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Hiring a new printing company can be hard at the best of times and this is even more the case when you think as to how many bad firms there are out there. If the quality of your printed materials is not good, then your prospects may well consider that your products or services are not good quality as well. Here, this is a good overall look as to how and where you can hire in the right people for the job in hand. 1) Visit their premises. Your print job is important, so where possible it’s worth visiting the printer yourself, touring their facilities to check out how they perform, ask questions, talk to the staff and generally get a feel for how they operate. The quality and presentation of their premises will reflect the quality of work they produce. Ensure you meet your account handler and see if there is a rapport between you. 2) Check the print quality of work – Don’t sacrifice quality for price! Ask to see samples of recent work from your short-listed printers that reflect the specification of your project so you can make like-for-like comparisons. Check if the finish is to the standard and quality you require – is there any smudging of the ink – or mis-registered text? Are the images clear or blurred? The reality is that going for the cheapest option can prove a false economy. If the products printed are not up to standard this will reflect badly on your brand. Low price often means low quality, because companies can use cheap ink and paper to be able to offer very low cost printing. Furthermore low costs can also mean your job gets printed at the same time as other customers – which can affect your lead times & the finishing quality. We’d recommend choosing a printing company that is a bit more expensive but that offers good quality and value for money. 3) Investigate the level of customer service you will receive. Find out how your account will be managed– you need to be able to trust your printer and your account handler. Ensure that they are open & honest and will deliver a professional service with good communication and client management skills. Ideally you should look for a printer who can manage your project in its entirety, from print, personalisation, collation, finishing, binding, storage and fulfilment. It is far more cost-effective and efficient if the same company handles every step. 4) Check the reputation of the company Look at the printers website and review their client list, look at their experience in printing, how long have they been established? Don’t be afraid to ask for existing customers’ references and personal recommendations. Use social media like LinkedIn and Twitter to check on other client experiences. It’s worth doing as much research as you can up front!
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