In the world of business office equipment, the product with the lowest price tag isn’t necessarily the one that provides the best value. Technology solutions—from hardware to software—with real long-term value are the ones that offer not only a low purchase price, but also high quality, reliability, compatibility, and outstanding service over time. For the folks tasked with purchasing new office equipment, these considerations should be top of mind when beginning the research and buying process.
Buyers are giving document scanners more attention than ever. Amid the ongoing movement to become a digital business, there is an increased need for these products in order to deal with the high volume of documents that must be digitized. To help save costs and avoid risks, any IT executive should be on the lookout for a document scanner that has all the characteristics that speak to strong value throughout the product life-cycle.
Cost and compatibility for high-volume purchases
IT leaders are increasingly interested in scanners that can deliver on all these fronts, of course. But some cost savings concerns are more particular to those who work in an industry or company that generally purchases hardware in high volumes all at once.
If you’re an IT exec in a large financial services company, for example, it’s probable that your department makes large-scale purchases of document scanners on a regular basis — sometimes as often as every six months. Having such rapid turnovers means that it’s wise to consider solutions that hit or fall well below your industry’s cost savings threshold.
It might be the case, though, that you think any document scanner in the right price range will fit the bill for your needs, such as capturing customer data for new bank account openings or loan documents. Compatibility with your existing electronic content management system will be important, too.
And maybe because of that thinking, you’ve stayed with the same document scanner vendor for a long time. You know that its solutions tend to be reasonably priced, and your familiarity with its product lines probably means less compatibility and performance testing for the IT team. But shouldn’t other factors — such as user experience — matter too? Before placing your next document scanner order with the same vendor, it wouldn’t hurt to ask front-line employees whether they have concerns about how the scanner’s products manage media handling or whether they have found holes when it comes to its integration with workflows.
And, given the industry’s large volume scanning needs, it’s important to be able to count on top-notch service to address any problems that arise with speedy support response. In the financial services industry, (down)time really is money.
Beat the budget, and then some
IT spending may matter even more when organizations have extremely tight budgets, as tends to be the case for smaller institutions such as government agencies or schools. That means as an IT pro, you are more likely to want to keep document scanners in service for as long as possible. The one or two you may purchase at a time to replace broken or outdated units should deliver significant value.
Budget constraints in government agencies, for example, probably have you pinned to a cost threshold for new purchases. You may also be limited to using vendors on a pre-approved list—one that your own department probably created—and it may seem a safer bet not to veer from the choices you’ve already made.
But there are extended benefits that you may not have completely figured into your calculations when it comes to adding a new vendor to your list or switching to another approved vendor’s document scanner. That is, which document scanner will best demonstrate ongoing value to your organization? Which solution is built with extended lifetime usage in mind? After all, every year that a scanner stays on the job helps to save on annual expenditures.
How Epson document scanners can exceed expectations
To sum it up, IT expects to realize better overall investment throughout a document scanner’s lifetime. You and your colleagues want capabilities including:
- Quality: High-precision scanning, dependability, ease of use, high speed
- Reliability: Supporting long-term investment through strong limited warranties and service
- Compatibility: Seamless integration with existing electronic document applications and workflows
Epson’s line of document scanners helps mitigate risk, making the investments in its technology pay off in both the short- and long-term. Costs are a big part of the package; a quick look at Epson’s document scanners can ease concerns of cost-conscious IT leaders. As an example, the high-end Epson DS-870 Color Duplex Workgroup Document Scanner:
- Has a scan speed up to 65ppm/130ipm1, compared to other solutions that top out at 60ppm/120ipm
- Maintains a focus on integration with TWAIN and ISIS® for use with existing software
- Avoids downtime with automatic paper-size detection and dynamic skew correction to prevent paper jams
- Keeps scanning on-track with 100-page ADF and 7,000-page peak daily duty cycle2
- Ensures image sharpness with resolution up to 600 dpi
- Offers simple-to-use, advanced functionality including color enhancement and other innovative features
Epson’s DS-780N, DS-770 II, DS-530 II, and DS-320 scanners are equally well-equipped to serve the needs of a range of industries and fulfill unique organizational requirements. The compact, portable DS-320 offers rich features that make it a fit for efficient workspaces with the fastest scanning in its class3 —25ppm/50ipm4 ; a 600-dpi optical resolution; and seamless integration with TWAIN and ISIS drivers—at a low cost.
Whatever scanner an organization is interested in, they can be assured of receiving Epson’s standard limited warranty5 , which drives additional cost savings with premium services that enable companies to get the most value out of the document scanners they buy.
To provide the utmost peace of mind during the research and buying process, we’re happy to offer free trials of our DS-780N, DS-770 II, DS-530 II, and DS-320 document scanners to qualifying entities, with no risk. Whether or not your team decides to purchase a full suite of scanner solutions, qualifying entities may keep the scanner.
Learn how our document scanners offer cost savings and capabilities to last at epson.com/documentscanners.
1. Based on letter-sized scans at 300 dpi in Black-and-White, Grayscale or Color Mode.
2. Peak daily duty cycle is the highest recommended number of scanned sheets per day. For best results, do not exceed the peak daily duty cycle. Calculations based on a scanning speed of 65 ppm and an assumed daily use time.
3. In its class, as compared to other portable consumer document scanners with an ADF, using the AC adapter and power cable, priced under $300 MSRP USD (sold into the United States and Canada as of June 2016).
4. Based on letter-sized scans at 300 dpi in Black-and-White, Grayscale or Color Mode, using the AC adapter and power cable.
5. Up to 3-Year Limited Warranty.
