BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Jan. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For the past forty years, businesses have pursued the promise of the "paperless office." Even with advances in imaging technology, companies of all sizes continue a heavy dependence on printing as a key element of their workflow. Two separate studies completed for Brother International Corporation underscore corporate reliance on printers and devices that combine printing, scanning, and other functions.
"Although technological advances and electronic communications have changed how companies operate, the results confirm that printing is still a critical and essential element in the business environment," said Dan Waldinger, Director, Services and Solutions Marketing at Brother. "So it is vital that business owners and decision-makers ensure printing is efficient and productive within their workflow."
A Brother-commissioned survey conducted by Wakefield Research confirms that business owners and decision-makers use their printers more often than commonly thought, while a concurrent Brother study by InfoTrends highlights document management and printing as vital corporate investments.
Key among the findings of the recent Brother-commissioned research:
- Seventy-three percent of business owners and decision makers at companies with 500 employees or less use their printer devices at least four times a day, according to a survey by Wakefield Research.
- Internal corporate departments such as human resources, accounting, and legal rely heavily on hardcopy documents for processes like employee onboarding, invoicing, and notetaking, according to a study by InfoTrends.
- The average company spends $34,843 annually on printing, and the amount varies by industry.
- Companies are investing heavily in document workflow and management. According to the InfoTrends study, a hypothetical company handling 5,000 printed pages per month will spend, on average, more than $27,000 on printed document management.
- Forty-nine percent of the respondents to the Wakefield survey prefer to read documents on a printed piece of paper.
"We're still a long way from the 'paperless office,' and given the long-term reality of a combination of printing and scanning, multi-function printing devices will be crucial to companies for years to come," said Randy Dazo, Group Director at InfoTrends. "Too many people think the printer is the device in the corner collecting dust; in reality, it's crucial to office productivity and is a significant operations expense. Therefore, companies need to carefully consider printer device purchases and deployments."
The results encourage companies to closely evaluate printer purchases and deployment, a process Brother is aiding with its "Think Optimize" website and campaign. C-level decision markers, IT professionals, and line-of-business influencers can access general or vertical-specific information guiding printer device trends and best practices by visiting the Brother Think Optimize website at: http://www.brotherthinkoptimize.com.
"Brother supports businesses of all sizes by understanding workflow trends and working closely with customers," adds Waldinger. "It is making sure the right devices and the right workflow are strategically placed to optimize workgroup operations."
Brother is helping businesses adopt this balanced deployment strategy to address these requirements. This methodology assesses workflow and output, then right-sizes offices with the most appropriate number of devices located near workgroups. Shared "pods," consisting of All-in-One and single function printers, offer superior monochrome and color imaging. Deployed within 25-35 feet of each workgroup to increase employee productivity, the "pods" are scalable, secure, and can be easily accessed by mobile workers.
Today's research news accompanies the introduction from Brother of a powerful series of monochrome laser printers designed to serve a full range of office, workgroup, and larger-volume print environments. These business-durable models can complement – and even replace – copier/printers loaded with unneeded and unused features and costs.
About Brother
Brother (www.brother.com) is an industry leading provider of small and midsized business printing and imaging solutions developed to help increase productivity, improve workflow, and enhance organizational efficiency, all while helping to reduce costs. Brother is also a leader in electronic labeling and provides the number one line of facsimile machines in the U.S. The U.S. corporate office in Bridgewater, N.J. was established on April 21, 1954 and currently markets many industrial products, home appliances and business products manufactured by its parent company, Brother Industries, Ltd. of Nagoya, Japan. For more information, visit www.brother.com.
About Wakefield Research
Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) is a leading provider of quantitative, qualitative, and hybrid market research to the world's most prominent brands and agencies, including 40 of the Fortune 100. We conduct research in 70 countries, and our work appears daily in media.
About InfoTrends
InfoTrends is the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the imaging, document solutions, production print, and digital media industries. We provide insights and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities, and grow their business.
Contact: Mercedes Carrasco, 781-684-6560, Mercedes.Carrasco@mslgroup.com
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SOURCE Brother International Corporation