Recently, one of our clients began planning an office relocation and engaged us to review their current print environment and provide quotes on replacement equipment. As part of the evaluation, we reviewed a Sharp 70 ppm copier currently deployed in their environment.

The member of the client’s IT support team we were working with did not negotiate the original agreement   they inherited it after joining the organization. But once we reviewed the numbers together, the reality became clear:

The organization was paying nearly $2,000 per month for a single copier. Unfortunately, situations like this are more common than many CIOs and IT Directors realize.

The Problem With Copier Leasing

Copier leasing itself is not inherently bad. In many cases, leasing is an appropriate financial tool when an organization wants to preserve cash flow or avoid large capital expenditures.

The problem occurs when:

• Decision makers focus only on monthly payment amounts
• Print volumes are overestimated
• Maintenance costs are bundled into financed agreements
• Lease terms are extended unnecessarily
• Organizations inherit agreements that no longer align with operational realities. 

And by the time IT inherits the environment, the company is already contractually committed. Unlike many SaaS or managed service agreements, copier leases are non-cancelable finance agreements. Once signed, there is no practical exit other than paying the remaining obligation in full.

Meanwhile, the equipment vendor and has already been paid shortly after installation. That leaves the organization carrying the long-term financial burden  even if the equipment no longer matches the business need.

Why This Matters to IT Leadership

In many organizations, copier procurement historically occurred outside of IT. But today’s multifunction devices are no longer “just copiers.” They are:

• Network-connected endpoints
• Cloud-integrated document systems
• Security and compliance considerations
• Operational infrastructure

Yet we still frequently see copier agreements evaluated with far less scrutiny than other IT investments.

In the situation above, the client’s IT team was simply trying to evaluate replacement options during a relocation project. Instead, they uncovered a significant long-term financial commitment that limited flexibility and potentially consumed budget that could have been allocated elsewhere.

The “Early Upgrade” Trap

One of the most common tactics in the copier industry is the “upgrade early” pitch. A representative approaches the organization claiming they can:

• Lower the monthly payment
• Upgrade the equipment
• Improve performance
• Reduce support issues

What is often not clearly explained is that the remaining balance of the current lease may simply be rolled into the new agreement.

From a financial perspective, the organization may effectively be:

• Refinancing existing debt
• Restarting finance charges
• Extending lock-in periods
• Delaying true ownership
• Increasing total lifecycle costs

Lower monthly payments do not necessarily mean lower total cost. Areas IT Leadership Should Review Carefully.

Before approving or renewing copier agreements, IT and finance leadership should validate:

1. Actual Equipment Cost: 

Always request the outright purchase price of the equipment in addition to the lease payment.

2. Realistic Print Volumes: 

Many organizations are operating with significantly lower print volumes than they had five years ago due to digitization and hybrid work. Oversized devices and inflated minimums can create unnecessary expense.

3. Separation of Lease vs. Maintenance: 

Maintenance and click charges should generally remain separate from the financing agreement to avoid unnecessary finance costs and vendor lock-in.

4. End-of-Term Options:

Understand exactly what happens at lease expiration:

• Fair Market Value buyout?
• Fixed purchase option?
• Automatic renewal clauses?
• Return obligations?

5. Security & Infrastructure Alignment:

Modern copier environments should be evaluated the same way you evaluate servers, laptops, or network infrastructure:

• Firmware lifecycle
• Security posture
• Authentication integration
• Print management strategy
• Cloud print roadmap
• Supportability

A Better Approach:

At A M Exclusive, we believe copier agreements should be transparent, operationally aligned, and evaluated as part of the broader IT environment not treated as isolated finance transactions.

Sometimes the right answer is replacement.

Sometimes it’s consolidation.

And sometimes the best answer is keeping the equipment you already own because it still meets the organization’s needs.

Complimentary Copier Lease & Print Environment Review:

If your organization is:

• Being pressured into an early upgrade
• Relocating offices
• Reviewing budgets
• Modernizing infrastructure
• Moving toward cloud print
• Concerned about rising copier costs

We offer a complimentary copier lease and print environment review.

We’ll evaluate:

• Current lease obligations
• Equipment utilization
• Maintenance structures
• Print volumes
• Upgrade recommendations
• Potential cost reduction opportunities
• Security and infrastructure considerations

No pressure. No obligation. Just an independent second opinion designed to help IT and business leadership make informed decisions.

Because once a lease is signed, the organization — not the salesperson — carries the long-term responsibility.

Call us at 718-845-2828 ext. 3 or visit https://www.amexclusive.com/free-cost-benefit-analysis-copiers to schedule a consultation today!