Every business in Central Texas—from Brownwood to San Angelo, Stephenville to Harker Heights—relies on printers and copiers. You print invoices, scan contracts, copy training materials, or produce church bulletins and school handouts. These machines feel like ordinary office tools… until the bills, the jams, and the downtime start adding up.
Most owners only look at the obvious costs: the lease or purchase price of the equipment and the occasional toner cartridge. The real number is almost always higher. Industry data consistently shows that organizations spend 1–3% of annual revenue on printing and related expenses—much of it hidden. For a $1 million business, that can mean $10,000–$30,000 a year quietly leaving your bottom line.
Here’s a clear breakdown of where the money actually goes.
The Visible Costs (The Ones You Expect)
- Equipment payments or leases
- Toner, ink, and drums
- Paper
- Basic service calls
These are easy to track on invoices. They’re also only part of the story.
The Hidden Costs (The Ones That Quietly Hurt)
Downtime
When a multifunction printer goes down during a busy afternoon, work stops. Staff stand around, deadlines slip, and customers wait. Even a few hours of downtime a month compounds quickly in lost productivity.
IT and staff time
Someone has to order supplies, troubleshoot network issues, clear jams, or call for service. That time is pulled away from higher-value work. Many Central Texas businesses discover their “free” internal support is actually one of their largest print-related expenses.
Wasted prints and inefficient workflows
Unclaimed print jobs, accidental color copies, and outdated machines that force people to reprint or re-scan waste both paper and toner. Without proper device management and output controls, waste becomes routine.
Energy and space
Older equipment often consumes more power and takes up more floor space than modern, efficient multifunction devices.
Security and compliance risks
Documents left on the hard drive of an unsecured copier or printed jobs sitting in the output tray create exposure. Fixing a data issue after the fact is far more expensive than preventing it.
Opportunity cost
Time and money spent managing printers is time and money not spent growing the business, serving customers, or improving operations.
When you add these together, the total cost of printing is rarely what the monthly invoice suggests.
A Simple Way to Estimate Your Own Costs
- Gather the last 12 months of invoices for equipment, toner, paper, and service.
- Estimate hours spent by staff or IT on printer-related issues (be honest).
- Multiply those hours by fully loaded labor rates.
- Factor in any known downtime or wasted materials.
The result is usually eye-opening.
How Central Texas Businesses Are Taking Control
The smartest approach isn’t just buying a cheaper machine. It’s shifting from reactive “break-fix” printing to a managed, predictable system. That typically includes:
- Right-sized, reliable Canon or Lexmark multifunction devices
- Automated toner delivery so you never run out
- Proactive maintenance that dramatically reduces downtime
- Software for secure print release, document capture, and workflow automation
- Local technicians who can be on site quickly from one of our four Central Texas locations
At Kirbo’s Office Systems we’ve helped businesses across the region lower their total print costs, eliminate surprise repair bills, and free up staff time—while improving reliability and security.
Take the Next Step: Get a Clear Picture of Your Numbers
You don’t have to guess anymore. We offer a no-obligation print assessment for businesses in Brownwood, Harker Heights, San Angelo, Stephenville, and surrounding areas. We’ll review your current equipment, usage patterns, and costs, then show you exactly where savings and efficiency gains are possible.
Call the location nearest you or visit www.kirbos.com to request your free assessment today.
Kirbo’s Office Systems
Family-owned and serving the heart of Texas since 1972. Authorized Canon and Lexmark dealers.
Brownwood: 325-643-3383 | Harker Heights: 254-526-6182 | San Angelo: 325-658-2679 | Stephenville: 254-968-4221
Make your printing costs predictable—and put the savings back into growing your business.