If you’re looking to save money on toner, there are several factors you should consider. Determining what the best bang for your buck is regarding toner may not be as simple as you think. It’s really a question that begins with what kind of machine you are looking for in your business and how often it will be used. 

When choosing this type of office equipment, it’s important to factor in the cost savings and peace of mind that a managed services contract would provide. 

Managed Print Services is a program offered by print providers that provides a customized solution for all aspects of your company’s printing needs at an affordable fixed price. With a managed services plan, you typically receive:

• High quality compatible or name brand toner 
• Automatic toner shipments on an as needed basis
• Quick response time for repairs
• First-rate service 
• Worry-free monitoring of your machine 

“It isn’t always about the price. Points to consider are product warranties and return policies. While there is always going to be a cheaper source, dealing with someone local who guarantees their product removes the worry about guessing if you will receive a quality product when you by a compatible brand toner. Always buy from a reputable source.“ 
– Teryn Colvin, Document Solutions Architect and Project Manager at BIS Office Systems.

Our experts advise customers to evaluate: 

• Can you get by with just black and white? Do you need to invest in color printing? 

• What is your company’s expected print volume?
 

You want to ensure you’re getting a machine that can match your needs.

Devices often quote a monthly maximum number of prints the machine can handle per month. If possible calculate the number of prints per employee for the office and ensure the device is capable of meeting those demands.
 

Owning or leasing an in-house copier is far more cost-effective than outsourcing your copying needs. In fact, total savings can exceed $9,200! That breaks down to $0.40 per page in-house versus $1.60 per page outsourced for the same job. That makes owning or leasing a no-brainer. So which model should you choose?

In order to choose the right copier or printer for your business, you need to know your options. These devices typically fall into four categories:
 

1. Black and White Copiers.

These copiers are typically the most inexpensive, and they save on the costlier consumables, like toner cartridges, required by color copiers. They also offer more bare bones technology, usually focusing on straightforward copying, faxing and scanning. They offer print speeds of 30 to 140 pages per minute (ppm), paper capacities of 100 sheets in the tray and 440 in the cassette. Costs range from $2,300 to $16,000 or higher.
 

2. Color Copiers.

These models offer high-resolution reproductions of a wide range of source material. They are commonly used to create multicolor brochures, pamphlets and presentations, with resolutions ranging from 600 x 600 dpi to 2,400 x 600 dpi. Print speeds average 40 to 90 ppm, with paper capacities that start around 1,000 sheets in the tray and may also include 500 to 1,500 additional sheets in a backup cassette. Costs start at around $23,000 to $33,000 for midrange models and can exceed $50,000 depending on features.
 

3. All-In-One Copiers (AIO).

These copiers are essentially desktop models, but they make be multifunctional as well. They typically include only basic functionalities like print, scan and fax. Resolutions range from 300 x 300 dpi to 1,200 x 600 dpi, and output speeds range from 19 to 30 ppm. They are normally priced between $150 for basic models and $600 for high-end models.
 

4. Multifunctional Printer (MFP).

These are quickly becoming the most popular models among businesses of all sizes. By providing a wide range of communication technologies, they eliminate unnecessary equipment and labor. All models typically include print, scan and fax options. However, the levels of quality and finishing required can make them vastly different. 


Whether you choose an all-in-one system to lease or you buy outright your office equipment from us, you can rest assured that we stand by our compatible brand of toner 100% with satisfaction guaranteed.  Our toner cartridges are manufactured to the industry’s highest standards, meeting or exceeding OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) yield and print quality. 

Make the switch today risk-free. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, we’ll refund your money – no questions asked.  

BIS Office Systems is only a call away for your free cost-savings quote at 251-476-3113.

In today’s world, businesses are trying to reduce unnecessary paper waste which affects the environment as well as their profitability.

Aside from using Document Management Software, an effective printer policy can curtail the exorbitant waste of money and resources businesses see on a daily basis.

Did you know that the average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper a year?

This amount of consumption obviously impacts the environment, and puts a serious dent into the operational budget of any size business.

45% of the paper printed in offices reportedly ends up in the trash at the end of the day. 

Much of this is from pages users didn’t even intend on printing.
 

Many companies may be aware of the amount of wasted paper, but don’t have a handle on how much it may be costing them or what they can do about it. With printer ink costing almost 2000% more than the cost of gas, all those unimportant print jobs really add up. A report from the Gartner Group said that the mismanagement of copiers, printers and faxes can cost businesses between 1-3% of their revenue annually. Imagine if your business was making a 1-3% increase in revenue, but then losing it to the lack of oversight on something as simple as paper usage.

After evaluating the areas for improvement, implement simple print policies to make a dramatic difference in cost savings and eliminating waste.

From designating rules about who to notify when you have a large print job to do, to enforcing two-sided (duplex) printing, print policies can be as detailed and specific as your company wants.

For many businesses, the best practices include: 

• Print and copy in black and white as much as possible. Set it as default.
• Choose the best device for large print jobs to save the most money.
• Make two-sided (duplex) printing a default.
• Print jobs to the cloud.
• Use software to measure and manage printing costs.

For businesses considering a print policy, the following outline serves as a good starting place for implementing an efficient workplace.

Printer Policy

Purpose: Explain in a sentence or two why a print policy is now an essential policy to employ.

Scope: List who the policy applies to: employees, contractors.  

Supported Printers: Listing out the type of printers your office has and their respective specs and capabilities makes an excellent resource for employees to return to when they are looking for a printer that can do specific things.
Printer Name Printer Model Resolution (dpi) Location Capabilities

Basic print policies:

1. Printers must be used only for business purposes and not for personal documents.
2. The allowance or non-allowance of personal printers either in the office or on remote location should be outlined here.
3. The printer is not a copier. If you need multiple copies, print one good copy on the printer and use the photocopier to make additional copies.
4. Be responsible. If you print something, please claim it, and if you no longer want it, please recycle it appropriately. 
5. Keep the area clean. If you see someone’s unclaimed print job, stack it neatly in the designated area. Items will be disposed of after (enter determined time allowance).
6. Take advantage of duplex (two-sided) printing when available and other output options for presentations (i.e. printing four PowerPoint slides per page versus only one).
7. Limit toner usage by keeping the light toner and lower dpi settings set as the default print settings.
8. Avoid large print jobs. If necessary, discuss with your Office Manager or IT department so you can use the most appropriate (lower cost) printer and co-workers can be notified that there will be a wait.
9. Monitor your print job. If it’s over 25 pages, be sure to be there to collect the pages so the tray does not overflow and spill onto the floor.
10. Avoid printing emails. Make use of your email application’s folders and archiving abilities.
11. If you need special paper, please check with IT to determine if the paper if proper for the machine before using.
12. Print in black and white by default at every opportunity.
13. Printer paper can be found (list location here). Toner cartridges can be retrieved from (list place or person here).
14. If you notice a problem with the printer such as a paper jam or if it’s out of ink, and you have not been taught how to fix the problem, please do not try. Report the problem to the Office Manager, IT department, or to a trained co-worker who may be able to help.
15. Report any unresolved or continual malfunctions of the office printing and copying equipment to the Office Manager.

Any employee who is found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

We’ve all been there. You’re ready to walk out the door for your next presentation, you print the last bits to take with you, and wham! - a paper jam decides to insert itself into your pressing schedule. While there’s a variety of reasons why paper jams can happen, they always seem to occur at the worst possible time. As much as we may hate to hear it, a jam is not always the machine’s fault. 

In fact, most paper jams are preventable with proper use and prevention training.

This article is meant to equip you with some tools and insights to combat these trying moments head on and ultimately prevent repeat occurrences. Here’s a handy overview of the top 10 tips to keep your printers and copiers running smoothly:

1. Always thumb through your originals before placing them into the top or side feeder.

2. Check the alignment of slider and tray.

3. Start with good quality paper.

• If you have a machine that is jamming, take a look at the quality of the paper. Lower quality papers tend to create jams more frequently and create something technicians refer to as “paper dust” throughout the paper path, which causes even more jamming and quality issues. 

•High quality paper has some grain to it which enables the printer or copier rollers to grab the paper properly.

 Typically, the heavier the paper weight, the more grain it has. 

•High quality paper has a high opacity (can’t be seen through). 

The standard minimum weight of paper is 20 lbs. and 24 lbs. if it’s being used in a laser printer.

• 4. Always load the paper facing “up” in the paper drawers.

  Use the natural curl of the paper to your advantage and be sure to fan fresh paper before loading into the paper drawer. 
   

  5. Don’t overload sheet capacity.

  Remember, less is best! Reduce the number of papers from the tray and avoid overloading the paper container. The paper feeders need room to maneuver and when it’s a tight stack of paper, very often more than one piece of paper will be grabbed.
   

  6. Regular maintenance.

  Even if you’re not a tech person, look under the hood to make sure there are no remnants from previous jams. Monitoring for any dust, ink or toner buildup is a good practice to follow to ensure smooth printing. 
   

  7. Don’t mix-n-match.

  This is probably one of the most common errors which causes printer problems and can easily be avoided. When different types of papers are mixed together in the tray, the rollers inside can get tripped up by going back and forth from different weights and textures. To reduce paper jams, this should be avoided.
   

  8. Power your print device from its own dedicated circuit.

  If your printer, copier, or MFP is sharing a circuit with another large appliance, there is potential for power surges, which can cause both short and long term problems as the system tries to maintain a constant level of energy.
   

  9. Store paper in a cool, dry place.

  Check the condition of the paper often to make sure both the stored reams and the paper in the machine are kept away from humidity. If you live/work in a humid climate that’s not as climate controlled as you’d prefer, it’s advisable to leave the paper in the tray for only one day or as few hours as possible at a time. When not in use, the paper can be stored in a sealed plastic bag for protection. 
   

  10. Clean the rollers.

  Cleaning the rollers is a very helpful way you can assist with keeping the printer working its best. Using a soft cloth or a cotton swab that is lightly moistened with alcohol, you can gently remove residual paper dust by manually turning the rollers to clean all sides. 
  
  Understandably, it may seem that your printers may have a mind of their own and wait to haunt you at the most inopportune time. Using good quality paper, having the system maintained on a regular basis and properly training users will go a long way.
   
• At BIS Office Systems, our goal is to not only bring professional service and quality products to your workplace, but help ease your day to day operations. Additionally, our managed services and repair technicians are always available to provide hands-on solutions for your workplace needs. Call us today at 251-476-3113 for a free, no hassle, no obligation evaluation and in-depth assessment of your workplace printing needs.

Being able to print on the go is fast becoming a standard requisite for many businesses. With the Kyocera Google Connector app, employees are able to access their Google accounts right at the touch screen control panel of the MFP (multifunctional printer).

With companies making the move from physical storage to the cloud, cloud print environments are becoming a necessity to have integrated into the business workflow. That’s why Kyocera Document Solutions, one of the world’s leading document solutions companies, developed the Google Connector app. While at the printer, one can: 

• View, compose, edit and search through Gmails 

• Scan documents to store or use as attachments
• View and print calendars

Kyocera continues to look at the evolving climate in business workflow needs as does Google. With Gmail reportedly being used by nearly 50% of small business employees, Kyocera sought out how to connect with Google’s cloud email service market to provide more integrated workflow opportunities. Through this Google partnership, Kyocera keeps the workforce mobile by enabling users to retrieve Gmail functionality on the individual MFPs without having to log in on a separate device. 
 

The development of business applications such as this have been a priority for Kyocera for years. They previously developed the Kyocera Cloud Connect, Mobile Print, and the Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint Connectors for easy to use printing via the cloud from smartphones, tablets and PCs.
 

When it comes to the security of cloud printing, Kyocera developed the technology of linking an organization’s Google cloud printing capabilities with leading print management solutions to ensure secure print release. Unique to Kyocera, the connection of a company’s Google Cloud Print account to their print management account creates the ultimate document security. In addition, all print jobs can be set to hold until the user authenticates. 
 

At one time, the “mobile” workforce meant having to lug a heavy suitcase of samples door to door. Today, it requires access to everything at your fingertips no matter where you are. Since BIS Office Systems is a Kyocera Premier Dealer, we can offer all of the solutions discussed above. Our managed document solutions work for you so you have more time for your business. Call us today at 251-476-3113 for a free, no hassle, no obligation evaluation and assessment of your workplace printing needs.