Carefully considering the placement of print equipment throughout your office is essential to maximizing the efficiency and productivity of both your employees and the print technology itself.
Here are several steps that you can take to ensure that you not only have the right print technology for your organization’s needs, but that it’s placed in optimal locations:
- Map out your office based on employees’ printing needs – Mapping out your office layout will help you visualize the effect placing office machines will have on users and the resulting workflow.
- Make accommodating your users a priority – Different departments within your office environment will likely have different printing needs. For example, your marketing department will need access to a robust color printer that offers the ability to print various forms of media while your accounting department might only need a monochrome printer. Think through your staff’s needs and make note of any special requirements.
- Consider the environment where printers will be placed – Don’t place printers in an area that is exposed to extreme temperatures as it will negatively impact the quality of the work produced and the lifespan of the equipment. Try to place your printer in a low-traffic area to minimize the risk of being frequently bumped or moved. Also, make a point to ensure that the location of the printer is not near a water fountain, coffee machine, or in an area that accumulates a lot of dust as these can all create performance issues.
- Consider how many printers your office needs – Talk to your employees and evaluate how much printing, scanning, faxing, and copying is taking place on a daily basis. What types of documents do they frequently print? Are there any capabilities that are missing from your existing print technology that could improve efficiency? How frequently do your employees experience printing delays? Answering these questions should give you an understanding if any new equipment is needed.
Placing office machines in the right locations can have a positive effect on office productivity through ease of use and availability, help extend the lifespan of equipment and prevent downtime. Talk with a knowledgeable Managed Print Services provider to help you determine the best equipment strategy for your office.
