HP's OfficeJet Pro colour survey reveals great opportunity for SMBs in Middle East

180 interviews were conducted with organizations of 9 or less staff from UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Surveyed Participants were from the agriculture, construction, education, finance, manufacturing, real estate, health care, marketing and retail industries, amongst others.

Results of the survey revealed that speed of printing, all-in-one features and quality of colour printing were essential. Wireless capability and double sided printing were the least important features according to the respondents. The subject of cost efficiency differed between regions, with respondents from Egypt finding it very important, while for Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia and UAE) it was not a major concern. In terms of industry, cost efficiency was one of the most important features sought after by respondents from Horeca, and was the least desired from the Real Estate segment.

There are significantly different contributing factors during the purchase process of a printer or related products. The initial purchase price is seen to play a more powerful role than cost per page or supply costs. Middle Eastern SMBs value most the brand when buying a printer. Availability of supply and cost of supply were very important in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, while in the UAE, the brand and eco-aspects were of highest importance.

The healthcare industry valued the purchase price as the least important factor, while for business consultancies this was the most important factor when buying a device. For smaller businesses of 1 to 3 staff, cost issues were not relevant compared to the brand itself, which was most important. It was observed in cross�]data analysis, that the larger a company gets, the more cost effective they become when purchasing.

It was found that businesses value greatly the impact of colour for external communications. 53% of businesses print documents in colour when used for external purposes, while only 23% print in colour for internal purposes. For respondents from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the most important factor when printing marketing material in-house was the reliability of the machine and its colour output. For Egyptian participants on the other hand, cost issues were a major factor. Horeca and retail segments were motivated by cost conscious equipment with high quality outputs. Business consultancies, real estate and marketing industries were also driven by high quality outputs, as well as speed.

The outcome of the study revealed the importance of colour and productivity within small and medium sized businesses. 83% of all respondents were not aware of the difference between inkjet and laserjet technology, however 97% were in fact using inkjet products. HP proved to be very well known and accepted as the key brand for SMBs and this lack of awareness has presented an opportunity to educate businesses to make better informed decisions.

HP's OfficeJet Pro Series is ideal for SMBs in the Middle East with its offering of printing solutions that enable them to affordably produce in-house marketing collateral, increase overall imaging and printing productivity and better manage their printing environment. The new HP Officejet product line provides a 50% reduced cost per page than competitive laser printers. This feature alone has a significant importance for the SMB segment which has been heavily affected by the current financial crisis.