I went on a business trip last month. I had a crucial meeting there at noon. So I got up early morning and prepared important notes on my laptop. Ready, I transferred these to my pen drive, called the room attendant, requested him to get the printouts from the pen drive, and myself headed for the bathroom for a quick bath.

I was hardly through the shower when the bell rang. Wrapping myself in a towel, I opened the door. There was the attended with a sorry look writ large on his face. I looked questioningly at him.

“Sorry Sir,” he muttered apologetically, “The printer has run out of cartridge!”

It was nothing less than horror for me. I just could not afford to miss the meeting. I pushed the attendant to get the printouts from some other place. Luckily, he knew about a nearby shop where I could get the documents printed. I hurriedly put on my clothes, dashed to the place, got the printouts and made for the meeting just in time.

I was lucky. But not as prepared as I should have been. I should not have waited for the eleventh hour to get the printouts. I should have done it earlier.

And the man at task at the hotel printer should have been ready with some backup cartridges.

I admit OEM cartridges come expensive. But he could have managed a couple of compatible or re-manufactured cartridges. A compatible cartridge is available in a fraction of the price of the OEM one. And, in quality, these are not second to any OEM cartridge, if manufactured by a reputed provider of ink cartridges. So you need worry about quality aspect.

I know that for I myself use compatible cartridges in my office. These provide me top class printing quality as well as saving of money.