6 Reasons Your Office Still Needs a Printer in the Digital Age

[This article was written by Tania Longeau.]

As computer storage capabilities and the internet improve, businesses make less hard copies of important files. Cloud storage and team chat software have made it easier to collaborate without physical meetings for every assignment.

Even if you stay up-to-date on the latest technological advances, printers are still necessary for meetings and backup documents. Going without a printer means hand-writing important information or going to a print shop for copies.

These tactics aren’t feasible for most businesses, especially when project deadlines are looming or you’re courting a new big client. Here are six reasons why printers and printer ink will help your business, even if you primarily use email and cloud storage.

1. Better Meetings

Not every employee needs to have their laptop in front of them during meetings. Laptops are great assets to the workplace, but they also create distractions, like email notifications and social media. Even diligent employees can find their minds wandering if an interesting email pops onto their screens.

Unless there is a pressing need for laptops in meetings, encourage employees to concentrate on printed handouts. One team member can take notes on a laptop and allow everyone else to focus on the discussion. Eliminating multitasking is one of 15 ways to increase productivity in the office.

Plus, it eliminates one potential source of technical problems during meetings. Trying to share a live file with all team members at once can lead to unexpected issues, especially if some team members are new to your software.

2. Providing for Clients and Visitors

The principle of having better meetings extends to even brief interactions with clients. Using a printed handout is a convenient way to help clients follow along and understand your take-home message.

A printed copy is easy to flip through and skim without distractions, so it’s the preferred medium for expressing information new to a client. Other visitors to your business can benefit from flyers, brochures and pamphlets, which won’t get lost in their email inboxes.

Attempts to share access on a digital copy of a live file can unintentionally give clients or vendors long-term viewing or even editing access. You can protect your company’s sensitive information by understanding the reasons to improve printer security. Handing your clients physical copies of the information they need is just one more way to keep your office network safe.

Not all clients and visitors will be tech-savvy enough to quickly pull up a file on their smartphone or laptop. While a digital copy is a convenient backup, a physical copy is a professional courtesy that can make in-person meetings much smoother.

3. Creating Backups

Although most cloud storage programs have excellent backup systems, account administrators can be locked out or face other technical issues. The correct version of a file might also be lost, especially when businesses go through reorganization or suddenly archive a huge collection of old files.

At the very least, you’ll want to create physical backups of critical documents, like annual revenue reports, major projects and contracts. You can never be too safe with your contracts, especially if most of your clients send them digitally.

Creating backups of large files becomes more cost-efficient if you do it in-house with bulk printer ink. A laser printer is an inexpensive way to print backup copies of important information quickly.

4. Office Postings

Almost all businesses occasionally need office signs and posters. Your business may need to quickly update signs indicating open hours, contact information, locations and other essential information. Many businesses are even required by law to have workplace rights and safety posters, which may have strict timelines.

Having to run down the street to a print shop is a hassle, and throwing together a hand-written correction looks unprofessional. You’ll want to have a printer and sufficient printer cartridges available to print new signs on the fly.

It’s easy to assume that these needs will arise infrequently, but when you consider all your printer needs, an in-office printer proves vital.

5. Reducing Eye Strain

Staring at a computer all day can take its toll on your eyes. You can reduce eye strain by adjusting your monitor’s brightness settings, but reading small text on a screen can still harm your eyes over time.

Allow yourself and your employees to print out and read long documents or presentations. Printed documents will give your eyes a break from staring at a computer screen and allow your mind to avoid background distractions.

6. Adding a Personal Touch

An emailed letter of appreciation or congratulations goes a long way to win over clients, but a hand-signed, personalized note goes even further. Emails are often lost in inboxes or forgotten after a quick skim.

By taking the time to print a letter on your company’s letterhead and sign it, you’re showing that you care deeply about the message you’re trying to communicate. Adding a hand-written postscript with a more personal comment shows clients, vendors and collaborators you value your relationship with them.

Printing in the Digital Age

Printers fill important needs for businesses, even in the digital age. Even if you have a limited number of visitors using printed pages, printouts still make your internal meetings more efficient. They also help you keep your office signs and posters updated.

Multi-purpose printers with scanning capabilities can come in handy when a vendor or client still uses paper copies. By purchasing a combination printer/scanner, you’ll prepare your organization to grow and thrive.

Since printers take up less space than ever, it’s easy to find a space for one in your office or home. Keep a plentiful supply of ink and paper to stay productive and minimize trips to copy stores. Your team will appreciate the convenience and flexibility.

Author Bio:

Tania Longeau serves as the Head of Services for InkJet Superstore. Tania oversees a team of Operations and Customer Service Reps from the Los Angeles headquarters. Before joining InkJet Superstore, Tania was a team leader and supervisor working for one of the biggest mortgage and real estate companies in the country. She is a happily married mother of one who enjoys spending time with her family and reading in her leisure hours.