Tips to keep your office printer in good condition

It’s common knowledge that printers are the center of every office workspace because every piece of necessary documentation flows through them, and everyone in the office uses them at one point or another; with the advancement of technology, manufacturing printers have resulted in models that do more than we can imagine. They have become one of the most dependent upon devices around. Suitable multifunction printers do a lot, from printing, stapling, scanning, binding, and even emailing files. If your printer malfunctions or breakdown, chances are your office will be at a standstill, and you will lose money.

Printers are expensive, and the best way to ensure that you do not lose money having to replace one every couple of years is for you and your employees to learn and practice methods and ways in which you can keep your printer in good condition for an extended period, getting the most out of the investment that you have put in.

Tips to keep your office printer in good condition

As mentioned before, keeping your office printer in good condition does not fall on you but also on your employees who use it daily. It’s always best to have somebody experienced and with proper knowledge take a look at your multifunction printer. It is also advisable to have a service company at your beck and call to help maintain your multifunction printer, especially if it is experiencing a malfunction that you or your employees need help understanding or knowing how to fix.

• Avoid overloading the paper tray.
  More of anything is never good. This also applies to adding too much paper to your printer tray. Adding too much paper will result in the copier having some trouble feeding the paper into the machine, which will cause a jam.
  
  More often than not, paper trays have level lines; these are meant to guide you when loading the paper tray to ensure you keep it manageable. Another thing to be cautious about is packing the paper correctly so that it is not wrinkled and fits securely in the tray.
  
  
• Maintain cleanliness with your copier
  A clean copier is a functioning copier; dirt can be very harmful to your machine, so keeping it clean will help keep it safe and ensure that it works for an extended period. The best way to ensure that your machine is clean is to clean the bypass, exit trays and also the glass surface. Make sure to remove any debris from the exterior of your machine. That way, it never reaches the paper tray inside your office printer. It’s best that the cleaning of the printer is something that you do regularly so you and your employees will get used to it.
  
  
• Give your printer time to warm up when you switch it on.
  When coming to the office on Monday after a relaxing weekend at home, your printer would be in resting sleep mode too. To use your printer, you will need to switch it on, which then takes it to the process of waking up and going into calibration mode. For your printer to do this efficiently and accurately, you need to give it time, so instead of pushing the copy button repeatedly, hoping that it will make your machine wake up faster, give it a few seconds to warm up fully.
  
  Giving your printer time to warm up ensures that it produces quality documents and reduces the risk of malfunctioning. Your employees need to have this information too. Whoever uses the printer first must know that rushing it to switch it on is detrimental to its functionality.
  
  
• Practice caution when clearing paper jams
  Paper jams are not easy to deal with and can be pretty frustrating. But even with a heightened frustration with the problem, be cautious when dealing with it.
  
  The first thing you need to do is look at the display panel. You’ll be able to see where the paper jam is coming from. After figuring out where the jam is coming from, you need to unplug the machine before you address it. Once your machine has been unplugged, slowly open it so you can fix the problem. Opening the machine abruptly can cause it to malfunction even further. So, in this case, slow and steady get your printer up and running.
  
  
• Keep your staff up to date on how to use your office printer.
  Multifunction printers are today's most advanced and technologically forward office devices. One of the biggest reasons printers are damaged, or malfunctioning is a need for knowledge on how to use them. You should train your staff on how to use the office printers or copiers efficiently and ensure every new hire gets adequate training. This is the best way to ensure everyone in the office knows how to use the printer and take care of it.

The Wrap Up

The most significant factor in maintaining good printer use lies in getting the correct printer for your office; this way, you know what you are dealing with and how to use it. Toshiba provides the best multifunction printers, which are technologically advanced, easy to use, and an excellent investment. Our printers have features that help you with maintenance by giving clues and updates, such as alerts for malfunctions or when it's due for a thorough maintenance check. Contact us today to get your office the latest addition.