Consolidating Printers and Remote Printer Monitoring
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@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
@dbeato said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
It is common, however just make sure when they configure only the Static IP of the printers to be picking them up. Also make sure the SNMP community is not public (also none of your devices should have that).
I should ask them about this. I am guessing that all the printers are going to have to be networked now.
They aren't currently? Which printers are you looking at having maintenance plans on? Usually you get a few "centralized printers" and that handful of devices are what get managed.
If you wanted Bob in accounting to have his own printer, it could be networked, but usually not on a maintenance contract.
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@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
@dbeato said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
It is common, however just make sure when they configure only the Static IP of the printers to be picking them up. Also make sure the SNMP community is not public (also none of your devices should have that).
I should ask them about this. I am guessing that all the printers are going to have to be networked now.
They aren't currently? Which printers are you looking at having maintenance plans on? Usually you get a few "centralized printers" and that handful of devices are what get managed.
If you wanted Bob in accounting to have his own printer, it could be networked, but usually not on a maintenance contract.
We have way too many printers. We have several managers that have their own, but they are networked. We also have some that are USB only. I am not really sure what the requirements are. Accounting started this process lol
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@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
Accounting started this process
They are very likely looking at the monthly spend on supplies for all of these different printers (likely different makes and models too) and trying to reduce that cost.
So many people don't require printers, getting a few higher capacity and faster printers that are more central tends to work out so much better than 20 something printers with their own toner etc.
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@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
Accounting started this process
They are very likely looking at the monthly spend on supplies for all of these different printers (likely different makes and models too) and trying to reduce that cost.
So many people don't require printers, getting a few higher capacity and faster printers that are more central tends to work out so much better than 20 something printers with their own toner etc.
Yeah, the thing is, although I have been able to centralize some stuff, they are all too freakin lazy to get up and go to centralized printers that are 10-20 ft away.
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@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
Yeah, the thing is, although I have been able to centralize some stuff, they are all too freakin lazy to get up and go to centralized printers that are 10-20 ft away.
Accounting will fix that.
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@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
Yeah, the thing is, although I have been able to centralize some stuff, they are all too freakin lazy to get up and go to centralized printers that are 10-20 ft away.
Accounting will fix that.
I am not holding my breath. The guy who orders toner, gets it off ebay and auction sites or where ever it is the cheapest. And it isn't genuine- it is drill and fill and leaks all over the pages and printer internals.
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@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
guy who orders toner,
So you work for a place where general managers just purchase things without approval?
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@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
guy who orders toner,
So you work for a place where general managers just purchase things without approval?
I work at a family-owned business. So, yes. Also, this guy orders everything from batteries to nitrile gloves to office chairs and toner. I order all IT issued equipment.
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And on top of that, the things purchased cause more issues (and likely reprints) rather than just using genuine or quality aftermarket parts and supplies?
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@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
And on top of that, the things purchased cause more issues (and likely reprints) rather than just using genuine or quality aftermarket parts and supplies?
Yup. I think that is part of what sparked this.
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@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
I order all IT issued equipment.
Why is printer supplies not a part of that?
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@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
I order all IT issued equipment.
Why is printer supplies not a part of that?
It is a consumable, like paper. I don't need to be in charge of that.
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@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
It is a consumable, like paper. I don't need to be in charge of that.
If the consumable is causing the printer to stop work, I would think you'd want to be in charge of it.
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@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
It is a consumable, like paper. I don't need to be in charge of that.
If the consumable is causing the printer to stop work, I would think you'd want to be in charge of it.
I could tell him to order genuine only. However, he will say that they are too much. This will come down to my boss saying that the company needs to budget for genuine toner.
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@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
I could tell him to order genuine only. However, he will say that they are too much. This will come down to my boss saying that the company needs to budget for genuine toner.
Well it really comes down to whether or not a stoppage of the printer is costing the business so much money that genuine would be worthwhile.
I can't say that it is or isn't. But it is certainly something to consider.
I had a purchaser who purchased supplies like for our printers too, and I was able to convince him that at least quality 3rd party toner was better than the bargain value toner which caused work stoppages and shipping delays.
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The issue with the super cheap toner (IME) is that it clumps together causing jams or streaks on the paper. So you replace it, even if it still has "plenty of life" just so you can continue and end up spending more money on more toner faster.
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@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
@wrx7m said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
I could tell him to order genuine only. However, he will say that they are too much. This will come down to my boss saying that the company needs to budget for genuine toner.
Well it really comes down to whether or not a stoppage of the printer is costing the business so much money that genuine would be worthwhile.
I can't say that it is or isn't. But it is certainly something to consider.
I had a purchaser who purchased supplies like for our printers too, and I was able to convince him that at least quality 3rd party toner was better than the bargain value toner which caused work stoppages and shipping delays.
Yeah, my boss is the CFO, so... hopefully, he can weigh the costs. As far as I am concerned, 80%+ of the printers we have are a complete waste of money. Inefficient workflows and lazy people are the root of it.
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@DustinB3403 said in Printer Leasing/Maintenance - Installing Software on the Network for Monitoring Print Devices:
The issue with the super cheap toner (IME) is that it clumps together causing jams or streaks on the paper. So you replace it, even if it still has "plenty of life" just so you can continue and end up spending more money on more toner faster.
Preaching to the choir here. We have people here that step over dollars to pick up a penny.
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@wrx7m If your CFO isn't doing something to remedy it, then he's not doing his job.
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If you watch over the pennies, the dollars take care of themselves.
