The HP OfficeJet Pro is the business partner your SOHO needs

The HP OfficeJet Pro is the business partner your SOHO needs. If there's one thing we've learned in the past few years, it's that the small office is big business. Maybe you're a small start-up working on the next big thing. Maybe you're a one-person, crowd-funded success story that's ready to roll. Maybe you're one of the many Aussies for whom working from home is a part of the working week.

No matter what your story, no matter what your business, your SOHO is going to need a printer, and that's where the HP OfficeJet Pro 8700 series comes in. We've spoken to some SMB owners about the features they looked for in a printer, plus the real-world challenges they needed their printing solution to help solve.

Cost

Very few businesses don't have costs and expenses at the forefront of their mind, and it's unlikely yours will be any different. Of course, when it comes to print, the initial outlay is only part of the story: you need to consider the long term operational costs.

"All SMBs know that cost is always a factor," says Daniel Ioannou, a freelance graphic designer. "I'm always open to paying more for quality, but one of the biggest factors for me was ensuring that ongoing operational expenses were cost effective for my business."

The HP OfficeJet Pro 8700 series was able to meet Daniel's long-term needs, costing just half as much per print compared to similarly featured laser printers. Not only that, it uses half the energy that a standard laser printer uses, which you'll notice when that electricity bill arrives!

Connectivity

You couldn't run a business with just one device connected to the internet, so why would you tolerate just one device connected to the printer?

According to Simon Thomas, the GM of Noc Noc, a bespoke toy company, "Connectivity is king in our business. We've got an office and a production space in different areas of the house and we needed complete access for the computers we run in our business."

For Simon this means that all four business computers, plus the home computers and any mobile devices from phones tablets, needed to have full access to colour printing and scanning.

This was something HP was able to deliver. The HP Smart App makes setting up the OfficeJet Pro 8700 series an absolute snap with no cables and no fuss. You can easily print wirelessly from your mobile devices meaning every phone, tablet, laptop and PC can be a functional part of your business computing environment.

Reliability

When you're looking for a SOHO print solution, reliability is one of the big concerns. Your printer can have all the bells and whistles in the world but if it's not working when you need it most, none of that matters.

Consider what Daniel needed as a graphic designer in the cutthroat freelance world:

"I use my printer every day, so it was imperative to have a printer that would stand the test of time and it had to have consistent results throughout its life.

"As a one-person business, I just can't afford any downtime, so the reliability of the hardware was a big concern."

HP prides itself on its strong history of trustworthiness and reliability, and the businesses that use the HP OfficeJet pro 8700 series agree. User reviews show that the series is highly recommended, with an average rating of 4.5 stars out of five from Australian small business. Users praise the easy set-up, the versatility and the reliability of the OfficeJet Pro range.

Operation

That commitment to reliability comes through in the day-to-day operation of the HP OfficeJet Pro 8700 series. These printers are superfast, even when working on double-sided print jobs. They handle two-sided scanning with ease, and the revolutionary design offers superior paper-handling compared to many other laser printers. For Daniel and his design clients, that speed is essential.

"In the world of graphic design, it's critical that I can provide my clients with proofs quickly." But speed can't come at the cost of quality.

"I need to deliver proofs that still have a level of quality that will represent the final product," says Daniel. "The challenge has always been about finding a printer that is cost effective to run, while still reproducing the quality and true colours of my designs."

With his HP OfficeJet Pro, Daniel is also supplying clients with proofs that last: HP pigment ink doesn't smudge or fade, so you know your hard copies are safe for generations.

Environmental

Even small businesses need to consider their environmental footprint these days. This was something that proved of keen interest to Simon and Noc Noc.

"As a business that sells bespoke organic wooden toys, we are always conscious of our environmental footprint," he says. "We talk about our environmental consciousness in our business bio due to the green leaning community we are a part of in Northern NSW."

With the HP OfficeJet Pro 8700 series, not only are you using less energy overall, you'll even get to use the free cartridge recycling services that are managed by Cartridges for Planet Ark.

Need another reason to consider the HP OfficeJet Pro 8700 series for your SOHO? Well how about this: you can currently take advantage of a bonus customer cashback offer. But don't wait too long: that's all wrapped up by the end of July.