Printing is an essential part of many businesses. It is used for everything from printing documents and presentations to creating marketing materials and printing photographs. While printing is indispensable, it can also be an expensive issue. The cost of ink, paper and printers can add up quickly. In fact, did you know that ink is one of the most expensive liquids on earth?
Fortunately, there are a number of ways to save on your printing costs. In this article, we’ll give you essential tips to help your business save money on printing.
1. Double-sided and economical printing
One of the easiest ways to save on your printing costs is to print double-sided. Double-sided printing means that you also use the back of the paper and not waste it, this can save you up to 50% paper. The average cost of one sheet of paper is between 1 and 3 cents, it would be a waste not to use the back of the paper, wouldn’t it?
To print double-sided, you need to change your printer’s settings. It is possible to designate “duplex printing” manually each time, but you can also set it by default. Most printers have an option for duplex printing. You can also buy a printer that prints double-sided by default. If your printer cannot print double-sided, you can manually double-sided print. Print the front side of a sheet of paper first, then put the sheet the other way around in the printer’s paper tray to print the back side.
In addition to double-sided printing, you can also print economically to save on your paper costs. Eco mode is a feature on most printers that reduces ink flow. This can slightly reduce the quality of your prints, but it can save you up to 20% in paper and ink.
2. Make the right printer choice
The printer you choose has a big impact on your printing costs. Choose a printer that is energy efficient and uses ink cartridges that are affordable. With our 25 years of experience, D&O Partners can professionally help you choose the right printer and a low-cost contract with expert service and quality, affordable consumables such as ink cartridges, toners, paper, …
It’s also important to think about the type of printer you need. Which printer, printing device or copier best suits your activity when it comes to printing, scanning and copying. If you only print black and white documents, you don’t need a color printer. A monochrome printer is then a much cheaper option. Contact us to help you find the right printer(s) for your business.
3. Set your printer to black and white by default
Printing in color costs on average seven times more than in black and white. That’s why it’s smart to set your printer to black and white by default. That way you avoid unintentionally printing in color. Do you want to print in color anyway? Then you can always designate this manually before printing a document.
To default your printer to black and white, you need to change your printer driver settings. Most printers have an option for default black and white printing. If you have any questions, please contact D&O Partners.
4. Opt for digitization and digital document management
Another way to save on your printing costs is to work digitally and online more often. Store documents in the cloud and share them online to minimize paper consumption.
There are many different tools and software available that can help you digitize and share documents. With a little research, you can find a solution that meets the needs of your business.
5. Eliminate your print server
If your company has a print server, you may be able to save money by eliminating it. Print servers can be expensive to maintain and secure.
If you have a print server, consider switching to a network printer or a cloud-based printing solution. These options can help you save on the cost and complexity of your IT infrastructure. D&O Partners would be happy to help you eliminate your print server.
More tips
By following these tips, you can realize significant printing savings. This can save your company money and contribute to a more sustainable business.
In addition to the tips above, there are a number of other things you can do to save on your printing costs:
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- Use your printer settings to adjust the quality of your prints. If your prints don’t have to be perfect, you can lower the quality to save on ink. When you do this, images in particular will print in lower quality.
- Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for maintaining your printer. By regularly maintaining your printer, you can extend its life and reduce the cost of repairs.
- Ever heard of an “eco” font? These are “eco” fonts that use less ink? Ideal when you need to print documents with only a lot of text. This type of font simply uses less ink per letter than the common fonts such as, for example, Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, … Ecofonts: Vera Sans and Ryman Eco.
- Monitor your employees’ printing behavior. Some employees may print unnecessarily. By monitoring printing behavior, you can identify and address unnecessary printing. There is special software for this such as PaperCut, for example.
- Don’t immediately replace the ink cartridges or toners when you get a notification that they are empty. Then take them out and shake them for a while. After this, you will still be able to print for a while until the ink cartridges really run out completely.
Still have questions or can we help you with something? Then feel free to contact us via our contact page.
