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The typical print, copy and fax scenario for a company of 50 described in the Plan It section utilises 18 different devices to provide print and imaging services to all employees. A more balanced version of that scenario integrates MFPs that pack multiple features into a single device and only requires 7 total devices to meet the needs of those same 50 employees:
- 5 MFPs that include print, fax and copy capabilities -- 1 for every 10 employees
- 2 stand-alone printers -- 1 additional printer for every 25 employees
In comparison to the $1,722 per month in hard costs associated with the typical setup, this MFP-based setup carries only $1,560 per month in hard costs. That is a hard cost savings of $212 per month. In working with companies that employ this typical printer scenario, HP has discovered that the productivity savings add up as well when users are more efficient and utilise the devices you do have in place more regularly. A switch to an MFP-based infrastructure can mean upwards of $3,400 per month in productivity savings, for almost $3,600 per month in total savings or over $43,000 per year.
Note: These cost savings estimates are based on data gathered from actual customers by HP consulting, Gartner, and Griggs-Anderson. Productivity savings are generated from reduced time spent walking to printers, copiers and fax machines and back again, as well as reduced time spent on copying and faxing activities. Your savings may differ depending on your infrastructure and business processes.
MFPs also have scanning capabilities, which means the MFP scenario provides 1 scanner for every 10 employees at essentially no additional cost. This approach helps reduce costs by lowering the number of systems to pay for and maintain from 18 to 7 without reducing employee access to fax or copy services. MFPs also support digital sending, which uses the Internet to send faxes instead of regular phone lines, so you save on long distance phone call charges when you fax.
Looking at your print, copy and fax needs, are there places in your existing solution where a single device could take the place of one or two or even three to reduce your costs without sacrificing service? The following scenario may give you some idea of how you can reconfigure your infrastructure to better meet employee needs and cut your costs.
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An accounting firm with 200 employees |
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Allen and Associates is a quickly growing accounting firm. They've managed to keep up with their growth, but haven't matched their actual printing and imaging needs with the right devices to meet those needs. As a result, the company runs inefficiently. It has 20 copiers, 8 network printers, 4 fax machines, and 2 scanners for nearly 200 employees.
The copiers are used inconsistently. Some machines report high monthly page counts, with others showing little use. Faxes are constantly arriving at the wrong department. The two employees with scanners on their desks both have six foot high stacks of important correspondence and other documents that beg to be digitised. Their monthly charges for long distance faxes are significant.
After some careful consideration, Allen and Associates decides that an MFP-based solution can help them cut costs and reduce redundancies. After analysing usage of their machines, the office manager realises it makes more sense to work towards a goal of installing 1 MFP for every 20 users, adding additional stand-alone copiers and printers as necessary. Because it isn't practical to refit the entire office with MFPs at one time, the firm will replace older devices with MFPs as leases run out and take advantage of HP's Trade-In program to exchange some current HP and non-HP products for MFPs. This will allow the company to begin benefiting from the advantages of MFPs quickly and at minimum additional expense.
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Your own firm |
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Finding ways to create a more cost effective and useful print, copy and fax infrastructure requires that you think differently about the devices you can incorporate into your environment. While you may be accustomed to only considering single-function systems, you can serve yourself best by carefully evaluating new print and imaging technologies like MFPs to see how they might fit your constantly changing needs.
If a single device can deliver four functionalities as well as four separate devices, and the cost savings is substantial, doesn't it make sense to further investigate that device. While it's not traditional, it may be just the solution you need to cut costs and improve employee access to the services they need to do their jobs.
As a first step in implementing a more cost-effective print, copy and fax solution you should put together an overview of your ideal infrastructure. Look at the information you gathered about how staffs in your organisation use print, copy and fax services and put together a collection of devices, both MFP and stand-alone, that would best fit those needs. If you have 100 people who need 20 printers, 4 copiers, and 10 fax machines, would it make more sense to purchase 34 separate devices or buy 10 MFPs and supplement them with additional printers? Your goal is to find the best possible collection of devices to meet your needs.
Once you have a good idea of what your ultimate infrastructure would look like, compare it to the infrastructure you currently have and see what devices you already have and which you are missing. Consider the devices that are common to your current environment and your ideal environment as the base for working towards the most cost-effective solution. Then, evaluate the current state of all of your devices and identify those that are slated to be replaced soon, either because their leases are up or because they are older and need to be replaced. These devices are your first, best route to leveraging your existing equipment to upgrade to a more appropriate print, copy and fax infrastructure.
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| * dollar amounts are in United States dollars, and may vary by country. |
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