Printer servicing, whether it’s one off maintenance or regular upkeep, involves checking the components of your machine, assessing for damage or degradation, and performing preventative part replacement or repair.
Often, the value of printer servicing is questioned, with some cynics believing that simply replacing a printer once it breaks will save money. We’re here to dispel this misconception, by outlining the true purpose of printer servicing, and how it will save you money in the long run.
Understanding printer and photocopier servicing
Printer and photocopier servicing or ‘managed print services’ includes regular maintenance of one or multiple printers or copiers owned, leased, or rented by your business.
This will involve assessing your device for damage, jams, wear, malfunctions, or software issues, and subsequently providing the essential repairs to them.
We may find a range of issues, from minor issues which aren’t yet even noticeable, to more severe problems which might be significantly decreasing the efficiency of your machine.
How often should a printer actually be serviced?
Ideally, a printer should be serviced every 3-6 months at a minimum, even if you’re not noticing any major issues.
However, if your office makes regular or constant use of the printer, we’d recommend even more common services than this, because excess use can increase wear and tear.
Is it worth getting a printer serviced?
Getting a printer serviced is almost always worth it, even if you’re not experiencing major issues or delays currently. Printer servicing will help you to reduce costs and downtime.
The reason we’re sure it’s worth it is because printers and copiers, like any type of machinery, gradually degrade over time, even if they’re high quality. As a result, parts may become worn down until they do eventually break. If this happens, you’ll have to pay for expensive replacement or repairs, which would’ve been avoided if the parts had been properly maintained and issues had been amended early on.
Another reason printer servicing is worthwhile is because it reduces, if not eliminates, downtime. A lack of maintenance to any printer or copier can result in unexpected breakdowns, which can be a significant disruption to any business, especially those which are reliant on regular printing and/or copying.
Should you sign up to a regular printer service contract?
You should sign up to a regular printer service contract if you want to avoid unexpected downtime for your printers, and you want peace of mind that you’re getting the most out of your printing and copying devices.
A regular printer service with Copy Print Services will maximise the lifespan of your device, with a 6 month guarantee on all repair work carried out, further increasing the value of these services.
Finally, regular servicing will actually optimise the performance of your printers and photocopiers. Checking the health of your photocopier will prevent it from malfunctioning and ensure that it is running up to scratch.
What determines whether you should repair, refurbish or replace your printer
To determine whether you should repair, refurbish, or replace your printer, you should consider which choice will combine cost-efficiency and less downtime:
Cost analysis - We’d commonly suggest following the guideline that if the cost of repair exceeds 50% of the cost of a replacement, replacing it is a smarter investment long term.
Frequency of repairs - If the machine is constantly needing repairs, it might be more beneficial to cut your losses and replace or refurbish the printer. However, regular maintenance is likely to eliminate the need for constant repairs.
Printer value - For high value printers, such as high end Konica Minolta machines, or large format printers, repairs are almost always more economical than replacing the machine entirely.
Operational value - If your current printer is meeting all your needs, semi-regular repairs and maintenance are a better choice, because they’ll increase the lifespan of your machine and keep it up and running.
How printer servicing actually saves you money
There are 4 primary ways in which printer servicing actually saves you money:
Avoiding breakdowns and expensive repairs - Total machine breakdown results in expensive repairs, refurbishment, or even total replacement in some cases. Regular maintenance helps you to avoid these scenarios.
Minimising downtime - Preventative maintenance reduces the frequency of malfunctions, ensuring that your printer is up and running at all times. This minimises business disruption, saving costs for your organisation.
Improving performance - Maintained machines work more efficiently. This has the potential to save energy, ink, and increase speeds.
Avoid missed deadlines - Regular servicing helps to prevent situations where users can’t print or access important documents when they need them. This could lead to a loss of future custom, or cause customers/clients to have a bad perception of your business if deadlines are missed.
Ensuring your printer is updated to the latest version.
Having the latest versions of software/firmware on your printer is a vital part of having your printer/copier serviced. Over the life of a piece of hardware, there can be as many as 10 firmware updates. These are done to improve its performance, fix known faults, and they will also help to stop network security issues.
Get in touch with Copy Print Services to discuss your printing/copying maintenance needs today.
