Many businesses have multiple print devices floating around the office. As the price dropped and quality improved, businesses looking for an affordable print alternative turned to the low cost inkjet as a way to offer employees a personal device to improve productivity. Lured by the low entry price many businesses bought inkjet devices only to find that the true cost of ownership was hidden in the consumables!
The Benefits of Inkjet Technology
While the low entry price is a major incentive for companies seeking to increase their print capabilities, there are other advantages to inkjet technology. Easy to set-up and offering a small footprint, an inkjet printer is perfect for placing on a desk.
Today’s machines feature color print in addition to black and white, and while not as high quality as laser devices, it’s more than sufficient for most office applications. With the focus on security in today’s workplace, because inkjet printers are often directly connected and not network accessible, they offer a higher degree of privacy and security.
Sometimes, It’s What You Can’t See That Hurts You!
However, a recent study uncovered some shocking details about the true cost of that “inexpensive” inkjet printer on your desk. A recent comparison of the cost-per-ounce of different liquids found that:
- Crude oil costs $.015/ounce
- Milk costs $.02/ounce
- Dom Perignon Champagne costs $4.54/ounce
- Human Blood costs $10.83/ounce
- Chanel No.5 costs $22.00/ounce
- LIQUID PRINTER INK COSTS $32.99/ounce!! OUCH!
Let’s put that into perspective, if you pay $32.99 for an inkjet cartridge that produces 500 prints (at the manufacturer’s rated yield of 5% coverage – about a paragraph) your cost per page is around 65 cents. Increase the coverage and add graphics and that can bring your cost per page to over a dollar! If you print that same page in color, increase that cost by up to 4X as color prints require four or more different ink cartridges!
If you have a lot of inkjet printers located on the desks in your office you need to think about and consider a strategy to lower costs. Enter Managed Print Services! If you’re serious about lowering your print costs a print assessment is a great idea. An MPS provider will come into your office, prepare a review of your office technology and provide you with a detailed report outlining your exact cost-per-print for each machine in your office. It’s a smart business decision that can give you a starting point to address the high cost of your print environment along with some potential next steps.
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