If you’re like most businesses, you probably have some kind of copier, perhaps an all-in-one device. It’s supposed to make everything easier and faster, but as with any piece of equipment, things can sometimes go wrong. If repairs are neglected, your copier could become more of a hindrance than a help. Is there a good solution to this problem? Do you even need a copier in the modern era? Let’s explore these ideas.

Copiers Remain Integral Pieces of Modern Office Equipment

The simple fact is that most offices still have a copier (or at least a printer) because they add value. In general, they offer three advantages that are hard to ignore.

Perhaps the most indispensable aspect of modern copiers is that they offer multiple functions. Your typical office copier can copy, but it can also print, scan, fax, and collate. Packing so many functions into a single device lowers the number of pieces of equipment an office needs to purchase. This effectively reduces your total overhead.

One of the reasons these functions are so valuable is that paper is cheap. Despite how hard most offices work to minimize paper usage and waste, paper documents are generally more affordable than electronic documents in many regards. You will inevitably use both, but printing some copies is always going to be cheaper than buying an extra computer, tablet or other devices to increase your ability to distribute documents.

On top of all of this, paper is safe. You can’t hack a piece of paper. The only way to steal data from paper files is to steal the files physically. That’s a lot harder than hacking in the modern age.

Paper copies of vital documents serve as the ultimate backup. They are immune to computer viruses and ransomware, and with a multifunction copier, they can easily be digitized into a replacement electronic system when things go wrong. Paper is robust, and that’s why it is still in most offices around the world.

Why Your Workflows Can’t Afford Downtime Due to Necessary Copier Repairs

Obviously, downtime is bad for any business. Copier downtime not only disrupts daily activities but it also has the potential to harm organizations seriously.

People who rely on printing and copying suddenly can’t complete their tasks in a normal way. Persistent disruption like this causes severe bottlenecks, increases labor costs, harms productivity, and potentially lowers revenue. When it comes to your bottom line, frequent downtime is unacceptable.

There’s also the fact that multifunction copiers help with non-paper tasks and functions. If you need yours for scanning or digitizing documents, downtime can be devastating. It stops the first step in the document management process. If you can’t digitize, you can’t use any of your digital resources, like automated document processing, search features, remote access, and more. People who can typically access digital documents on demand worldwide now suddenly need to look at physical copies that haven’t been scanned yet. It’s a significant disruption.

Are Your Copiers Unreliable? It Might Be Time for an Upgrade

If your copier is a hindrance rather than a productivity enabler, you have a problem that needs to be solved. A new, better copier can solve those problems. Here are a few thoughts to nudge you in that direction.

You need reliability. Good copiers should be robust, and repairs should be rare. If that’s not the case, then your copier is causing the problems listed in the previous section. You’re losing a lot more money than just the cost of repairs.

On top of that, repairs are expensive. You have to consider that copier repairs are typically an unexpected cost. This is money that always represents a loss. Fixing a copier doesn’t generate revenue; it only relieves the burden of unanticipated lost revenue. You never actually get any of that money back. You’re only stemming bleeding here.

Copier repairs are bad for a business on every front. Granted, they are sometimes inevitable, but it’s money that no one wants to spend. Reliable machines mitigate this problem.

Conversely, upgrading your copier can net a return on your investment. Newer copiers tend to be more energy-efficient. They can also work faster and are more durable than older models. Technology is constantly improving. That is precisely why an upgrade to your hardware can speed up workflows and empower employees. In this case, the upgrade investment actually can lead to an increase in revenue.

If you’re considering upgrading your Cincinnati, Columbus, or Mansfield business’s copiers, contact the copier specialists at Modern Office Methods today. We’ll be happy to discuss your options.