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. 

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IT changes quickly and becomes outdated – that includes your digital copiers and printers.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

You can ignore change issues when introducing new technology and fail. Or you can focus on managing changes and training everyone on the new technology and processes and succeed.

People hate to change.

Change is hard. If you've ever tried to break a bad habit or start a healthy new one (we're all starting to think about resolutions for next year, right?); you know exactly what I'm talking about.

When it's time to improve your business' processes by adding new technology – anything from new process management software to CRM to digital copiers – changing employees' existing habits can be hard.

If you need to print confidential documents securely, pull printing can be your answer.

How often have you walked past a copier or printer's output tray and cringed to notice a confidential document sitting in plain view there?

When your business deals daily with documents that contain confidential or protected personal information (like law offices and medical professionals who need to be HIPAA compliant), you need a way to keep the documents that you need to print secure. Pull printing (often called follow me printing or secure print release) is one way to ensure that only the right people have access to those documents. 

You could end up spending more and have productivity suffer in your business if you always opt for the cheapest copier you can find.

We're all price-sensitive as we try to meet our budgets (personally or in business) – what's the best deal? Where can I get it cheaper? Is this a good price?

Too many people think that they'll save money going with the cheapest copier that they “think” might match their needs.

Sometimes, these folks even get lucky and are right (even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then); experiencing years of reliable service from the cheapest copier they could find. 

In my experience, that's the exception.

Clear communications sets expectations, leads to successful projects, and improved financial performance. Here's our communication strategy.

So you’ve bought/leased a fleet of copiers or you’ve just signed on for a managed print services contract. What now? 

You have to include your copier in your HIPAA-compliance planning. Biometrics and HID cards can be used to reduce risk of information going astray.

Twenty years have passed since the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) became federal law. By now, you are probably familiar with HIPAA's requirements to protect your patients' health information and have implemented various security measures to keep that data private. But there's one area you might have overlooked in your risk analysis: the copy machine. Learn about the possible security risks posed by your office copier and ways to minimize those risks.