What to Look for in a Printer

The list of things to look for in a printer is long and as varied as the people who buy print. But since buying and selling communication services is still all about relationships, the following are a few broad concepts to consider before getting down to product/equipment based specifics:

• Excellence in communication.

On the list of things to look for in choosing a printing company with which you intend to establish a relationship, excellence in communication should be at the top. From the first contact point to product delivery, prompt and accurate communication is the mark of a solid partner.

Since most printing projects are time sensitive and have a deadline of some kind, it’s critical to work with a company that respects your time lines. Proactive communication throughout the production process allows you and the printer to anticipate problems instead of reacting to them after the fact.

Printing is a complex business, with many production steps from the start to finish of each job. It’s critical, throughout each project, that timely, organized and detailed communications flow back and forth between you and your printer to ensure a successful outcome.

• Character, experience and personality.

It’s important to create a good “people fit” between you, the printing company you choose, and the production team handling your project in the printing plant. In the early stages of your selection process, with each printing company you decide to interview, begin your discussions with a person in senior management. Depending on the size and structure of the company, the most likely person to get you started properly will be the president of the company or the vice president of sales, and maybe in very large companies, a regional sales manager.

Share the size and scope of your print requirements to establish that your work fits the targeted market of the printing company. At this level of management in a company, the people have enough experience and awareness of the goals of their company to avoid wasting your time and theirs if your work isn’t a good fit for the printer’s operation and equipment capabilities.