The Datamax Thinking Blog

The Unified Firmware Platform allows for version upgrades, including added functionality, to existing models in a same generation on a regular basis.

According to a recent report, the average new car loses 27 percent of its value after the first year.  It’s a course of action that commences the minute you drive it off the lot.  For decades, copiers shared in this vulnerability. As new models were introduced, previous versions were perpetually more obsolete with every new feature released by the manufacturer.

Canon's Unified Firmware Platform changed all that. 

It's no wonder that organizations are more active than ever in pursuing solutions to streamline traditional methods of managing documents. 

Every year, I learn more about copiers, document management, workflow, and, increasingly, managed IT topics than I did they year before.

I do my best to pass on what I learn to you.

Here are the 10 most popular posts in 2017. How to get the best service. Tips for HIPAA compliance. Scanning tips. How to track printing to keep costs down.

Read on for insights into those topics – and more – to get yourself ready for 2018!

Keeping your lease with the partner who delivered your IT solution or designed the structure and layout of your office print fleet is an excellent way to ensure you get the best service possible throughout the length of your contract.

You have multiple choices when it comes to leasing your copiers and other office equipment.

You already know many of the advantages of leasing (more on that below) – predictable budgeting and the ability to rapidly roll-out advanced technology at a fraction of what it would cost to buy that same technology.

While leasing is a great way to take advantage of technology, the wrong leasing partner can turn business nirvana into a nightmare of poor service, unexpected fees, and trapped into using technology that no longer meets your needs because of inflexible lease terms.

We believe that being a trusted partner is good for us and, more importantly, good for our customers.

There's a point of diminishing returns when it comes to using old office equipment – like copiers and printers – because they're still working.

Are you a “buy, don't lease, find a trusty mechanic because the car dealer will always rip you off” kind of a buyer? If so, I suspect you might also have a 10 year old copier sitting around that you have no plans to ever replace as long as it’s working. Why replace it until it breaks, right?

Maybe not.

The fact is that just because your trusty old office equipment might still be cranking out pages, you could be missing out on advancements in equipment technology that will not only make you say, “how did I ever live without this before,” but might also save you some money in the process!

Office equipment, like vehicles, can be an expensive investment to make. But the reality is that technology is moving at such a rapid pace that, just like your vehicle that immediately depreciates the second you drive it off the lot, office equipment has a point of diminishing returns.

Canon's third generation imageRUNNER ADVANCE Series multifunction printers are designed to focus on helping businesses become more effective by helping you get your jobs done quickly and with little confusion. 

What we know today is smart phone usability is a hot topic. Wherever you see a crowd, its nothing but a sea of faces looking down — indefinitely. We love these devices and utilize them to more freely consume information and quickly get things done like never before.  What we also know, is users WILL NOT hesitate in chunking a phone (regardless of contract status) if the user interface (UI) and operation thereof (pardon the French) “sucks.” 

When you need perfect color, Canon imagePRESS digital color presses are G7 certified.

As a marketer, executing a campaign is like walking a tightrope – you can lean a little to one side for balance, but at some point, you have to lean the other way to stay on the rope. And, like the color consistency across a campaign that might include digital and offset print, sometimes printed from completely different geographic areas, there is little room for error if you have a brand to protect.

Canon's imagePRESS devices can help you protect your brand. Certified as compliant with G7, imagePRESS digital color presses will ensure continuity of color in your printed materials.

“What is G7 and how can it benefit my business,” you ask? Keep on reading.

If cost is your only consideration when buying a copier, you're probably hurting your business.

How much does a copier cost? Where can I buy a color laser printer? What's the cheaper copier near me? Cost and price often dominate how businesses think about their office equipment – how can I pay the least amount possible?

While being fiscally prudent is always a good idea, focusing on price – and ONLY price – gets businesses into trouble. 

Value is more important.

If you've ever asked yourself why your prints don't match your screen color, then you need to understand color calibration.

If there’s one thing that drives creative-types crazy it’s when their prints don’t match what they see on their screen—especially when they are on a deadline! So why does this happen?

Before we dive in to some solutions, it’s important to understand how color works, specifically in the digital sense. 

You don't have to settle for poor copier repair and maintenance services.

Ever been to a restaurant and request something that isn’t on the menu? Or even just wanted to slightly adjust your order? Or wanted a Coke, but all they served was Pepsi products?

How often has the server been unhelpful – if not rude?

Asking your potential copier partner the right questions is a key to a happy relationship – here are 20 essential ones.

There are questions every company should ask their potential (or even current) service partner.

On the surface, buying or leasing a copier is simple. Call up a company because you can't tell the difference between a Canon from a Lexmark from a Konica Minolta digital copier (so it doesn't matter, right?), tell them your best guess about how much your print and copy, get the price and sign on the dotted line.

Don't do that.