Choosing the Right MFDs

MANY LARGE companies and organizations have accumulated a haphazard collection of copiers, fax machines and desktop printers over the years. Often these items were purchased by individual departments, from a variety of vendors.

That's pretty much the way it's always been at Messiah College too.

"Each department makes [its] own choices as far as desktop printers go," affirms Dwayne Magee, director of the Messiah College Press, in Grantham, Pa. "They even put their own ink cartridges in, and everyone has their own sources. There are no savings by purchasing in bulk."

Though this situation is usually not ideal for the organization, it represent a good opportunity for the in-plant to take charge and put its expertise to use. Many in-plants have had great success spearheading copier management programs. And now that the technology exists to combine faxing, printing and copying in a single multi-function device (MFD), in-plants can bring huge savings to their organizations by eliminating these separate devices and creating organization-wide contracts to replace them with equipment that's better suited to each departments' needs.

That's what Magee is doing at Messiah College. After identifying the potential to save money by consolidating contracts and leasing MFDs, he got his vice president to buy into the idea. He then involved IT and Purchasing. They are still in the discussion phase, but he's confident the college can make the cultural shift from convenience to fiscal responsibility.

Other in-plants that have already made the shift to managed MFD programs acknowledge the same challenges in getting departments to sacrifice their personal convenience.

"Many did not want to relinquish their desktop printer even knowing that the MFD could replace it," says Stephen J. Amitrano, Print Facility manager at Burlington County College, in Pemberton, N.J.

Nevertheless, he was able to guide his college through the change, and now oversees contracts for 38 MFDs. As for selecting the most suitable MFDs with the right features, that is always a big challenge.

Across the country in McMinnville, Ore., Linfield College switched MFD vendors in 2007 and brought in 38 new devices. Vivian Wymore was part of the team overseeing the process. To decide which features they wanted, they assessed their internal needs, talked with colleagues, got references, grilled the vendors and eventually put out a request for proposal (RFP).

"We compared RFPs that were submitted," Wymore says. "I reviewed them, created documents that compared costs and then the RFP committee decided who we would actually meet with for further clarification. I actually met with the finalists with a list of questions and concerns."

To help other managers going through the MFD selection process, here are some tips and observations from in-plant managers who have been there.

Tips On Evaluating MFDs

Amitrano: Gather data. Know the monthly average click count for each machine in each department. Don't put too much machine in an area that gets light use and don't put a lightweight MFD in a high traffic environment. Prioritize. Does the president's office want a nice big dependable machine with more features than they'll ever need? Think about that before installing a less-than-stellar device right beside the desk of the executive secretary.

Wymore: Get your ITS department involved. Try to build good relations between the copier vendor and the ITS folks. Make sure everyone understands their purpose and place, especially during installation of new equipment and networking the copiers. We had lots of issues here. Make sure your new equipment is going to work with programs your college uses. It would be a good idea to test run equipment for a couple months before making a decision.

Essential Features

Amitrano: Built-in monitoring software is usually offered at no extra cost. You can track the user's activity through account codes and you can limit the amount of copies that can be made per session. The user's account number can also be linked transparently through the print driver on their PC. Don't overload your MFDs with unnecessary finishing options. Remember, these are convenience copiers. An adequately equipped in-plant should handle printing and finishing requirements that extend beyond copier capabilities.

Weston: Scanning, faxing, secure printing and, the most important feature, managing and monitoring each copier over a Web browser.

Wymore: The ability to handle print from desktop commands quickly and easily.

Most Important Factors ?In Final Decision

Amitrano: In listed order: Service and support, cost, machine reliability.

Magee: References and service track record.

Weston: Cost was most important. Also, meeting our specifications.

Wymore: Costs, speed of service calls, capabilities of equipment to interface with our systems on campus and specifically the Mac environment.

Getting Through The RFP Process

Amitrano: Tell the vendor that they are responsible for the removal of all machines at lease end with no cost to you. Make sure they put it in writing. Three- to five-year lease terms are popular, but choose wisely depending on your comfort level with your vendor. Don't get stuck with a lemon. Negotiate terms to exchange a problematic machine for a new one with no change to the lease expiration date. Get a low cost-per-copy rate and lock it for the entire length of the lease. Don't pay more for 11x17?. Pool click charges from all copiers and ask to be billed quarterly. Ask for no monthly minimums. If you must meet a minimum quota, only agree to total combined clicks and not per machine. Do not pay a higher click charge for overages.

Magee: Talk to someone who has been through it before. We all learn by mistakes. Why not learn from someone who has already made some?

Weston: Write the RFP to be specific to the needs of your parent organization. Put in an all-in-one device that your IT department can support and is user friendly. We requested a 63-month lease with a set price buyout option at the end of the lease.

Wymore: Make the RFP documents as clear as possible, [including] your expectations from the new vendor and equipment.

Your Biggest Mistake

Amitrano: Combining rental and service under one agreement. Keep the two separate. Sometimes the machines are not to blame, but the technicians are. There may come a time when you need someone other than the tech provided by your vendor. With a split contract, you may be able to explore alternative service options while continuing lease payments through the original vendor.

Weston: Not setting the minimum monthly copy allowance higher to get a lower cost per copy for color. The volume is double the number I estimated per month for the fleet.

Wymore: Not going on location to actually use the type of machines that were being suggested on the RFP. I should have taken a field trip and included some key end-users so we could try types of projects that are typical. The ease of use was a big issue and the new equipment was more difficult to log into than the old one, and there were some very unhappy end users for awhile. I should have done more homework. Allow lots of time for the whole process—at least a year, preferably longer—and don't procrastinate. Don't try to install at the beginning of a semester. IPG