MFDs and Photocopiers

Is your photocopier, printer or fax machine old, unreliable and expensive or are your leasing agreements coming up for renewal?

Take a look at the attached information, maybe you could save some money as well as update your machines!

What is an MFD?

Photocopiers, printers and faxes have changed and you can get all of this functionality and more in one machine called an MFD – Multi-Functional Device. MFD’s bring the worlds of copying, printing, finishing, and scanning together, all in one neat, efficient and cost-effective package. The reasons to consider an MFD for your next purchase are clear; advances in digital copier technology has facilitated the ability for businesses to have a choice in how documents are produced and allows them to return the management of costs back to organisational control. At the same time, a multifunctional copier increases user productivity.

So are you aware that there are Document Solutions companies on the ESPO framework agreements that you can tap into or benchmark your current or proposed agreement against?

My name is Mick Goodwin and I am a contract officer with LCC. As well as supplier managing the print contract for Lincolnshire County Council I look after the MFD strategy/agreement with Konica Minolta.

I would like to draw your attention to the ESPO Contract 272D (Document Solutions) Photocopiers. Lot 6 of this contract offers the very latest digital machines (all with many excellent features and safeguards negotiated on best value terms.)

Features and Safeguards

The ESPO Contract is fully compliant with European Commission requirements and has terms and conditions which protect your interests. Their rental terms avoid breach of complex capital finance rules and the market leading service commitment they demand from their suppliers enables you to obtain the latest digital equipment with complete confidence, at some of the best whole-life cost terms available in the UK market and with the transparency you need to demonstrate best value. All service and maintenance is included in the rental and click charge which is the same for A3 and A4 so that there are no hidden or additional costs. Both Equipment Rental and Cost per Page charges will remain fixed for the initial term (either 3, 4 or 5 years) so there will be no increases year on year.

ESPO has a dedicated buyer who looks after the contract, so should you have any issues which you are finding hard to resolve, the ESPO buyer will deal with them on your behalf and make sure that they are resolved promptly. Furthermore as a secondary support, there is the LCC contracts team who will intervene on your behalf should you encounter any difficulty at all with any part of the supply or service you receive. Signing up to an ESPO contract means that you are signing an agreement which has been negotiated on best terms for the customer and not the supplier.

Saving Money

Even if you are participating in an arrangement outside of the ESPO Contract, it is still possible for someone to review your current arrangement and advise you as necessary. ESPO Contracts has saved schools significant amounts of money when they have moved from their current arrangements to an ESPO supplier. For example one very recent client asked for an evaluation of a proposed new deal (as they are looking for a device upgrade) and we have identified an un-necessary overspend for a three year agreement of £20,000.

If you would like to investigate how you could potentially make significant savings on your current MFD deal or indeed just have peace of mind that your current arrangement is a competitive one, then just pick up the phone and speak to Nick Holland (ESPO) on 0116 265 7942, Richard Ramsden (Konica Minolta) or one of the other three manufacturers listed in the ESPO framework 272D for free and impartial advice.

Warning - There are so many suppliers of photocopiers that simply don’t have your best interests in mind. The photocopier market can be a minefield, notorious for dealer’s irresistible promises, followed by years of expensive commitments as costly consequences emerge from the contractual ‘small print’. So if you are currently considering a dealer’s offer or want to check out best value, you may find speaking to Nick Holland the category ESPO representative or Richard Ramsden of Konica Minolta (KM are LCC’s preferred supplier) directly before signing. They can offer free and impartial advice and highlight any potential pitfalls in any deal you may have already been offered.

Four  ESPO approved suppliers
Cannon
Konica Minolta
Ricoh
Sharp 

Designed specifically for small offices or workgroups, these products will handle all your document needs. The innovative design further increases their performance by incorporating network printing, scanning and faxing features, enabling these machines to be used as a copier or multifunctional product. Combined with productivity enhancing features such as scan-to-email, the RPCS print driver and web-based management tools, means that these machines will meet your daily document demands and raise your productivity to even higher levels.