The Essential Role of Technology in Business Growth

Recently, Dan Marx, content director for Wide-format Impressions, moderated a webinar with guests Jeff Ehrman, vice president of Harlan Graphics; and Connor Miller, director of sales at Print Wisconsin. The trio sat down to chat about “The Essential Role of Technology in Business Growth,” sponsored by swissQprint.

Ehrman and Miller focused on how their businesses have evolved over the years, and how technology has played a key role in their growth trajectory. A few key trends stood out from that conversation.

1. Investment is no longer optional. Both men stressed that in order to keep growing and expanding as the print industry evolves, shops don’t have a choice about seeking out and investing in advanced technologies. Whether it is automation to remove manual touchpoints, software to help improve efficiency, or the latest hardware to provide faster, more reliable, and higher quality pieces, not investing regularly means being left behind.
2. Diversification is critical. The days of a print shop being able to specialize in one thing, and one thing only have passed, according Ehrman and Miller. While it is a great idea to have a few specialties that you truly excel at, offering just one product or service is the road to being obsolete. Miller noted that while they started out as a fabrication shop, they have moved into digital printing to expand their offerings, while Ehrman moved into areas such as environmental graphics and installation services.
3. Those who can adapt will thrive. What works great today might not work tomorrow, given the rapid pace of transformation in this industry. To continue to grow, shops must be flexible and adaptable, always looking for new opportunities, new applications, and new technologies that could help take the business in a new direction. Not everything will always work out, but the ability to pivot and try new things is crucial.

Miller did note that “you don’t know what you don’t know” when it comes to all that equipment, software, and services out there. It can be hard to determine where to go with an entry-level piece of equipment or software, and when to take the plunge and make a bigger investment right from the start. He stresses that you have to make sure you’re buying the right equipment not just for right now, but for where you want to be.

“Yeah, we could have gone out and bought four entry level printers instead of our first swissQprint,” Miller noted, “but would we have gotten as far as we have? Would we have grown the way we have? Don’t be scared of the investment. Do your research, obviously, and don’t just go buy anything because it looks cool and runs fancy. Have a good business plan, and continue to grow.”

Ehrman agreed, noting, “I like technology, I like buying nice stuff. But for me, it’s always what adds more to my business. It’s all about quality and reliability. And when we look at another purchase, the next time I go to a show, there are always things in line. Like, we have a nice wide-format Zund — how old is that thing? Is it time for that to be replaced? It’s always playing a game of which one is the most pressing need.”

But the key, both men stressed, is to always be looking ahead at what’s next. Never sit back and rest, even when you’ve just finished installing the latest upgrade or added a new capability. Always be looking forward to see what might be a good fit down the line.

That said, as Miller pointed out, no one solution is going to be a perfect fit for every shop, so knowing your own business, and what you need to grow it, is critical. Do the research, talk to vendors, attend industry events — like PRINTING United Expo, Oct. 22-24 in Orlando, Florida — and go in with a game plan of what is working, what could be working better, and what to add to take your business to the next level.

And to hear the whole conversation, make sure to check out the webinar on-demand so you don’t miss a thing!