Printers are essential components of workplaces, schools, and households. Whether they’re used for printing application forms, contracts, proposals, or photos, having an efficient printer will make it all so much easier.
Printers work day in and day out, just churning out documents to help you keep your business running at an optimal level. Even if you own a top-of-the-line printer that was produced by industry leaders such as Toshiba, Konica Minolta, or Canon, it’s still important to update your printer as needed.
But just how often should you update your printer?
There isn’t actually a specific mark to reach before you have to start shopping for new devices.
More or less, most companies replace their printers every two years –but that depends on a myriad of factors such as technology upgrades, wear-and-tear damage, and security protocols.
Let’s discuss them here, so you’ll know exactly when it’s time to update your printer!
6 Telltale Signs That It’s Time to Update Your Printer
There are, of course, multiple measures you can take to extend the life of your printer, but at times, they could use some backup. Here are the telltale signs it’s time to update your printer:
1. Your Office Print Demand Has Increased
When you first purchased your office printer, your team may have had a somewhat moderate demand for print. However, as time went by, your business grew. And as a result, your print demand has increased exponentially.
If this no longer correlates with the capacity of your current printer, then it may be time to add another one to your workplace.
You might even consider kicking it up a notch by investing in multifunction printers that expand your office’s capabilities and cut down on time and effort. With a multifunction printer driving all your print, scan, and copy needs, your workflow will run like clockwork.
Find a multifunction printer that suits your business needs here!
2. Security Protocols Are Outdated
Hackers are the poison of the digital world, and they can sneak up on you when you least expect it. This means that businesses are vulnerable to attacks. While we go to great lengths to protect our computers, phones, and tablets from cyber attacks, our printers are often left unguarded; and that is unacceptable.
You can never settle for less in terms of printer security because being complacent is not an option. However, if you upgrade your office printer to one that features modern cybersecurity programs, you can actually afford to rest on your laurels. With the right type of measures in your armoury, risks will be at a minimum.
Ideal printer security protocols should include the following:
- Password-protected scanning
This vital security feature ensures that only authorized users within a given network can access files. - Encryption
When your printer is equipped with encryption capabilities, hackers have no means to access your sensitive trade secrets. - Authentication
Digital files aren’t the only ones at risk of unauthorized access. Physical documents are just as vulnerable, especially in busy offices. The good news is that when you invest in an office printer with authentication configurations, such as pin or password prompts, you ensure that only authorized personnel get access to print specific documents.
3. Printer Expenses Have Increased
Aside from generating costly repair fees, you may find that your trustworthy, yet old printer may be consuming larger amounts of ink cartridges or toner. Sometimes, it’s because more pages are being printed than usual. On the other hand, if your print cycle has remained within the same margin, your printer may be trying to tell you that it needs a break.
Compare the average paper expenses versus ink costs, and you’ll find your answer.
4. Slower Performance
You can troubleshoot and employ the expertise of your IT department to fix common issues with your printer, but if the device has gradually grown slower in performance, it’s going to need some reinforcements.
Your office is busy and fast-paced, so your printer needs to be just as energetic.
5. Frequent Paper Jams
Ah, the formidable printer paper jam.
We’ve all been there, but paper jams should no longer be a common occurrence with modern printers. So, if you’re still working with an outdated printer, you may notice that it is having an impact on your team’s workflow.
Lessen the stress levels and boost productivity with a brand new cutting-edge printer.
6. Degraded Print Quality
Printers are specially designed to deliver high-precision results. Their output is always practically perfect, and in the event that they aren’t, it may be a sign for an upgrade.
If your printer constantly exhibits quality that isn’t up to par with its original performance standards, such as faint ink, smears, uneven spaces, or blurry text and images, then it’s time to purchase a new printer.
Update Your Printer With Busys
A printer is an essential part of the office. So, you’d never want to settle for anything less than reliable and durable.
Now that you know the answer to the question “How often should you update your printer?”, it’s time to upgrade to an advanced and top-quality device with the help of Busys! We specialize in production printers, multifunction printers, wide format printers, and small business printers.
Request a quote today to propel your office workflow to the next level!
