You may have heard of the saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That old chestnut also applies to modern office equipment. Take multifunction printers, for instance. These devices play a mission-critical role in today’s office environment by performing copying, printing, scanning, and faxing functions.

You can’t afford to lose this essential piece of equipment to unexpected downtimes through poor maintenance or outright neglect. Preventative upkeep is an absolute must when it comes to keeping your multifunction printers in excellent shape. Wisconsin Document Imaging specializes in keeping our customers’ office equipment operating efficiently and keeping information secure. Here is some information and tips we hope act as useful reminders for you.

Multifunction Printers Remain Important Fixtures in Modern Offices

You’d think that the digital era would make multifunction printers obsolete by now. The paperless office remains an attractive option for businesses eager to reduce their workloads and take advantage of technologies.

The ubiquity of PDFs and other digital document formats has helped reduce reliance on paper documents. Meanwhile, digital storage technologies means companies don´t need to maintain hard copies in many situations.

However, despite these innovations, paper documents remain a fixture in the modern office. Many people still find paper documents easier to deal with, especially when it comes to reading and editing. Paper document creation also is also more economical than purchasing the various devices needed to read and edit digital documents. Finally, many businesses still insist on keeping hard copies for security reasons or archival purposes.

Likewise, multifunction printers aren’t going away anytime soon. In fact, today’s multifunction printers have a few tricks up their proverbial sleeve to remain relevant in the office. Most multifunction printers are more than capable of creating PDFs and other digital documents. Wireless networking also makes printing from tablets and other mobile devices possible, which is handy for remote employees.

Your Workflows Will Suffer if You Neglect to Care For Your Multifunction Printers

Just as an athlete undergoes constant training to maintain peak performance so multifunction printers demand regular maintenance. Ignoring the need for preventive care can have dire consequences not just on your equipment but also on your business and its ability to perform in today’s highly competitive environment:

  • Poor document quality – Neglect can take its toll. For instance, printed documents may have unsightly blemishes that detract from their overall quality.
  • Operational issues – Paper jams, missing print jobs, and slow speeds become a way of life for users with neglected multifunction printers.
  • Constant breakdowns – Your devices become more prone to unexpected breakdowns, especially when they’re subjected to heavy usage.
  • Costly downtime – When your multifunction printer goes down, so does your ability to get things done. Unplanned downtime not only prevents your employees from serving their clients, but you also risk losing long-term clients and revenue to competitors.

Needless to say, it doesn’t pay to neglect your multifunction printers or any other office equipment you own. Keeping them in excellent shape through preventative maintenance offers a multitude of benefits:

  • Increased productivity – Regularly scheduled services help minimize the potential for workflow disruption, thus ensuring that your employees remain productive throughout the workday.
  • Increased service life – Even a top-of-the-line printer is no match for Father Time. Constant wear and tear can take its toll on any machine, which is why preventive maintenance remains so important. Keeping your machine in good shape also keeps it working longer, which provides a sizable ROI.
  • Better security – Neglected machines are also more vulnerable to data breaches and other security threats. Software updates, firmware upgrades, and routine patches are part of preventative maintenance.
  • Lower operational costs – Unexpected repairs can take a bite out of your operating budget. Preventive maintenance ensures your operational costs remain low throughout your office equipment’s lifespan. With routine checkups, you won’t have to worry about replacing a multifunction printer sooner than expected due to neglect.

How to Take Care of Your Devices between Service Visits

Preventative maintenance by a qualified service provider can do wonders for keeping your multifunction printer in tip-top shape. Nevertheless, there’s plenty you can do in between service visits to ensure your devices function as they should.

Stick with Quality Consumables

It’s tempting to save money by purchasing the cheapest possible paper or toner, but sometimes that can prove to be a penny-wise/pound-foolish decision. Lower quality paper often produces paper dust and debris that works its way into the inner workings of your multifunction printer. This debris not only proves hard to clean but can also adversely affect your device’s performance and longevity.

Using higher quality paper and other consumables can help prevent these and other issues from occurring frequently. Consider different purchasing strategies, including buying in bulk and buying from discount outlets to help reduce costs.

Keep Your Devices Clean

A clean multifunction printer operates at its peak. For instance, keeping the copier glass clean helps prevent smudges and other blemishes on documents. Clearing dust out of the machine regularly also prevents malfunctions that could interrupt your work.

Use Your Devices Properly

Believe it or not, knowing how to use your multifunction printer properly is also part of preventative maintenance. Take loading paper, for instance. In addition to learning how to load your printer properly, it’s also important to know other aspects (i.e., how much paper to load, which paper trays to use, etc.)

Contact Wisconsin Document Imaging today if you want to know more about preventative maintenance for your business´s multifunction printers and how we can help. We proudly serve customers in the eastern third of Wisconsin from the Illinois border to the Upper Peninsula.