Carolina Business Technologies, Inc

Printer Tips: Remanufactured Cartridges

2010-06-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

"Will a Remanufactured Cartridge Damage Your Printer?"

By Bill Snyder, CIO, Network World

Suppose Ford or Toyota would sell you a brand new car for, say, $500. Wow! Such a deal, you might think. But there'd be a catch: Every tank of gas would cost you $50, and you had to buy it from Ford or Toyota. Before long, you'd have spent a lot more on gas than you did on the car.

That's very much the situation facing consumers who use inkjet printers. The hardware is relatively cheap, but the cartridges are fairly expensive and they run dry fairly quickly, too. To save ink, you could print less or at a lower resolution, but why not do the same amount of printing at a lower cost and help the environment at the same time? That's the promise that vendors of remanufactured and refilled cartridges make. The question is, do they keep it?

You might expect me to say, "Remanufactured cartridges are a great idea--nevermind warnings about poor quality from greedy printer makers. You'll never know the difference between the two."

Well, I'm not going to say that. Last week I spoke to executives on both sides of the printer cartridge debate--one with Hewlett-Packard, another with a company that makes refill equipment. They were easy to reach and seemed reasonably frank, considering both have skin in the game.

My conclusion: You can save as much as 50 percent with refilled cartridges and 10- to 20 percent with remanufactured cartridges. For many routine print jobs that's a perfectly acceptable solution. However, some print jobs won't look as good or last as long without fading. And there's a chance that a poorly refilled or remanufactured cartridge will fail, make a mess, and maybe even damage your printer.

To get answers to these questions, please visit Network World's full article by clicking here.

CBT on Google Places

2010-05-03T12:09:00.000-07:00

Find Carolina Business Technologies on Google Places. We look forward to reviewing customers feedback on our services and repairs, whether they came to our CBT's location in South Charlotte or we came on-site to service your office equipment.

If you are in need of a Rock Hill Copier Lease company or a Huntersville Printer Repair shop, CBT is the region's trusted source for office equipment sales, services, rentals and leasing!

Contact us for more information on how we can help you keep your office running!

Spotlight on the Copystar

2010-04-05T05:56:00.001-07:00

Copystar offers businesses and home offices a cost-effective solution for your document management needs. Here at Carolina Business Technologies, we are dedicated to bringing your quality products alongside premier service when you need it the most.

We offer Charlotte Copystar:

Digital Copiers
Color Copiers
and Copier Rentals

Features include but are not limited to: sheet reversing, color scanning, up to 80 copies per minute and optimal finishing like stapling and hole punch.

Meet Team CBT!

2010-03-03T05:05:00.000-08:00

From owner to service manager and technician, the Carolina Business Technologies crew offers a wide array of expertise in the office equipment and repair industries.

Meet our team:

Phil Griffin
Cindy Griffin
Melissa Helms
Rob Foster
Bill Snyder
Carl Rubidge
Mike Spruill

To read our bios, please visit our Team page. If you would like more information on printer repair in Charlotte NC, Charlotte Samsung equipment or Rock Hill Copier Rental, please visit the appropriate pages!

If there is anything you can't find on the website, please contact our helpful Team and we can assist you in finding a solution! We look forward to hearing from you.

The Office Copier is 50!

2010-01-28T09:55:00.000-08:00

This article that we found on CNN, reminds us to wish a Happy Birthday to the birth of the copier market.

By Stephanie N. Mehta, executive editorJanuary 22, 2010: 10:39 AM ET

NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Long before digital tools such as listservs, e-mail blasts, and even Facebook enabled us to easily broadcast messages, photocopies were the most efficient way to distribute information to groups of all sizes.

If the boss needed to discuss a new company policy, workers got memos in their (physical) in-boxes or slipped under their office doors. Community newsletters, fliers for parties, and the oft-maligned Christmas letters in holiday cards were all made possible by the automated copying machine, which made its commercial debut 50 years ago.

"It was a democratizing technology," says Stephen P. Hoover, vice president of global software solutions for Xerox (XRX, Fortune 500). Xerox's 914 copier -- so named because it could copy a 9-by-14-inch document at a rate of seven copies per minute -- "gave people access to information and capabilities they just didn't have. It really changed how work was done."

Indeed, in announcing the 914 on September 16, 1959, Joseph C. Wilson, president of the company then known as Haloid Xerox Co. ("Haloid" was dropped in 1961), said in a news release: "Our girls [read: secretaries] love to use the 914 and have discovered many new copying jobs for it to do. For example, rather than type a complicated page full of statistics requiring nine or ten carbons, they have found it much faster to type the information on a single sheet and make copies on the 914. Thus they avoid the annoying, time- consuming job of correcting errors on nine or ten sheets separated by carbons.

"Besides, they feel great pride when their copies all look like originals."....

To read the full article, please click on the CNN link above.

If you are intersted in Rock Hill copier rentals or printer repair in Charlotte, NC, please visit the CBT Sales webiste!

Top 10 Reasons to Rent Office Equipment

2009-12-29T10:12:00.000-08:00

CBT's Top Ten Reasons to Rent

There is no risk. If at any time you are unsatisfied with our performance or copier you can cancel your service without penalty. Our month-to-month agreement means you can also upgrade or change your program as your needs change. There is no 3 to 5 year contract you can’t get out of or early termination fees.

Everything is included: the copier, all service, supplies, and parts.

Copiers can be configured with Automatic Feeder, Duplex, Sorter, and Staple Sorter. We have all sizes of copiers in stock, ready for fast delivery.

Our flexible rental program allows you to change your monthly copy volume, as your business needs change. There is not a penalty, and you can change as often as you need. You won’t get stuck in the wrong contract when your “guestimate” is too high or too low.

One payment a month. Simplify your accounting and eliminate surprises. Our program includes all service, parts, supplies, and there are no finance charges.

It’s our problem. All service is included, so we fix any problem. If it needs an expensive part we pay for it. If it can’t be fixed we will replace your machine. (Try asking a leasing company if you want your copier replaced!).

100% Tax deductible (operating expenses vs. capital expenditure). There is no need to depreciate the copier. Simply write off all costs as a business expense.

Need to Copy Basis: Need a copier for a special event or on a short-term basis? We will rent a copier for one year, one month or even one day.

We rent other office equipment. Besides a complete range of Copystar / Kyocera Mita digital copiers, we rent Oki fax machines, Kyocera and H.P. laser printers and paper shredders. We offer both color & monochrome.

References: We rent to major construction companies, film product companies, accounting firms and even to political campaigns.

To view more about Charlotte Copier Rentals and Rock Hill Copier Rental, click on the links.

KYOCERA MITA America and API Cryptek Launch MFP Authentication and Security Solution for US Government Agencies

2009-11-30T06:38:00.001-08:00

FAIRFIELD, N.J. and STERLING, Va. – November 10, 2009 - Kyocera Mita America, Inc., one of the world's leading document solutions companies, and API Cryptek, a leading provider of secure networking products and solutions, today announced that select Kyocera multifunctional products (MFPs) provide complete device locking security capabilities through API Cryptek’s Netgard™ MFD card reader appliance.

With the implementation of this new solution, end users who wish to access standard full functions of a Kyocera MFP, including copy, scan, e-mail and fax, will be required to authenticate with their U.S. Department of Defense-issued CAC/PIV Card (Common Access Card/Personal Identity Verification) and their personal identification number (PIN) via API Cryptek’s Netgard MFD. With this advanced security in place, Kyocera MFPs are securely locked from performing tasks until the user has been successfully identified. Utilizing the Netgard MFD with Kyocera’s MFPs effectively secures the device and prevents unauthorized users from accessing privileged materials or tampering with network resources.

“Kyocera has long been at the forefront of document security, and with our strategic alliance with API Cryptek’s securing technology, Kyocera will continue to offer advanced security options for today’s government agencies,” said Peter Hendrick, vice president, marketing for Kyocera Mita America. “As more organizations seek to further strengthen the security protection of their peripheral network access points, our technological partnership with API Cryptek will allow Kyocera to provide the most sophisticated security features to address the increasingly sophisticated nature of data security.”

Read the rest of the Kyocera article here.

Big Resellers Ramp Up Ink and Toner Recycling

2009-10-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

Recent announcements by Staples and Best Buy have advanced the case for recycling empty ink and toner cartridges. Office supplies chain Staples has expanded its recycling program, which gives a $3 coupon for Staples purchase, expanding it program from a few select ink and toner vendors to all vendors. Similarly, electronics giant Best Buy announced it will also award recyclers with a $10 gift card fore doing the right thing.

One online marketing report notes one expert's reaction that “while many national chains have viewed the vagaries of recycling, usually fraught with local issues, as an albatross, the good ones are seeing it as an opportunity to build loyalty and drive traffic.

One study cited in that article shows that “51% of shoppers say they consider the environmental impact of their electronics purchase.”

Also, the US Postal Service recently set up a recycling program for ink and toner cartridges, part of a major green overhaul, including power savings on computers and paper recycling, that they claim has saved $2.25 million in the last fiscal year.

Read the rest of the article here.

Office Depot gets $350 million investment

2009-09-30T06:45:00.000-07:00

Boca Raton-based Office Depot Inc. said today that private equity firm BC Partners has made a $350 million investment through a preferred stock purchase, giving it a stake in the office supplies chain of approximately 20 percent.

Click hear to read the rest of the article here.

Guide to Equipment Rental for Your Business

2009-08-31T12:41:00.000-07:00

Restaurants need ovens, retailers need cash registers and every office space needs a functional copy machine. No matter what type of company you own, you can't do good business without the right tools to do your job well. After all, having the right equipment — whether state-of-the-art computers or just a sturdy desk on which to write — can make your business; and in the same turn, having the wrong equipment can easily break it.

Business tools can be expensive, however, especially for young start-ups. Budget-conscious companies, then, rent or lease their equipment, which can:

1. Free up cash for other expenses and investments.
2. Reduce the amount of debt on your financial statements.
3. Facilitate easier and less expensive equipment upgrades.
4. Reduce your tax burden, thanks to applicable deductions.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Evaluate your needs

Every hunt for equipment – rented, leased or owned – should start with an inventory of your business needs. Everything from furniture, phones and computers to forklifts, software and vehicles, can be rented. Decide what you need to own, and what might be worth borrowing.

Decide: Rent or lease?

A lease usually covers a period of time longer than a week or a month and the title transfers to you. Usually, you're also responsible for maintenance. A rental agreement, meanwhile, covers use of an item for a short time and the rental company is responsible for maintenance and breakdown.

Find a lessor

When you rent or lease equipment, it's important to find a lessor who will treat you like a partner rather than an account. Look for a lessor who has experience with or specializes in equipment for your industry. Ask for references, too, to help you evaluate prospective leasing and rental companies.

Choose a lease financing company

The company that will finance your lease is not typically the same as the company who will provide your rented equipment. Start with your own bank or financial services provider before soliciting other companies to broker your equipment lease.

source: www.business.com

Making the Most Out of Office Equipment Rental

2009-06-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

Making the most of office equipment rental monies should be a part of your business plan. While leasing office equipment may seem like an easy task, there is more to it than signing an agreement with one of the many copier leasing companies vying for your business. While copiers were once the main item for office equipment rental, today it’s not uncommon to use office equipment rental and leasing services for every item of office equipment in the office space.

Office equipment leasing is a good idea for both a startup operation as well as an established company. Other than the initial capital outlay for new equipment, it makes sense to rent office equipment because:

1. Office equipment rental and leasing services are operating expenses that can be tax deductions.

2. Office equipment rental lowers your capital expenses.

3. Leasing office equipment gives you the flexibility to use the newest equipment.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find the lowest cost office equipment rental prices
This first step in making the most of office equipment rental happens before you even decide what to rent. Make sure you find a company that offers what you need at a price you can afford. Watch for any extras, such as warranties that may cost you more money. Also know when the lease period ends so you know exactly when to return equipment; you'll want avoid late charges for extra days.

Find an office leasing equipment company that offers brand-name products
Only rent brand name equipment. Also make sure the leasing company delivers the equipment it promises in its contract.

Get the best financing for office leasing equipment
While you may have the necessary capital to avoid this step, many companies may not. There are companies that specialize in financing office rental equipment.

Contact CBT Sales Today for you all your office equipment rental needs.

Staples profit falls 33 percent in 1st quarter

2009-05-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

CHICAGO (AP) - Recession-weary customers are still putting off big-ticket purchases from office-supply chain Staples Inc., but the retailer said it's beginning to see smaller declines in foot traffic and sales to small businesses.

The chain's tepid first-quarter results, released Wednesday, show the limping U.S. economy may finally be digging itself out of its slump by the end of the year, executives said Wednesday.

"I think the economy still looks pretty choppy out there," Chairman and Chief Executive Ron Sargent told investors during a conference call. "But I do believe that we're kind of slowly heading toward recovery mode."

Among the signs of progress during the quarter:

- Sales through Staples Business Delivery and Quill, which targets companies with less than 100 employees, posted low double-digit sales declines, an improvement from the fourth quarter. Staples President and Chief Operating Officer Mike Miles said that was a sign "confirming the sense we're getting at retail that the small-business segment has stabilized."

- Same-store sales in the U.S. - a key retail industry metric of sales in stores open at least a year- fell 8 percent, better than the fourth quarter's 13 percent decrease. And comparable-store customer counts fell 2 percent, better than the mid-single digit declines posted at the end of the 2009 fiscal year.

Still, not all the news was good for the world's largest office supply retailer.

Read the rest of the articel here.
(source: www.dailymail.com)

Konica Minolta Holdings Inc. Completes Full Acquisition of Danka Office Imaging Company in the United States

2009-04-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

Konica Minolta Holdings Inc. announced that its subsidiary in the United States, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., has completed the acquisition of 100% stake in Danka Office Imaging Company, which is wholly owned by Danka Business Systems PLC in the United Kingdom. As a result, Danka Office Imaging Company will be a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, Konica Minolta Danka Imaging, which will be engaged in sales of the Company's MFP and printer in the United States.

Read the rest of the article here.

Office Equipment Rental News and Trends

2009-03-30T12:24:00.000-07:00

As more and more businesses take advantage of office equipment leasing, providers of office equipment rentals are changing with the times to keep up with customer demands. If you rent office equipment or if you are contemplating renting office equipment for the first time, you should follow office equipment rental news and trends so you can get the best deals for your company.

Office equipment leasing was a small industry at one time, but it’s a rapidly growing industry now. Once dominated by copier leasing companies, many office leasing equipment businesses today rent almost every piece of office equipment imaginable. Some rent on a monthly basis, while others offer long-term leases. In addition to the growing number of office equipment leasing businesses, other trends within the business are:

1. The growing number of products offered as office equipment rental.

2. Lower, more competitive prices from companies that rent office equipment to businesses.

3. The use of office equipment rental items as tax deductions as operating expenses.

Read the rest of the story here.

About Carolina Business Technologies

2009-02-26T12:16:00.000-08:00

Carolina Business Technologies, Inc. services office equipment in Charlotte, North Carolina, Rock Hill, South Carolina and surrounding cities. We offer both on-site and depot service for laser printers, copy/copier machine, and facsimile machines.

Carolina Business Technologies' hours of service are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday excluding holidays. Our technical staff is factory trained on the products they service and has over twenty-five (25) years combined experience in office equipment repair. Contact us today for all your office equipment servicing needs.

The product lines we support are:

Facsimile Machines

Okidata (all models)
Jetfax (all models)
NEC (all models)
Other Brand (call for service availability)

Laser Printers

Okidata (all models)
Kyocera (all models)
Hewlett-Packard (all models)
Canon (all models)
Other Brands...(call for service availability)

Dot Matrix Printers

Okidata (all models)

Copiers

Copystar (14 - 25 cpm analog models)
Copystar (15 - 80 cpm digital models)
Royal Copystar (25 - 80 cpm digital models)
Mita (14 - 25 cpm analog models)
Kyocera Mita (25 - 80 cpm digital models)
Other Brands...(call for service availability)