The Datamax Thinking Blog

Web-2-Workflow introduces a new standard for streamlining and automating the production process from end to end.

It's anything but just another day on the slopes for today's print operators and managers.

This time last year, a Forrester Insights article predicted that 2018 would be “a tipping point in automation.” Despite previous years of “doomsdaying” that automation would eliminate millions of jobs (predictions that proved ultimately wrong), the research firm concluded that “while reticence over workforce impact will remain, the age of the customer requires dramatically speeding up the revolution.”

Is your potential copier provider capable of going deeper with relevant questions? Will their level of service handle the technology burden for you, and enable you to focus on your forte?

Martial Arts expert and movie star Bruce Lee is an unequivocal legend for his physical feats on the big screen. But he also possessed a few philosophical nuggets that packed a real punch.

One example from the former philosophy major turned Hollywood icon? “A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.”

Does the IT staff at your school have the time to devote to forward-thinking technologies? Do you have a collaborative, meaningful partnership with your provider? 

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “We cannot build the future for our youth—but we can build our youth for the future.”

The 4 “Cs” in education have become a fundamental representation for the National Education Association’s vision for 21st Century Education. Critical thinking, Creativity, Collaboration and Communication are all key components from the NEA to helping students of today – and tomorrow – prepare for college, for work, and for life.

Intertwined within these timeless  4 "Cs” assets today, of course, is the development of and proficiency with technology as students forge ahead in today’s digital era. For example, students must be encouraged to use technology to communicate innovatively and effectively. Additionally, technology plays a key role in effective student collaboration inside the classroom and, in some instances, across the globe.

In the report, 36 percent of enterprises surveyed say they are printing MORE OFTEN than they were 12 months ago, while only 14 percent are printing less often. Similarly, 40 percent are scanning more often and 35 percent are copying more often.

By 2020, Cisco’s Internet Business Solutions Group predicts that 50 billion physical IoT devices will be connected to the Internet, consuming, generating, and communicating data. The office is no exception.

Crucial documents reside on our desks and file cabinets, but also in cloud servers and mobile devices. With such wide and easy access to the information we need, it’s tempting to think that printing may soon become a function of the past.

As ESPN analyst Lee Corso famously says on College Football Game Day, “Not so fast, my friend!”

The burden of administrators handling an entire fleet can be significantly lifted by usability improvements and features that simply make doing their job more efficient.

Visiting a car dealership (even if today, most buyers’ research is done online beforehand), there’s multiple variables to consider. Beyond budget and leasing options, one must consider speed (that sleek, streamlined sports car), functionality (the gas-friendly cross-over with room for the dog), safety/security, as well as that inevitable drop in value with that vehicle moving forward.   

The same used to be said about copiers.

The top 10 questions a sales rep should ask you before they EVER give you a price – or recommendation.

There is nothing more unsatisfying than a salesperson who cannot give you a price when you ask them how much something is going to cost. Their reluctance may even cause you to doubt them. Believe me when I say it, they are actually doing you a favor.

Sure, any salesperson can throw out a number just to make you happy, but in the long run, the true cost of office equipment depends on many things. Sure, you can:

The ability to offer the tools and control needed to help reduce waste and boost productivity can be the difference in whether your organization finds itself "on cloud nine" or "under a cloud" when it comes to managing print.

For many organizations, printing continues to be a frustrating cost issue that remains pretty much untracked and uncontrolled. That’s amazing since managing print output and associated costs has been such a hot topic for so long. 

More companies understand this now, but not enough want to really pour in the effort to do anything about it.  Apparently, they're less interested in the gathering clouds of documents and print and are more convinced of better cost savings they can be chasing down in their businesses — so they think. 

You have a lot of options on the market when you make a technology purchase. The best solution for your business isn't determined solely by the price, the feature set, or how fast the vendor gets it to your doorstep.

Every year, I learn more about copiers, document management, workflow, and, increasingly, managed IT topics.

I do my best to pass on what I learn to you.

Here are the 11 most popular posts in 2017. They cover a range of topics:

• Why you should update old equipment (while I didn’t get into it, this goes for most office technology – not just your copiers!)
• HIPAA compliance issues
• The value of PDF and automated Bates Stamping for law firms
• And some thoughts on costs

Read on for insights into those topics – and more – to get yourself ready for 2018! 

While it’s annoying to hear “it depends” when you ask us how much a copier is, it’s also the truth. Here’s why.

One of the most common questions (if not THE most common question) every copier dealership is asked is some variation of “How much is a copy machine going to cost me?”

Our sales team is asked that all the time.

The answer is (really!): it depends.

I’ll explain why.

The IRS Section 179 Deduction represents an incentive created by the U.S. government to encourage businesses to buy equipment and invest in themselves.

So, it's the end of another business year and once again you find yourself looking for opportunities in every nook and cranny to improve profitability or searching to boost productivity with some much-needed business technology investment. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather wear myself out looking at endless college football games than wearing myself out trying to improve profits under a late year pressure crunch. Now that's a beat down.  Either way, for most business managers or owners a "best-case" year-end bonus is probably on the line, or "worse-case" — the stress of ensuring basic business survival.