Archive for August 2009
Don't Get Trapped by Your Copier Company in Ft Worth!
Tags: copier buying tips fort worth, Copier Fort Worth, Copiers Ft Worth, fort worth copier tips, Ft Worth Copier
Buying a Copier Without Assessing Risks is a Dangerous Game!
Are you in the market for a new copier in Fort Worth? Is it time to get rid of that old copier and get something a little more modern in the office. Something that will actually scan and make your life easier… Before you breathe too big a sigh of relief, there are some things you should be thinking about and some hard questions you should be asking your copier rep before you sign on the line that is dotted!
If my brother owned a small or medium sized business and decided to call me for some copier advice and to make sure he had a good deal, here are some tips I would give him. (Knowing my brothers, I don’t think they’ll do this anytime soon, so you may as well get the benefit from this imaginary conversation!)
- Do not sign up for a 5 year contract unless you are absolutely going to let it go to the end of that contract. Don’t take any “free upgrades” at year 4 because that is not a “free upgrade” at all. It’s just included in the new contract.
- Don’t sign a contract that uses language like “we reserve the right to raise the contract rate by 15% each calendar year.” Someone else will do the contract without that language.
- Don’t buy a tabloid copier if you don’t do tabloid printing and don’t buy finishing unless you absolutely need them in your next copier in Fort Worth.
- Make sure to do a few copier comparisons before blindly spending $12,000
- Don’t buy a color copier in Fort Worth if you don’t need color!
These few simple tricks can save you thousands of dollars and don’t require you to be a copier authority in Fort Worth to save money. If you would like a quote, please give us a call!
If Your Quote Looks Simple, It's Missing the Mark
Tags: Copier Forth Worth, Copier Quote Fort Worth, copiers fort worth, Copiers in Fort Worth, Forth Worth Copier
Get A Quote That Meets Your Needs
Quotes are funny things. When we ask for one here in Forth Worth, we like a simple number that covers all our needs. It feels good to get a couple of them, take the least expensive one, subtract if from the most expensive quote and pat ourselves on the back for how much money we “saved.”
If you’re doing this with your copier quotes, you’re most likely getting taken for a ride…even on the cheapest one. A Fort Worth copier quote should be tailored to your specific needs and reflect that on the quote. You should have:
1. All finishing options (and their prices on there)
2. How much your paying on maintenence
3. How much you’re paying for consumables, and
4. How much your total cost for your copier is.
Each copier has dramatically varying costs (for the copier and for the supplies). If you don’t know where that one, simple number is coming from, you don’t know what you’re paying for. I reccomend looking at our Copiers For Sale page to get an idea of how much the cost of ownership SHOULD be for your needs. If you do this, you’ll be an informed Forth Worth customer asking for a detailed quote…instead of a happy-go-lucky sucker who’s easy prey for copier salesmen.
Check out our site, look around at the tips, and then call for a quote. It may not be one simple number, but it will help you be an informed consumer who’s getting a good deal. I look forward to working with you.
Don't Feel Trapped by Your Next Copier Lease in Fort Worth
Tags: Color Copier Fort Worth, Copier Fort Worth, copiers fort worth, Fort Worth Copier buying tips
Does your copier contract make you feel like a slave?
It has almost been 5 years and it is time to start looking for a new copier. The one you have has been working OK, but you felt a little stuck the last year or two because you wanted features like color scanning or just less service calls. We have a little different view on copier leases than most copier companies in Fort Worth. Copier companies have an interest in locking you into a 5 year contract, but why?
- If you are locked into a 5 year contract, they don’t have to requote every year. Saves time and energy.
- There is a lower chance of losing a customer (you), even if performance is a bit off.
- It is more profitable to do it this way. More payments and the extra profit can be spread over more years so you don’t notice.
Why could this be bad for you as a consumer?
- Almost everyone tries to get you to upgrade at year 4.5 — We understand they all say it’s free, but it’s actually just included… you are paying for these last 6 months one way or the other.
- Technology changes quickly. Do you want to be stuck with the technology of 5 years ago as you try and be competitive with your business?
- Savings — If you can get the maintenance requoted after 3 years, it makes it so you can then go year to year or month to month. I actually like 4 year contracts the best. This is about when all of our customers are really ready for something new anyway.
We hope if you are looking for a copier in Fort Worth, you will give us a call!
Is Color Coverage Stretching Your Budget?
Tags: Color Copier Tips, Color Copiers, Color Copiers Fort Worth, Fort Worth Color Copiers
How Color Copies can Stretch Your Budget...A Lot!
If you own a color copier in Fort Worth, you know how how much supplies can add up. If you’re on a lease and are charged overages for color copies with high coverage, you also know how much color prints can add up. I don’t think most people understand how coverage works, which is why office managers are always asking “how can we have run out of toner already?”
On a color copier or MFP, coverage is determined (almost always) on the industry average of 20%. 20% coverage on your color copies sounds reasonable…however, this 20% does NOT mean 20% of the page in full color! Coverage is a combined total of all four colors at 5% each, which is actually very little color. It looks like this:
5% Black
5% Cyan
5% Magenta
5% yellow
——————
Total: 20%
Most pages that are full color are actually around 140% coverage. This number can be higher depending on the shade and size of the color image. So, if you’re wondering why that 12,000 page Magenta toner cartridge actually only printed 2,900 pages, don’t call your toner dealer and give it to them because the cartridge was a lemon! If you’re buying OEM cartridges for your color copier in Fort Worth, it just means your copies are very high coverage.
Here’s what this means for you: if you’re nearing the end of your lease, make sure you don’t have cover overage charges in your contract. Or, if you own a color copier and color costs are killing you, you may be better off selling your color copier and buying a more efficient model. Color copiers in Fort Worth can pay for themselves very quickly if you currently own a model with expensive supplies. Give us a call for a breakdown of your current copier costs along with a quote for a more efficient color copier in Fort Worth.
Are You Guilty of Spending too Much on Your Copier?
Tags: Copier Fort Worth, Fort Worth Copier, Fort Worth Copier Sales, Overspending on Copier Purchases
Are You Guilty of Spending Too Much?
OK, we’ve all done it. We have all spent too much on an item and later realized we got a terrible deal. There have been some historically bad deals such as France selling 800,000 acres in the Louisana purchase when we had only set out to buy New Orleans for $11,250,000. Now, this isn’t the sort of deal we’re talking about, after all… we’re only speaking of $3,000 to $10,000 copiers. (To put this into perspective, the last US bailout cost more than the Louisana Purchase, Marshall Plan, Going to the Moon, S&L Bailout, Korean War, New Deal, Iraq War, Vietnam War and NASA’s lifetime budget combined, all adjusted for inflation)
So, what are some of the ways you can get a bad deal on a copier?
- Pay too much for the equipment up front
- Pay too little for equipment so the supplies cost too much
- Just overpay because you don’t get quotes
- Overpay leasing companies
- Overpay on accessories
Now, you don’t need to be the victim. Make sure there are some things you check out. Our other articles will help you walk through the copier landmine and hopefully land a great deal. If you would like to talk to us in person, give us a call and we’d be happy to help!
Blow up the Way You Buy Copiers!
Tags: Copier Fort Worth, Fort Worth Copier, New Copier Fort Worth, Used Copier Fort Worth
Blow up your old way of thinking about copiers!
Copiers have been around for years and so has the way we buy copiers. Nothing changes because we get used to our patterns. What are some of the expensive patterns copier buyers in Fort Worth fall into?
- Rather than buying based on need, people buy based on what the old budget was. Copier prices have been going down over the last 10 years and people still pay the same prices as they did 10 years ago.
- Purchasing a copier in Tabloid format rather than letter/legal when Tabloid isn’t needed.
- Buying from the guy who sold them the last copier by default rather than allowing competition.
- Rolling the current copier into the new lease for a “free upgrade” 6 months before the end of the current term. (Is anything really free.)
- Not itemizing a contract to see if they want to actually pay $1,700 for a stapler (granted, sometimes it is worth it, but sometimes it’s not)
- Only considering a new or a used copier. If you plan to keep the copier 4 to 5 years, new is the way to go… For 1,2, or 3 you can make a case for a used copier at times.
Just try and take a step back to buy a copier in a way that makes sense. Taking time to analyze and assess what you are doing will help you greatly whether you purchase a copier in Fort Worth from us or someone else.
