As a small-business owner, you have so many things to do — any time you spend dealing with printer issues is time better spent on dozens of other things. Printer management should be the last thing on your mind. If you keep getting sidetracked to reorder ink cartridges or deal with paper jams, you can save time by following these steps.
Complete this to-do list once, and you likely won't have to think about printer management for quite a long time to come.
1. Ditch Your Old Printer for One that Saves Time
If your old printer suffers from wear and tear and constantly seems to need fixing, resolve to get a new one. By recycling your old printer, you can make room for a new machine that takes up less space, works faster, and is more user-friendly than your old model.
Look for new printers that offer color printing, wireless printing, copying, scanning and faxing, as well as document protection and privacy. That way, you'll have all your operations consolidated onto one secure machine that is simpler to maintain.
And here's another major incentive to buy a new printer: Some models are designed to provide long-term ink supplies, so you won't have to think about restocking your ink for many months or even years. Some printers are specifically designed to use high-capacity ink bottles rather than cartridges; in other cases, the printer itself comes with larger supplies of higher-yield ink.
2. Line Up Tech Support Services
Contracting technical support services means that your new machine will get regular service to ensure it stays in good condition. Having tech support also allows you to get your questions answered, helping you take full advantage of your new machine — and if any issues do arise, you won't have to spend time trying to figure out solutions by yourself.
Ask your tech vendor about your options, and keep the tech support number posted up near the printer for easy reference.
3. Sign Up for an Auto-Restock Program
If you opted for a new printer without an extra-large ink supply — or if that years-long supply has finally run out — you can sign up for an automatic restocking program through your retailer. All the ink you need will be delivered on a regular basis, so you always have more available when you run out. You can set your preferred timing for deliveries and change your order cadence online any time.
Dealing with printer issues can take up valuable minutes or hours in your day, and that's time most entrepreneurs don't have to spend. Follow these three steps, and you can stop worrying about your printer and focus on more important things.
