Considering their significance, meters are one of those things that often don’t get the spotlight they deserve. That said, here is some information that could potentially save you some money and headache when it comes to a meter.
What is a meter?
Inside of every copier and printer, there’s a meter that counts how many pages have been printed from that machine. Whether from a copy, fax, or printed document, your equipment is keeping tally of its life’s work. These numbers are referred to as meter readings, and are used for a variety of things by both the customer and the vendor.
What are meter readings used for?
The service industry relies on these readings to accurately bill customers for the number of prints they’ve made. Sales Specialists use them to identify which machines best-fit customer’s needs. Customers report meters to their vendor for accurate billing and can use them to keep up with their own volume.
Shopping for pre-owned equipment?
If so, take a look at the meter reading on the pre-owned equipment before making the leap. A worn-out copier won’t get you very far and could do some major damage to your wallet. Be leery of vendors or websites that don’t want to disclose meter readings on used equipment.
Our Certified Pre-Owned machines have low meter counts and come with the We Make It Right™ Guarantee, so you can rest assured, knowing we’ve got you covered. Additionally, age should be taken into consideration. Once a machine hits a certain age, it can be hard to find a vendor who’ll actually put a service contract on it. They know that doing so would make them liable for a machine that they can no longer support or get parts for. Basically, an old copier/printer is like an old car – the older it is, the harder (and costlier) it is to maintain and find parts and compatible supplies. In the end, it can end up costing you more than a brand-new machine.
What does this mean for me?
- Keep your service invoices accurate by ensuring your meters are reported on a routine basis- either by entering them through your online account, manually submitting them, or setting up an automatic service.
- Keep a meter history log to use to ensure the contracted volume on your service plan is set appropriately. If you have an online account, you can access your meter history there, as well.
- If shopping for pre-owned equipment, check the meter reading. You can compare that reading to what the manufacturer shows the duty cycle to be, to see if the current meter seems high. Your Sales Specialist can help with this, as well.
If you want to learn more about meters, or need assistance finding the reading on your machine, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
Insider Knowledge:
Copier meters were originally calculated on the old-style counter devices, with rolling digits. Each time a page was printed, the counter would roll, adding one to its total. When it did this, it made a clicking sound. Even with today’s technology, our industry still refers to pages printed as ‘clicks’.