Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is a method of calculating both the direct and the hidden costs of an equipment purchase. It can be applied to any type of equipment, we can address TCO as it pertains to you firm's particular situation.

The perception of TCO by small to mid-sized businesses as a cumbersome and unwieldy tool is unfortunate, because the team at CopySmart can offer the ability to identify hidden costs. It allows its clients to look at a technology purchase as an on-going array of expenses rather than a one-time acquisition cost. It factors such elements as training, maintenance, repairs, upgrades, material consumption and the like into the buying decision. In many cases, a product’s hidden costs are greater — sometimes by factors — than its actual purchase price.

Comparing  TCO calculations is not just for the Fortune 500. It is a useful exercise for small and mid-sized companies. It will prompt awareness of cost elements and influences that are not usually considered and it makes a strong case for a careful analysis of consumables costs, as they are typically the bulk of the bill for ownership of the equipment.