As a business, a main objective is usually to maximize profits and minimize costs and one factor that can definitely affect how much money is being spent is the amount of printer ink that is used. With companies becoming increasingly aware of how their practices impact the environment and taking steps to do their part in cutting down on printing on paper, the reality is some documents still need to be printed.
While there is no way around this, there are techniques that your company can use to conserve on how much ink is used and therefore save a noticeable amount of money.
1. Think before you print
Being mindful of whether or not you really need to print something before you complete the task goes a long way in conserving ink. In this age of technology, documents can be emailed and scanned just as easy as they can be printed but this is more economical as recipients can read them right from their computer, smart phone, or tablet without needing to print it.
If you really do need to print something, make use of the print preview option before sending it to the printer. That way, you will be able to see how many pages will be printed, you can delete pages that are not needed, and if it is from a browser you can confirm that there are no advertisements or comments present that will use up more ink than needed.
2. Use compatible cartridges
Companies that manufacture printers also make the cartridges that go with them but this does not mean you need to purchase them. These cartridges can be expensive and they may not even last as long as they should.
As a result. more people are turning to generic cartridges that are compatible with the printers that they have because they usually work just as well and are a fraction of the price of the ones sold by the printer manufacturer. These cartridges can usually be found at bigger office supply stores but if you are having issues locating them they can easily be bought online.
3. Consider cost per page
Like most consumers, you consider the sticker price as a major factor in your decision when purchasing a business printer, but this does not tell the whole story. In reality, printers that are more expensive have a lower cost per page and models more economical in price usually cost more to operate. This means that spending more on a printer will mean spending less on ink in the long run.
When purchasing a printer, you need to determine what type you need as this will also influence how much ink that you use. For instance, having a laser printer means it is able to print higher volumes within a reasonable period of time, but you will be paying hundreds of dollars to replace multiple cartridges. If you have a smaller business and demands are not as high, smaller inkjet models will allow you to print what you need and replacing cartridges will not be as expensive.
4. Adjust your settings
When you pair your printer to a computer or add it to a network, the software that comes with it maintains default settings and these could be a major reason why you are not able to conserve ink. Adjusting just a few of these settings in the software will allow you to save ink significantly. Most printers have an ink or toner saver mode that prints lighter and therefore saves ink.
Adjust your resolution to something less than the common 600 dots per inch (dpi) so less ink is used. On an inkjet printer, take advantage of fast draft options when sharp resolutions are not a requirement as this will reduce the density of the darker ink and lead to overall savings. When possible choose black and white printing over colour as well and choose the grayscale option as colour ink cartridges are usually more expensive.