Gone are the days of office printers being little more than the paper-jamming, space-taking single-function boxes waiting to go wrong, while occasionally producing professional looking documents.

Today’s multifunction printers are of a different breed, serving as everything from the office copier, fax machine, digital scanner, photo printer, document management and electronic distribution centre. That’s a big step forward.

As printing needs have expanded, all in one printers have risen to the challenge, satisfying an increasing weight of the SMB’s document-related requirements.

‘SMBs have not only become their own print shops,’ says Hill D’Souza, a partner at Mississauga, Ontario based PrinterLogix, a Canadian company specializing in HP managed print services. ‘They’ve had to embrace the challenges of organization-wide document management systems, in a world where most companies produce thousands of documents each month.’

‘How we print, what we print and what we do with our documents is now a dynamic, multi-layered business function. It’s no longer about sitting at your desktop and sending a document to the printer,’ says D’Souza. ‘AIO printers regularly receive print jobs from USB’s, wireless laptops and now cell phones. They’re the information hubs that manage distribution and archiving, in addition to their basic function of providing high-quality printing services.’

‘If you’re not on top of the latest technologies, features and methods, it’s a challenge to identify the all in one printer that will best serve a business,’ he adds.

‘There are variables, from the type of business you’re in and the functions you depend on; printing volume, and the consumption of inks, toners and paper. That’s all before you start looking at things like networking and administration, which can add significant efficiencies and savings of their own.’

Hewlett Packard has had a consistent presence at the front of the printing pack. HP’s range of multifunction devices has constantly evolved, demonstrating the company’s ability to stay ahead of the innovation curve, while maintaining a reputation for robustness, user-friendliness and reliability.

‘We see HP as the most flexible and complete total product offering,’ comments D’Souza. ‘With PrinterLogix, we focus exclusively on HP’s OEM products because it gives us a deeper and more powerful appreciation of the product’s functionality and features, and a quality guarantee that the customer can absolutely count on. It means we’re able to optimize a business’s print environment – and business performance by extension – because of that greater understanding backed by a quality product line.’

When choosing the most appropriate MFP for a business, D’Souza encourages purchasing decision makers to study the nature of their business, and ensure that the solution reflects those same priorities. ‘Too much functionality can sometimes compromise quality across the board, so give yourself some focus.’

‘Where scanning and print resolution is clearly important if you’re in a business that needs high quality reproduction of images or documents,’ he continues, ‘print speed and network connectivity where multiple users are involved can be a deal maker or breaker.’

In a parting word of advice, Hill D’Souza rounds off: ‘Look for the best fit for the business, and make sure you’re in control of the environment and costs.’