Schools deal with a lot of text and paper, so printing is an important thing. However, tight budget could limit the ability to print enough text. Dated technology and process could also increase operating costs and lower productivity. It is important for schools to harness technological advances and improve teaching process. There are many different printing solutions that schools can use, such as ink jet printers and laser printers. In this digital era, schools can no longer rely only on copiers. It can be a problem if schools are not aware of the total printing costs. With the right methods, schools should be able to reap significant savings and they need to properly assess printing requirements.
There are many printer models in the market and it can be challenging to find cost effective solutions. In most cases, it is more efficient for classrooms and school administrative offices to use ink jet printers. However, in many situations, ink jet printers can be seen as an example of false economy. The cost of paper, ink cartridges and maintenance can actually be quite high. To ensure lower costs, it is a good idea to use only black ink and choose lower darkness of text. Printers can be configured to print on both sides of the paper. However, depending on the printer model, you can do this automatically or manually. When school administrators seek to reduce costs, here are things that they should do:
- Improve network management: Printers are usually network ready and it means that a single computer can handle multiple printers. So, teacher can set multiple printers in different class to print specific text based on requirements.
- Limit the use of consumables: High costs of consumables can happen when you choose the wrong models of printers. Every decision that you make could affect the end costs. As an example, schools should use only one or a few color ink jet printers for presentation materials and announcement. If you choose color printers for regular daily usage, the costs of maintenance and consumables can be significantly higher. You need to choose the right consumables. As an example, toners can be a huge burden on your IT expenditure and the printing cost per page can be up to 35 percent higher, even if you buy toners in bulk. Schools should also consider about environmental issues by choosing recyclable toners.
- Check maintenance: Printers have some moving parts and any moving objects will need to be maintained at some point. In fact, maintenance and repair tasks can represent half of the printing costs. It is a good idea to choose durable printer models known for their low maintenance requirements. In order to reduce maintenance and repair costs, make sure that the producer provides satisfactory warranty. Printers should also be easy to use, so people don’t need to deal with complex configuration that can affect the overall durability. Relatively fast printing speed could also help to reduce queues and improve the speed of teaching process.