More companies are choosing printer leasing and photocopier leasing companies when it comes to securing printers and photocopiers for the office requirements. The photocopier isn’t a stranger to the office though. Since the inception of the photocopier in 1959, it has become seen, quite literally, as part of the office furniture. Purchased sporadically, the printer would be repaired repeatedly until it could literally be repaired no more. Then it was thrown onto the rubbish heap and replaced with a sparkly new model and paid for from capital expenditure. However, in recent years, more and more companies are turning to photocopier leasing companies to help them with their printing needs – and the main driver behind this isn’t the money. Ok, it might have a little to do with money. It’s much easier to budget a set amount each month in operating costs than it is to stump up an eyewatering sum of money from time-to-time when you’re not expecting it. However, there are plenty more reasons why photocopier and printer leasing are becoming increasingly popular.

Leasing reflects the change in how people do business

The internet has made it possible for people to start a business with much lower levels of capital. All anyone needs is a laptop and a kitchen table to start their own business empire. There are fewer businesses that approach a bank with a list of all the office equipment needs to be funded. These small businesses grow, but often organically and often tentatively, and with a very limited budget. Leasing a photocopier or printer takes some of the risk out of scaling a business. But this isn’t the main reason.

The real reason businesses of all stages and sizes are turning to photocopier leasing

Photocopiers and printers first started appearing in the workplace back in the 1930s. Initially advancements in printing or photocopying technology only really happened every twenty to thirty years – a business may have changed their photocopier several times during that period.

As time marched on, advancements in technology accelerated. 1991 saw the world’s first networked printer. Then, from 1993 to 1996, the internet became widespread among businesses. Since then, the world’s become more aware of resource management and cost savings. This sparked demand for double-sided copying, stapling and hole-punching to reduce manual efforts. There’s also been a surge in the awareness of energy costs and the need to be environmentally friendly, which has driven the integration of smart energy saving features.

The introduction of email has brought about scan to email technology, and digitalisation has triggered an appetite for scan to PDF technology.

New storage solutions have led to demand for USB/SD card printing, and a greater awareness of security has led to increasingly secure systems that demand users input codes to access their printing queue. As technology enables more design work to be carried out inhouse, printing and photocopying features have also been expected to keep pace with resizing capabilities and improved dpi.

Whilst this is by no means an exhaustive list, it illustrates the rate of progression when it comes to product development within the photocopier and printing industry. Those businesses that can move quickly and take advantage of this new technology find themselves in a stronger position. They can deliver copied documents more professionally, faster, more efficiently and in a more environmentally aware manner than those businesses that simply sit and wait for their photocopier engineer to give them sombre news that it’s time to replace their photocopier.

Photocopying lease companies can level the playing field between those businesses that can afford the newest technology, and those that can’t. By shifting the initial outlay into more manageable regular instalments, companies of all sizes can access new technology much earlier. This gives smaller businesses the opportunity to reap the same benefits as larger more affluent organisations such as faster and more streamlined production, lower costs and improved environmental credentials.

If you’d like to learn more about photocopier leasing or leasing printers, give us a call on 0345 2077000 and we’ll help you find the best way to secure the printing and photocopying solutions that your business needs if it is to continue to be efficient and to strive to serve your customers in the way that you want and that your customers deserve.