Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
| Total
Cost of Ownership (TCO) is defined as the 'Calculation of the entire costs
surrounding the ownership and operation of the hard
copy output element (printout) of an office equipment device (printer,
copier, fax or MFP) over a specified, extended period of use.'
As a concept, TCO takes into account factors that relate as much to time and overheads as to the cost of purchasing the device and the marking ink that is used to create the image on the media. It is specifically vulnerable to the vagaries of reliability and durability of the equipment - how much time is lost/wasted/used when the device is out of action for any reason. For more detailed analysis, see the report 'The importance of Total Cost of Ownership in a world of Digital Convergence'. |