Facts and Figures

What do print buyers really want?
Other than getting print for nothing, with one hour's notice, and absolute best quality. Kidding aside, buyers want "instant" as surveyed in a recent poll.

Instant quotes - Print buyers work for others in the organization who are tied to budgets. The print decisions they make are based on the cost of the print relative to the budget.

Instant contact - When the customer calls, you want to reply quickly and get the information even faster. This means voice and e-mail communication with everyone in the loop.

Instant job status - This is close to #2, but always on print buyers' "must have" lists.

Instant proofs - Some printers use PDF proofs, and many printers are experimenting with remote proofs or soft proofing. The objective is to get the job's approval as soon as possible and cut the production cycle.

Instant repeat jobs - "Just rerun that last job" means finding the old name or job number and then spending the time to rummage through some files. No need to re-invent the wheel - get it done quicker than the first time!

Instant preflighting - Every file has to be preflighted to find and correct potential problems - find them!

Instant handholding - See instant job status. Anticipate questions and then correct potential problems.

Instant job submission - FTP and other links are helpful in getting the job from client faster than FedEx. We can no longer wait until the next day because now is now and we live in a fast-food society - why not print?

Should the printer be near you?
Thirty years ago, over half of all print buyers would have been doing business with printers who are literally down the street. Today, a buyer could be a thousand miles away from the place where production takes place. It was found the most important factor is the communications link; i.e. sales rep and/or customer service representative, how they "got it done" and not where they were located.
Location, location, location

2004 vs. 2006
Makes no difference: 76% 82%
An important factor: 24% 18%

Why do buyers buy from printer A vs. printer B?

Price is the easy answer. All companies want to lower their costs. Even printing companies shop around for products and services at the most competitive price ? not the lowest price. Schedule is a powerful reason when choosing a printer- a firm that can meet the last minute demands of a printer buyer. Unique capabilities help and long-term contracts are important. Do personal relationships matter? Yes, but there is more than meets the eye with this scenario.

Schedule: 29%
Price: 24%
Capability: 21%
Quality: 9%
Service: 9%
Other: 8%

Who knows more about printing: you or your printing sales rep?

The answer is YOU, of course- as it pertains to your particle print project. Ego aside, a poll taken by Purchasing magazine showed that a sales or customer service rep?s knowledge of the printing industry ranked as the second most important factor in a print buyer?s purchasing decision. Print buyers expect their salesreps and CSR?s to understand the printing industry, and they often look to their rep?s to clarify what they do not comprehend. About 60% of print buyers have college degrees but almost no print education; thus, a sales rep?s printing knowledge is important.

Buyer: 68% vs. Reps: 32%