Print Management

As a small, medium, or large business owner, cutting costs associated with running your business may be something you regularly think about. By reducing expenses you will ultimately be able to reap larger profits, making your company and your employees better off. Therefore, it behooves the business owner to find ways to cut expenses around the office so at the end of the fiscal quarter or year it looks better for everyone.

One of the ways a business can cut costs around the office is investing in a sound managed print service. There are many companies that offer this service, and for good reason. Managed print services offer businesses a solution to the pitfalls of paper waste, outdated machines, and supply expenditure.

When speaking of new trends and new market shifts within the printing industry, it has become increasingly more difficult to avoid talking about digital printing. Digital printing is the process of moving large amounts of information through the Internet and then being able to print this information at a desired location with advanced technologies like a digital press. A good example of this would be how the publishing industry is able to send information directly to printers and distributers who can then use large digital presses to print the material.

Digital presses have the ability to print large format based copy for the advertising industry and other promotional needs. What was once performed by traditional, offset lithography, is now performed by technologically advanced machines capable of churning out over a hundred pages a minute. So if you are in the business of producing a massive quantity of pages for books, brochures, and other needs, you may be wondering about the benefits of a digital press or digital printing in general.

Although it is sometimes overlooked, having quality functioning office equipment at your business can save a lot of unnecessary hassle and wasted time. You want to be able to find the accurate balance between saving oncosts and purchasing machines that are capable of the workload. Should you buy used or brand new? Should you opt for one multifunction system or individual printers for each workstation? These are all important factors to consider when making the decision to purchase new office equipment.

An important factor you must also consider is figuring out the use or function of the new equipment that you are purchasing. If you don’t print much and have a relatively small office, it doesn’t make much sense to get the most advanced multifunction system on the market. Conversely, if you are a growing business that plans on expanding further, an investment such as this may be necessary.

We hear and read about workflow all the time. This is made especially apparent when you’re working in an industry that demands that workflow be efficient and orchestrated properly. Workflow is important because it is the flow of data and communications through your business. As an employer or employee, your aim should be to have the workflow of your company under control and as efficient as possible. By utilizing the proper channels, your business is setting itself up for success.

What are some things that can be done to make sure workflow in your business is set up properly? Since many workflow systems are arbitrarily designed or thrown together, it is worth your time to go through and double check your systems for flaws or potential improvements. We have listed some steps you can take to ensure that workflows in your office are set up properly.

If you keep up to date with printing industry news and copier industry trends, then you would know that turning the office of today into a paperless office is typically at the forefront of every list or article. Businesses are realizing that going paperless at the office has many advantages including being more environmentally friendly, saving money, and cutting costs. But to truly go paperless is easier said than done. This involves the entire integration of all communication devices and documents into an electronic format. It also means that printing becomes an archaic and extinct practice at your office; a feat that is hardly easy to do—even in today’s world.

So what are some steps that you can take as a company to move you closer to the goal of becoming a paperless office? We have provided you with some easy tips to follow that will eliminate some need for paper usage and printing and also some tips that will help you accomplish this.

According to industry experts, the printing industry has been seeing growth and will continue to see growth in the year 2012. This marks the first increase since the year 2007 and is welcomed by copier dealers and commercial printers alike. That being said, recovery may still remain inconsistent throughout the rest of the year. It is still important for those involved in the printer industry to be wary of changes and fluctuations in sales.

It has been quite a rough couple of years. The recession has made printing, and the printing needs of businesses, take a back seat in many aspects of daily business life. Even though the trends are pointing in a positive direction, the industry as a whole has yet to break the numbers that were showing a number of years ago. This peak was met in the year 2000, and it seems that the current numbers are still roughly -20% from the all-time peak in that year.

With another brilliant display of melding beauty and functionality, Konica Minolta has won the coveted “The Good Design Award 2012”, which is organized by Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP). This honor was awarded to seven distinct models of color multifunction printers that Konica Minolta offers the market. The award comes as no surprise, as Konica Minolta has always been well known as a steward of great design concepts that also perform very well in the field.

Specifically, Konica Minolta’s color multifunction printer bizhub series was highly evaluated for the user interface of the device. This interface allows users to operate seamlessly and consistently among various devices making it outstanding in terms of both functionality and design. Paving the way for the future, Konica Minolta’s devices have always been staples of innovation and end-user compatibility.

Going green is a term that is being used quite a bit this day and age to describe a way of life for individuals and businesses that have become more conscious of the carbon footprint that we leave behind. As the science behind the movement becomes further solidified, more and more businesses are standing behind this trend not only to create a sustainable future, but also to cut costs in areas that were once overlooked. Business owners and employees will be surprised to learn that the techniques used to promote a green lifestyle also promote cutting costs and saving money.

In the past, creating a sustainable future was quite unheard of. Now that we have realized that our actions have a profound effect on future generations, we are becoming more careful than ever in how we conduct business and how we operate at the office. We have listed some easy ways that you can practice a green lifestyle at the office and cut costs while doing so.

It is estimated that less than 20% of all records that have traditionally been paper-based have been converted to electronic formats. For example, according to AdvancedMD.com, only 10% - 15% of medical records are handled electronically. This statistic is especially interesting since the term “paperless office” was coined over 30 years ago with the development of the personal computer. In today’s terms, we call the “paperless office” document imaging.

There are many things that are preventing us from making the shift to a paperless office. Some of the reasons you may find in your organization can be as simple as your employees’ resistance to change or not having faith that technology will keep your documents safe and secure. Whatever your reason for resisting the move to a paperless environment may be, the bottom line is that it requires change to see the paperless office as a reality. Document imaging requires a fundamental shift in the way we do business.

Canon announced on September 17 that it is unveiling its newest product and adding to their already impressive digital imaging solutions line. The products are known as the PIXMA-PRO -10 and the PIXMA-PRO-100 and will be upgraded additions to the already well- established PIXMA-PRO-1. They are built with the same quality of design and output as the existing PIXMA-PRO-1, however, the new editions offer black and white printing like no one has ever seen. Canon has also improved the end-user compatibility of the workflow software and will be available with wireless capability and faster printing speeds.

So what does this all mean for the end-user? For one, it means that Canon is continuing to deliver quality products with innovation that is found nowhere else in the industry. It also means that they have an added feature referred to as PRO mode. This mode allows the device to map color gamut for unrivaled performance and balance of color. The color-printing mode has also been said to be able to make slight adjustments to the finished product that takes into consideration the characteristics of human perception. With these kinds of additions, many businesses will find it hard to resist upgrading to the new versions.