Businesses often assume managing printers in-house saves money—until they see the real costs. Beyond the price of toner and occasional repairs, hidden expenses like labor hours, downtime, and inefficient processes can make printer ownership far more expensive than outsourcing.
Let’s break down the true costs of in-house printer servicing and how businesses can optimize their print environments.
1. Labor: The Overlooked Expense
IT teams spend an average of 11 hours per month troubleshooting printer issues (Gartner, 2023). These include:
- Printer jams & errors (28 minutes per incident)
- Driver updates & connectivity problems (1.5 hours/week)
- Toner & supply management (3 hours/month)
Cost Impact:
At an average IT wage of ₤25/hour (Zambia Federation of Employers, 2023), this adds up to ₤3,300 per year in labor costs—per printer.
Case Example:
A Lusaka accounting firm reduced IT workload by 8 hours/month after switching to managed print services.
2. Downtime: The Silent Revenue Killer
Printer failures don’t just frustrate employees—they halt productivity.
Key Stats:
- A single printer breakdown costs ₤900–₤1,500 in lost productivity (Quocirca, 2023).
- Industries like healthcare and legal face 2–3X higher costs due to document urgency.
Real-World Impact:
A Copperbelt medical lab lost ₤3,800 in delayed lab reports after a 3-day printer outage.
3. Parts & Supply Waste
Many businesses unknowingly overspend on:
- Excess toner usage (22% more than needed, per Kyocera)
- Over-maintained old printers (Devices over 5 years require 2X more repairs)
- Unoptimized print settings (Wasting paper & ink on misconfigured defaults)
Savings Example:
A Kitwe logistics company cut toner expenses by 37% after optimizing their print policies.
4. Compliance & Security Risks
Unsecured printers pose serious risks:
- Uncollected print jobs exposing sensitive data
- Outdated firmware vulnerable to cyber threats
- Lack of audit trails for regulated industries
Fact:
23% of data breaches originate from unsecured printers (Quocirca, 2023).
Is Outsourcing the Solution?
Managed print services (MPS) can:
✔ Reduce costs (fixed monthly fees vs. unpredictable repairs)
✔ Minimize downtime (proactive maintenance & next-day parts)
✔ Improve security (regular firmware updates, secure printing)
Case Study:
A Lusaka law firm saved ₤8,700/year by outsourcing printer management.
3 Signs You Should Reevaluate Your Print Strategy
- Your IT team spends hours weekly on printer issues
- You’ve replaced the same part multiple times
- Your printer is over 5 years old
Next Steps: Audit Your Print Costs
Before deciding whether to outsource:
- Track labor hours spent on printer management for one month.
- Calculate toner & repair costs over the past year.
- Compare with MPS quotes to see potential savings.
Need help assessing your setup? [Contact us for a free print audit].
Sources:
- Gartner, “Print Management Cost Analysis,” 2023
- Quocirca, “Global Print Security Survey,” 2023
- Zambia Federation of Employers, “IT Wage Benchmarks,” 2023
