Ever walked into the printing room and saw people lining up to use a printer? You might think this only happens in movies but it’s a real situation too many businesses overlook.

Without enough printers, your employees will be on that waiting list and this creates too much downtime. Your workers can’t stay productive if they spend too much time waiting to print something.

That said, you don’t want to spend more than you should. How do you know when you have enough copiers and small business printers?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. To find the answer, read on and find out more today:

1. THE NUMBER OF PAPERS YOU’LL PRINT

Even experts can’t give you a straight answer when you ask them the right number of business printers for your office. The main reason is the fact that the answer doesn’t depend on the size of your employee base. Instead, the answer will differ according to the amount of print volume your office will see.

That means you need to adjust according to the number of pages your employees print on an average. Experts can only give you a rough estimate depending on this information. With this, you always have the option to either pick one printer or split the amount of workload between two or more devices.

The print volume will help you define the printer specifications too. For example, it helps you know which printer speed can fulfill your office requirements. This will allow you to know what type of printer to use.

2. THE LOCATION OF YOUR WORKFORCE

Getting the right number of printers can also depend on the layout of your office. Are your staff members located on a single floor? Or do all departments have their own rooms?

If your employees and departments are far apart, you need to split the volume of printed material between different printers. You need to do this to ensure that employees don’t need to go that far to get some printouts. Otherwise, you might only need to get one most of the time.

In situations where your employees are close, a single, advanced printer can handle all workload. This saves your employees the trouble of walking to and from their desks. In the long run, you can expect your business to stay efficient and profitable.

3. PRIVACY CONCERNS AND OTHER SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

It’s important to keep in mind that not all employees have the same needs in printing materials. There are some office members that need the printer more compared to others. That means some departments might have a higher print volume.

For example, departments like sales, marketing, and HR need more printers compared to the IT department. That means you need to give them more priority when it comes to printer access. You also need to consider the special needs of each department, especially HR.

Consider the information getting printed. Does it contain sensitive information like downsizing or contractual details? This type of information has a long-term effect on your business productivity if it goes out.

4. THE NUMBER OF YOUR EMPLOYEES

This might be your primary concern when thinking about the appropriate number of printers for your small business. There are some studies out there that looked into this and found the right ratio. On average, you need one printer per 4.4 users.

Take note that this number isn’t always applicable. The main reason is the fact that it’s a standard rule meant for general businesses. It might not hold true if your business has special circumstances.

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT PRINTER FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Aside from choosing the right number of printers for your business, you need to know the right printer type for your business. You have a lot of choices on printers, despite the fact that the printing industry declined by 2.2% over the past half-decade. Here are some things you can use:

1. NETWORKING OPTIONS

Sharing printers to as many employees as you can is a practical financial move. You need to connect the printer to your office network to accomplish this goal. You can get a printer with innate networking capabilities or connect a printer to a server dedicated to its function.

The former will offer an easier means of connecting but will cost you more. No matter what the case is, you can always ask for a third party to handle the setup. An alternative is to get your internal IT staff to work on it instead.

2. COST

The general idea is to have the mindset that home printers can’t compare to the capabilities of small business printers. Basic inkjet small business printers can range from $150-$300. But you need to remember that these are low-end, meaning they might not have the durability to last long.

Most basic color laser printers have a price tag of at least $300. But if you’re looking for one for your small office, you might end up paying somewhere between $750 and $3,000. High-end laser printers will often cost about $5,000 or more, especially if they got innate networking capabilities.

3. WIRED OR WIRELESS

For office setups, it’s more advisable to use wired connections. The reason behind it is the fact that it’s more reliable and secure while maintaining speed. Wireless printers also have their merits, like flexibility and ease of deployment.

It’s important to remember whether your workforce relies on mobile devices. If your workforce prefers using mobile gadgets for their printing needs, you’re liable to use wireless printers instead. Otherwise, wired printers are a better choice for a more efficient printing system.

GET YOUR SMALL BUSINESS PRINTERS TODAY!

The right number of small business printers depends on a lot of factors. It’s important to remember not to rely on the number of people using your small business printers. After all, what matters more is the number of pages your employees use on a monthly basis.

Regardless, you can use this guide to make a definite decision. Once you do, you can contact us today and let us help you. We have great printers in our inventory, coming from the greatest brands in the industry.