The Datamax Thinking Blog

If you focus on the number on the price tag more than what the photocopier can actually do for you, you'll end up paying more in the long run.

You have to operate with a budget professionally and personally. The same questions come up no matter what you're buying. How much should it cost, where can you find the best deals, and is there a more affordable way to get it?

Many people jump right to the cheapest copier they can find. They think it might match their needs, but their decision is purely price driven. Sometimes they luck out and get the right model with good build quality. Years from now, they're calling the copier "old reliable" and patting themselves on the back for their money-saving move.

However, this is not the case for most people.

Before you start to panic thinking about an additional line item on your capital expenditures budget, consider the economic and functional benefits of getting a 4-in-1 machine.

If you've ever moved offices (or just needed to redo your current office), you know what a hassle it is to pack equipment. You might have even questioned the necessity of carting around a scanner, fax machine, copier, and printer. Turns out that it's not necessary: you can move into the modern age with a multifunction copier. Before you start to panic thinking about an additional line item on your capital expenditures budget, consider the economic and functional benefits of getting a 4-in-1 machine.

When you buy or lease your copier locally, you'll get faster, immediately-accessible support for any technical or administrative questions. No one likes being bounced around!

Did you ever stop to think that buying a copier locally is like buying from your local farmer's market?

At a farmer's market, you get friendly service from people you know and fresh, locally-grown produce -- plus, you're helping local business.

The same can be said for buying a copier locally. You're not only contributing to local business; you're also getting a quality product with an instantly-accessible support team.

Using your copier to scan to the cloud is straightforward (the specifics WILL be different for different models and manufacturers, but the basic steps are similar).

You’ve heard of “the cloud,” even if you don’t follow technology at all you’ve most likely heard someone use this term. Usually when it’s mentioned it’s with a touch of reverence and a hint that the cloud will solve your technology challenges, which (when used correctly) cloud services really can bring huge business and personal productivity improvements.

The cloud essentially means that instead of your information/documents or your application (like iTunes, Office 365, or personal productivity tool Evernote) “living” on a your computing device (smartphone, laptop, PC, or tablet), they “live” on a third-party hosted platform and you can access the cloud service via the Internet. As with anything IT-related, the cloud becomes more complicated the deeper you dig into it. If you’re interested, this Cloud Computing 101 article is a good starting point for more detail.