Repair vs Replace: 7 Key Benefits of Choosing Printer Repair
Is your business printer having trouble? Are you thinking about buying a new printer?
Before you move forward with that decision, give yourself a chance to consider printer repair as an alternative. In many cases, the savings and benefits of fixing your current office printer-copier can outweigh getting a new machine.
Office printers don’t have to be consigned to the trash pile as soon as the first bug crops up. A little love and care can keep them running far longer and save you money in the long run.
To help you decide whether repairing your business printer is the smart choice for your company, here’s a list of seven benefits of printer repair. Read on to learn more!
1. Cost of a New Printer
A good business-oriented laser printer with scanning, high-volume printing, and the bells and whistles can cost a couple of thousand dollars. This is a big outlay of cash and you might not need to spend it if you can have your existing printer repaired instead.
Weigh up the replacement cost versus how much it will cost to service your printer. Get a quote from your printer service company before you take the plunge on a new machine. Printer repair is probably less than you think and certainly less than a new printer.
2. Age of Printer
How old is your current printer? If it’s less than a few years old, the technology is still current enough that printer repair is a good option to consider. Buying a new one when your printer isn’t that old won’t get you a big jump in capabilities.
3. Labor Costs of Printer Repair
Labor costs for printer repair can be inexpensive. Most good repair companies will charge between $50 and $100 per hour for service. Unless your printer is very old and has major repairs needed, your service time will likely be just a few hours.
With that in mind, you can repair an existing printer at least a handful of times before you rack up fees that equal the cost of a new printer.
If you don’t have a printer repair company already, do some research and ask for quotes. Compare service plans and fees to see which repair option makes the most sense for your business.
4. Lifetime Volume Limits
Working out how much you use your current printer is a good way to determine the benefit of repairing it. Printers have a lifetime volume limit. If you are still a long way from hitting that limit then printer repair makes good sense. But if you are nearing the limit, the cost of repairing it might not be worth it.
Check your monthly usage. You can do this by running a system check on the printer. It should tell you how many pages you are printing each month.
Multiply that number by eighty-four (seven years’ worth). If your total number is higher than the lifetime volume limit specified by the manufacturer then it’s time to consider replacing your printer. But if you are under the lifetime volume limit then repairing it is definitely worth it.
5. Cost Per Page
If you have a low cost-per-page on your current printer you could save in the long run by repairing it. Work out how many pages you can print before you need a new cartridge. Divide the cost by the pages to find out your cost per page.
If the cost per page is low and your service changes for repair aren’t too high, then you will pay less in the long run compared to buying a new printer. The savings over that period are a good reason to keep the printer you have.
6. Familiarity with the Tech
Another benefit of printer repair is that you don’t have to learn all about a new printer. Chances are you and your staff have grown accustomed to the printer you have. The time savings of not having to train staff how to use the new printer are well worth your consideration.
Familiarity with technology is also good for staff morale. If they know how to use the current printer and you don’t have a lot of complaints about it, repairing it will keep staff happier. Training and learning the particulars of a new machine can frustrate staff.
Weigh up staff happiness and contentment against the perceived benefits of a new machine. If the current printer isn’t too old and does everything your team needs it to do it makes sense to repair it and keep it running.
7. No Need to Go Shopping
Have you done the research and tried shopping for a new device recently? It can be laborious and painful. So many choices, so hard to actually work out what you need.
Does your current printer do what you need it to do? If, yes, maybe you don’t need to invest the time and effort to find a new one.
The time and stress savings from repairing your current printer over finding a new one should not be underestimated. There is value in not having to find the time and knowledge to buy something new. This is especially true when the cost of a new printer can be enough to make the decision a difficult one.
Consider the Benefits of Printer Repair
As you can see, there are many good benefits of printer repair over printer replacement. If your printer isn’t too old, does the job you need it to do and can be repaired for relatively little expense, then keeping it makes a lot of sense.
Do your research on the cost of a new machine. Ask for labor quotes from repair companies. Check your usage costs and ask the staff what they think about the current printer.
Once you have your information to hand, work out the cost-benefit ratio. You may well find that repairing the printer you have is the smarter choice.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about printer repair. We have highly qualified experts who can walk you through a quote process and answer any service questions you may have.
