1/5/2009 8:12:20 PM

Office Equipment -

Office equipment and office stationery can eat into a large part of your company’s budget. In fact, apart from rental costs of the office building, this is one of the largest overhead costs that you are likely to face as a business.

The IT equipment that you choose for your company can greatly affect what these overheads are. Large office machinery can be expensive, and you must therefore make sure that you make the most appropriate choice and do not spend more money than is required.

One area where this is evident is the choice of photocopier. There is a huge range of photocopiers, and it is sometimes difficult to know which type to go for, especially if your business is relatively new and fast-growing. To help you make an informed choice, summarized below are our thoughts on photocopier sizes, styles and levels of specification for different sized businesses.

Photocopiers for small offices

Managers of small offices who have copy needs that require a fast and user-friendly machine which maintains digital quality output should look for a compact and cost-effective machine that is also upgradeable. This type of copier is the ideal choice for offices without much space but professional copy demands. Find a system that combines the strengths outlined above and you should have a unit able to cope with your office's copy/print needs.

Photocopiers for small/medium sized offices

For slightly larger offices we suggest you look at a multi-functional copying system. These copiers will save you time and money and will provide a good level of versatility. They also usually boast digital technology so the days of wasting valuable time and energy running from your desk to the fax, or via the printer to the copier will be over for ever! Look for an all-in-one upgradeable copier, fax, printer and scanner. As you would expect, these machines offer excellent reliability but also offer optimized handling, and a vast array of document management solutions which will make the flow of all documents more efficient.

Our final piece of advice is that whatever model of photocopier you choose, and whether you decide to purchase it outright or to rent it, you should always make sure you have a maintenance agreement which costs you no more than 2 cents (1 penny) per copy.