You should also ask the vendor to estimate the cost of toner and common repairs. For example, the photo drum, a key component of the imaging system, often has to be replaced before the rest of the machine becomes worn out. These costs vary greatly from one manufacturer to the next. For an average low-range machine, the combined cost of toner and replacement of the photo drum works out to about 1.5¢ per copy made. If one maker quotes you 0.5¢ higher than another and you make 20,000 copies a year, the added cost is $100 a year. As you calculate your budget, be sure to include the cost of paper, which runs about 1¢ a page if you buy in volume.
Finally, consider how many copiers best suit the company. If you figure your volume at 20,000 copies a year, but you run a sprawling manufacturing plant, you might lower employees' trips across the factory floor by buying two smaller machines instead of one large one.
Though it may seem a bit exhausting, if you take a little time now to choose the right copier, the model you buy should serve you well. And that means you won't have to duplicate this process any time soon.
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Stephen J. Simurda is a business writer living in Northampton, Mass.
SMART TIPS . . .
Buy a machine with excess capacity. How much? Analysts say a company's copy volume increases at about twice the rate of revenue growth. Then add on 25% more, because employees use new machines more.
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The copier market is flat, and manufacturers are competing vigorously. If you push vendors, you can get a demonstration model to try before you buy, a 15% discount, and a great service contract.
Volume
Copiers don't just keep on copying. They're designed to make a certain number of copies a month. If you make 3,000 copies a month on a machine meant to make only 2,000 (that's about 100 each workday), the machine will die before its time.
Speed
Copiers operate at a set speed. The cheapest machines produce only six or eight copies a minute, leaving plenty of time for daydreaming and for a line to form behind you as you do so.
Sorter
If you need 20 copies of a 40-page report, collating it by hand will take you all afternoon. A sorter does this for you by sending the photocopied pages into 20 separate bins until all 40 pages are complete.
Duplexing
This is industry lingo for making double-sided copies. It's helpful for nice-looking reports and for saving paper (and money) if you copy single-sided originals onto double-sided copies.
Semiautomatic feed
Instead of lifting the copier top, placing a page on the glass, closing the top, and pushing the start button 40 times for a 40-page report-whew!-you can stick each page into a feeder that whips it through the machine.
Reduction and enlargement
If you want to scale down an original or blow it up, here's how. Try the former to show how much your paycheck's worth after taxes, the latter to demonstrate how much bigger you think it should be.
Automatic document feed
Semiautomatic feed helps, but you've still got to stand at the machine. With auto feed, just pop the 40-page document into the holder, press start, and go get a cup of coffee.
Paper trays
Obviously, you need a paper tray for standard 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper. Better machines will give you one or two extra trays, for legal (8 1/2-by-14) and ledger (11-by-17) stock.
A BUYER'S WORKSHEET FOR COPIERS
Volume The number of copies you will make each month determines the class of machine you'll need. Check current copy records, or survey employees to calculate your current volume. Use will increase at about twice the rate of revenue growth; add this amount. If you find you can get by with 1,000 copies a month, a personal copier will do. For up to 2,000 copies you'll need a low-end machine; up to 7,000 a mid-range machine.
Speed This varies within each class. If many people use the copier, get a faster machine, because it will reduce waiting time. High speed may cost more, though. Average speeds are: personal copiers, 6 to 8 copies a minute; low-end, 12 to 15; mid-range, 20 to 30.
Paper trays If you copy originals that are not standard size (8 1/2-by-11 inches), you will need extra paper trays for either 8 1/2-by-14 (legal-size), or 11-by-17 (ledger-size) paper.
Auto document feed If you routinely duplicate documents of more than a few pages, this is a must.If you make multipage documents only occasionally, a semiautomatic feeder will do.
Sorter If you distribute copies of multipage documents, this too is a must. If you distribute to only a few people, a 10-bin sorter (10 collated documents) will suffice. Larger sorters have 25 or 40 bins.
Duplexing This is needed to make double-sided copies. Consider it also if you duplicate long documents; making double-sided copies from single-sided originals can save $100 or more a year.
Reduction and enlargement This feature is useful unless all you do is copy invoices or such. Most companies will find it sufficient to use a machine with preset values, say, 77% or 129%. If you design ads or graphics, you may want to pay extra to zoom in increments of 1%.
