Johannesburg, 02 Sep 2003
Trying to change the way people work with their computers is one of the most difficult parts of being in the IT department of a company. Once employees feel that they understand the general workings of their personal IT systems, any changes are viewed with hostility.
This is particularly true when it comes to printing documents. Unfortunately, the perceived norm is not the most efficient or cost effective method of printing. Due to the legacy of the word processor and its predecessor, the typewriter, it has become accepted that employees who have the ability to type will also have the ability to print at their desks. In fact, many employees seem to believe hitting print and hearing their DeskJet printer, situated right next to them, slowly go through the action of printing is not just an accepted corporate standard, but an undeniable human right.
Another result of the jump from typewriter to PC has been that information is distributed throughout organisations in a totally different way. Before there was a PC on every desk, the managing director`s PA would type out the memo, photocopy it and then a copy would be put on each person`s desk. Nowadays, an email is distributed via the network to each employee`s mailbox. Logically this should mean that less paper is printed. But the converse is true. People like paper. In fact 70 percent of people who receive email are likely to print it out to read it. In reality the costs go up because it is more expensive to print than it is to photocopy.
The cultural and technological history behind corporate printing has resulted in many companies being unwilling to challenge the status quo - a PC and a printer on every desk. In these environments phrases like `network printer` do not go down well.
But we have to talk about network printing because it impacts the bottom line. Printing costs represent one of the most unmanaged and misunderstood office activities. Many organisations simply do not know how much is spent on printing each year.
With some simple maths you can see just how out of control these costs can become. The average office worker prints out 90Kgs of paper per year. This translates into 180 reams or 90 000 pieces of individual paper. That is a lot of paper. It`s also a lot of toner, electricity, paper jams and maintenance calls. Look at all the people in your office and imagine how much money could be saved if the company simply found a cheaper way to print all those pieces of paper.
The good news is that there is an easier way. The bad news is that most of your employees are not going to like it. It is network printing. The operational costs of desktop printers are up to six times higher than other printer options available. By changing the printing culture in an organisation the business will reduce its printing costs by up to six times.
South African businesses are going through tough times. The future is looking better but complacency isn`t going to get organisations through the next 12 months. By tightening up internal costs, many more companies will make it through this trying time. Its time for us to deal with the long faces, the complaints about the distance people have to walk and the initial teething problems. Get the IT department to load drivers on to all the PCs and take the plunge into network printing.
When you consider the advanced functionality of most multi-functional devices available today it is even possible that your grumpy employees may in fact admit that it is easier this way. It may take them a few months but once they realise they can print, copy, scan, bind, staple and do a host of other things through one machine they should come round.
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