| Despite the tight budget strains, educators and | | | | schools opt for standard capacity toners due to |
| students alike want more services and higher | | | | their low purchase price, even though print cost |
| achievement levels. Dated technology and | | | | can rise as high as 14 pence-per-page. Most |
| administrative infrastructures may cause lowered | | | | manufacturers offer high capacity toners, which |
| productivity as well as increased cost of operating | | | | can reduce printing costs up to 35% by simply |
| under the old technology. | | | | buying in bulk. In a time where environmental |
| Schools throughout the last decade have been | | | | issues are top of mind for us all, look around for a |
| able to harness technological advances to benefit | | | | reputable vendor who will offer free recycling |
| the overall teaching process. While some forms of | | | | services for empty toners. |
| technology may have a cheap price label, hidden | | | | - Warranty and Maintenance: |
| costs are often involved, whether schools are | | | | Many manufacturers offer extended warranties |
| thinking about a new operating systems or | | | | and service initiatives with various benefits. |
| state-of-the-art interactive whiteboards. | | | | Initiatives, such as our Service For Supplies |
| Walk into a budding classroom or administrative | | | | programme provides end users with the comfort |
| office and you will see a proliferation of printing | | | | of knowing that they can effectively reduce their |
| equipment, ranging from colour laser printers, | | | | running costs by receiving next business day, |
| mono laser printers, ink-jet printers and copiers. | | | | onsite support for the life of the printer and free |
| Recent news in IT Pro alarmingly highlights that 69 | | | | maintenance for the price of their consumables. |
| percent of businesses are unaware of total cost | | | | - Easy to use printers: |
| of printing. However, printing is an area where | | | | Schools need to make sure that the printers they |
| schools can reap significant savings through | | | | choose are easy to operate by both staff and |
| properly assessing its printing requirements and | | | | students alike. Staff needs to be able to change |
| the total cost of running a printer, also known as | | | | toners and paper as well as comfortably operate |
| Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). | | | | the printer through the printer control panel. |
| The sheer amount of different models on the | | | | Printers with simple user interfaces can |
| printer market often confuses bursars wanting to | | | | significantly reduce queues to the printer, when |
| deploy the most cost effective, robust printing | | | | students are waiting for their work to print. |
| solution. If schools were evaluating printers only | | | | - Manage the printer network: |
| by each unit’s purchase price, most of the | | | | Schools can save money on printing by |
| administrative offices as well as classrooms would | | | | implementing an effective print strategy, by |
| be running ink-jet printers. However, ink-jet | | | | looking at which printer’s receive the most |
| printers in the busy education environment are | | | | jobs, which users and departments make the |
| rightly considered as a false economy. Where as | | | | most print jobs and what percentage of print job |
| the investment is low, the costs for ink-jet | | | | are in colour. Most vendors should be able to |
| consumables; such as ink cartridges, maintenance | | | | offer monitoring tools for all of these. |
| and paper, can quickly mount up to exceed that | | | | - Choosing the right manufacturer: |
| of a top-of-the-range laser printer. | | | | Each school is different and requirements vary on |
| Factor in the hidden costs | | | | individual basis. Make sure that the manufacturer |
| Mono- and colour laser printers have quickly | | | | or dealer you deal with understands your needs |
| become standard in the education environment | | | | and does not try and sell the fanciest printer that |
| due to their print speeds as well as the rugged | | | | may not match your printing needs. The wrong |
| durability they offer. However, TCO is something | | | | printer in the wrong place will have a significant |
| that is often overlooked by IT managers and | | | | impact on TCO. |
| bursars involved in printer acquisition projects. | | | | With the effective utilisation of both colour laser- |
| Schools should be aware of the hidden costs on | | | | and mono laser printers schools can develop a |
| printing, such as: | | | | printing strategy, which is not only fast and |
| - Network Management: | | | | effective, but easy on the budget as well. Each |
| Most printers today come network ready, and | | | | printer manufacturer and dealer should explain |
| where networked printers can effectively reduce | | | | TCO to their customers so that mutual |
| TCO; a growing population of printers will require | | | | understanding and trust is established. Total Cost |
| more network management. | | | | of Ownership can be tackled with advice from |
| - High usage and Consumables: | | | | the leading supplier and implementation of the right |
| Users who tend to use the wrong printer for their | | | | printers. |
| print jobs can significantly increase TCO. Most | | | | Making the right decision in terms of investment |
| schools today utilise both mono laser printers for | | | | means buying a printer that fulfils the application |
| word document processing and colour laser | | | | requirement. The right printer for the job brings |
| printers for worksheet material and/or | | | | about many advantages. It can improve work |
| presentation slides covered in the lessons. Schools | | | | presentation, reduce project time and most |
| also need to be aware that sending print jobs to | | | | importantly save money. |
| a smaller printer will, overtime, overload the | | | | To correctly calculate a printer's total cost of |
| printer leading to increased consumable and | | | | ownership. Combine the acquisition price, cost per |
| maintenance costs. | | | | page, reliability, and support. Each printer will excel |
| - Maintenance: | | | | in more than one area, but all must be considered |
| Technology with moving parts will need | | | | when defining TCO. Most reputable printer |
| maintenance at some point of its lifecycle. Printer | | | | vendors will be able to provide estimations of |
| service can represent up to 50% of the overall | | | | their printer’s TCO. |
| printing costs. Maintenance, along with | | | | About TallyGenicom |
| consumables is a key factor when considering a | | | | TallyGenicom is one of the largest companies in |
| printer purchase. | | | | the world focused exclusively on supplying |
| Reduce your printing costs | | | | computer printers, supplies and service to |
| With the demand for bespoke lesson plans, | | | | commercial and industrial users. All TallyGenicom |
| in-class materials and the rise of desktop publishing | | | | products are designed and manufactured to |
| courses, colour printing is more in demand than | | | | perform critical, business-specific printing tasks in |
| ever and schools need to take a more strategic | | | | industries such as healthcare, transportation, |
| view of their printing needs. | | | | manufacturing, warehousing and retail. Major |
| Choosing the right printing equipment for either | | | | international corporations such as Wal-Mart, |
| the class room or back office is not as daunting | | | | American Airlines, Tesco, Daimler Chrysler, |
| as it may seem as there are effective ways in | | | | Blockbuster and Volkswagen use TallyGenicom |
| which schools can effectively reduce TCO. For | | | | printers because of their customized design, |
| example, by choosing the right mix of robust | | | | rugged construction, proven reliability and durability. |
| mono laser and colour laser printers. With | | | | TallyGenicom world-wide headquarters are in the |
| effective utilisation of both types of printers, | | | | United States in Chantilly, VA near Washington, |
| schools and educators can effectively drive down | | | | D.C. Its European headquarters are in Ulm, |
| the TCO, as mono laser printers provide crisp | | | | Germany. In Europe the firm has operations in |
| text at a lower cost than a colour laser. | | | | Paris, Vienna, Milan and Basingstoke in the UK. |
| There are many ways in which TCO can be | | | | Asian operations are located in Singapore and |
| effectively reduced: | | | | Jiangmen, China. The company markets Tally, |
| - Choose the right consumables: | | | | Genicom and TallyGenicom products worldwide. |
| Toners can be a burden on IT expenditure. Often, | | | | |