How to Cut Printing Costs by 30% in Your Small Office: 7 Strategies

For many small and mid-sized businesses, printing remains a hidden expense that quietly eats away at the bottom line. Between toner, paper, maintenance, and inefficient workflows, office printing can account for up to 3% of annual revenue, a surprisingly high figure for something often considered “just part of doing business.”

At American Business Machines (ABM), we help organizations across Central and Southern California uncover where their printing dollars are really going, and how to rein them in. The good news? You can often reduce your printing costs by 30% or more with the right combination of strategy, equipment, and oversight.

Here are seven proven ways to make that happen.

1. Audit Your Current Printing Environment

You can’t fix what you can’t see. The first step toward cutting printing costs is to understand how much you’re actually printing and where waste occurs.

A print audit provides a clear snapshot of your current environment plus how many devices you have, how they’re being used, and what they’re costing you. It identifies hidden inefficiencies such as:

• Redundant printers scattered across departments
  
  
• High-cost desktop printers instead of shared multi-function devices
  
  
• Users printing in color unnecessarily
  
  
• Outdated hardware driving up maintenance costs
  
  

At ABM, our Managed Print Services use Canon’s uniFLOW software to track print behavior, measure true cost-per-page, and uncover opportunities to consolidate and save.

2. Consolidate Devices to Multi-Function Printers (MFPs)

Many small offices grow organically, adding printers as new employees or projects come along. Before long, there’s a mix of desktop inkjets, aging laser printers, and a few multifunction copiers all running on separate supply schedules and maintenance contracts.

By consolidating these into a few centralized multi-function printers (MFPs), you can:

• Reduce the number of devices to maintain and supply
  
  
• Lower per-page costs with enterprise-grade toner yields
  
  
• Streamline scanning, copying, and faxing into one workflow
  
  
• Enable better tracking and control over who prints what
  
  

Canon’s imageRUNNER ADVANCE and imageCLASS series are designed with small-business efficiency in mind, offering robust performance with energy-saving features and built-in security tools.

3. Implement Print Rules and Authentication

Once you know how much people are printing, the next step is controlling it. Simple rule-based printing policies can reduce waste dramatically without affecting productivity.

For example, you can:

• Set defaults to duplex (double-sided) printing
  
  
• Require PIN or badge authentication to release jobs at the printer (which eliminates unclaimed printouts)
  
  
• Restrict color printing to certain departments or users
  
  
• Automatically reroute large jobs to lower-cost devices
  
  

With uniFLOW and other MPS platforms, these policies are easy to configure and enforce. Employees still print what they need—but with greater awareness and accountability.

Quick Stat: Businesses using print authentication and rules-based printing typically cut paper waste by up to 25% within the first quarter.

4. Go Digital Where It Counts

While printing will never disappear entirely, transitioning certain workflows to digital processes can have an outsized impact on your budget.

Common examples include:

• Digital signatures and forms: Replace printed contracts and onboarding packets with electronic versions using tools like Laserfiche or DocuSign.
  
  
• Scanned document routing: Automatically send digital copies to email, shared drives, or cloud storage instead of printing duplicates.
  
  
• Cloud storage and collaboration: Encourage file sharing through secure platforms rather than printed distribution copies.
  
  

ABM’s document management solutions help you capture, store, and retrieve files securely, freeing your business from costly, paper-heavy systems.

5. Optimize Your Supply Management

Toner and ink cartridges are frequent culprits in runaway print costs—especially if every department orders separately or buys retail.

Centralizing your supply management offers multiple advantages:

• Bulk pricing and vendor discounts
  
  
• Reduced waste from over-ordering or expired stock
  
  
• Predictable automatic reordering through MPS software
  
  
• Less downtime waiting on supplies
  
  

ABM offers automated supply replenishment as part of our Managed Print Services, so your devices always have what they need without overstocking shelves.

6. Maintain Regular Service and Firmware Updates

Neglected printers can be surprisingly expensive. Outdated firmware, worn rollers, and neglected maintenance cause jams, reprints, and wasted supplies—all of which quietly drive up costs.

A preventative maintenance schedule ensures your devices stay in peak condition. It also helps catch issues early, before they cause downtime or waste.

ABM’s factory-trained technicians provide regular service and remote monitoring to keep your devices running efficiently across all eight of our California locations.

Pro Tip: If your printers are more than five years old, it may be time to evaluate energy-efficient replacements. Newer models consume less power and use toner more efficiently.

7. Partner with a Managed Print Services Provider

While some businesses attempt to manage printing internally, the most effective way to achieve lasting savings is by partnering with a Managed Print Services (MPS) provider.

Here’s why:

• Comprehensive visibility: See who’s printing what, when, and why
  
  
• Predictable budgeting: Consolidated monthly billing for equipment, supplies, and service
  
  
• Ongoing optimization: Continuous improvements based on analytics and real usage
  
  
• Sustainability gains: Lower paper and energy usage reduce your carbon footprint
  
  

At ABM, our MPS clients routinely experience up to 30% savings within the first year—along with fewer service headaches and more predictable workflows.

Cutting printing costs doesn’t have to mean cutting productivity. By combining smarter equipment choices, automated supply management, and a little behavioral awareness, most small offices can reclaim thousands of dollars each year, money that can be reinvested where it truly matters.

Whether you’re ready for a complete print assessment or just looking for practical ways to streamline, American Business Machines can help. Contact us today for your free consultations.