Are office printers too confusing for Aussies?

According to the poll, of the 507 workers across Australia, 61 percent have admitted they are at a loss when figuring out how to use printers.

Thirty-one percent stated they knew there were functions they could be using but had never tried them. The remaining 25 percent of respondents said they had not figured out functions outside of what they already use and 5 percent were at a complete loss.

The results were a surprise to the printer vendor, said John Venett, national marketing manager at Konica Minolta Business Solutions.

“It is surprising that such a large number of people are not getting the best out of their office technology. And the irony is that working hours and pressures could be reduced by utilising some of the intelligent functions now available with multi-functional copiers,” he said.

Respondents were also asked what they thought of their current office printer, with 53 percent saying that they thought that it should be replaced or upgraded. However, only 11 percent said they wanted a broader range of functions, further supporting the case that Australians have a lack of confidence in this area.

Other issues that caused problems included; paper jams (26 percent), poor print quality (24 percent), speed (19 percecnt) and the regularity of breakdowns (13 percent).

“For such a regularly used piece of equipment, it seems that many users are perhaps intimidated by the applications and functions available to them,” he said.

Vennett told iTnews that office workers shouldn’t let printers “press their buttons”. Just as time is spent on training for computers, software and equipment, similar attention should be given to guiding staff on how to properly use the office multi-functional copier/printer.

“The industry is working to ensure that customers are made aware of available training but this message needs to be reinforced through the support of line managers and HR departments so that staff are encouraged to take part,” he said.