There are a number of reasons you may be dissatisfied with your current printing vendor, however, sometimes the mundane task of replacing your printer can outweigh those concerns. Switching vendors can be daunting, and replacing your printer all together may feel unnecessary, which ultimately begs the question, do you have to replace your printer when switching vendors? The short answer is no, but sometimes it isn’t that simple.
So, why switch vendors in the first place?
Having a printing vendor that suits your needs is crucial for your business, and there are a variety of reasons why you may be looking to switch.
- Cost – A primary factor that could influence you to switch vendors is high costs. Your current vendor may be overcharging for maintenance and repairs, which could influence you to search for an alternative.
- Poor customer service – It’s key for a vendor to offer excellent customer service, particularly for when you run into a printing issue. If a vendor fails to live up to your expectations, it may be time to look elsewhere.
- Supply issue – One of the main reasons businesses opt for a printing vendor is for reliable maintenance and automatic resupplies, if your current vendor constantly has insufficient supplies, this could push you to look for something new.
If you’re ready to switch vendors, why not switch printers?
The above reasons will of course influence you to look elsewhere, so why not switch printers all together and start fresh? Firstly, your printer could be great quality and not give you any technical issues, yet the customer service, cost or supply issue of your vendor is what is falling short. It may not be necessary to change printers if the issue isn’t the printer itself. Additionally, if your business is within a specific industry that requires a particular type of printer, for example architecture or design, your printer may be custom built to your business needs and getting a new printer may be a difficult task in itself.
So, you can technically switch vendors without switching printers, but this isn’t as simple as it may seem.
With printing vendors, you usually sign a lease contract for your printer. This means if you want to keep your printer, but leave your current vendor, you may need to buy the contract out. Additionally, as your business grows, you may need to change your printer in the future. Therefore, when you’re ready to upgrade your machine, you may need to contact your initial vendor in order to do so. Ultimately, both aspects can prove to be expensive in the long run.
Furthermore, although the short answer is no, you do not need to switch printers when moving vendors, there are numerous aspects you may need to consider before making this decision. If you’re unsure, reach out to us today, for expert help and guidance on your printing needs.