How to Optimise Your Costs with Copier Rental
Copier rental or leasing doesn’t mean giving up cost control. On the contrary, with the right approach, you can significantly optimise your print spend. Here’s how to get the maximum from your rental contract.
Understand your contract
The cost components
A rental contract generally includes:
- Base rental: the machine itself
- Page package: included volume
- Beyond package: pages exceeding the included volume
- Options: finisher, paper trays, etc.
The hidden variables
Pay attention to:
- Colour/B&W split: how are mixed pages counted?
- Indexation: does the price increase annually?
- Consumables: which are included, which aren’t?
- Travel costs: included or extra?
Optimise before signing
1. Size your needs accurately
The most common error: overestimating or underestimating your needs.
To accurately size:
- Count your prints for 3 months
- Note B&W/colour breakdown
- Identify seasonal peaks
- Add 10-20% margin
A package too low = costly beyond package. A package too high = you pay for unused pages.
2. Negotiate the right volume
Base your negotiation on:
- Your real measured volumes
- Comparison with competitor offers
- The possibility of unused pages carrying over
3. Challenge the machine choice
Sometimes a less powerful machine is sufficient:
| Need | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| < 3,000 p./month | A4 B&W |
| 3,000-10,000 p./month | A4 colour or A3 B&W |
| 10,000-30,000 p./month | A3 colour |
| > 30,000 p./month | Departmental or production |
A smaller machine = lower monthly rental.
4. Compare end of contract options
Negotiate favourable terms for:
- Equipment return
- Renewal at better conditions
- Possible purchase at low residual value
Optimise during the contract
1. Configure wisely
Default settings:
- Duplex: saves up to 50% on paper
- B&W: colour only when necessary
- Draft mode: for internal documents
These settings alone can reduce your consumption by 20-40%.
2. Monitor your consumption
Monthly:
- Check your consumptions vs package
- Identify over-consuming users or departments
- Spot anomalies (sudden increase)
Tools:
- Counter reports from the machine
- Print management software
- Supplier dashboard
3. Train your users
Users often print unconsciously. Awareness makes a difference:
- Communicate print costs
- Display eco-tips near copiers
- Reward good practice
4. Reduce colour waste
Colour costs 5-10x more than B&W. Strategies:
- Force validation for colour prints
- Create B&W profiles for standard documents
- Educate on real colour need (“Will this document be read in colour?“)
5. Prevent breakdowns
A well-maintained machine = fewer unplanned interventions = lower long-term costs.
- Respect daily maintenance (cleaning, correct loading)
- Don’t ignore alerts
- Use recommended consumables
Key performance indicators
Track these KPIs monthly:
| Indicator | Target |
|---|---|
| % package used | 70-90% |
| % B&W vs colour | > 80% B&W |
| % duplex | > 70% |
| Jam rate | < 1% |
| Cost per page | Decreasing |
How to calculate your real cost per page
Effective cost/page = (Monthly rental + Beyond package) ÷ Total pages
Example:
- Monthly rental: €150
- Beyond package: €30
- Total pages: 4,500
Cost/page = €180 ÷ 4,500 = €0.04/page
Compare this figure each month to identify trends.
Specific optimisation tips
For small volumes (< 3,000 p./month)
- Consider a simpler machine
- Negotiate a contract without minimum
- Explore short-term rental if needs are irregular
For medium volumes (3,000-15,000 p./month)
- Optimal zone for multifunction leasing
- Focus on user training
- Implement default B&W and duplex
For large volumes (> 15,000 p./month)
- Negotiate aggressive cost per page
- Consider print management software
- Explore production equipment for even lower costs
Avoid classic pitfalls
❌ Oversized package
If you consistently use less than 60% of your package, you’re overpaying. Ask for package reduction.
❌ Unchecked colour
Without monitoring, colour consumption tends to increase. Monitor closely.
❌ Ignored breakdown alerts
Minor problems become costly repairs. React to first alerts.
❌ No mid-contract review
After 24 months, your needs may have changed. Request a contract review.
Renegotiation checklist
Every 24 months, ask yourself:
- Is my package still appropriate?
- Do I benefit from the best rates for my volume?
- Are conditions still competitive vs market?
- Do I use all included options?
- Is the contract still suited to my business evolution?
If multiple answers are “no”, time to renegotiate.
The leverage of competition
Don’t hesitate to request competitor quotes, even mid-contract:
- Shows your current supplier you’re attentive to the market
- Gives you benchmarks for negotiation
- Prepares for end of contract
In summary: the 10 rules for an optimised contract
- Accurately size your package
- Configure defaults (duplex, B&W)
- Monitor monthly consumption
- Train and raise awareness of users
- Track your KPIs
- React to alerts
- Renegotiate mid-contract if necessary
- Compare at each renewal
- Prioritise total cost over monthly rental
- Don’t overpay for unused options
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