If you were asked to list the essential office devices your business could not function with without, chances are you’d say something like: desktops, iPads, iPhones, laptops, maybe pens, paper and possibly a few other things. Would you think of a printer as an essential office device? With so much work done online these days it’s easy to overlook the humble printer which, thanks to modern technology, is actually much more than a printer. The important thing to know about the modern printer is that it does more than print, scan, copy and fax. If you think your business no longer needs a printer, this article will make you think twice.
Seamlessly Integrate a Remote Workforce into Your Business
If you run a modern business, it’s likely that your staff spend some of their time working remotely or from home. Gone are the days when employees were desk-bound in an office from nine to five. These days, more businesses have realised that a remote workforce can actually increase revenue, boost employee morale and even reduce costs. Smart phones, tablets and laptops are just a few pieces of technology that are helping businesses stay competitive and keep their workforce mobile. Today, employees have the ability to collaborate, share documents and even attend meetings remotely. And, with less time spent travelling to and from the office, there is more time to focus on important tasks that will make your business successful.
Even though a lot of today’s business is conducted online, there are some things that need to be carried out in the tangible world. Essential business paperwork such as contracts and invoices still need to be printed, brochures, presentations, business plans and more all need to be printed. The good news is that the latest printing technology makes printing fast, more user-friendly and simpler than ever before.
Mobile printing with the NFC technology
If you’ve never heard of NFC technology, NFC stands for Near Field Communication. Basically, by using NFC, you can send a print job from an NFC-enabled device to the office printer wherever you are. Worried about security and your documents printing hours before you’re there to collect it? Don’t be. Your print job will only be printed at the optimal moment – that is – when your mobile device is in close proximity to the printer so you can grab your print job and go. You don’t need to worry about standing around waiting for it to print or that your private documents may fall into the wrong hands.
The newest generation of Fuji Xerox Printers uses NFC with Apple AirPrint and Google CloudPrint, which gives your employees greater flexibility and convenience. Furthermore, services such as Fuji Xerox Cloud Service Hub allows you to print any document from the cloud or scan directly to the cloud. Topped off by a user-friendly search function, this advanced technology gives your employees unmatched access to data and information at any time and from anywhere.
Keep Your Business Safe and Secure Online and Offline
While cloud computing is now the business norm, many SMEs still feel wary about putting their own – and their customers’ – personal and private information on cloud-based servers. Document security is a major issue for SMEs. In fact, 60.2% of SMEs are concerned about maintaining the confidentiality of documents when printing (Fuji Xerox Printers Consumer Insights Survey 2016). So how can your office printer keep your information and the information of your clients safe?
- Secure Print: Secure Print allows employees to create a password on their print job. This ensures the data is encrypted for transmission and is hidden from prying eyes by only printing when a password is entered on the control panel.
- Cloud storage: Cloud storage provides businesses with a range of opportunities to collaborate and mobilise their business. It’s a cost–efficient, flexible way to store your organisation’s information that doesn’t require the expensive upkeep of onsite infrastructure. Fuji Xerox hosts cloud data in a data centre which has the highest possible security ratings. Our data centre operations comply with international standards for IT service management and information security management.
- Server-less On Demand printing: Users can send their documents to a group of shared printers configured with the Server-less On Demand print feature. Authentication is needed for the print job to start, but users can choose the most convenient device from which to collect their print job.
Improve Staff Productivity with Wireless Connectivity and Automation
Print any time, from anywhere
When you run a small to medium sized business, every second counts, which is why ensuring your staff are as productive as possible is vital to your success. Wireless printing technology has changed the way SMEs work. Basically, wireless printing means you can print from an electronic device without having to physically connect a wire to the printer. Wireless printers offer you and your employees the flexibility they need to ensure they are productive at all times. For example, you aren’t wasting time trying to run cables from one computer to the next or install hardware. Anyone in the office can use the printer at any time that is convenient. Wi-Fi Direct allows you to directly connect to the wireless printer by peer-to-peer connection so you can print without a wireless access point or router. And, it doesn’t just work on desktops. It works through mobile devices too, which is essential due to the amount of emails, documents and online information we access from our phones.
Say goodbye to monotonous, repetitive tasks
No employee should be wasting their time carrying out repetitive office tasks that include scanning, emailing and photocopying. Now, thanks to the Fuji Xerox Smart@Work SMART Series, they don’t have to. Devices in this series can be programmed to make repetitive tasks easier with the touch of the button. For example, you can complete multiple faxes, printouts and scans in seconds. In the past, these tasks would need to be processed manually, taking whoever was tasked with the job hours. Our SMART Series not only automates repetitive tasks, but it also minimises the risk of human error by automating complicated and lengthy manual processes.
