All You Need To Know About GDPR…

The time to act is here. May is just four months away, and with it comes four letters destined to make a big impact in your business.

Got no idea what we’re talking about? GDPR.

The new General Data Protection Regulations come into effect from Friday 25 May and they are guaranteed to shake up your office in a big way. If this date isn’t already circled vigorously in red pen on your calendar, then we suggest you do that right now!

There’s plenty of technical jargon, rules, and regulations that you can find trawling the Internet (not to mention some scare-mongering), but we think that’s rather intimidating. So, we’ve compiled a short list of the basics you need to know, along with a way that we may just be able to help with some of it…

What Is GDPR?

GDPR are the rules which define how businesses should handle personal data. Currently, all confidential information relating to your business must be destroyed securely. This includes legal documents, financial records, case files, employment records, personal information – the list is never ending. Basically, destroy anything that contains names, addresses, phone numbers or financial information. 

But what’s new?

Under GDPR, many companies will need to implement new processes to ensure that documents are destroyed promptly and securely. Data disposal, retention schedules, destruction policies, certificates of destruction and audit trails are all set to change according to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Why Do We Need New Regulations? 

In 2016, 82% of large businesses and 63% of SMEs fell foul to some sort of data breach. As the internet and digital services have revolutionised the way we live, work and shop, the risk of a data breach is increasing. The updated plans are set to modernise how data is collected, processed, stored, and destroyed to protect companies, employees, and clients from cyber-crime.

When Will The Law Change?

Friday 25 May 2018. And it doesn’t matter which industry you work in or how big your company is, EVERY business will have to follow the new regulations.

How Will It Affect Me?

As a data controller (that’s your business), you must appoint a Data Processor who will have the responsibility of processing all the personal data your company accumulates. This can be done in-house or via an external company. When collecting personal data, you must provide the identity of the processor and the purpose and legal protocol for processing the data. This includes consent, public interest or for a contract.

On the topic of consent, prepare for a huge change if you currently use pre-ticked boxes or your website. As of 25 May, this will no longer be acceptable. Subjects must make a clear action to show consent, so they must actively tick a box (which must be accompanied with a compliant privacy policy) or sign to this effect. Participants will be able to withdraw their consent at any time, request that personal data is deleted, must have the right to acknowledge their processed personal data and, if requested, receive a free copy of the data held about them.

If you process or collect data online, you will also be obliged to implement data protection measures when processing personal information. It may be useful to consider what data is essential, what is unnecessary and if/how your current products or services need to change.

If you want to know how to prepare for GDPR, check out our recent blog post here 

How Office Prime Supplies Can Help…

Feeling a little overwhelmed by your GDPR to-do list? 

Well, we can take some of the pressure off with our range of off-site shredding options. We can deliver either 240L/660L lockable bins or bags to your office, arrange collection either as a one-off clear out or on a regular basis, shred it securely and provide you with a certificate of compliance. Other than filling up your bags or bins, you don’t need to do a thing; just outsource it to a professional provider (that would be us and our partners!).

We ensure that your data is genuinely secure while it awaits destruction, is destroyed correctly and in accordance with any security requirements, and provide you with a visible audit trail to demonstrate your compliance. 

Alternatively you might take the view that shredding it yourself is the way forward. If so, that's not unusual. A lot of businesses like to have the peace of mind of total control of every step of the process. If that sounds like you, then we have a specialist range of some of the best shredders on the market from HSM.

Why we chose to recommend HSM machines to our customers:

• 3 Year warranty on each machine.
• 0.1 watt power consumption (on stand-by).
• German Quality - made in HSM's own factory in Germany.
• Digital motor (quiet powerful & efficient).
• Lifetime warranty on cutting rollers (Security Level P1 - P5).
• Continuous run motors.

Seriously, these are great bits of kit and every customer we have ever sold one of their machines has been delighted with the efficiency and impressed with the operational effectiveness.

For more information, email matthew@officeprimesupplies.co.uk or give us a call on 01270 760713.

Are You GDPR Ready?

The countdown is on and GDPR is just around the corner (well, four months but let’s not quibble!).

On Friday 25 May 2018, new General Data Protection Regulations will come into force. Although these will be an evolution of the existing Data Protection Act, rather than a complete rewrite, many organisations will need to look closely and alter their existing data protection policies.

But don’t panic just yet, there’s no need to empty your filing cabinets, print every document or file you’ve ever created and build a monumental fire in front of the office. There’s plenty of time to get yourself organised and ready for the change. With our advice, you’ll be ready for May in no time at all. Here are our tips for tackling GDPR head on:

1. Make sure you are compliant – This may sound like a no-brainer, but check to see if your current procedures, policies and contracts would be classed as compliant under the new regulations. You then need to appoint a Data Processor who will have the responsibility of overseeing the new regulations and ensuring that all necessary requirements are met. If you are a public authority, you will also need to hire a Data Protection Officer.

2. Conduct an audit – Assess the current personal data that you hold, where it came from and whether any third parties would need to access it. Your responsibilities don’t stop in-house either. Talk to your supply chains and ask them about their processes to ensure that they will also be GDPR compliant.

3. Develop a culture of transparency – Every member of staff and all your clients must know the types of data that will be held about them, how and where you store it and that there is a genuine and legal need to process it. GDPR is something that will affect everyone, not just those at the top of the food chain or departments such as security, IT or HR.

4. Security awareness – Accounts, client information, data on prospective employees – most of it is now kept online. Cyber threats are one of the greatest dangers a company can face nowadays, so implementing the correct security measures to protect your business (if you haven’t already) should be a priority. In addition to this, offer training to your employees. If they are unsure how your data and security processes work and the consequences that could occur due to a breach, they could end up creating a massive (yet easily avoidable) issue simply through lack of knowledge.

It may sound scary, but it is hoped that the desired changes will give everyone (businesses, clients, employees, and suppliers) a greater confidence and trust in how their personal data is processed, stored, and destroyed. Clearly, displaying data protection compliance can only be a good thing.

How Office Prime Supplies Can Help…

Feeling a little overwhelmed by your GDPR to-do list? 

Well, we can take some ofthe pressure off with our range of off-site shredding options. We can deliver either 240L/660L lockable bins or bags to your office, arrange collection either as a one-off clear out or on a regular basis, shred it securely and provide you with a certificate of compliance. Other than filling up your bags or bins, you don’t need to do anything.

Now we appreciate that you could do this yourself, but have you ever used a shredder at home to destroy your personal data? It’s mind-numbingly tedious and incredibly time-consuming. Do you really want your staff spending hours destroying data or would you rather they were doing their day jobs and growing your business? The DIY option could cost you as much as 50% extra in terms of time and productivity lost compared with outsourcing it to a professional provider (that would be us and our partners!).

We ensure that your data is genuinely secure while it awaits destruction, is destroyed correctly and in accordance with any security requirements, and provide you with a visible audit trail to demonstrate your compliance. Can the same be said for the boxes of paperwork left in the middle of the office waiting to be shredded?

For more information, email matthew@officeprimesupplies.co.uk or give us a call on 01270 760713.

Laser Printing - A Quick Handy Guide

Brother MFC-9340CDW Multi-Function Laser Printing Device

If you have just purchased, or are thinking of purchasing, a laser printer then there are a few things you need to know.

Firstly, laser printers do not use ink, they use toner. Toner is a powder rather than a liquid.

In brief, the way the laser printer works is:

·       The toner is pulled from the cartridge and sticks to a roller called an imaging drum. The drum has an electro-static version of the image on it, which is put there by a laser that passes rapidly over the drum's surface (hence this being called 'laser printing').

·       The printer quickly pushes the paper over this drum and static electricity sticks the toner powder to the paper.

·       The paper then swiftly passes through a pair of heated rollers called a fuser. When the paper is going through the fuser, the toner powder melts onto the page (it literally ‘fuses’ with the page, which is where these rollers get their name).

·       The fuser also heats up the paper as a by-product of this process, which is why you may have noticed that when the pages come out of your printer they are warm to the touch.

The second thing to know is that not every single piece of toner powder is going to be needed to create the finished product. This means that most print jobs create a surplus of ‘waste’ toner. In a lot (but not all) laser machines, this waste toner is collected in a receptacle or bottle.

You should check the make and model of your printer to see whether it is one of the machines that needs a waste toner bottle or receptacle. If it does, then you should be aware that it will need to be changed periodically or your machine will cease to function.

Models of laser printer that need a waste toner receptacle only have one (collecting the waste particles from all four cartridges - the black, cyan, magenta, and yellow).

The waste toner bottle won’t need to be changed often. Perhaps as little as once in the lifetime of the printer. If you do have to remove the waste toner bottle you should be careful. Don’t get any on your skin or your clothes. Make sure that the bottle is securely closed using the plugs that come as part of the bottle. Finally, make sure that it is disposed of properly – if in doubt, speak with your local waste recycling facility (i.e. – the local tip!)

So, the big takeaway is that a laser printer has a lot of different parts. These parts may be replaceable depending on the type of laser printer you have got. Many laser machines allow users to replace not only the toner cartridges but also the drum, the fuser, and the waste toner bottle, although these consumables will not need to be replaced anything like as often as the cartridges.

MPS - a Quick Guide

A Quick and Easy Step-by-Step Guide to Managed Print Services (MPS).

How does it work? How does it save you money and reduce your business' environmental impact?

CLICK HERE for further information!

Environmental Management Systems - Managing Business Waste

The Write Stuff – Choosing the Writing Instrument That’s Right for You

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

If you have to do any amount of writing for work, study, or in your home life then you are bound to have been dissatisfied with your pen at some point.

Either it’s just too ‘scratchy’ on the paper, or the tip has become all gummed up, or it’s leaked, or the ink didn’t dry quickly enough and it ended up smeared halfway across the page. Yes, I know, you probably should have been more patient and let it dry for longer, but who has the time to wait, right?

Whatever the issue, spending a few minutes thinking about what pen suits you, and what you are writing, is worthwhile.

So, what’s the deal?

Finding a pen that is right for your needs should be pretty easy. In today’s market, you have a much greater choice than was once the case.

If you’re looking for a cheap, effective, disposable option to fill up the stationery cupboard then you probably need look no further than a box of simple ballpoints (see below).

If the pen is for personal use, then it’s worth trying a few options. Many pens these days come in a variety of ergonomic designs, including cushioned gripping surfaces and nicely balanced weights to suit most writing styles.

Let’s run through a few types of pen. You are probably familiar with them, even if you don’t quite know the differences between them or maybe even what they’re called.

Ballpoint pens.

Ballpoints are the most common ‘stick’ pens on the market. Loads of people in the UK refer to these pens as the ‘Biro’, which is understandable (Lazlo Biro was the Hungarian inventor who developed the first ever ballpoint pen) but most stationers will list the pens as either ‘stick’ pens or, more commonly, ‘ballpoints’. They are inexpensive, usually disposable, and use an oil-based ink that dries quickly on the page. However, over time the ink can start to coagulate and collect dust in the tip of the pen, which creates gummed-up blobs. Because these pens are available so cheaply in large quantities, they are the usual ‘pen of choice’ for stationery cupboards in businesses and schools. A typical example would be the Bic Cristal pen – a pen that is so common it’s almost impossible for you not to be familiar with it.

Rollerball pens

Rollerballs. These pens use similar technology to the traditional ballpoint, but they typically have a finer tip (producing a thinner, neater, line when writing) and they use a water-based ink. The ink flow of a rollerball is therefore much more consistent than a ballpoint so it ‘skips’ less often when you are writing. You also need apply less pressure, so it can be much more comfortable to write with than the ballpoint. They do have a greater tendency to leak than ballpoint pens, however, so a rollerball is not a pen you would want to store in your shirt pocket. Also, the ink takes slightly longer to dry than the oil-based ink in a ball pen so, if you are left-handed, a rollerball may be a turn off for you, depending on your writing style.

Gel pens.

Well, the clue is in the name… these pens use a thick gel instead of an oil-based or water-based ink. The gel does have a shelf-life (it dries up after about three years, so an older gel pen may not work) but whilst they are working they are very nice to write with. They have an effortless ‘gliding’ feel to them as the pen slides across the page. However, these pens require you to be patient. The ‘ink’ takes a long time to dry so don’t go touching it too quickly afterwards, or you will end up with your writing smeared halfway across the page. Again, as with rollerballs, gel pens may not be great for left-handed writers.

Fountain pens.

The fountain pen is the oldest form of pen that is still commonplace in the market. Typically, these pens come with a selection of interchangeable nibs, making the fountain pen a versatile writing instrument that rewards practice with some truly excellent handwriting results. The application of different pressure whilst you’re writing can also result in different weights of line, making the fountain pen a more technically challenging instrument to use, but also one that can yield very good results. The downside of fountain pens in general is that, as mentioned it does take quite a bit of practice to use a fountain pen well, and they can have a tendency towards leaking too. However, it can be worth persevering and there are some fantastic relatively inexpensive fountain pens on the market – Lamy do a range of brightly coloured, modern, pens that are comparatively easy to get to grips with.

Felt tip pens.

There are a bunch of different felt tips on the market, most of which are a sort of halfway house between a stick pen and a marker pen (so not something you would normally use for writing). They can be good for bigger, bolder pieces of writing, but not on a lighter weight or matte paper because the ink will tend to ‘bleed’ on the paper. If you want to write on unusual surfaces (i.e. – not paper) then you could do worse than choose a felt tip pen like the world-famous Sharpie – a brand that has become almost synonymous with ‘permanent marker’, and is rightly lauded for its ability to write on almost anything.

Fineliners.

Fineliners are pens that are worth a mention because, although they are intended for use with graphic design or drawing, a lot of people favour them for writing too. Fineliners have a fine fibre or plastic tip and a long metal-clad nib, and they use dye-based inks. The inks are not always permanent, so if you want your writing to last then it’s worth checking that the ones you are buying use lightfast and waterproof pigments.

Hang on, aren’t posh pens kind of expensive?

Sure, you can spend anything from a few pence to a few hundred pounds on a writing instrument and whilst you might not be in the market for a high-end pen, you might want to consider giving a refillable pen a go. It means you have a pen that you get to know well and that you love writing with, and for from being expensive it’s actually cheaper in the long run.

Fountain pens are the most obvious example of refillable pens. Most of the modern ones come with plastic ink cartridges, although you can also still get the old-fashioned type that have a reservoir that you fill from an ink bottle.

But it’s not only fountain pens that are refillable. The more expensive gel pens, ballpoints, and rollerballs are also reusable rather than disposable. And here’s the thing. Refill sticks or cartridges use up fewer resources than a disposable pen so, not only will you have a nicer writing experience but also, it’s a bit better for the environment too.

Thanks for reading, and if you think that this information will be of use to someone else you know, please don’t hesitate to share it.

Inkjet vs. Laser – Battle of The Printers

Things to Consider When Choosing a New Printer

It used to be so easy – laser printers were ‘business’ machines and inkjet printers were domestic machines.

These days, it’s more confusing with new innovations in technology making the decision a whole lot harder than was once the case.

In simple terms, the difference in the basic technology is still easy to understand:

·       Inkjet printers use liquid ink which is sprayed through microscopic nozzles on to the paper.

·       Laser printers use a toner cartridge (which is filled with a very fine powder) and a heated fuser.

So, with the technology being so obviously differentiated, making a choice between the two types of printer ought to be straightforward:

·       Laser printers have always tended to be more expensive than inkjet, but they have typically been faster (once they have warmed up), and have a higher output per cartridge. If you needed something fast that could handle heavy office workloads, you bought a laser. Hence, they have traditionally been the choice of business.

·       Meanwhile, if you wanted high-quality, affordable colour printing for the home or professional quality photo prints, you went for down the inkjet route.

So far, so simple.

But things have changed:

Colour laser printers have now started to retail at prices tempting to home users, while business inkjets have been taking strides forward in development so that they are becoming more of a credible business choice.

The last couple of years have seen the evolution of a new breed of inkjets that are faster than their ancestors, and more ecologically friendly than their toner-consuming laser cousins.

So, what’s the real story?

Both Inkjet and Laser printers still have advantages and disadvantages, although it is fair to say that improvements to the core technology are helping both types of printer to push past their limitations. There are five main things you need to consider when you are looking at choosing your next printer:

1.       Speed

2.       Quality

3.       Durability

4.       Costs

5.       Networking and security

1.       The Fast and the Furious. Time is money; speed is important.

It has traditionally been the case that laser printers were the fastest kids on the block, but inkjets are the new boy-racers.

Not so long ago, inkjet printers topped out at around 30ppm (pages per minute) in black-and-white and only 10ppm in colour. Yep – the printer equivalent of a Granny in a Honda doing 50mph in the slow lane. Meanwhile, laser printers were routinely hitting speeds of up to 40ppm, irrespective of whether it was printing in black and white or colour. Ferrari territory.

Now, though, laser printers are hitting speeds of 60, and even 70ppm. You might think that this would be like the lasers simply upgrading from sports car to supercar; widening the performance gap between the two types of machine and leaving the inkjets in the dust.

Nope.

The new generation of inkjet printers now have print heads that span the entire width of an A4 page, and they can spew out pages at a ridiculous speed; up to 75ppm, which matches and even beats some of the fastest laser printers, and turning preconceptions on their heads. Granny just overtook Vin Diesel doing 120mph in the outside lane.

2.       Quality is king

In many cases a good quality laser printer will still have the edge when it comes to clean, crisp black text and colour graphics for most business documents.

However, whilst not quite stealing a march on the lasers just yet, inkjets have improved dramatically. Inkjet text reproduction is now easily good enough for all internal documents and even most external use.

Add to that, inkjets almost universally produce the best results when printing photos, and you can see that the newer generation of inkjet printers are very much a contender when it comes to selecting a credible business machine. 

3.       Durability – your business needs a workhorse

This is where laser printers have always smashed it out of the park. They are built to handle enormous workloads of anywhere between 2000 and 20000 pages.

Even with the new generation of inkjets, they still wimp out after a monthly workload exceeding the range of 1500 to 5000 pages (depending on model).

But, you know what? 1500 – 5000 pages is a lot.

In fact, it’s probably going to be perfectly adequate for most smaller SMEs (where an average print job is around four pages) or small departments in large businesses. So, even on the durability front, don’t count out the inkjet just yet.

4.       Money, money, money. How much does it cost?

In printer lore passed down from days of yore, we know that lasers are expensive to buy but cheap to run, while inkjets are cheap upfront but cost you more in the consumables, with a laser toner cartridge churning out thousands of prints, and an inkjet cartridge running out every five minutes.

But, as with so much else in this brave new world of printing devices, this conventional wisdom is no longer reliable.

On the one hand, lasers are getting cheaper to buy up front. Budget models are coming with smaller starter cartridges that run out fairly quickly, though the standard or super-sized cartridges will still have impressive lifespans. In toner alone, expect the cost per page to come in at around 2p for a black-and-white page and 5p to 10p for a colour page.

On the other hand, business inkjets are getting their own costs per page right down, to the extent that some models can now produce prints for around 1p per page for black-and-white to 5p per page for colour. Meanwhile, extra-large cartridges have hit the market and so too have clever innovations like Epson’s Ecotank range. This means a lot of newer inkjets are able to print over 9000 pages (black) or 6500 pages (colour).

It’s only fair to note that there are other costs to consider.

Laser printers still deliver excellent results even on plain paper (although smoother paper will always produce even better results), so there’s no need to splash out on dearer paper.  

Having said that, inkjet paper is no longer so much more expensive, and inkjets usually consume less power than lasers, so they are cheaper (and more ecologically friendly) to run in terms of power consumption.

Combine that with a lower purchase cost, and there’s definite scope to save your business money.

5.       Networking and Security – plug in, baby

It is still true that the top-end enterprise level laser printers offer more management tools, plus support for more high-end networking (e.g. Gigabit Ethernet and IPSec).

But even in this area, inkjets are coming into their own. An increasing number of office inkjet printers have the same or similar embedded management features that laser printers have, plus document security features that you normally only get with MPS (managed print services solutions), such as secure pull-printing, where jobs are held in a queue until released at the printer with a PIN code.

Not only that, but also the new generation of inkjets come with wireless and cloud-printing features that enable the printer to work with a wider range of devices or take print jobs from remote locations.

So, a laser might offer more management and security features at the top end of the market but a business inkjet can still give you all the tools most businesses need.

What’s the bottom line?

It’s no longer a straightforward decision of ‘laser for business’ and ‘inkjet for home’. But that’s a good thing.

As technology has evolved, the range of functions and applications available across a wide range of different machines means that your business can now take advantage of the features it needs at a price that is competitive. Combine a smart printer choice with a MPS solution, and you will be optimising your efficiency in terms of your business expenditure and your operational effectiveness. 

Thanks for reading, and if you think that this information will be of use to someone else you know, please don’t hesitate to share it.