Effectively document meetings with an electronic whiteboard!

May 9th, 2012 Comments Off

Electronic whiteboards have been around for years.  Early boards (and a few current ones) utilized an on-board printer to save essential meeting notes.  It wasn’t until the past few years these boards began getting a technological face lift. Now you have the ability to use interactive boards to control your computer in conjunction with a projector, save meeting notes in full color, built in speakers, wireless transmission of documents to your computer, both finger touch and pen touch.

These boards allow you to interact with coworkers and students alike.  With the ability to engage your audience through eye-catching material we can guarantee you will effectively get your information to them.  There are a plethora of sizes and dimensions to fit the smallest or largest of work environments.

Here are just a few of the board brands that are available:

Panasonic Panaboard, Plus Boards, Smart Boards, Quartet, Polyvision, and Promethian

Before you make any decisions about an electronic whiteboard, do your homework.  There is a board that will suit your business perfectly and we can help you find it.

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The death of the fax machine!

May 2nd, 2012 Comments Off

It has taken several years but most manufacturers have opted to drop out of the fax machine industry.  While most still continue to bundle fax options within there new product lines, it won’t be long before the fax is completely gone.  We have seen a drastic decline in fax machines when the economy began to take a hit back in 2008.  Most of our customers migrated from there traditional faxing needs in favor of scanning to email.

Even those still utilizing fax technology are finding it hard to swallow the $1200.00 or more price tag of the machines.  It’s much cheaper to purchase a multifunction machine with faxing capabilities than it is to buy a high end fax.  You can now purchase a multifunction machine capable of handling 5000 prints per month for under $900.00.  Consumable costs have been drastically reduced as well.  Most manufacturers have began slashing costs on consumables.  If you aren’t paying less than a cent per copy, you are paying to much.

Whether you are in need of a copy machine, fax machine, printer, or scanner, a multifunction machine is the way to go.  You really don’t have any other options.  Multifunction machine are the only thing available.

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How to prepare/package a copy machine for return or shipping.

March 8th, 2012 Comments Off

There are several reasons for needing to package a copier.  Perhaps your copier lease is up and you need to return the machine to the leasing company, you sold the copier on ebay and you need to prepare it for shipping, or you simply need to ship it to another destination within your own company.

  1. Remove all cartridges from the machine, especially the toner and developer.  Package it separately, and wrap it in a plastic bag.  There is a good chance the toner will leak and it may be best to plan on purchasing a new toner.
  2. Most machines come with some sort of scanner lock.  This is important because it will lock the scanner in place during shipment.  DO NOT THROW THESE AWAY WHEN YOU GET THE MACHINE, YOU MAY NEED THEM LATER.  Put the scanner lock back into place before shipping.  You may need to consult your owners manual on how to position the scanner in order to lock it in place.
  3. Consult the owners manual on how to wipe the hard driver of any sensitive information.  Do not remove the hard drive.  Removing it could make the machine unusable to anyone else.
  4. Properly package the machine for shipment.  Depending on the size of the machine will determine the carrier that you can use.  UPS will allow for smaller machines.  Contact UPS or the truck line carrier to find out how to best package the machine in order for the machine to be able to be insured.  If a machine is improperly packaged, it does not matter how much insurance you have, the carrier can simply deny the claim.
  5. Do not stack anything on top of the copy machine.  You could damage the document feeder or crack the glass

UPS typically does a pretty good job of shipping smaller machines if packaged correctly.  For larger machines you will need to contact a truck line that specializes in office equipment.  These companies generally have “Air-Ride” trucks that allow for a safer shipment of copy machines.

If you have any questions in regards to how to safely package your copy machine, feel free to contact us at 866-530-8502 and we will be happy to assist you.

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How to choose the right multifunction printer for your business.

February 2nd, 2012 Comments Off

Are you in the market for a printer?  Are you finding it difficult to sort through the various brands?  Choosing the right printer should not be as difficult as purchasing a car.  We are going to give you a few pointers on how to narrow down the search and even show your a few machines that have been popular sellers for us.

1) You will want to look at a digital/laser machine.  While inkjets look great (because they are cheap), over the long run, you could have saved hundreds of dollars in consumables by purchasing a laser printer. Consumables are toner, developers, and drums.

2) Consider going multifunction.  Multifunction machines have come down so far in price, it is hardly worth buying JUST a printer.  You also have the advantage or copying, scanning, faxing, and networking capabilities.

3) Now comes the tricky part.  You need to figure out the volume of printing that your business does.  If you purchase a printer that is to low volume, the printer will fail only have a couple years.  You need to purchase a printer that will be able to compensate for increased volume over the life of the machine.  Typically we suggest if you are doing 5000 prints per month, you should purchase a machine capable of doing 10,000 per month.

4) Now that you know the type of machine that you are looking for it is time to compare the actual machines.  Digital technology has progressed far enough that most machines are fairly similar.  The most important thing to look for is cost per copy.  Divide the toner cost by the toner yield.  A good black and white multifunction machine should cost around half a cent per copy.  A good color multifunction machine should cost around five cents per copy.  This will fluctuate a little depending on the size of the machine you purchase.  The higher end the machine, the lower the cost per copy and vice-verse.

5) If you are doing a lot of black and white copying and very little color, it may be best to purchase 2 machines.  A high end black and white multifunction copier / printer and a low end color multifunction printer.  Because the cost per copy is so different between a color multifunction printer than a black and white, it may save you money over time in consumable cost.

If you have any question about selection or cost per copy call us at 866 530 8502

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How often does a manufacturer discontinue a copy machine line?

December 16th, 2011 Comments Off

Most copy machines are discontinued and replaced by a newer model every year (sometimes sooner, sometimes later).  There are a few reasons why most manufacturers discontinue making a line of copy machines.

  1. The bulk of the manufacturers money comes after the sale of the copier.  They make money off of, toner, developers, drums, and other consumable parts.  Once the machine has been out for a significant amount of time, generic and refurbished cartridges begin to flood the market.  The sale of consumable products begins to drop.  For the most part, digital copiers have changed very little over the past ten years.  Like purchasing a car, if you have the opportunity to purchase a discontinued copier, you could save several hundred to several thousand dollars.  Purchasing a refurbished copier is also another option.
  2. On occasion manufacturers will replace an older model due to a flaw in the design.  Though this is very uncommon, we have seen this happen once or twice.  For instance, Samsung had a copier a 5 years back that had problems when adding a finisher (stapler) to the machine.  Dealers were unable to correct the problem.  Samsung came out with a new machine that had fixed the design flaw shortly after.
  3. Over the past couple of years we have seen several manufacturers simply stop making certain types of office equipment.  Okidata stopped making black and white copiers, Sharp stopped making fax machines, and Lanier and Ricoh merged into one.  While these companies are still required to continue to make parts and consumable for these machines, most of the dealerships have vanished or swapped the copier line they were selling.  Typically we would suggest you stay away from discontinued machines from manufacturers that no longer make a particular line of office equipment.

It’s easy to get confused by hard selling salesmen.  Do your research first and contact multiple dealers.  Local companies are the worst about selling discontinued equipment.  In order to maintain their dealerships, they are required to purchase a certain amount of products.  They do no replenish their stock until the old units are sold.

Call us at 866-530-8502 if you have any questions in regards to discontinued office equipment.

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Copystar CS-255 digital multifunction copier!

November 30th, 2011 Comments Off

The new Copystar CS-255 is a modern marvel in the copy machine industry.  The base machine comes standard with 1 500 sheet paper drawers, reverse document feeder, duplex, network printing, network color scanning, and tops it off with a toner cartridge included.  These features buy themselves makes the machine worth a look from any potential mid size business seeking to upgrade their office equipment.  What makes the Copystar CS-255 a great machine is the pricing and yields of the cartridges.

CLICK HERE FOR PRICING ON THE

COPYSTAR CS-255

Lets do the math.
Toner $84.00 / 12,000 (yield) = .0071
Maintenance Kit $375.00 / 300,000 (Yield) = .00125
Total cost per copy $0.00835

That is just the consumable cost. If you also add the value of being energy efficient, this machine is a winner any day.

For more information on the Copystar CS-255 click the link below to view the manufacturers brochure.  You may also call us at 866-530-8502 and talk to a knowledgeable sales rep.

Copystar CS-255 Product Information

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How to Ship Big and Delicate Office Essentials: Same Day Courier Service and Other Options

November 30th, 2011 Comments Off

So, let’s say you need to move your office across the country. Unfortunately, this is no small
feat. You have computers, desks, chairs, and other equipment to transport. You may have a
pick-up truck and some dedicated employees who have offered to help you move the office
supplies. However, you may feel a little uneasy about transporting large and fragile items like
your copy machine, computers, and antique reception furniture. And what if you need to ship
everything to the new office ASAP? Fortunately, you can find a same day courier service or
another kind of courier service to meet your needs, no matter what they are. Here are some of
your options for shipping a few unwieldy office essentials:

Copy Machines

Nothing breaks down faster or easier than a copy machine. You have to make sure you hire
the right delivery company, so this important piece of office equipment doesn’t break down or
get damaged en route to your new office. There are companies that specialize in moving and
shipping large office equipment of this kind. It’s a good idea to find a company that has years
of experience moving and shipping office equipment. The company should know what kind of
packaging should be used to ship a copy machine. And they should know how to secure and
cover the copy machine if it is being transported in a delivery truck.

Computers

If you need to transport a hundred computers from your office in Louisiana to a new office in
Texas, there should be no doubt in your mind that you need to find the right people to handle
the job. Your office computers likely store important data and information that is integral to
your business operations. If computers are packaged incorrectly when they’re shipped, they
can easily break. Similarly, if they aren’t situated appropriately in a truck, it’s pretty common
for them to be severely damaged in the event that the driver takes a sharp turn or gets in a
wreck. So, it’s essential to find small business technology delivery companies to take care of
things for you.

Antique Office Furniture

Many businesses have antique furniture in their front offices to provide clients with a
comfortable place to wait. Transporting your company’s antique furniture can be a challenge.
Delivery companies don’t simply have to worry about packaging the items and securing them
in the delivery truck. They also have to be concerned about making sure the items are stored
in a cool, dry place at all times. Finding a quality company to transport your antique furniture
requires some research. You might even benefit from calling up a local antique shop and asking
them if they know of any companies that would be able to transport the furniture efficiently
and affordable.

So, find the right courier services for your company’s needs. Transporting your office
equipment should be left to the professionals!

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