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__Question 1: Explain the importance of routine maintenance of office equipment to ensure the smooth running of a business enterprise. __

== Routine maintenance is regularly checking and cleaning the office equipment. Looking after equipment includes clearing equipment faults, checking equipment, keeping a service log, follow guidelines and procedures and replacing consumables such as paper, ton__er and ink. This w__ill help to ensure the smooth running in a business enterprise because it prevents issues such as time consuming and increasing stress levels and workloads. == kdfjgkdfjgkdjfkgj dlkjgklfdgjklf  Routine maintenance can decrease the amount of equipment faults that can occur in a photocopier, printer, fax and computer. Checking for faults for the photocopier may ensure the smooth running of a business is accurate by ensuring there are no paper jams and there in toner available, this will help the business because is saves time for others that need to use the photocopier as well. Checking for faults on the printer can ensure a smooth running of a business by checking for ink and making sure its replaced or refilled, making sure it's turned off when now in use and adding in paper for other later users, this will save time and have less workloads for others in the business so they can complete other tasks. Checking the fax machine is ensuring that it's got toner available and there is paper available, this save time and ensure you receive the documents clearly. Checking the computer is ensuring the surrounding area is free dust and there are no chemicals, it is important to clean around the computer at least a few times a week and also completing a virus scan once a week to fortnightly, to ensure the computer is free from viruses and it can run fast and accurately. For example, in a workplace medical centre, if a hospital needs to send an urgent letter to the medical centre, the appropriate equipment is the fax machine, if the fax machine has no paper and the toner is low, it will be time consuming for the receptionist at the medical centre to replace the paper and toner and call the hospital to send the fax again.

To ensure equipment is working well in a business environment it is important to keep a maintenance program which is checking equipment inside and the outside and have a checklist for the employees for when they check and replace consumables they have a checklist so they know what to check and how to make sure the business is running smoothly. When checking inside the equipment, it involves ensuring consumables are in place and ink, toner and paper is replaced when unavailable, this is to ensure that equipment works correctly to save time and prevent any hazards occurring such as stress. For example, in a workplace if a staff member needs to photocopy a document as soon as possible for the manager and when the copy prints, the toner is light and faded, this means the photocopier needs a new toner to be replaced. Equipment needs to be check regularly with replacing of consumables to save time in a business.

 In a business to achieve smooth running it is important to know the faults of equipment and report them in case of taking time in the future to repair it. If an office equipment as a fault such as a paper jam, it needs to be removed softly and gently or if it’s a major problem and it’s impossible to take it out a service may need to come and fix it up. For example, a printer is not working and making noisy and unordinary sounds because there is a fault such as a paper jam, in order to make the business smooth running the paper jam needs to be removed as soon as possible so the task can continue perfectly and other tasks can be completed. The employee may need to take out the paper out really gently or if it’s impossible may need to contact the company service or their employer.

Signage can achieve smooth running in a business because it is to set out instructions to inform employees on how to maintain office equipment during and after use. Signs about the photocopier might include how to replace toner and make sure it’s not surrounded by dust or chemicals. The signs will make the business smooth running because if the employee is aware of taking care of the photocopier then they will save time and be able to work effectively and safety. If an employee doesn’t follow the signs on the photocopier, a fault may occur and a lot of time might be wasted to complete other tasks because ignoring the use and care of photocopiers may affect the businesses presentation. For example an employee might copy a document a client needs but realises that there is no paper and the toner is low and needs to be replaced, this may affect the smooth running of a business because the client will then have to wait for the employee to put the paper in and to replace the toner which may take time.

 Routine maintenance takes place in businesses which involves checking equipment faults, checking equipment, knowing the faults and reporting them and signage to set out instructions to inform employees about equipment are aspects to achieve smooth running in a business. Checking the faults will make sure the equipment is running well, checking equipment can ensure there are no dusts or chemicals around the equipment, knowing the faults and reporting them will prevent faults happening and reporting them may save time to tell the manager and the manager may call a service as soon as possible to fix the fault and signage to set out instructions for employees to care for equipment can all be completed if they are followed by the employees to ensure the smooth running for a business enterprise.