Articles
Published July 2000
Multifunctional Machines: Helping Maximize Your Office Space
Today's red-hot economy has inspired many Canadians to take matters into their own hands and launch their own business. But whether that new business takes up physical space or is in cyberspace, one of the challenges faced by small business owners is finding adequate office space.
A Tangle of Technology
You can imagine the following scenario: Sarah and Charles have just launched their own catering business. He's the chef and she manages the business. This past week Sarah was busy setting up the office, including a brand-new fax machine, scanner, printer and small office copier. But, underneath the spanking new desk sits a tangled mess of cable wires and power bars, thanks to all the new machines.While Sarah and Charles have all the high-tech tools they need to run their business, they risk having to run between several manufacturers when they need to refill their consumable supplies, such as ink and paper, or when all of their machines need servicing. The machines also take up so much office space, there is barely enough room for a coffee mug.
The Multifunction Advantage
A much better option for Sarah and Charles, and other small businesses, is a multifunctional machine, a space and money-saving product ideal for the Small Office Home Office (SOHO) worker. These snazzy office machines combine multiple office functions and package them in one unit - a boon for those to whom desk space is at a premium.Multifunctional machines often serve as a fax, printer, scanner, PC-fax, and personal copier, eliminating the need to purchase each piece of equipment separately.
And because small offices also need to keep pace with new technologies, some multifunctional machines are also Internet savvy with a "scan to e-mail" feature. It allows users to scan colour photos, images and documents and easily send them to colleagues and customers via e-mail.
Choosing the Right Multifunction Machine
When choosing a multifunctional machine that's right for your office, there are a few key things to consider before buying.
Factor the Functions
The first is the number of tasks the multifunctional device can perform. There are multifunctional machines on the market today that have the dual functionality of a printer and copier. If your office is already home to a fax machine and a scanner, one of these will fit the bill and take care of your document output needs. Then there are the all-in-one machines that have up to five functional capabilities - printing, faxing, copying, scanning, and PC-faxing - perfect if you're starting your small business from scratch.
Determine the Features
Once you've figured out function, you need to determine features. Multifunctional machines offer a choice between two print engines. Some models have black-and-white laser engines, ideal for offices that demand high productivity on a regular basis, while others have colour inkjet engines, perfect for the small office that produces less, but needs to output high-quality colour documents.
Scanning your Options
The other immediately noticeable difference among multifunctional machines is how originals are scanned. There are multifunctional machines that feature a flatbed design and there are those that are sheetfed. The flatbed design has a plate which provides the flexibility to copy, fax and scan almost anything, including bound books, stapled documents, business cards, and ripped or torn documents. Sheetfed multifunctional machines are ideal for small offices where price is top-of-mind.
Buy for Business Needs
With so many multifunctional machines to choose from, how do you know which one is best suited for your office? The key is to carefully evaluate and determine your individual business needs.
Bob operates an independent real estate agency on the West Coast and spends a lot of his time taking photographs of his clients' properties for potential buyers. With a flatbed, inkjet colour multifunctional machine, he can easily scan and print those photographs. If he runs out of copies just before hosting an Open House, Bob can make as many as he needs at the press of a button on the same machine.
Meanwhile, across the country in Halifax, Sherri has recently left her job at a multinational consulting firm to strike out on her own. Her new small and very busy practice needs the functionality a large office provides, but with lower productivity requirements. A sheetfed, laser multifunctional machine will help Sherri compete with organizations many times her size, at a fraction of the price of several machines.
There is little doubt that as the number of entrepreneurs in Canada continues to rise, so will the interest in multifunctional machines. And as their business demands grow, multifunctional machines will continue to meet those needs. Some of us are already hoping for one that will be able to make a great cappuccino.
