Print Smart - Boost your business
Published May 16, 2008 at 12:05 pm · Filed under Features
How making simple changes to office printing can make a big difference to business efficiency..By Phil Jones, sales and marketing director, Brother UK
For most offices, the printer is just the box in the corner that staff only notice when it stops working. Recent innovations are making printers into much more than machines that just churn out documents.
The features on modern printers and multifunction devices are designed to save time and money, increasing business efficiency and staff productivity whilst reducing waste.
When used in the correct way, a printer can be an asset to any company, but unless businesses utilise the available technology and implement internal printing policies, this money-saving potential will never be realised.
Recent research conducted by Brother in association with YouGov found that in spite of 89 per cent of workers feeling they still need to print to work effectively, only 11 per cent of businesses have a clear printing policy.
All businesses are constantly looking to cut costs and improve performance, but how often do owners and managers consider the costs of the waste caused by poor printer usage and the invisible cost of lost staff time?
Major savings can be made by printing on both sides of the page, but only six per cent of employers surveyed by Brother said their businesses regularly use both sides of the paper when printing. Our research also showed that 58 per cent of small businesses don’t even have the facility to print on both sides.
Phil Jones
When you consider that double sided printing could potentially halve the paper consumption of a business, these statistics are surprising, to say the least. The number of machines with double sided-printing capability is on the increase; all that’s left for businesses to do is ensure their employees know how to use them.
And it’s not just money that can be saved by using printers in a smarter way. For example, all Brother’s colour laser multifunction machines have an innovative scan to email function that allows staff to scan documents directly to their email inbox to be saved or forwarded on as required. The machines also feature a USB port that allows documents to be printed directly from or scanned directly to a USB memory stick - perfect for businesses with staff that spend a lot of time on the road and away from the office.
The waste that builds up from improper printer use can be excessive, with 32 per cent of workers still printing documents to proof read and 22 per cent printing off their emails, the majority of which are not business critical.
Using printers effectively can reduce waste and environmental impacts - factors that are becoming increasingly important for modern businesses. More than four tonnes of CO2 is emitted in the production of a year’s worth of paper for the average office. Proper training on paper usage and printing efficiently within the office could cut this by up to 50 per cent.
Implementing a policy within your business that makes use of printer functions and increases efficiency shouldn’t be difficult. Brother has just launched its own Print Smart Charter and guide to help businesses do just that.
As with implementing any new strategy, it’s crucial to explain to staff why it’s so important and what it means to the business so that they can get behind the initiative fully. Make sure your printing policy is comprised of simple, easy to implement steps - staff won’t get involved in an initiative like this if it’s too much like hard work. For example, Brother’s Print Smart Charter involves just seven easy to follow steps, all of which will noticeably increase business efficiency.
Increasing productivity and becoming more sustainable is in the interest of all businesses. By thinking more carefully about how they use their printers, companies can not only save money, but save time for their staff whilst naturally reducing their environmental impact. That’s what printing smarter is all about.
To find out more, visit www.brother.co.uk/printsmart
