Five signs that it’s time to replace your printer

1. Things that go bump in the corner

Sometimes, it’s obvious when you need a new printer – smudges that print, nasty noises – but sometimes it’s not so obvious. Printers often sit in the corner of the office, plodding along and providing faithful service. You only notice when it’s time to refill the paper tray or top up toner. Yet what happens when it breaks down when you have urgent documents to print, scan or share?

Plus, the way we work has changed. Now people need better and smarter printing and document sharing – no matter if they’re working in an office or elsewhere. And apps and solutions are key: it’s vital to have automated tools to help ease the never-ending list of tasks which we all face. Still, even if the printer works, it might be time for an update.

2. Can your printer do more than just copy, print and scan to email?

Some print-related technologies and processes that were cutting-edge five years ago could now considered obsolete. Many tools that improved efficiency were confined to the office. Today’s workforce is not only accustomed to being mobile, connected and always on – they expect, and need, access to cloud hosted solutions and data so they can work from anywhere, using any device.

They also need to do more than copying, printing and scanning to email. Secure storage and sharing of information is key coupled with a need for printers that have the capability to do more. Current all-in-one or multi-function printers (MFPs) can do so much more to drive productivity and breakdown document centric challenges that cause bottlenecks and frustration.

Thanks to integration with document transformation tools like Xerox^® Workflow Central, users seamlessly connect to tools they need to speed through jobs and free up valuable time.

3. Go beyond with powerful process tools

Xerox^® Workflow Central harnesses the power of multiple, versatile apps to automate several routine tasks, all at a touch of a button. And, because these solutions use the power of the cloud, you can say goodbye to scattered information silos, disjointed processes and multiple copies of the same document. For example, with a MFP and Workflow Central you could:

• Convert static documents to editable ones

• Automate & combine key processes

• Secure information by automatically redacting sensitive data

• Scan to and print from cloud storage or business process solutions

• Translate text to more than 40 different languages

• Capture handwritten notes to make them editable and shareable

• Convert documents to audio files

Even better? You can combine many of those workflows!

4. Is your printing secure?

Today’s printers have a host of security features to ensure data is secure. Make your new printer has the following security options:

• Authentication. The printer will only print documents when a user enters their PIN at the machine. No more sensitive documents lying around unsecured.

• Print encryption. Data sent to the printer without encryption leaves you vulnerable to hackers. File encryption protects your data, ensuring it is safe from creation to the destination.

• Password protected scanning. If you allow unrestricted scanning, you could be making sensitive information available to the wrong parties. By adding password protection to PDFs, only the right people can access the data they contain

5. Lots of support calls?

How often do you need to call IT Support to sort out a printer-related issue? Help desks have reported 40-60% of calls can be print related. The good news is that today’s printers have more help tools built in, plus users have access to informative support sites, forums and apps. There are automatic software and firmware updates and video tutorials and searchable help topics from the printer user interface.

Time to change

So, is it time for a new printer? The decision doesn’t depend on whether your printer works or not, it’s about knowing you need to work smarter and faster and embrace all of the benefits that come with today’s printers and multifunction printers (MFPs). A Xerox machine can evolve as your needs change. So, while you may not need X or Y today, you need to plan for the future and have the reassurance that you can easily add enhancements, so your printer adapts and meets your changing situation.

As we’ve seen, "Printer" is a label that hardly begins to describe all printers can do.

Plan your printing future and find out more about productivity tools like the Xerox Workflow Central Platform and the latest range of Xerox printers and multifunction printers designed for growing SMBs and workteams.

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