Paper usage and the future

[leo34staffs]

What do you guys think the future of this industry is going to be like?

I have been looking at the amount of e-readers, tablets and the like that are coming out (Ipad is a bit costly at the moment) and i am starting to think that these will be used as note pads, virtual documents, etc.

Now, i know back in the seventies and throughout the last few decades there have been mentions of "the paperless office", but with e-billing, online forms etc, is it on the horizon??

I have been in this industry for nearly 20 years and have seen some company's use more paper and some less paper.

What do you think the outcome will be? are we safe in our jobs?

Please post your thoughts, views.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Paper usage and the future

Fifteen years ago we were told that facsimilie would be obsolete very soon. And here we are in 2012, and 2/3 of our new machines still get the fax option. Once a technology gets embedded, it doesn't go away that easily.

Those tablets and electronic viewing devices are going to need some serious storage capacity, I/O options, and organizational options before they will ever replace an ordinary letter size 20# bond piece of paper. IHMO nothing to worry about in the next decade, probably much longer.
=^..^=

[cbs]

Re: Paper usage and the future

Paper isn't going away (just better managed and secured, if we do our jobs well).

Paper is portable, it's batteries don't die, can be annotated with ease, etc. However, we know that paper can be misfiled, improperly distributed, deteriorates, etc. so we must educate ourselves, adapt, and demonstrate the benefits.

Over 30 years of service, sales, and management in the industry has resulted in my share in the belief for the need and for the responsibility our techs, our sales, and our internal operations must have to be more-than-capable in IT Management Services and Solutions Based business models. However, our customer's are just beginning to grasp the idea and some customers refuse to posses the vision, holding on to the idea that the "Staples" commodity based document solutions is the right choice.

Interesting times in 2012; like it was 10 years ago when scan to and document imaging began to get attention, like it was 15 years ago when digital MFP (network printing) came into being, like it was 20 years ago when cost per copy became the norm and the likes of Danka/Ikon surface, like it was 30 years ago when Document Feeders, Duplexing, and Finishers were state-of-the-art options and discount was 10% off list price for Check With Order deals and service techs lived in a more relaxed business climate (but we were covered in toner!).

Paper isn't dead and companies are mainly shifting where the print goes to (distributing invoices via email to customers who then print them out). Even the US Postal Service and the NY Times are running advertising promoting the advantages of paper.

[TheOwl]

Re: Paper usage and the future

We are definately safe for now as the culture when we were all employed and some after dictates that we all know how to make a photocopy or we print something out.

It is the younger generations that start coming through into the workforce that will change this mentality. While they won't be able to change it on the spot, they will be able to start their trend. As younger generations of those come through, they will start adopting this trend and so on.

The paper office can't be filtered out any time soon as our generations have already entrenched copying and printing into the workforce and that will take a very long time to be filtered out.

[RRodgers]

Re: Paper usage and the future

Where the future with our job's are is in those tablets and things you mentioned. Connecting those devices to our copiers will be the future of this line of work. (I've already been working on this)

[prntrfxr]

Re: Paper usage and the future

I don't know. There have already been some changes since I've been in the workplace. On the printer side it's bad. On the copier side the outlook is good. The reason I say this. About 10 years ago, I had a client that had printers at every workstation (300+) or a printer for every 2 people in the office, 1 copier, and about 3 fax machines. Now this company has 3 MFP's (that also fax), 1 color laserjet, and 1 copier. 2 of these are HP, 2 mfp's and the copier are Ricoh. Where are all the printers? Gone. Guess who has the account now? Not my previous employer. Big repair company wins - managed print set-up. Little guy gets muscled out. Even the parts vendors do, because there are no longer 300 machines to purchase parts for.

There will be changes. I think we will still have printing, but greatly reduced. Vendors and small printer service companies will be gone, but copier companies should be good if they are authorized and sell mfp's.

[Zackuth]

Re: Paper usage and the future

Everytime someone mentions reducing paper quantities there are 5 new forms to fill out. Electronic forms can be altered and for that reason people will always want a hard copy. I do understand that electronic copies are easier to store, find, and take up less space. But I don't see paper quanties lessening that much for decades to come.

[aopinc]

Re: Paper usage and the future

The thought of a paperless world is indeed getting closer. However, it is far away. It would be easy for an office to replace paper with technology if they were willing to fork out some upfront cost and training. The problem for these places is many of their most important staff are not technology minded or savvy. Imagine going to a doctors office and they hand you a tablet to type in instead of a clipboard to fill out. If they though about the long term savings, it would be cheaper. Even if it was just a desktop computer that you sat at and filled out your information. Most people have a hard time not having that piece of paper to write on or store. Even for me as a 31 yr old technology freak, I find myself printing information when I could easily just view it on my laptop, e-reader or smart phone. We are secure for most of our working lifetimes!

[RRodgers]

Re: Paper usage and the future

Paper never forgets.

[JustManuals]

Re: Paper usage and the future

Remember when they fed us that line of BS that the computer is going to make us a paperless society? LMAO!

[fixthecopier]

Re: Paper usage and the future

Going to a paperless society would depend on people becoming technologically competent and understanding and trusting electronic data storage. With that having been said, I plan to retire from this industry, of old age. Nuff said!

[Dark Helmet]

Re: Paper usage and the future

The Battlestar Galactica still used tractor fed impact printers

[Zackuth]

Re: Paper usage and the future

The Battlestar Galactica still used tractor fed impact printers

What more evidence do you need!!!

[banginbishop]

Re: Paper usage and the future

in the uk electronic signatures are not legal so paper has to be used. when it does become law then the only work will be scanners or plan printers where an electronic document will not be usefull e.g building site drawings so i expect the copier industry to either diversify or die. I worked at asda (walmart) warehouse for a year and that was "paperless" - it never was as there was always paper floating about in some form but on a very small scale.

[Tonerbomb]

Re: Paper usage and the future

Had a customer at a mortgaage company back in the 90'ties tell me I'ld be needing a new job because email would replace fax machines. I pointed out to him that the 20 file cabinettes in the room were all full of paper files...(scanning wasn't around then) this was right after Al Gore invented the internet and everyone had windows 95 and a 33.6 dial up modem. In my opinion We're safe for quite awhile !!!!!