The Hidden Printer Problem: How One Device Can Destroy Your Profits (and How to Stop It)

Summary: Not all printers on a contract perform the same. Some quietly eat into your profits with higher toner use or recurring service calls. The fix? Stop guessing and start tracking profitability at the per-device level with ERP-driven insights. That’s how you protect your margins before it’s too late.

Would you know if a single printer was siphoning profits from an equipment lease contract? Let’s take a look at three identical printers on contract that couldn’t be more different in their profitability.

This contract assumed an average number of toner shipments. But when the use of a single printer causes unexpectedly high toner shipments, costs for that device skyrocket!

If another device has a few repeated service issues, your labor expenses start adding up quick Over time, one or two underperforming devices can wipe out the profits from an entire contract.

One printer alone could run well over $15,000 in unplanned toner and service expenses over a year.

Fixing profitability leaks starts with integrating your ERP with device management and financial data, turning your ERP into a central hub for calculating per-device profitability, so you can:

• Track device meters and supply usage automatically.
• Identify high-cost devices before they erode margins.
• Adjust pricing based on actual usage trends.
• Optimize your supply chain to reduce overspending.

The right ERP centralizes all the data needed to optimize MPS revenue. Without this level of control, contract profitability is at risk.

Gain a clear view of your costs to protect your margins. Relying on spreadsheets or disconnected data is a gamble with your profitability. An industry-tailored ERP provides the visibility and control needed to guarantee every device under contract is profitable. Don’t allow a single printer to wipe out your margins—get the right tools to safeguard your business.

Profit killers hide in plain sight. The only way to find them is with integrated ERP insights. That’s how you keep every contract healthy and every device under control.