The humble office copier is an essential piece of equipment for businesses around the world. Even today, at a time when many offices are becoming increasingly digital and even striving to go entirely paperless, there’s still a clear and pressing need for copiers in the vast majority of workplaces. Unfortunately, like any other piece of office equipment, copiers don’t always work as intended. They can freeze, jam, break down, and more, leaving workers utterly stuck and unable to carry out their copying tasks until the copier is back up and running. This guide explores the challenges many businesses face with copier repair and ways to overcome them.
The Challenges of Copier Repair
First, let’s address some of the issues associated with copier repair.
Complicated Repairs Require Experienced Technicians
Copiers are quite complicated devices, with a bunch of moving parts hidden beneath their plastic exteriors. As such, they may suffer a broad range of problems. Some of those problems are simple to fix, without too much experience or expertise needed. Others demand much more technical and expert-level copier repair.
Those more complex problems cause serious issues for many businesses, especially smaller businesses that may not necessarily have their own in-house copier repair IT experts. If you don’t have anyone on staff who knows how to fix your copier, you may have to call outside help, wait for them to arrive, pay the relevant costs, and cope without the use of your copier until the job is done.
The Cost of Copier Repair Downtime Adds Up
A malfunctioning copier may not seem like such a big issue for businesses that don’t do too much copying. But imagine you’ve got an urgent copying job that needs to be complicated as soon as possible. Then, your copier breaks down. Suddenly, you’re stuck facing delays to that job and a period of pricey downtime until the issue is resolved.
It might not be quite the same as office-wide downtime, where you’re completely unable to do any kind of work – which can be very expensive. However, it’s still a problem and one that will only get bigger the longer it’s left without copier repair. If you can’t get prompt and reliable repairs for your broken-down device, you may have to wait a day or more to start copying again.
It Doesn’t Always Make Sense to Have an In-House IT Team
An obvious solution to the two problems above might be to simply have your own in-house IT team of professionals who can carry out copier repair for you. However, that’s not always the smartest or most cost-effective move. In fact, for many businesses, the expense of hiring in-house IT pros simply isn’t a good value decision.
You could pay a salary to one or more in-house IT experts, but not actually need their services that often. You also have to dedicate office space and resources to your in-house IT team, along with training costs and other related expenses. For big, established brands, it might not be such a problem, but when you’re just starting, the cost of in-house IT may be beyond your means.
How to Overcome These Challenges
Clearly, there are issues associated with copier repair. Fortunately, there are several ways to overcome those issues and get your copiers up and running with ease.
Invest in a Copier Service Provider
Arguably the best way to stop worrying about copier repair is to choose a copier service provider. In simple terms, this is a company that carries out various copier-related services on behalf of its clients, like:
- Matching the business with the best copier equipment
- Carrying out remote or in-person copier repair
- Sourcing and installing replacement parts
- Set up strong cybersecurity to protect your copiers and other hardware
- Minimize copier wastage (ink and paper)
- Updating your copiers with the latest firmware
With a service provider on your side, you can forget about all your copier concerns. Everything will be handled for you by the pros, from equipment audits to updates, upgrades, and, of course, copier repair, too.
Consider Copier Rentals
Another option for those who are frustrated or concerned with copier repair costs and challenges is to lease your copiers, rather than buy them. As the name suggests, a copier lease involves essentially renting/leasing a copier from a provider, rather than buying one outright. The best part is that many providers include maintenance agreements, covering the costs of any copier repair you might need.
So, if you can sign such an agreement, you won’t have to worry about ever paying for your copier’s repairs or replacement parts. The provider will handle all of that for you. All you have to do is get in touch with them if and when the copier breaks down, and they’ll take care of the rest.
Buy the Best Hardware
It’s only logical that old, weak, and poor-quality copiers are bound to break down and suffer more issues than the latest and greatest models. So, if you’re able to invest in better-quality office copiers, you won’t have to worry nearly as much about the costs and challenges of copier repair. Your copier will function reliably and effectively, with minimal risk of issues and delays.
Some modern copiers even have automatic, built-in maintenance and repair processes. So, even if issues do arise, they can effectively carry out copier repair on themselves. This is a major time and money-saver. With expert recommendations from a trusted hardware specialist, you’ll be able to find the best office copiers with this feature to meet and fulfill your business needs.
Upgrade Your Office Copier Situation Today
So, if you’ve ever had to deal with costly copier repair bills or tiresome problems that take forever to fix, it might be time to reassess and upgrade your office’s copier. That might include upgrading to better equipment, choosing a copier rental, or even investing in a copier service provider.
Whatever you decide, Docutrend is ready to help. As experts in strategic business technology, we help businesses all over New York, Totowa, Pennsauken, Edison, and Ft. Washington make the most of their office equipment, including copiers and printers. Get in touch today to learn more about how we can help you.