Tips on How To Choose The Right MFD

What are the top three essential considerations for an organization while choosing a color laser

based MFD?

Nitin: A color laser MFD can be a highly productive asset for a small or medium business as it unlocks the power of full color printing. Businesses looking for the right color laser MFD for their office should keep the following in mind:

Total cost of ownership: Organizations must consider the TCO while zeroing in on buying an MFD. Customers have long ceased to look at MFD just from the initial upfront purchase price standpoint; they have started factoring in various points like CPP, print, scan and copy quality, and duplex capabilities.

Sophisticated software: Many modern color laser MFDs from vendors like HP can run access control software that helps prevent indiscriminate or wasteful use of color printing. Software solutions like HP Access Control (HPAC) allows IT managers to grant access to color prints only to select employees, groups or departments, while restricting the use by others in the office. Using HPAC, businesses can maximize their productivity with color printing in the office without worrying about any costs arising out of misuse.

Duty cycle of the MFD: Yet another factor businesses should consider. Duty cycle is a printer/MFD related specification that is generally used to define the printing workload that a printer can handle. Laser printer duty cycles range from few thousands pages per month for an entry-level printer; and go up to few lakh pages per month for departmental workhorses; with many other options in between to choose from. Depending on the usage pattern and the number of users; businesses need to invest in a printer which can handle the printing workload.

Nasir Mohd: Printing requirement: An organization has to analyze their printing volume and the quality of prints being taken by employees.

Work group printing requirement: It is important that employees adhere to work group printing where on single printer can be used by employees from multiple departments. This will decrease cost to the company, space and above all carbon footprints as opposed to using multiple printers. Hence while choosing a printer, organizations should keep in mind that the printer should enables efficient work group printing.

Security need for maintaining confidentiality and also keeping a tap on how many prints are taken by whom to ensure there is secure and controlled printing within the organization.

Vibu Venkat:

- Cost of Color Printing

- Availability of Toners for color printing

- Service availability/reliability along with a reputable brand to trust upon

When and why should a buyer consider a color laser based MFD over a color inkjet based MFD?

Nitin: Color printing imparts a premium, professional look on documents and therefore color printing is often the preferred choice for printing customer-facing documents. From new business proposals and invoices to reports and presentation handouts -color printing makes important documents come alive for new and returning customers. The preference for color is driving color acceptance across businesses from small offices through enterprises. Both Inkjet and Laser MFD had their own customer segments where they find dominance. A SOHO, micro or small business who has a small business to look after and has a small budget prefers buying an Inkjet based MFD as the printer comes with a low initial investment and has low CPP. However a mid-market or an enterprise would want a color laser MFD even though it comes slightly at a high CPP compared to Inkjet MFD; as it has a higher duty cycle and can run workflow solutions that the business crucially depends on.

With the recent launch by HP - HP Officejet Pro X, we have moved the Inkjet portfolio to enterprises and are giving customers more options to choose from HP Officejet Pro X series print laser-comparable quality at up to twice the speed and half the cost of color lasers. From energy consumption standpoint the printer consumes substantially low viz-a-viz laser MFD. With a duty cycle of 75,000 pages the MFD can meet the demands of growing SMBs and also enterprise work teams.

Nasir Mohd:With changing technological advancements, customers should buy printers based on their requirements. A laser based MFD and color inkjet based MFDs target two entirely different group of customers whose requirements are different. For example the top priority of a photographer or an architect will be good picture quality on a thick GSM paper. Hence, he should consider an Inkjet Printer. Meanwhile for a SOHO or SME a laser MFD will best suit as their main focus is not high quality prints but large volumes of print at a lower cost. Canon color Inkjet MFD and Laserjet MFD are equipped to address the requirements of customers and ensures that they get best quality prints.

Vibu Venkat: A buyer should consider a color Laser based MFD over an inkjet based MFD when the requirements cited below are of high priority: speed, load, duty cycle.

When and why should a buyer consider a color laser based MFD over a monochrome laser based MFD?

Nitin: The choice between a color laser MFP and a monochrome laser MFD is primarily driven by the printing needs. It is a great investment for any business that prints color documents often, or would like to benefit from higher-value pages would be an ideal user of a color laser printer. For example, any report that makes use of Excel charts or pictures will be more engaging and easier to read when printed in color. At the same time, businesses in certain industries like creative agencies, travel and hospitality, retail etc. are heavy users of color printing and are therefore significant adopters of color laser MFDs.

Even when they printed color documents often, businesses in India have sometimes outsourced their color printing needs as it was perceived to be more cost-effective than having a color laser MFD in-house. The truth in fact is that by printing in-house on a HP color laser printer, businesses can actually expect savings of up to 25% over a period of three years compared to outsourced color printing. With the new range of entry level Inkjet and color laser MFDs the businesses can use rely on them for their need-based color printing requirements. These color MFDs offer the black and white print CPP similar to the mono MFDs while empowering businesses with the affordable need-based color printing.

Vibu Venkat: A buyer should consider a color Laser based MFD over a monochrome based MFD when their Color printing / copying requirements come up very frequently. Apart from need-based, the buyer should consider color laser MFD for making their client presentations much colorful, crisp and desirable.

Nitin Hiranandani

Director - Printing Systems, PPS, HP India

Nasir Mohd

Sr Manager-Marketing, Laser Product Division, Canon

Vibu Venkat

Executive Director, Global Infonet