Introduction
These days, practically every business environment is dependant on the presence of a printer. Despite the continuing trend towards more and more widespread, highly advanced technology, the majority of meeting agendas and other similar documents continue to be printed on regular paper.
Even businesses that operate primarily online, if they have an office, are likely to have a printer present somewhere in the vicinity of whatever work is being done in the space. But just because they’re so readily available and we know how to use them so well, it doesn’t mean that the standard consumer has a good idea of what actually makes a good or bad printer.
If your company is looking into printer rental, you owe yourself the best chance of getting a machine that will work for you long into the future and will work well. Company printer rental services exist, and they’re a great way to actually take the next step and supply your workspace with the printing capability it requires, but it’s still well worth putting in a little time in order to make sure you not what to buy — and what not to buy.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of a few things you should be on the lookout for as you start looking for the printer that would best suit your organization’s needs. We’ve decided to focus on a few broad categories that we think play the biggest part in any given machine’s success. Here’s our rundown on what to look for when you’re buying a printer.
The Speed of Printing
Arguably the most underrated aspect of any printer, the speed at which it can print is surprisingly far down the list of many companies’ priorities. This is understandable because it’s not exactly the shiniest bell or whistle you can advertise on the box. As it happens, you’re not likely to notice huge amounts of difference between very similar printing speeds, but that’s precisely why you should think twice about how fast you need your printer to be.
The logic behind this thought is that while you won’t be able to discern a massive difference on a personal basis, as a business. your overall operations will speed up or slow down significantly depending on the speed of the printer you’re using, since whatever difference there is page-by-page will be magnified thousands of times over thousands of uses. If your company needs a rental printer, make sure it’s quick enough to do the job you need it for.
The Print Quality
How well the printer actually prints is obviously an important part of how well it functions on the whole, but there’s a little more to the question of print quality than meets the eye. For one thing, not all business needs are created equal. Some organizations will need consistent, high-quality images printed, while others won’t require anything more dramatic than some solid, black & white written words.
Bear in mind that as print quality goes up, so too does price, so in many cases, you won’t actually want to go for the most high-definition printers in the industry. The best way to figure out what kind of image quality you need is by having a look at an average day in your business. What’s getting printed? Is there anything you’re printing that you don’t really need to print? Once you’ve got a high-high-level (if approximate) understanding of what exactly your printing needs are, you’ll be better prepared to weigh different products against each other.
Wireless Connectivity
A wireless printer still sounds sort of hi-tech, even though wireless technology has been around for years now. Part of this is probably because in general, we tend to associate printers with early-stage technology. This is a mistake, however, because today’s printers are incredibly capable pieces of kit, and can perform a variety of different functions smoothly and without too much hassle.
The thing about getting a printer that can work wirelessly is that you won’t appreciate just how convenient it is until you actually try it out. Even the tidiest and compact of office spaces could do with a little help decluttering, and getting rid of the chunky, unsightly printer cables could well make a world of difference to how the room actually looks. It’s not a gimmick — wireless connectivity really does make a difference, and it’s well worth considering spending a few extra dollars on.
Which Paper Sizes Are Supported?
Again, this point’s importance will vary depending on what you’re going to be using the company printer for, but it’s a good thing to keep in mind as you’re narrowing down your options. Some documents (especially those used in legal or medical offices) require different sizes and layouts than the standard A4 variant offered everywhere.
When it comes to checking for paper sizes supported by the printer rental your company is considering, all you want to do is make sure you don’t get burned. For that reason, you don’t need to spend too much time on it. Just make sure you do a quick check in order to ensure that whatever specific paper you’re likely to have in the future will be something the machine can handle. There’s nothing worse than having a full working day grind to a halt because your equipment isn’t able to handle something as basic as what size of paper you’ll be using.
Summary
Even though none of these factors on their own will be enough to make or break the case for a given printer, when considered together they provide a solid overview of what you should be thinking about as you begin to make your way closer to a purchase. The ideal scenario is for your company to only opt for a printer rental it’s confident will do the trick. If you’re having a hard time deciding exactly what kind of printer you might need, feel free to send the team here at busys.ca an email. After all, when it comes to printers, we’re the professionals.
