Copier Rentals Save Government Institutions’ Money

Copier costs can be quite high for school systems and government departments. So much so, that in this time of financial crisis, a wary eye has turned towards the budgets set aside for copier rentals.

According to several reports, the Yuba City Unified School District pays $1.6 million dollars a year in copier rental-related costs, which breaks down to $51 a student.

A report compiled on the copier rental statistics stated that “The business office indicates an average $42,598 monthly cost while an August school district report cites a $37,577 figure.”

These figures came to light in a report, prompted by questions from parents about how the district handled its copier contracts and monthly copier cost budgeting. One parent, Leon Ellis, has a child who attends Lincrest Elementary, and felt that the district was overpaying for copier-related costs. Ellis said, “I think we've uncovered some overspending." He added, “I think we've found some areas our district can save some money for our students.”

Patrick Kennedy, the consultant hired to compile the report, pointed out that the figures in his report differed from those provided by Yuba City Unified. And also, that many of the copiers in the school district were oversized and grossly under-utilized.

As the individuals in this particular area are now seeing, there are ways to trim budgets and save money through deciding carefully what copier rental to use. Obviously, more efficient, strategically-placed technology is required.

But schools aren’t the only government agencies able to save money by better analyzing their copier rental contracts.

A local paper in Montgomery County, AL., reports that the town of Crawfordsville’s Park Department will save hundreds of dollars this year thanks to a renegotiated copier lease.

Apparently, by switching copier models to more efficient, newer options, there is money to be saved. As per the article, the department will be saving $35 dollars a month (but the new copier rental contract will include ink, toner, parts and labor). And that’s all to cover the 12,000 copies that are produced every month.

So the moral of this story is: if you need a copier rental or lease, and you are a government institution – make sure you look around for the best deal… before you sign.