The Datamax Thinking Blog

Some things just naturally go together — bread and butter, Batman and Robin, milk and cookies. What doesn't always go together is the service behind a business investment such as a digital copier or production printer.

Everything sounds great before the sale, but buyers are often left high and dry. At Datamax, our technical support professionals work hard, together with our manufacturers, such as Canon, to train and anticipate problems to support our product lines – and YOU! – after the sale. 

Finding a service company that combines excellent copier service support and expertise at a reasonable price feels like looking for a pot of gold.

Leprechauns are lucky.

Four-leaf clovers are lucky.

Companies looking for top-notch maintenance and service for their digital copiers and other office equipment often feel like they're looking for a four-leaf clover in the middle of a cornfield.

They can't find one.

Unlucky.

Especially if you bring someone in who claims expertise on the copier you need serviced, but really doesn't.

Buy one device and save money? Sometimes, but it doesn't always work that way.

Many small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) strive for efficiency by placing their print/copy/scan devices in one, central office location. A location that is easily accessed by employees and with a bevy of paper and supplies at their fingertips. While this may seem like a good idea in theory, it’s worth evaluating whether or not grabbing a print job from the digital copier has become an excuse to take a lap around the office and socialize.

IT changes quickly and becomes outdated – that includes your digital copiers and printers.

Some things get better with age – a good red wine, a vintage car, a great marriage. Other things don't age, they just get old – white wine turns to vinegar, a Ford Escort is always just going to be a Ford Escort, some relationships don't last.

Kicking your copier can make you feel better. Here are six ways to avoid the urge.

I don't know about you, but I've been frustrated enough with printers and copiers over the years to want to give one a swift kick (I never have!). And many of you are no doubt familiar with the “printer revenge” scene in the move Office Space.

I've made this point before, digital copiers (and laser printers) today are complex pieces of machinery and they do wear out and break down over time.

But it's not always your copier's or printer's fault that it's not working correctly, sometimes it's yours.

What are some things that you can do to keep your digital copier(s) operating at peak efficiency? Here are five.

Working anywhere is a reality. Another reality, the “boring” digital copier enables that reality.

I've been writing about the value and productivity benefits of your digital copiers for quite a while now. I've learned a lot in the past few years writing these posts (and I hope you have too!).

I recently saw the infographic (see below) from Konica Minolta. It's called the “Workplace of the Future.” It struck me that while we're always looking to “what's new and next” (especially when it comes to technology) that it's often the tried and true technology that we rely on to run the core of our businesses. Document management, helping to manage change, our networks, and, yes, even copiers aren't outdated (though they've all been around for decades) – and they'll continue to play a role in the workplaces of tomorrow long after I retire.

Electronic patient records can allow medical professionals to help patients better.

You're harried trying to keep your office running all the time. For those of you helping to keep doctor's (or other medical offices) humming; you have the additional concerns of helping those who aren't feeling well or worried about their health.

The last thing you need is anything that slows down your doctors or makes your patients wait longer than they need to. And with regulations in healthcare in near-constant flux, doctors are spending more time on documentation for regulations than on seeing patients.

Anything you can do to create more doctor/patient face time is going to make both doctor and patient happier.

Paper slows you down. Use your copier to speed up your work.

How many times in a week do you look for a document on your desk thinking “I just put it over here . . . “?

You might think that's only a few minutes each time, no big deal. Those minutes can add up to hours looking for paper-based files. As busy as you are, can you afford to spend your time looking for information that you could have at your fingertips?

How many digital copiers and/or printers does your office really need? Ask yourself a few of these questions to find out.

Granted, this title is a little silly. It's a bit like the question “how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?”

The answer is, of course, the world may never know.

Or, another light bulb joke:

How many copier sales people does it take to screw in a light bulb?

5.

One to hold the light bulb, the other four to turn the ladder.

Improved processes won't just save your company money, they'll also save you time – and who couldn't use more time?

It's the second week of the new year and you're already as busy as ever. Most of you reading this are responsible for keeping your office running – making decisions and researching technology improvements and “simply” ensuring everyone is working together smoothly.

Process improvements (such as automated workflows and using digital copiers to scan paper to digital for easy retrieval) will of course make the business more efficient and effective, but what about you? I'm going to write about more of the dollars and cents return on investment value of business process improvement in a future post. I've already touched on some of the pro arguments in these posts (Throw Your Law Firm a Productivity Lifeline – 5 Reasons to Automate Your Workflows; Using Your Copier to Streamline Your Legal Workflow; and 10 Questions to Ask About Your Document Workflow). For this post, I'm going to focus on a few ways improving business processes will make YOUR life easier – you deserve it.