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Ricoh VS Xerox
Pros & Cons of Each​
Company Overview, Similarities & Differences
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Which is Right for Your Company?
When it comes to the world of printers/copiers, there are many brands on the market.
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Because of that, it can be difficult to decide which one to go with for your office’s next machine. Truthfully, there is not a lot of good information on brand competition in the printer industry, which is why we feel the need to step up and change that trend.
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We do this because we sell Xerox products specifically, and as most businesses would admit, keeping a close eye on the competition is a fundamental aspect of sales and marketing.
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That is why we’ll be using this article to discuss two brands in the printer industry, Xerox and Ricoh, to give you an outline of what you need to know when it comes to the competing companies’ products and services.
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However, don’t mistake this article as a “Xerox is better” piece just because we sell their products. We have a strict company policy of adhering to the truth and being honest in every interaction we have with consumers, including the content-making process.
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Xerox might be the best fit for you. Ricoh could be the perfect match for your printing goals.
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Whatever that solution is, we’re going to give you the information and let you decide for yourself what is best for you.
With that out of the way, let’s get into the comparison, starting with a brief overview of each company before diving into the similarities, differences, cost and a printer model comparison to give you a comprehensive look at the two brands.
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Overview of Xerox
Xerox was founded in 1906 in Rochester, New York, and is credited with being the first printing company to manufacture and sell xerographic plain-paper copiers—with their first xerographic image made in 1938.
        
Today, Xerox has over 13,000 active patents for innovation, and its products reach 160 countries worldwide.   
         
Their product catalog largely consists of office single-function (print only), multifunction (print, copy, scan and fax) and production printers for a wide array of workgroups.
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Overview of Ricoh
Ricoh, founded in Tokyo, Japan, in 1936 is a Japanese multinational corporation that presides in the office equipment sector, where they sell an assortment of printers/copiers for workgroups of 1-to-1,000+ employees.
They currently reach over 1.4 million customers worldwide and maintain a presence in 200 countries and regions around the world.
  
Two Similarities Between Xerox and Ricoh
While Xerox and Ricoh are different companies, they do compare favorably on a couple of fronts. Below are two similarities between the brands:
Printing Solutions for Different Workplaces
Xerox and Ricoh are comparable in an obvious but crucial area: They each contain printers that can meet the needs of multiple workgroups.
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The options for small workgroups include machines that are best suited for workgroups of up to 10 daily users with a capacity to print up to 800-12,000 pages per month.
Medium workgroup options include printers that can meet the needs of workgroups with up to 20 daily users that print at a volume somewhere in the 1,500-15,000 pages per month range. 
      
Both brands also have options for large workgroups, which can be defined as workgroups with more than 20 daily users and a print volume of over 10,000-75,000 pages per month. 
   
Examples in the large workgroup category include the Xerox AltaLink C8170 and the Ricoh IM C6500, which are color multifunction printers with speeds of over 60 ppm. 
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Both manufacturers market units that fit different volumes, from low volume, small workgroup machines to machines for larger workgroups. Xerox does have the edge in high volume, production machines commonly used in the print for pay market. This is based on number of high end placements and their Award Winning National Service & Support Team.
Printer User Interface
The first difference revolves around how you navigate and use the printer itself via its user interface, which on most Xerox and Ricoh machines, will be a 5-10-inch touchscreen.
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How you navigate and complete tasks is a crucial part of buying a printer, and Xerox and Ricoh differ in the experience they offer on the navigation front.
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Both companies have a user interface that is modernized and updated, but Xerox’s touchscreen is built more like an iPhone while Ricoh’s is more similar to an Android.
It’s not necessarily true that one user interface is better than the other; it just depends on what your preference is when it comes to the look and feel of your device.
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However, you should not discount the difference in navigation. When you’re spending significant money on an office machine, you need to make sure it has the look and feel that you desire, or else it could make it more difficult to execute simple printer tasks.
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One shared trait that each company has is a customer-facing app store, which is important since apps are the fundamental way of completing tasks on Xerox and Ricoh devices.
Xerox has its Xerox App Gallery, which contains numerous industry-specific and general applications, and Ricoh has its Application Site which has its own assortment of helpful applications.
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Although they each have customer-facing app stores, they differ in the apps offered, and you will need to evaluate what they offer before purchasing if you’re interested in apps as a feature for your next printer.
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Besides the standard applications that come with the device, most additional apps will cost money and they will only be worth it if you use their features consistently.
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Standard Printer Security Features
Security has become a prevalent concern for businesses that deal with sensitive data and are aware of the consequences security breaches pose to a company’s reputation and bottom line.
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Printers can serve as an entry point into your network because of their perceived innocuous state and Xerox and Ricoh both approach their devices’ security features in a slightly different way.
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While there is an overlap in plenty of the companies’ security features, such as Encrypted Email, Encrypted Print and Cisco’s Identity Services Engine, there are some standard security features that are offered by one brand but not the other.
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For instance, Xerox offers whitelisting technology through its partnership with McAfee, whereas Ricoh does not. Conversely, Ricoh machines include a Ricoh-specific Operating System (OS) that enhances device security, and as the name implies, is exclusive to Ricoh.
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Both brands have multi-layered approaches to security but digging deeper and finding out exactly what features each company offers displays differences worth noting when it comes to their strategy toward printer security.
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Xerox vs Ricoh - Which Printer Brand Is Right for Me?
Xerox and Ricoh are two of the leading brands in the printer/copier industry.
So, which one is the better brand? That would be up to you to decide.
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Pricing is always an issue. Xerox works very closely with its Authorized Partners to make sure we are offering the lowest possible monthly payment on its Leasing and Purchasing Options. The Special Offers that we offer has nudged many potential customers our way.
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The Xerox Service & Support Network is an important factor. Copiers & Printers occasionally need to be looked at to make sure they are operating at 100% efficiency. Our customers can rest easy knowing that they are part of the Best Service & Support Group in the Industry.
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The relationship that you have with your Representative is very important. Do they promptly return you phone calls? Are they Knowledgeable, Professional? Have they offered to come to your office to meet you to review your needs and the solution that they are offering? Are you comfortable with them?
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All of the above is important.
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Take the information in this article and use it to help guide you to your ultimate solution: Is it Xerox or Ricoh?
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Ricoh vs Xerox
Pros & Cons
Xerox Authorized NYC - Right Click GO​