much like print drivers, firmware needs to stay up-to-date in order to not only function, but also, to be secure. It is important you know how to connect and then reconfigure your devices after updating firmware or completing a reset.
Of course you can do all of this yourself. Your IT team can buy what seems like low cost printers that save you a bundle, but ultimately end up costing you in:
- Employee time
- Expensive supplies
- Functional limitations
- Top-notch security
Our service MPS Consultants are fluent in print IT and happy to help you find a balance between cost and return—contact us today to learn more.
