In an age where everything is seemingly going digital, do printers still matter in the modern office environment? Documents can be shared digitally via email or a document management platform, so why even bother with printing? The truth is that printing still plays a major role in many office environments. Even companies that are conscious about reducing printing still find some jobs are just better with physical paper in-hand.
Today, printing and digitization go hand-in-hand. There is a time and place for printed documents as well as digital documents. Businesses that can best identify the solutions that work for them can make the most of each and every opportunity regardless of the medium used.
Here are some reasons why printers, and copiers, still matter in any productive office.
Printed Marketing is Effective
Digital marketing is all the rage these days. It’s hard to open a social media app without seeing an influencer producing content for a brand that they have partnered with. The wide reach of digital marketing and the low barrier to entry makes it popular. But there’s still a lot to be said for printed marketing materials. People like to hold a physical piece of mail in their hands. That may explain why 90% of direct mail pieces are actually opened while only 20% of emails are opened.
This is not meant to downplay the effectiveness of digital marketing. Rather, to show that physical marketing still holds an important place in the overall strategy.
Printers Can Be Productive
Productivity and efficiency are always top-of-mind in any growing business. Many people incorrectly think printers are an outdated piece of technology. The reality is that modern printers are built to be smart devices designed to do so much more than just basic printing. Business printers are hubs for workflows to help employees become more productive and collaborate more effectively.
Workflow automation is growing rapidly, over 5% per year. Modern printers and copiers, or multifunction printers as they are more commonly referred to, help facilitate workflow automation in the office. There was a time when employees may have to take information on a printed page, type the data into a software program, and then file the printed page accordingly. Today, many automated workflows allow for scanned pages to have data automatically extracted and input into compatible software platforms while also sorting the document into the correct folder for future access and sharing.
In a scenario where an employee may need to transfer data from printed form to digital multiple times per day, this type of automation using multifunction printers can potentially save hours of menial work every day. In turn, this frees up employees to focus their efforts on tasks that actually require their attention.
Cost Effective Printing
Printing has a reputation as an unnecessary and costly expense. The reality is that many businesses have never taken a close look at their printing needs to determine how printing can be improved upon. Instead, the solution is often to cut printing as much as possible with no regard to the decrease in productivity. Either productivity suffers long term or printing resumes to previous levels with no improvements made.
Printing does not have to be an all-or-nothing solution. Instead, forward-thinking businesses are looking at print audits to help streamline operations while cutting costs. A print audit can identify print usage, what devices are being utilized, and then make recommendations to make the most effective use of devices. This could include shifting the location of devices, implementing strategies to reduce printing, and maybe even reducing the number of overall devices on the premises. With smarter printing strategies, businesses can reduce their overall print cost without having to implement drastic measures to cut printing which may have other negative effects on the business.
Using Printers and Copiers to Their Full Potential
Multifunction business printers can deliver a lot of functionality to any business. While there are ways to cut back on unnecessary printing, there is still a place for printed materials. Whether it’s marketing, collaborating, or sharing; printers and copiers still matter in today’s business world.
To learn more about effective printing and smart business printers designed for modern workplaces, contact the printing experts at CDS Office Technologies today.
