Data Security for Copiers

As people are finally becoming more aware of the data security issues as it relates to copiers in Denver, there are some basics you should know before you freak out or don’t get concerned at all.

• Almost every copier produced since 2002 has a hard drive standard.  What does this mean for you?  There could be images of your copies on the hard drive of your copier
• Only some copiers came standard with data security kits and some of these were not configured properly, so it’s always wise to double check.
• Used copiers are flooding the market, especially with the economic climate and if you didn’t address your data, someone else may…  but then again they may not.  It’s on you.
• If you have to be HIIPA compliant, this is a concern.
• If you are an attorney this is a concern
• If you are an accountant, this is a concern.
• If you copy sensitive information, this is a concern

If you are getting ready to buy a new copier in Denver and you want to make sure you’re safe, we can help you out with this.

How to Throw Away a Lot of Cash on a Denver Copier...

Sometimes it seems people are specifically looking for ways they can throw away money on their copier or color copier in Denver.  I try and always approach my sales as to what would I want to do if I were in the customer’s position.  I guess it is simply trying to apply the golden rule.  However, this method is not common, so people are naturally suspicious of advice.  Who can blame them?

One thing you can do which will cost you a lot of extra money on your copier in Denver is to sign up for the new lease well before the end of the current term.  Here’s why:

• Banks expect to get all the money for amounts they have financed on loans (so the payments will not be “forgiven”), your remaining payments will be rolled into the new lease.
• When you buy a good copier in Denver, it should be able to last for the entirety of it’s lease.  If it can’t, you bought a bad copier and simply rolling into a new lease means you are trusting the same people who got you here in the first place
• People are likely to do this when there are copier problems and therefore don’t take the time to really look at the new lease.

These are the best reasons to avoid this pattern.  If you are needing a copier in Denver, please give us a call!

What Copier Customers in Denver Don't Want to Know...

Sometimes it is nice not to know what’s happening.  People will go years without a physical when they feel bad because they don’t want bad news.  It is human nature.  We all all like to pretend we want to know hard facts, but we really don’t.

Copier purchases are no different.  You have been working with the same copier company in Denver for years and who wants to think they have been getting ripped off.  If you have been getting ripped off, do you really want to know how bad it has been?  This can be devastating.  We realize our beloved rep, has been soaking us for years, it feels bad.

We are not saying that your copier company in Denver is actually ripping you off.  We are saying that if they are, you likely haven’t bothered to discover this harsh fact.  So, if you want to break this viscious cycle on your copier purchases in Denver, you will need to look at some key things.  Here are some typical signs of being oversold.

1. You only print Letter/Legal, but have a copier that takes Tabloid (11 X 17)
2. You only print mono but you have a color copier
3. You pay for prints you don’t actually use
4. You spend a lot of money, but do very few prints and copies.

Contact us if you would like a form to help you discover what your total cost of ownership is for your particular copier in Denver.

48 Month FMV Lease for a Copier in Denver…

$2,999 — $91

$3,001 — $74

Same timeframe, same type.  Paying $2 less for the copier will cost you about an extra $815.  How can this be?  A little known secret about copier leases (and leases in general) is they have stepping mechanisms where if you spend a particular dollar amount, you get a better rate.  These steps can be dramatic.  What do you want to do? 

You will want to ask if there is just one lease rate for any dollar amount or if the lease rate varies based on total cost of the unit.  Now, if total cost of the unit has a factor, ask where these breakpoints are…  sometimes you may be within $200 of the next level and you could get install services for $200 to get the better rate.  Just be aware these weird situations exist in the copier lease world and ask questions.  We would be happy to help you save money on your next copier lease in Denver!

Just be aware that you don’t always have to “rent” a copier.  There are some copiers out there which you can buy at the same price and then use the device at home or in an area of the company that needs some new equipment anyway.  However, if you do need a copier rental in Denver, please call us!

With color copiers able to be more and more precise, we thought it would be good to inform you how to recognize counterfeit money from the real thing!  With over 4 billion $1 bills plus all the other bills in circulation, there is plenty of opportunity for counterfeiting.  If you get a counterfeit, it’s basically on you.  What does this mean, basically that you lose this “money” so it’s wise to be able to recognize the difference between an original from a counterfeit. 

Here is a step by step way you can analyze money and make sure it was created on a US Treasury press, and not some village idiot’s color copier.  The first thing to be aware of is there are 3 types of currency used by the US Department of Treasury today.  Only 1% are not Federal Reserve Notes.  There are also silver certificates and United States Notes.

United States Note

Federal Reserve Note -- Standard Cash

Silver Certificate

Notice the different colors…  Red, Blue and Green.  You should expect Green.  If you have lived in the US for any length of time, you should be familar with the green look and if someone is using a color copier, they are probably going to pick the green one, but you never know…  the red or blue are definately more rare.

Serial Numbers:

If you are given a stack of dollar bills and they all have the same serial number, you have a huge problem. Why?  Serial numbers should be unique.  In Fact, if a bill is destroyed and the US Treasury makes another, they actually have a notation to let you know this is a duplicate… It is a Star at the end of the serial number.

Star Note Example

Another way to look at money is to see where some key information is contained.  These need to be correct if you are dealing with genuine money.  Here is a key and the cooresponding bills.

Key of Special Notations

$10 Bill Locations

$20 Bill positions

$50 bill positions

Now, remember these positions can change slightly from year to year, so visit the Secret Service’s site to get more specific example.  

Now we all know about the polyester thread, a color copying machine can’t put this in the paper.  About 1/4 of the way across, you should see a thread across the money.

Money Thread

There is also something called “microprinting” which is super super fine print that is spread throughout the bill.  Here is an example of what microprinting would look like.  See if a color copier can do this!  (Actually, don’t…  it’s a bad idea to counterfeit or copy money…)

Big view

micro print

The Secret Service even recognizes and states there are a lot of counterfeits out there because of computers and color copiers.

What are some tips the Secret Service gives to be able to distinguish an original from a phony?

• Look for differences, not similarities.  People get duped because the counterfeit looks like…  people naturally look for similarity, not differences.
• Seals – Should be jagged, not circular and smooth or inconsistently jagged.
• Margins — An original will be consistent and even.  A counterfeit from a color copier may have breaks.
• Paper — Genuine cash has tiny red and blue fibers embedded within the bill.  A copy from a color copier won’t have this.
• Make sure the numbers match…  They actually give this as an example which is king of interesting…

Check the numbers!

If you insist on using your color copier to copy cash, make sure you follow the Secret Service’s allowable guidelines for this…  Have fun with your color copier!

You bought a new color copier to go ahead and lower the cost of your color printers, or you are about to….  If you are in this scenario, there are some steps you need to take today to keep your color copier in Denver as inexpensive as possible.

1. Set people’s default print to black and white and make sure to select the “use black ink only option”…  composite gray counts as a color page with most manufacturers.  (Meaning you’ll get what looks like a black and white page, but still have to pay a color price to get it.
2. Before you sign a contract.  Look at your documents.  Is there a lot of color or only a little bit?  You plan should reflect this in one way or the other.  If you have a lot of color, DO NOT sign a lease that says you can be charged for color at a higher rate if you exceed 20% color coverage.
3. Do not pay for scans.  Or don’t pay more than $.0015 per scan.  Any more than that, you’re getting ripped off.
4. Try to make sure people stay in the habit of printing in Black and White whenever possible.
5. Get some training on tools manufacturers will include to manage your color costs and exposure.  All of them have something, make sure you know what it is and you use it.

If you need a color copier in Denver, please give us a call right away so we can help you avoid some of these costly mistakes!

Copier Secrets

Are you thinking about purchasing a copier here in Denver and it seems that you are getting a different story from 100 different copier sales reps? It is a hard decision to buy a copier which is both affordable and appropriate for your needs. One of the biggest mistakes people seem to make is they purchase a tabloid capable (11X17) copier for Letter/Legal needs.

Here are some simple facts in the industry for you to consider.

1) Less than 3% of printed pages are tabloid sheets but 24% of unit placements are A4 capable.
2) While you may think your low cost per print justifies spending more on the larger copier (and it does sometimes), industry averages say you’ll spend 40% more over 3 years ($7,000) if you buy the A3 copier.
3) An A3 Copier will take up more space and use more power and also go slower than an A4 copier (again, using market averages, these averages are definately not always the case…)

Before you just buy another A3 copier, consider a Letter Legal Copier instead. One manufacturer we deal with has put this information together for you to consider before making your next copier purchase in Denver.

what-your-copier-company-does-not-want-you-to-know

One would think this would be compelling.  Not so.  We presented the case and the numbers of why a smaller solution would be a more sound financial decision, but this real estate company decided that our qoute recommended copiers and printers which were far too small.  Nevermind that we have 100’s of customers using these devices for the same exact function!

Now, I have to re-quote “something bigger”…  which I will do, reluctantly… However, it is frustrating when you know a customer you want to help is absolutely hell bent of pissing away thousands upon thousands of dollars.  It is absolutely their right, but I prefer to work with people who buy machines APPROPRIATE for their needs and volumes.  Customers who are not so entrenched in an old way of working (where the sales rep can pad his pocket), that they will actually listen to a proposal… even if there are ultimately reasons they decide against it.  Be careful to not be so married to your current way of doing things that you, like this real estate company, piss away thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars because something is “too small.”

This becomes a huge deal when you are trying to accurately assess potential costs of a color printer.  Even if you use the rated yield, how are going to ensure you are actually getting that yield?  Who is responsible for keeping the spreadsheet of all 13 consumable items?  There are definately other methods of purchasing a printer, but if you are going to be the one footing the bill for the consumables, maybe it would be wise to not “just trust” the manufacturer.  We have a quick 5 minute presentation to the right of this page (look for the big maroon box.