

Everything you need to know about Printer Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)



A shaving razor, for example. A perfectly affordable piece of kit. Well, until you need to buy the blades. When you add up a year’s worth of usage - which of course, nobody ever does - it turns out to be a pretty pricey investment.

Similarly, a car is generally something we think about based on down-payment and repayments over the term. What we often forget to factor in, however, is that this car can cost us up to 25% of the purchase price to run, year on year.

The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is a concept that is therefore important for sound financial forecasting. Without it, we can find ourselves lumped with running costs for devices and equipment that we can scarcely afford.

Did you know that printing, for example, is typically the third-highest business operating expense, behind rent and payroll? You may be surprised to learn this, because, unfortunately, aggressive sales tactics based on discounted devices are frequently used to get buyers over the line. The issue is that buyers are then tied into a contract that sees them paying over the odds for consumables and related operating expenses.


Factors that affect a device’s Total Cost of Ownership


  • Cost and yield of consumables (e.g. toner)
  • Electricity consumption
  • Paper consumption
  • Maintenance costs
  • Amount of user intervention required


Calculating the total cost of ownership



Here is a list of typical questions you might start with:

  2. How much does the device cost to buy?
  3. How much does the device cost to run?
  4. What kind of service does the vendor offer?



Other essential factors to consider

Another cost associated with buying technology equipment is tied to productivity, with most businesses running as lean as is possible. To this end, small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) will often be drawn to a managed print service. This is where your supplier can manage all operational aspects of your devices for you.

This kind of service relieves your own employees from the administrative and support tasks required to keep the machines operational, including ordering toner, maintaining the devices and keeping everyone productive.

When considering managed print services, make sure you review the levels of service that the vendor provides, comparing vendor SLAs to ensure you’re getting fast, attentive service at a reasonable ongoing cost. Customer testimonials and online reviews are great ways to check out the service reputation of your vendor if you’re considering such an agreement.

Why bother?


A printer or MFD is not just a one-off purchase. It is an ongoing investment, and one that can have a significant impact on your operational costs, productivity and your office’s environmental footprint. Make sure you can make the best investment for your company by considering all of the factors that can contribute to a device’s TCO.

If you’re interested in giving this a go yourself, check out this Ultimate Guide to Assessing your Printer or Multifunction Devices TCO. It outlines factors that can impact your device’s TCO, as well as a calculated example and some more in-depth information that can help you plan for the best possible deal.

Printer TCO Guide: Calculate the total cost of ownership of your multi function devices

KYOCERA Document Solutions provides document management solutions with long-life print technology that keeps printing and maintenance costs low, reducing the total cost of ownership while delivering greater productivity, reliability and uptime.