Effective equipment management means longer equipment life, cost reductions and increased profitability, says KYOCERA MITA South Africa

Michael Powell, product marketing manager at KYOCERA MITA South Africa, is familiar with the problems that can occur when businesses incorrectly “mix and match” technical office equipment.

In this article, he shares with us just how to deal with the traditional dilemma of functionality versus costs.

Visit just about any company and you will find many household brands of office equipment operating in close proximity to each other. “The causes for this can vary; sometimes the IT department is tasked with sourcing equipment and then find that there is no single vendor able to supply multiple business equipment solutions for a number of specialised tasks.

“At its most simple, equipment may have been passed from one department to another. On the other hand, management may have adopted a hands-off attitude, believing that each department should be free to use what they feel is best for their particular operation,” says Powell.

The major downside, he explains, is that the people who take overall responsibility for the management of the fleet of office equipment often find themselves plagued with integration issues and having to deal with different service departments and contractual obligations.

Dealing with a single manufacturer may seem like an obvious solution, but standardisation raises its own issues. Chief among these concerns are having the right equipment for tasks and the financial implications involved in 'going for a brand' when cheaper alternatives are available in the market. The problem of the best machine for a particular job, however, remains.

Fortunately, advises Powell, some vendors offer support for multiple manufacturers and simplify communications across departments and between client and manufacturer. The real bonus lies in their ability to advise and assist with relevant service contracts. “Ensuring that users get the best out of office equipment requires an accurate assessment of needs. When is equipment required most? What are typical usage patterns? Are there peaks and troughs associated with production of documents?

“Here again, contractors or consultants can assist with this vital investigation and help plan for the optimal use and placement of equipment. Deciding just where machines should be placed, what jobs they should perform and what their optimum outputs should be is essential for efficiency, productivity and cost effectiveness,” says Powell. “Matching the equipment to the task to be performed could mean seeing a high-end, expensive machine being underutilised for extensive periods, but the cost of having it not available for a critical function may be immense.”

It must never be forgotten that businesses are made up of people who work with office equipment, warns Powell. Therefore, making sure there is a policy regarding equipment and its uses are vitally important.

Ensuring that everyone is trained to use the equipment correctly and effectively, means that productive activities are not unnecessarily interrupted, use is optimised and costs controlled. It's not enough to 'police' the use of equipment through monitoring software, explains Powell. ”Effectively managing a fleet of equipment means having controls in place that optimise use, reduce instances of abuse and save on electricity and expensive consumables.

“Getting a firm grasp on these variables means that the productivity and life of equipment is extended to the benefit of all users. It's simply good business to work hard at getting the best out of your equipment and people. KYOCERA's best advice: Plan for equipment, place it correctly according to function, educate staff on the use of the machines, and reap the benefits of lower costs and increased productivity.”