Practical steps to reduce office printing costs without slowing your team down

Know what you are printing before you try to save

Most offices treat printing as a fixed overhead: paper rolls in, toner gets replaced, and nobody thinks about it until a printer jams at the wrong moment. The problem is that printing costs are rarely fixed. They drift upward with every colour graphic nobody needed, every forgotten print job left on the tray, and every device that runs on expensive cartridges when a cheaper alternative would work just as well. The goal is not to eliminate printing - that often hurts productivity. The goal is to bring the cost under control without making people wait for pages or hunt for working machines.

The first step is to look at what actually prints. Without accurate data, any saving is guesswork. Print monitoring tools can track volume, type of job, and which users print most. Many modern multifunction printers include basic reporting features that show colour usage versus black and white, page sizes, and times of day. This data reveals patterns. You might find that a single department prints dozens of full-colour reports every week when black and white would be perfectly readable. Or that a handful of users generate half the total volume. Knowing this lets you target changes where they matter, not across the whole office.

Match the device to the task

A common source of waste is using the wrong printer for the job. A high-speed colour copier may be convenient for everyone, but if most work is black-and-white text, running it through that machine costs more per page than a dedicated monochrome printer. On the other hand, forcing a busy team to walk to a single shared device for every job hurts productivity. The balance is to place the right mix of devices in the right places: a fast black-and-white workgroup printer for daily documents, a colour multifunction printer for presentations and marketing materials, and perhaps a desktop device for a small team that prints constantly.

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When you evaluate hardware, consider the total cost of ownership, not just the purchase price. Some printers have cheap cartridges but break down often; others cost more upfront but run reliably for years. Service agreements can help smooth out unexpected repair bills, but they only make sense if the machine is used enough to justify the monthly fee. Lesedi ICT, a provider of managed document solutions in Bloemfontein, sees many offices that buy the cheapest printer only to spend twice that amount on toner within a year. That pattern is avoidable with a little planning.

Set sensible defaults and controls

Software settings are one of the easiest ways to cut waste. Most offices can save immediately by setting all printers to duplex (double-sided) by default. The same goes for colour: unless a user specifically selects colour, the printer should output in black and white. Many people print in colour simply because nobody changed the default. A second step is to require a release code or swipe card at the printer. This eliminates the forgotten jobs that sit on the tray and get reprinted. Secure printing also cuts down on sensitive documents being left in the output bin, which is a security bonus.

A related measure is to review the number of printers on the network. Over time, offices accumulate devices: one per desk, one for the meeting room, one for reception, and soon there are fifteen machines that each need toner, maintenance, and power. Consolidating to a smaller number of well-placed devices reduces both supply costs and the time spent managing them. The risk is that people resent walking further to collect a printout. That is where print monitoring data helps: if a printer handles only a few jobs a day, it is a candidate for removal. If a printer handles hundreds, keep it and make sure it is efficient.

Manage toner and supplies thoughtfully

Toner is often the biggest consumable cost, and it is where many offices overpay. One reason is buying original cartridges from the printer manufacturer when third-party or remanufactured options work just as well. Another is replacing cartridges too early. Many printers report low toner levels when there is still enough for hundreds of pages, especially for black toner. Adjust the low-toner threshold if the device allows it, or simply wait until the print quality actually degrades before swapping.

Paper choice also matters. Heavier paper costs more and may cause jams in some machines. Standard office paper (80 or 90 gsm) is fine for most internal documents. For external materials, a slightly heavier stock can be worthwhile, but keep it separate from the main paper trays so it is used only when selected. A simple rule: match the paper to the document's purpose, not to what happened to be loaded last.

Audit document workflows for digital alternatives

Printing costs are not just about the printer. They are about the process that leads to a document being printed. Many internal forms, approvals, and reports can be handled entirely digitally. Scanning a signed document and emailing it, or using a shared drive for drafts, removes the need for multiple copies. Scan to email is a feature on most modern multifunction printers, yet many offices still print a document, sign it, scan it, and then file the paper copy. That extra step costs time and supplies.

Look for workflows where printing has become a habit rather than a necessity. Meeting agendas can be shared on a screen. Contracts can be signed electronically. Reference materials can live on a shared server. The point is not to ban printing but to question whether each printed page adds value. If it does, print it. If it does not, find a better way. The savings from reducing print volume are direct: less paper, less toner, less electricity, and less time spent clearing jams and refilling trays.

Keep the equipment running without overpaying

Even the best-managed print environment falters when machines break down. Regular cleaning and proper placement (away from dust, heat, and direct sunlight) extend the life of a printer. So does using the correct paper and cartridges. When a device does need service, consider whether repair or replacement is more economical. A printer that is out of warranty and needs frequent fixes may cost more to keep than to replace with a newer, more efficient model.

For businesses that prefer predictable costs, a service agreement can bundle maintenance, toner, and support into a single monthly fee. This works well for high-volume offices where breakdowns cause real disruption. The key is to read the agreement carefully. Some contracts cap the number of pages or exclude certain consumables, which can lead to surprise charges. A good agreement matches the actual print volume and covers the devices that matter most.

Lesedi ICT supports offices around Bloemfontein with printer repairs and managed document solutions, and the team there often points out that a small investment in planning saves a large amount in reactive spending. The same principle applies here: a few hours spent reviewing print habits and device placement can cut costs for years without annoying anyone.

Build a simple policy and stick to it

A written printing policy does not need to be long. It should state the default settings (duplex, black and white), the process for ordering supplies, and the rules for colour printing and personal devices. It should also name who is responsible for monitoring usage and ordering toner. Without clear ownership, the policy will be ignored. Make someone accountable, and give them the data they need to make decisions.

Review the policy once a year. Print volume changes as the business grows or shifts to new software. An annual check catches problems before they become expensive. It also reminds everyone that printing is not free. Small behavioural changes, repeated every day, add up to real savings without a single person feeling slowed down.

Lesedi ICT
3A Arboretum Ave, Westdene, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa
Phone: +27 51 430 1417
Lesedi ICT provides business IT support, infrastructure and cabling, managed document solutions, and printer and laptop repairs from 3A Arboretum Avenue, Westdene, Bloemfontein.