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You have just got your bank loan and it’s time to start buying your first office equipment, but what should you buy and what must you avoid? It is not an easy answer and to make it harder new technologies keep on appearing and the rate at which they are developing is getting faster. But to get you heading in the right direction here is an overview of the type of things that you are going to need to buy.
Telephones
For many businesses they are one of the most important things that you can buy, so don’t be afraid to shop around for a good deal on rates. British Telecom is everyone’s first thought so use them as a barometer for how expensive calls should be.
Make sure that you also have a messaging service, as a telephone that just rings and rings is both unprofessional and could mean that you miss out on a vital call.
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Computers
Some companies are entirely office based and it may be necessary for everyone to have their own computer. However, this might not be the case for you if, for instance, you expect that you will have most of you staff out of the office and in the field.
Make sure you have a computer that allows you to do all the basics such as internet, email, basic office applications and network them together via a hub.
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Mobile Phones
You need to be able to contact your staff wherever you are and mobile phones are the model of choice for doing this. However, before you go rushing out to your local telephone dealer and buying your staff phones, you should find out if they already own them.
Most people do and would be quite happy to use them for work. Having a separate model for work could be a pain for your staff and a major cost for you.
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Personal Digital Assistant
A close relative of the mobile phone, the PDA also includes many of the functions of a computer such as email and the ability to surf the internet. They can be a great way of keeping up to date with events in the office while out on the move.
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Printers
The paper free office is an idea that captured the imagination of many but is so far yet to be realised, if indeed it ever will be. You will probably need to print off computer documents from time to time and will, therefore, need a printer.
There is no point buying a huge industrial-size model if you are only going to be printing out a dozen pieces of paper each day.
Some companies do need to print off a high volume of sheets and so investing in a machine with a high capacity and speed could be a worthwhile investment. But for many businesses a cheaper albeit slower model will suffice.
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Photocopiers
Photocopiers can be an invaluable tool for the right company, but be sure that you have outlined your needs before you buy. Some machines print in black and white, others part colour others in full colour.
Then can also display a wide range of finishing options such a stapling, booklet making and hole punching.
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Faxes
Fax machines revolutionised the way we sent correspondence and meant that letters that took days could now be sent in a matter of minutes. However, their dominance of the communications market was brief, and faxes were superseded by computers and email.
For this reason they might not be a worthwhile investment for many businesses. However, some companies do use them and they are still the only way a hand written document can be sent electronically unless you have a scanner.
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Scanners
Scanners allow you to copy print, pictures, photographs and any other information on to your PC. They can be very handy and are a nice tool to have around, however you must question how necessary they are and how much you are willing to spend initially.
It is unlikely that you will require more than one scanner in your office, so make sure the quality that it produces is up to the standard that you require and your customers require.
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Multi-Functional Devices (MFDs)
Technology is becoming increasingly compact and integrated and as a result manufacturers are fitting together machines and devices that were once bought separately.
Typically MFDs are printers, scanners and faxes combined, however the inclusion of mobile phones, cameras conference boards and many other applications are making their way towards the market fast.
Franking Machines
You can be sure that as soon as you have registered your company and are listed in the telephone directory that it will only be a short amount of time before you get a call from a salesman who wants to sell you a franking machine.
They will allow you to do away with repeat trips to the post office to buy stamps, and for businesses with a high volume of post they can be a good way of saving time and money.
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