As I move around the industry it's clear that people are still enthusiastic about print, in spite of the competition and challenges. However a lot is still to be learned. Many opportunities still unrealised.

Studying super-growth Printers like Vistaprint, PFL, Expresscopy etc, tells us that  the internet can be an amazing resource to bring in and manage print work. Yet most printers still fear it. See it as competition. Something to be tolerated. Only looking at the negative aspects.

So, let's examine the common excuses...

The reasons not going online and building a Digital Storefront are many and varied. e.g.

1. "I risk opening us up to too many small clients that take up my time. Small requests for quotes for home users or brokers that don't go anywhere".  - Solution? Place some pricing online or set up a fully automated quoting system like Speedquote, so you only receive orders, not time-wasting enquiries.


2. "Putting company and email details on a site opens me up to the world and I'll be bombarded by spam and phone calls I don't want." Solution? Good websites now automatically hide email address from spambots and email filtering systems can be customised. For example, we can filter out emails that don't originate in New Zealand.


3. "We don't believe the internet can help our business. We're in print communication and using the net wouldn't send the right message to our clients" This is your perception, not your customers. And they won't tell you either, right up to the time they go to someone else. A good web presence with online services raises credibility. Independent surveys support this. Just because you're a print provider doesn't make you immune from criticism or give you the right to 'opt out' from market reality.


4. "Our salespeople tell us customers like the personal touch" Occasionally for long-standing customers. But the net does provide privacy for those customers that like it that way. (Reality check - Some people don't want to see a salesperson). Using the phone plus Internet technologies enhances communication, making the print buying-selling job a lot easier for both sides. A Digital Storefront runs 24 hours a day too, doing things humans can't - improving customer service, not detracting from it. 


5. "It's too expensive. I've had quotes from my suppliers for $35,000 and they tell me it's a great deal" - Yeah right. We can build sites with custom RFQ and smart upload tools for just $1,500. A full Digital Storefront, with private customer catalogues plus Speedquote, is closer to $6,500. A fully customised site with every conceivable extra, including JAWS Courier Web-to-press, is only NZ$16,000 with time payment options. It's all roughly a quarter of what comparable sites cost just 2 years ago. Best of all, once the design and feature-set has been agreed to, it can be online within 10 days. Things change -  We suggest you get a competitive quote from us, and your local website developer. 

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