Calculating the Benefits of Cost-effective Printing
by Dave Willcox, Applications Solutions Manager, OKI Printing Solutions
A 2007 report from the centre for economics and business research ltd (cebr) estimates that the UK accountancy services sector could potentially make annual cost savings of £11 million through more efficient printing. This saving equates to a new top-of-the-range (£40) calculator for all the country’s accountants.
The best way for many firms to achieve enhanced efficiency is by printing a higher proportion of materials in-house. Outsourcing print jobs leads to high wastage levels. Typically, 20% of outsourced printing is never even used. Short-run printing of all ordinarily outsourced material up to 1,000 copies is normally cheaper to produce in-house. The flexibility of printing short-run is often key in enabling accountants to customise their messages to their intended audience, usually prompting a stronger response than large-scale impersonal mass mailings.
Firms can achieve further savings by investing in colour-enabled mono printers, which are comparatively cheap to buy. Most accountants only use relatively small amounts of colour – red text for financial reports or client spreadsheets, for example. In this context, judicious use of colour allows accountants to highlight specific queries and in general to emphasise information more effectively.
High-quality colour functionality can also help accountancy firms to present themselves in as visually impressive way as possible to existing and potential clients and to develop brand consistency - often a key competitive differentiator.
While colour capability is important, accountancy firms often also require a cost-effective mono capability for in-house communications. Colour-enabled mono devices give them the functionality they need without necessitating the purchase of expensive and unnecessary high-capacity colour toners.
In addition, separate toner drum units keep running costs to a minimum. Only exhausted units will need to be replaced. For added financial control, software utilities are now available that allow control and monitoring of user access to colour printing over the network.
In addition, in any accountancy practice, confidentiality of data is a key consideration. Firms can benefit from in-box utilities that protect sensitive information and prevent unauthorised access.
Flexibility is also important for accountants. Firms benefit from the ability to print on a range of different paper sizes, shapes and textures. Spreadsheets that run across several A4 sheets are often difficult to read. Users typically need to ‘flip’ backwards and forwards to obtain relevant information. Some printers have banner printing capabilities which allow spreadsheets to be printed on a single sheet quickly and easily.
Flexible printing is also key in reducing wastage. Significant savings can be made by simply making sure printers are correctly configured before use. Also, routine use of double-sided printing will potentially save businesses thousands of pounds every year in ink cartridges, paper and general ‘wear and tear’.
Performance and Control
Accountancy firms stand to achieve significant benefits from bringing their printing in-house not only in pure economic terms but also with regards to the enhanced control this brings them over the ‘look and feel’ and the overall quality of their printed documentation.
However, in order to achieve these benefits they need to ensure that they choose a flexible solution, which allows them to make significant reductions in their costs while at the same time enhancing the quality and effectiveness of their communication with existing and prospective new clients.
Dave Willcox, Applications Solutions Manager, OKI Printing Solutions
