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Understanding Print Security in Today's Workplace

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:00:35 GMT

Understanding Print Security in Today's Workplace

When businesses think about cybersecurity, printers rarely come to mind — but they should. A networked copier is a computer with a hard drive, an IP address, and access to your network, and it's frequently the least protected device in the building. Understanding the real risks is the first step toward closing the gap.

Why Printers Are a Target

Modern multifunction printers store scanned documents, print job history, and sometimes network credentials on internal hard drives. Left unsecured, they can be an entry point for attackers or a source of leaked sensitive information — and because they're rarely monitored the way computers are, breaches can go unnoticed for a long time.

The Output Tray Problem

Perhaps the simplest and most common risk: a printed document containing sensitive information sits in an open tray where anyone walking by can see or take it. This is a low-tech risk with a low-tech fix — secure print release requiring authentication at the device.

Network Vulnerabilities

Printers connected to your network without proper firewall rules, default passwords, or outdated firmware are a known avenue for attackers to gain a foothold. Treating your print fleet with the same security discipline as your computers closes a real gap.

Data Stored on Hard Drives

Many multifunction copiers retain data from past print and scan jobs on internal storage. When a device is retired or returned at the end of a lease, that data needs to be properly wiped — a step that's easy to overlook but important for compliance and privacy.

Practical Steps to Improve Print Security

Enable secure print release requiring a PIN or badge, keep firmware updated, change default admin passwords, restrict network access to authorized devices, and ensure end-of-life data wiping is part of your equipment retirement process.

A Real-World Example

A healthcare billing office in Kankakee handling protected patient information had never changed the default admin password on their networked copier, and jobs were printing to an open tray in a shared hallway. Implementing secure print release and basic network hardening closed both gaps in a single afternoon — a small investment that meaningfully reduced their compliance risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is print security really a significant risk? Yes — printers are frequently overlooked in security audits despite storing and transmitting sensitive data.

Does secure print release slow down my team? The delay is typically just a few seconds at the device, a minor tradeoff for meaningfully reduced risk.

What happens to data on a leased copier when it's returned? Reputable providers include a data wipe as part of the return process — confirm this is included before signing any lease.

Let's Close the Gaps in Your Print Environment

Print security is an easy thing to overlook until it isn't. Contact Authentic Business Systems for an assessment of your current print environment and practical steps to secure it.

What Features Should You Look for in a Modern Copier?

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:15:04 GMT

What Features Should You Look for in a Modern Copier?

Modern copiers do far more than they used to, and it's easy to get lost in a feature list full of jargon. Some features are genuinely worth paying for; others sound impressive but rarely get used. Here's how to tell the difference.

Duplex Printing

Automatic two-sided printing is close to a must-have at this point. It cuts paper usage roughly in half for multi-page documents and has become a standard expectation rather than a premium add-on.

Cloud and Mobile Connectivity

The ability to print directly from Google Drive, OneDrive, or a smartphone without routing through a desktop computer has become genuinely important as more teams work flexibly. Look for native app support rather than clunky third-party workarounds.

Advanced Finishing Options

Built-in stapling, hole-punching, folding, and booklet-making save real time for offices that regularly produce reports, packets, or bound documents. If your office rarely produces multi-page bound materials, you can likely skip this and save on cost.

User Authentication and Secure Print Release

Requiring a badge tap or PIN before a job actually prints prevents sensitive documents from sitting exposed in an output tray, and gives you an audit trail of who printed what.

Scan-to-Cloud and OCR

Modern devices can scan directly to email, cloud storage, or shared drives, and many include optical character recognition (OCR) that turns scanned documents into searchable, editable text — a genuine time-saver for document-heavy offices.

Energy Efficiency Certifications

ENERGY STAR-rated equipment uses meaningfully less power in standby, which adds up across a device's lifespan, particularly for machines left on around the clock.

A Real-World Example

A title company in Chicago handling sensitive closing documents needed secure print release more than almost any other feature on the list. We prioritized authentication and audit trail capability over higher-end finishing options they'd never use, giving them the security they actually needed without paying for features that wouldn't get touched.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need every feature available on a modern copier? No — the goal is matching features to your actual workflow, not maximizing the spec sheet.

Is secure print release worth it for a small office? If you handle any sensitive client information, yes, since it's a low-cost way to reduce a real data exposure risk.

Will these features slow down day-to-day printing? Well-implemented features like authentication add only a few seconds and are typically invisible once your team gets used to them.

Let's Build the Right Feature Set for You

We'll help you cut through the marketing jargon and choose features that genuinely fit your office. Contact Authentic Business Systems to talk through your options.

Buying vs. Leasing a Copier: Which Is Better?

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:00:10 GMT

Buying vs. Leasing a Copier: Which Is Better?

There's no universally correct answer to buy-versus-lease — it genuinely depends on your business's cash position, growth trajectory, and how you like to manage assets. But there is a clear framework for making the decision confidently instead of guessing.

The Case for Buying

Buying makes the most sense when you have the capital available, plan to use the equipment for its full useful life without needing upgrades, and want to avoid any ongoing payment obligation. Owned equipment is also a depreciable asset, which can offer tax advantages depending on your situation — worth discussing with your accountant.

The Case for Leasing

Leasing wins when cash flow flexibility matters more than ownership, when your business is growing and your needs may change before the equipment's useful life ends, or when you want maintenance and upgrades bundled into predictable monthly costs.

Total Cost Comparison

On paper, buying is often cheaper over the equipment's full lifespan since you avoid financing costs. But that comparison only holds if you actually use the machine for its entire useful life without needing to upgrade — and it ignores the opportunity cost of tying up capital that could otherwise fund growth.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Do you expect your print volume or team size to change significantly in the next three years? Would a large upfront purchase strain your cash reserves? Do you want maintenance handled automatically, or are you comfortable managing service calls separately? Your honest answers to these questions usually point clearly in one direction.

A Real-World Example

A well-established manufacturing business in Orland Park had the capital to buy outright and knew their print needs were stable, so purchasing made sense — they've run the same equipment reliably for six years with a separate maintenance contract. A newer startup client down the street, by contrast, leased identical equipment because they weren't sure how quickly their team would grow, and the flexibility to upgrade proved valuable within two years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch from a lease to ownership later? Many leases include a purchase option at the end of the term, often at fair market value.

Does leasing hurt my business credit? Lease payments are generally treated similarly to other business obligations and, when paid on time, can support a positive credit history.

Is there a middle ground? Some providers offer lease-to-own structures that combine predictable payments with eventual ownership — worth asking about if you want both benefits.

Let's Find Your Best Fit

There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but there is a right answer for your business. Contact Authentic Business Systems and we'll walk through the numbers with you.

The Benefits of Leasing Office Equipment

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:00:12 GMT

The Benefits of Leasing Office Equipment

For many businesses, the biggest barrier to getting modern, reliable office equipment isn't finding the right machine — it's the upfront cost of buying one outright. Leasing removes that barrier and, for a lot of growing businesses, turns out to be the smarter financial move even beyond the initial cash flow benefit.

Preserving Cash Flow

Leasing spreads the cost of a copier or printer across small, predictable monthly payments instead of a single large capital outlay. That keeps cash available for the things that actually grow your business — hiring, marketing, inventory — rather than tied up in a depreciating asset.

Access to Better Equipment

Because leasing lowers the monthly cost of any given machine, businesses can often afford higher-quality, more capable equipment than they could justify buying outright. That means fewer compromises on speed, features, or reliability.

Predictable Budgeting

A lease payment is a known, fixed number every month, which makes financial planning far simpler than budgeting around an unpredictable repair bill on owned equipment that's aging out of warranty.

Staying Current With Technology

Print technology keeps improving — better security, faster processors, improved efficiency. Leasing terms typically run three to five years, which naturally puts businesses on a refresh cycle instead of running equipment for a decade past its useful life.

Maintenance Often Included

Many equipment leases bundle service and maintenance into the monthly payment, which means fewer surprise repair bills and one predictable relationship to manage instead of separate vendors for equipment, supplies, and repairs.

A Real-World Example

A growing nonprofit in Tinley Park needed to equip a new office but didn't want to tie up donor funding in equipment purchases. Leasing let them get a fully featured multifunction copier with maintenance included for a manageable monthly payment, freeing their limited capital for programming instead of hardware.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is leasing more expensive than buying over time? It depends on the term and equipment, but when you factor in maintenance inclusion and the ability to upgrade, many businesses find the total value comparable or better than ownership.

What happens at the end of a lease? Most leases offer the option to upgrade to new equipment, renew, or in some cases purchase the existing machine at fair market value.

Can a small business qualify for equipment leasing? Yes, leasing is generally accessible to businesses of all sizes and often has more flexible qualification requirements than a traditional loan.

Curious If Leasing Makes Sense for You?

Every business's situation is different. Talk to Authentic Business Systems about your options and we'll help you figure out whether leasing or buying fits your goals best.

How Fast Should Your Office Printer Be?

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:00:25 GMT

How Fast Should Your Office Printer Be?

Printer speed gets marketed like a horsepower rating — bigger numbers, more impressive. But the "fastest" printer on paper isn't always the right choice for your office, and paying for speed you'll never use is one of the most common ways businesses overspend on equipment.

Understanding Pages Per Minute

Manufacturers advertise speed in pages per minute (PPM), typically measured under ideal lab conditions with simple black-and-white text documents. Real-world speed, especially with color, graphics, or duplex printing, is almost always slower than the number on the box.

Matching Speed to Team Size

A one- or two-person office rarely needs more than 20–30 PPM, since print jobs tend to be short and infrequent. Mid-sized offices of ten to thirty people typically benefit from 35–45 PPM to avoid queues during busy periods. Larger offices or print-heavy departments may need 50+ PPM, particularly if multiple people are sending jobs simultaneously.

First-Page-Out Time Matters More Than You'd Think

If your office prints mostly in short bursts — a few pages here, a single document there — the time it takes to produce the very first page matters more than the machine's theoretical top speed. Some slower-rated machines actually feel faster in daily use because they wake up and start printing more quickly.

When Speed Actually Pays Off

Departments that regularly run large print jobs — marketing producing bulk mailers, legal producing lengthy contracts, operations printing large batches of shipping documents — genuinely benefit from higher-speed equipment, since the time saved across hundreds of pages adds up quickly.

A Real-World Example

A Frankfort logistics company had purchased a top-of-the-line 60 PPM copier assuming faster was always better, but their actual usage was mostly short two- to three-page shipping labels printed throughout the day. We helped them move to a mid-range machine with faster first-page-out time instead, and their day-to-day experience improved noticeably while their equipment cost dropped.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does higher PPM always mean better value? Not necessarily — if your actual usage doesn't require it, you're paying for capacity that sits unused.

How do I know my office's real print speed needs? Look at how many people print simultaneously during peak hours and how large your typical print jobs are, rather than just headcount.

Can a printer be too fast for small jobs? Not exactly too fast, but very high-speed machines are often optimized for large jobs and may not offer a meaningfully better experience for short, frequent print runs.

Let's Match Speed to Your Actual Workflow

We'll help you find equipment that matches how your office really prints, not just an impressive spec sheet. Contact Authentic Business Systems for a personalized recommendation.

Why Regular Copier Maintenance Matters

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:15:09 GMT

Why Regular Copier Maintenance Matters

It's tempting to treat a copier like a light switch — something that just works until it doesn't. But copiers are mechanical devices with moving parts, and like any machine, they perform best with regular care. Skipping maintenance doesn't save money; it just delays and inflates the cost of the inevitable repair.

What Routine Maintenance Actually Involves

A typical maintenance visit includes cleaning internal components like rollers and corona wires, checking and replacing worn parts before they fail, updating firmware, calibrating color output, and verifying network settings. None of this is glamorous, but each item prevents a specific type of breakdown down the road.

The Cost of Skipping It

Deferred maintenance tends to show up as compounding problems: a worn roller causes jams, which leads to forced paper removal, which can damage the feed mechanism further. What would have been a fifteen-minute cleaning becomes a part replacement, and eventually a full service call with downtime attached.

Extending the Life of Your Equipment

Copiers that receive regular maintenance routinely last longer than those that don't — often the difference between five years of reliable service and needing a replacement after three. Given that a mid-range office copier represents a meaningful capital investment, this extension alone often pays for the maintenance plan several times over.

Protecting Print Quality and Consistency

Maintenance isn't just about avoiding breakdowns — it's also what keeps output looking sharp. Calibration drift, dust accumulation, and worn components all degrade print quality gradually, often so slowly that nobody notices until a client points out a streak on a proposal.

A Real-World Example

A Kankakee construction firm had gone nearly two years without a service visit on their primary copier, assuming "it still works" meant "it's fine." During a routine check, our technician found a badly worn drum that was days away from causing a major failure — catching it early meant a simple part swap rather than an emergency replacement mid-project.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my copier is due for maintenance? If it's been more than six months since the last visit, or you've noticed any decline in print quality or speed, it's worth scheduling a check.

Does maintenance require the copier to be offline for long? Most routine visits take under an hour and can often be scheduled around your team's workflow.

Is maintenance included in a lease agreement? Many leases bundle maintenance, but it's worth confirming exactly what's covered before assuming so.

Keep Your Equipment Running Like New

A little regular attention goes a long way. Contact Authentic Business Systems to schedule a maintenance visit or set up an ongoing service plan for your office equipment.

Common Copier Problems and How to Prevent Them

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 08:00:16 GMT

Common Copier Problems and How to Prevent Them

A copier breakdown always seems to happen at the worst possible moment — right before a client meeting, in the middle of a deadline crunch, on the one day you actually need it most. The good news is that most common copier problems are preventable with a little routine attention. Here's what to watch for.

Paper Jams

The most frequent complaint by far. Jams usually stem from worn feed rollers, humidity affecting paper, overfilled trays, or using paper stock outside the manufacturer's recommended weight range. Keeping paper properly stored, fanning stacks before loading, and not overfilling trays prevents the vast majority of jams.

Streaky or Faded Print Quality

Lines, spots, or fading are usually caused by a dirty scanner glass, worn drum, or low toner. A quick wipe-down of the scanner glass and platen with a soft, dry cloth resolves more of these issues than people expect.

Slow Performance

If your copier has gotten noticeably slower, check for outdated firmware, network congestion, or an overloaded job queue during peak hours. Sometimes the fix is as simple as a firmware update; other times it signals the machine is being asked to do more than it was built for.

Error Codes That Won't Clear

Persistent error codes after a restart usually point to a specific component issue — a sensor, a worn part, or a firmware conflict. Trying to force-clear these repeatedly without addressing the root cause often makes things worse.

Connectivity Issues

Devices that randomly drop off the network are often affected by IP address conflicts, outdated drivers, or Wi-Fi interference in busy office environments. A wired connection or a static IP assignment solves this for most businesses.

The Preventive Maintenance Habit That Fixes Most of This

A regular service plan — where a technician checks rollers, cleans internal components, and updates firmware on a schedule — catches nearly all of the issues above before they become an emergency call. It's the single highest-leverage thing a business can do to keep a copier reliable.

A Real-World Example

An insurance office in Joliet was calling for emergency service almost monthly, always for the same handful of issues: jams, streaking, and one recurring error code. Switching them to a quarterly preventive maintenance visit — instead of waiting for something to break — eliminated all three recurring problems within two service cycles.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should a copier be professionally serviced? Most business copiers benefit from a maintenance visit every three to six months, depending on volume.

Can I clean the copier myself? Light external cleaning and scanner glass wiping are safe for staff to do; internal components should be left to a trained technician.

Is a service contract worth it for a low-volume office? Even light-use offices benefit from periodic checkups, since small issues left unaddressed tend to compound over time.

Tired of Unexpected Breakdowns?

A proactive service plan can eliminate most of the copier headaches your team deals with. Reach out to Authentic Business Systems to set up a maintenance schedule that keeps your equipment running smoothly.

Color vs. Black & White Printing: When Each Makes Sense

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 08:00:07 GMT

Color vs. Black & White Printing: When Each Makes Sense

Color printing looks great, but it isn't free — and using it out of habit rather than intention is one of the quietest ways offices overspend. Understanding when color actually adds value versus when black and white does the job just as well can meaningfully cut your print costs without sacrificing quality where it matters.

The Real Cost Gap

Color prints typically cost several times more per page than black and white, since they use multiple toner cartridges instead of one. For high-volume offices, defaulting everything to color can add hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year in avoidable expense.

When Color Earns Its Keep

Client-facing materials — proposals, marketing collateral, presentations, branded documents — genuinely benefit from color. It signals professionalism and can improve how information is retained, especially with charts and graphs where color coding communicates meaning at a glance.

When Black and White Is the Smarter Default

Internal memos, drafts, meeting notes, and anything destined for a filing cabinet rarely need color. Setting your default print driver to black and white, with color as an intentional opt-in, is one of the simplest cost controls an office can implement.

Setting Smart Defaults

Most modern multifunction copiers let administrators set print policies by user group — for example, sales and marketing might default to color while accounting and operations default to black and white. This kind of rule-based setup captures most of the savings without requiring anyone to think twice.

A Real-World Example

A marketing agency in Chicago was printing every internal document in color simply because that was the default setting from the factory. After we helped them set group-based print policies — color for client decks, black and white for internal drafts — their monthly toner spend dropped by more than 35% with zero change to the quality of anything clients actually saw.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does color printing wear out a copier faster? Not meaningfully on its own, though color print jobs do use more toner and can require more frequent supply changes.

Can I restrict color printing for certain employees? Yes, most business-grade copiers support user-level print policies that can restrict or track color use by individual or department.

Is black and white always cheaper in the long run? Per page, yes — but the smarter approach is matching the format to the purpose rather than eliminating color altogether.

Want a Smarter Print Policy?

We can help you set up print rules that save money without getting in anyone's way. Contact Authentic Business Systems to talk through the right color strategy for your office.

The Hidden Costs of Printing You Didn't Know About

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 08:00:23 GMT

The Hidden Costs of Printing You Didn't Know About

Ask most business owners what printing costs them and they'll quote a toner price or a lease payment. But the real cost of printing is spread across a dozen line items most companies never add up. Understanding the full picture is the first step to controlling it.

Paper Waste Adds Up Faster Than You Think

Misprints, duplicate copies, and documents nobody ever picks up from the tray all cost money twice — once for the paper and toner, and again for the time spent reprinting correctly. Offices with no print oversight routinely waste 10–20% of their total pages this way.

Energy Consumption

Printers left in standby around the clock still draw power, and older models are far less efficient than current ENERGY STAR-rated equipment. Multiply that by every device in your office and it becomes a real number on your utility bill.

IT and Staff Time

Every jam, every "the printer isn't working" call to IT, every trip to swap a toner cartridge is time your team isn't spending on their actual job. This is one of the least visible but most expensive hidden costs, since it rarely shows up on an invoice.

Security Risk

Unsecured print jobs sitting in an output tray, or documents sent to the wrong networked printer, represent a real data exposure risk — one that's difficult to quantify in dollars until a breach happens, at which point it's very expensive indeed.

Over-Provisioned Equipment

Paying for capacity you don't use — a high-speed enterprise machine in an office that prints lightly, or color capability that's rarely used — is money spent for no return.

A Real-World Example

A Monee-based distribution company assumed their printing costs were simply "toner and paper." When we ran a full print audit, we found nearly $400 a month in wasted color prints, duplicate reports being run by two departments unaware of each other, and an aging printer drawing significant standby power around the clock. None of it showed up as a single line item — it was scattered across a dozen small habits that added up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I find out what my business actually spends on printing? A print assessment, which most providers offer for free, tracks usage across your devices and surfaces the hidden costs.

Is this only a problem for large offices? Smaller offices are often hit proportionally harder, since a single inefficient habit affects a much smaller total budget.

What's the easiest first step to reduce hidden costs? Start with default duplex printing and print release software that requires an employee to be at the machine before a job prints — both cut waste significantly with minimal disruption.

Ready to See Your Real Numbers?

You can't fix what you can't see. Authentic Business Systems offers a no-cost print assessment that uncovers exactly where your printing dollars are disappearing.

How Managed Print Services Save Businesses Money

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 08:00:10 GMT

How Managed Print Services Save Businesses Money

Most businesses treat printing as a background expense — something you deal with when the toner light comes on, not something you actively manage. That's exactly why print costs quietly balloon over time. Managed Print Services (MPS) flip that script by turning printing into a monitored, predictable, and often significantly cheaper part of your operation.

What Managed Print Services Actually Includes

At its core, MPS means a provider takes ownership of your entire print environment: monitoring toner levels remotely, proactively scheduling maintenance before something breaks, consolidating devices, and providing a single predictable bill instead of a pile of separate invoices for supplies, service, and repairs.

Instead of your office manager noticing the copier is low on toner and placing a rush order, the device itself reports usage data to the provider, who ships replacement supplies automatically before you run out.

Where the Savings Actually Come From

The bulk of MPS savings come from three places. First, device consolidation — many offices have more printers than they need, each with its own supply costs and service contracts. Second, reduced downtime, since proactive maintenance catches problems before they cause a service call. Third, and often overlooked, is reduced waste: MPS reporting reveals who's printing what, which frequently uncovers unnecessary color printing or duplicate print jobs that add up fast.

Predictable Budgeting

One of the most underrated benefits of MPS is the shift from unpredictable to predictable spending. Instead of surprise invoices for emergency service or a bulk toner order, you get one line item, typically billed per page or per month, that makes budgeting far easier for finance teams.

A Real-World Example

A multi-location medical billing company across Kankakee and Joliet was managing printers independently at each office, with no visibility into total spend. After moving to a managed print program, we found nearly 20% of their printing was unnecessary duplicate jobs and outdated documents being reprinted. Consolidating devices and adding usage reporting cut their total print spend by close to a quarter within the first year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is managed print only for large companies? Not at all — small and mid-sized businesses often see the biggest percentage savings since inefficiencies are more visible in a smaller print environment.

Does MPS lock me into specific equipment? A good MPS program is built around whatever hardware fits your needs, existing or new, rather than forcing a specific brand.

How is billing typically structured? Most MPS agreements bill per page printed, which covers toner, maintenance, and parts in one predictable rate.

Curious What You're Actually Spending?

Most businesses are surprised by what a print audit reveals. Authentic Business Systems offers a free assessment to show you exactly where your printing dollars are going and how much a managed program could save.

10 Signs It's Time to Replace Your Office Printer

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:00:20 GMT

10 Signs It's Time to Replace Your Office Printer

Every printer has a lifespan, and most businesses keep theirs running well past the point where it's actually saving money. The tricky part is that the signs of decline are often gradual — a jam here, a streak there — until one day you realize you're spending more time babysitting the machine than using it. Here are ten signs it's time to start shopping for a replacement.

1. Paper Jams Are a Weekly Occurrence

Occasional jams are normal. Weekly jams mean worn rollers, feed mechanism issues, or a machine that's simply outlived its intended duty cycle. At that point, repeated service calls usually cost more over a year than upgrading.

2. Print Quality Has Noticeably Declined

Faded text, streaks, or spotting that persist even after replacing toner point to worn internal components like the drum or fuser — parts that get more expensive to replace as a machine ages.

3. Repair Costs Are Piling Up

If you've called for service more than twice in the last six months, add up what you've spent. Often that number is a meaningful chunk of what a new, more efficient machine would cost.

4. It Can't Keep Up With Your Team

Growing offices often outgrow their original printer within a few years. If people are waiting in line at the machine, it's costing you more in lost productivity than the equipment itself.

5. It Lacks Modern Security Features

Older devices often lack encrypted printing, user authentication, or secure network protocols — a real risk for businesses handling sensitive client data.

6. Replacement Parts Are Getting Hard to Find

Manufacturers eventually stop producing parts for discontinued models. If your technician is sourcing parts from third-party resellers, you're on borrowed time.

7. Energy Costs Are Higher Than They Should Be

Newer machines are dramatically more energy efficient. An old printer left in standby mode all day can quietly add real dollars to your utility bill over a year.

8. It Doesn't Support Mobile or Cloud Printing

If your team can't print from a phone, tablet, or cloud storage app, your equipment is holding back how your office actually works today.

9. Toner or Ink Costs More Than It Should

Older or discontinued models sometimes lose access to competitively priced consumables, leaving you stuck paying premium prices for cartridges.

10. You Dread Using It

Sometimes the clearest signal is simply how your team talks about the machine. If "ugh, not that printer again" is a common office phrase, it's already costing you in morale.

A Real-World Example

A Tinley Park logistics company was still running a printer they'd bought nine years earlier. Between three service calls in one quarter and staff routinely walking to a different floor to avoid jams, the true cost of "keeping the old machine going" was far higher than a new lease payment would have been. Once we swapped it out, service calls dropped to zero for the following year.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should an office printer last? Most business-grade printers are built for five to seven years of regular use, though heavy-volume offices may see that shorten.

Is it cheaper to repair or replace? Once repair costs exceed roughly 30% of a comparable new unit's price within a year, replacement is almost always the better financial move.

What should I do with the old printer? Many providers, including us, offer responsible recycling or trade-in options so equipment doesn't end up in a landfill.

Not Sure Where Your Printer Stands?

If any of these signs sound familiar, let's talk. Authentic Business Systems can evaluate your current equipment and show you exactly what an upgrade would save in time, repairs, and frustration.

Copier vs. Printer: Which Does Your Office Really Need?

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 08:15:29 GMT

Copier vs. Printer: Which Does Your Office Really Need?

It's one of the most common questions we hear from business owners across Chicagoland: "Do I need a copier or a printer?" The terms get used interchangeably, but the machines behind them can be very different animals with very different price tags. Getting this decision right can save you thousands of dollars and a lot of daily frustration.

What's the Actual Difference?

Traditionally, a "printer" refers to a desktop device that only prints, usually from a computer. A "copier" historically meant a standalone machine that duplicated paper documents. Today, most business-grade devices are multifunction printers (MFPs) that print, copy, scan, and sometimes fax — so the real question isn't printer versus copier, it's "single-function desktop printer versus multifunction office device."

Desktop printers are inexpensive, compact, and fine for light, occasional use. Multifunction copiers are built for volume, durability, and shared use across a team, with far lower cost-per-page once you factor in toner and maintenance.

When a Desktop Printer Makes Sense

If you're a solo professional or a two-person office printing a handful of pages a day, a desktop printer might genuinely be all you need. They're cheap to buy and take up almost no space. The tradeoff is higher cost per page, slower speeds, and toner cartridges that need frequent replacing.

When You Need a Multifunction Copier

Once you have more than a few people sharing a device, or you're printing several hundred pages a week, a multifunction copier almost always wins on cost and convenience. Built-in scanning eliminates the need for a separate scanner, and networked access means everyone in the office can print, scan to email, or fax from their own desk.

A Real-World Example

A boutique real estate office in Frankfort came to us running four separate desktop inkjet printers, one per agent, each burning through cartridges every few weeks. We consolidated them onto a single networked color multifunction copier. Not only did their monthly supply costs drop significantly, but agents could now scan signed contracts directly to email from one shared device instead of walking documents between desks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a multifunction copier replace my fax machine too? Yes, most modern MFPs include fax capability, so you can often retire a standalone fax line entirely.

Will a shared copier slow my team down during busy periods? A properly sized copier is designed for concurrent, high-volume use, so busy periods are exactly what it's built to handle — this is where undersized desktop printers tend to struggle instead.

Is it worth it for a very small office? If your office has three or more people printing regularly, the math usually favors a multifunction device once you account for toner costs and time saved.

Let's Figure Out What Fits

Not sure which category your office falls into? We'll look at your team size, volume, and workflow and recommend the right equipment — no upselling, just the right fit. Reach out to Authentic Business Systems for a free assessment today.

Choosing the Right Office Copier for Your Business

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 13:04:40 GMT

Choosing the Right Office Copier for Your Business

Walk into any Chicagoland office and you'll find the copier tucked in a corner, quietly determining how smoothly the whole operation runs. Choose the wrong one and you'll be fielding paper jam complaints, calling for service, and watching costs creep up every month. Choose the right one, and it becomes invisible in the best way — just another tool that works when you need it. This guide breaks down exactly what to look for so you can make a confident decision the first time.

At Authentic Business Systems, we've helped businesses across Chicago, Monee, Kankakee, Joliet, Frankfort, Tinley Park, and Orland Park select copiers that actually fit how they work, not just what looks good on a spec sheet. Here's what matters most.

Start With Your Actual Print Volume

The single biggest mistake businesses make is buying based on price instead of volume. A copier rated for 2,000 pages a month will wear out fast — and cost more in service calls — if your office is actually printing 10,000 pages. Conversely, paying for an enterprise-grade machine when you print a few hundred pages a week is money left on the table.

Look at your last three months of print logs if you have them. If you don't, your current provider or IT team can usually pull a report from your existing device. Match that number, plus 20–30% headroom for growth, against the manufacturer's recommended duty cycle rather than the maximum duty cycle — the difference between the two is significant and the "recommended" number is the honest one.

Match Features to How Your Team Actually Works

A law firm scanning contracts all day has very different needs than a retail office printing shipping labels. Common features worth considering include duplex (two-sided) printing to cut paper costs, finishing options like stapling and hole-punching if you produce bound reports, and high-capacity paper trays if you run multiple paper sizes or letterhead.

Speed matters too, but not in isolation. A 45 page-per-minute copier sounds great until you realize your office only ever prints in short bursts of five or six pages at a time — in that case, first-page-out time matters more than top speed.

Consider Total Cost of Ownership, Not Just the Sticker Price

The purchase or lease price is only one piece of the puzzle. Toner, maintenance, and service response time all add up over the life of the machine. A cheaper copier with expensive proprietary toner cartridges can end up costing more over three years than a slightly pricier model with a managed print service plan included.

Ask any vendor for a full cost-per-page estimate that includes toner, parts, and labor. This single number lets you compare machines apples-to-apples instead of guessing.

A Real-World Example

One of our clients, a growing accounting firm in Orland Park, was running two aging desktop printers that jammed constantly during tax season. We assessed their actual volume — roughly 6,000 pages a month with heavy seasonal spikes — and moved them to a single networked multifunction copier with a service plan that scaled with usage. Their per-page costs dropped by nearly a third, and staff stopped losing time to printer troubleshooting during their busiest weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should a small business replace its copier? Most office copiers are built to last five to seven years with proper maintenance, though heavy-use environments may need to reassess sooner.

Is it better to buy or lease a copier? It depends on your cash flow and how often your needs change — we cover this in detail in a later post, but leasing often makes sense for growing businesses that want predictable monthly costs.

Do I need a color copier if I mostly print in black and white? Not necessarily. Color capability adds cost, so it's worth evaluating how often color actually gets used before paying for it.

Ready to Find the Right Fit?

Choosing a copier doesn't have to be a guessing game. Our team can walk through your actual print habits and recommend equipment sized correctly for your business — not oversold, not undersized. Contact Authentic Business Systems today to schedule a free consultation and get a personalized recommendation for your office.