When it comes to buying or leasing a car, the shopping strategy is usually not “Hmmm, I’ll just buy whatever is cheapest!” No, it’s a purchase based on careful considerations and not based solely on cost or impulse. Well, when it comes to investing in an office printer or copier, the evaluation process is remarkably similar to that of buying a car – both require research, budget considerations, and long-term planning. Let’s explore the parallels between the buying process of office equipment and automobiles to help you navigate your next office printer or copier purchase with the confidence of a seasoned car buyer.
Similarities Between Buying Office Printers and Cars
Whether you’re looking for reliability, efficiency, or the latest technology, the steps involved in selecting the right office printer or copier mirror those of choosing the perfect vehicle.
Step 1) Understanding Your Needs: What Are You Using It For?
Just like when you buy a vehicle, before you can even consider features, you need to thoroughly evaluate your needs before purchasing an office printer or copier. When purchasing a car, you are going to consider things like the size of your family, lifestyle, and usage impact to determine the type of vehicle you need (sedan, SUV, truck, etc.). Well, just like cars, office printers and copiers come in different sizes with different capabilities. You need consider you need to consider factors like the size of your office, print volume, color vs. black-and-white, and required printing features (e.g., paper/media handling and size capability, scanning, faxing, finishing options).
Step 2) Budgetary Considerations: Price and Purchase Options
Just like car shopping, when evaluating an office printer or copier purchase it’s not just about the sticker price. In both cases, you’re looking for the best fit for your needs and budget, weighing features against price and long-term running costs. You’ll of course consider what you can afford so that you are staying within your budget, but you also need to factor in the total cost of ownership. With a car, you’re not only considering the sticker price of the vehicle as well as the fuel economy. Similarly, when looking at an office printer or copier, you need to consider the cost of the hardware as well as the operating cost (supplies and service). Additionally, cars and copiers both have multiple purchasing options: purchasing outright with cash, leasing, or financing. There are both pros and cons when it comes to office copier leasing or financing vs. purchasing, similar to car buying, so it’s important in both instances to evaluate your situation to determine what option makes the most sense for you.
Step 3) Performance and Features: Bells and Whistles Matter
Once you’ve established your needs and your budget, you can move onto looking at the features. Just like comparing vehicles, office laser printers and copiers offer different features that need to be evaluated. For example, just like vehicles have differing engine power, copiers have varying print speeds. Just like vehicles have different safety features, an office printer offers varying security features (encryption, user authentication, etc.). And it’s important to note that both industries love unnecessary bells and whistles. Added features will impact usability but also cost, so it’s important to determine what features are most important to you, what features you’ll actually use, and which features are just marketing gimmicks.
Step 4) Try Before You Buy: Test Driving and Reviews
Would you buy a car without a test drive? Probably not. The same principle applies when evaluating an office printer or copier. While you might not “drive” a printer, it’s important to get a product demo so that you can see it action, test its speed and features, and make sure it really is the best fit for your needs. This is especially true for organizations who need reliable and premium print quality – you can request print samples of your actual files to ensure it’s up to your standards.
Step 5) Maintenance and Service: The Long-Term Investment
Both the automobile and office equipment industries are notorious for having overly enthusiastic and high-pressure salespeople who overpromise and underperform. And like any investment that spans years, support is a very important consideration. Just like a car needs regular servicing, a copier needs periodic maintenance as well and the fine print matters tremendously in both cases. It’s important to have a clear understanding of any warranties as well as service coverage. What’s covered? What’s excluded? What’s the response time when an issue arises? Long-term support and reliability are key, so it’s very important to be able to identify the right partner that’s going to be able to deliver dependable on-going support and service.
Be Intentional With Your Next Office Printer Purchase
When it comes to upgrade your office printer or copier, remember the similarities between this process and that of buying a car. Approaching your printer or copier purchase with the same diligence you’d apply to buying a car will lead to better outcomes and fewer regrets. By approaching your decision with careful consideration of your needs, budget, performance/features, and service, you can be sure you’ll be making an informed decision and choosing the best option for your needs!
