Photocopiers - Go straight to the manufacturers or use a 3rd party?

[PrimaryTech]

Hi there,

One of my schools is due a new photocopier and I was wondering whether people went straight to the manufacturer or used a 3rd party for leasing / support? We currently use Ricoh direct but if anyone has some recommendations for companies they use that would be great (We're slightly crippled by needing an AirPrint MFC though )

[bainer]

Hi Primary Tech,

PaperCut software has AirPrint support, its a bit of a bolt on as it requires a MAC workstation. PaperCut is sold through resellers, Danwood (www.danwood.co.uk) are a reseller that know what they are doing, try getting in touch with them.

Cheers

Bainer

[MatthewL]

Past experience shop around and don't just pick the first comapny. I haven't found many others apart from Ricoh that do direct.

 

You will more than likely find a company local and cheaper than Danwood.

[Big_Ted]

Cost is important but there are other factors.

If it was me i would look for a company that:

1. was fairly local - hardware can (and does go wrong) so call out times need to be reasonable

2. has a reasonable contract - You would not want to be paying double every year just because you missed the small print

3. knows and understands the software you want to use (papercut)

4. pick someone you like and get on with - you will be working with them

 

If going direct to manufacturers was the best answer then all the copier dealers in the country would be in trouble Plus not all copier manufacturers sell direct to end users.

 

PaperCut MF - How to buy and where to get. - PaperCut MF may help

 

You do not need an airprint enabled device you can print via a mac server or use something like http://www.papercut.com/kb/Main/FingerPrintIOSPrinting

Edited April 24, 2013 by Big_Ted

[pooley]

We have just gone to Konica Minolta direct after a direct lease with Toshiba. Was cheaper option for us.

[gds64]

Sharp supply and support devices direct. The MFP's support printing via IOS devices using the Sharpdesk Mobile app, if that's what you need the Airprint functionality for?

[teejay]

Just be careful, some of the copier rental/leasing contracts have some real nasties in them and unless it's a government framework contract I really would get the contract looked at by a solicitor before signing up to it. There have been quite a few schools ripped off with things like the 'evergreen' contract which is virtually impossible to get out of and costs a fortune.

[DavidLong]

I deal with all the copiers in my school and apart from a couple of small ones that we one and just have maintainance contracts on we have always found going direct to the company's the best option.

 

We currently use Ricoh and canon. Formally all canon but changing to mostly Ricoh now.

 

Ricoh offer us OGC terms or what ever the new equivalent is including 4 hour response times. I also find there hardware vastly superior to canon. We currently have a pro1107ex aficio MPC4501, aficio mp5002 and a aficio MC2000 from Ricoh.

 

The newest one is the MP5002 which we have had for about 5 months, done nearly 150000 copies on it and not needed to call an engineer even once for a breakdown on it yet (hopefully I haven't jinxed it).

[localzuk]

We ended up going direct this time, as the manufacturer was able to offer us a price which was half that of the resellers, through a CPC contract. They use the same technicians down here too - as its rural...

[CyberNerd]

Ricoh, Konica Minota, Kyocera, Sharp all deal direct to schools and most will use a Govt framework.

They all support Papercut embedded.