Outsource Today, Thank Us Tomorrow

As business leaders, we have to make tough choices to save our companies money. One of the go-to ways to save is taking some mundane operational tasks in-house. But is that always the best move? We’re just going to say it — you need to outsource your printing. Doing in-house printing is costing you more time, money and energy than it’s worth. Your employees are wasting way too much time and resources trying to coordinate and manage printing, especially if you have more than one location or employees working off-site. Here are the top benefits companies see from outsourcing print.

WHY OUTSOURCE?

Free up staff and company time and resources

At first glance, it may seem like printing in-house will save you thousands of dollars a year. You already have the nice printer; you can buy the special paper; and you can have your already-salaried staff member print, cut, fold and mail the materials. It’s a great thought, but what usually ends up happening is the printer isn’t manufactured to handle a high volume of certain types of prints on certain papers. You’ll end up with a lot of mess ups. Additionally, staff will spend way too much time away from their actual work tasks trying to manage these major print productions. Materials will also end up inconsistently put together because you don’t have the resources of a print shop.

Access to latest print technologies and expertise

At some point, your company is probably going to want a bound booklet, big poster or mass number of print materials on special paper. It’s not fiscally responsible for your company to purchase the technology needed for these print jobs. It’s much more inexpensive for businesses to outsource these projects verses invest in technology and materials you’ll rarely use.

When outsourcing, you also get access to professionals who are trained in print production and management. They will help guide you in ways to save money, materials to use in your projects and how to get your desired results. In fact, corporations can consistently save 10-20% on print costs by optimizing workflows and production processes.

Finally, you never have to worry about a project being late. When you print in-house, your machine could break, or staff can easily get behind because they aren’t print experts. Print shops keep tight schedules and can deliver projects on time because of our abundance of machinery and expertise in the technology. If a machine breaks, we have backups or the ability to easily fix them. We also know exactly how to create your materials, so we don’t have to waste time in the trial-and-error process. This makes print shops perfect for last-minute rush jobs or high-volume jobs.

Enhanced quality

Because print shops have an assortment of technology and print experts, they know exactly what ink to use, what paper to select and how to properly print the materials you need. This leads to a higher-quality print than you would get in-house every time. You want to make your company look great without wasting resources, and outsourcing can help you do that.

Ensure projects are on brand

Have you ever created a design on your computer, printed it and realized the colors are all wrong? That doesn’t happen at print shops. We know how to adjust the colors for different papers and inks, so your prints turn out exactly how you want them. We are able to show you proofs and make adjustments before you spend an arm and a leg trying to correct simple errors like blurry logos or slightly off-color brochures.

Reduce operational, production and postage costs

This one is simple. Print shops can get you better prices and discounts on materials because we have connections and buy in bulk. The higher volume ordered, the cheaper it’s going to be for you.

SHOULD YOU OUTSOURCE?

Now that you know what outsourcing can do for your business, you have to decide if it’s right for your business. Every company is different, but if you’re seeing the following, it’s time to outsource.

• You can’t keep up with demand.
• Mistakes are costing you more than you’re saving by printing in-house.
• You have multiple locations or off-site employees.
• Printing is taking too long.
• Materials look cheap, off brand or low quality.

If this sounds like your company, then it’s time to consider outsourcing your print projects.

WHO SHOULD I OUTSOURCE WITH?

You should always outsource with a company you trust. You’re potentially spending hundreds or thousands each year to get the prints you need for your company to continue to grow and thrive, so your printer should be reliable, efficient and trustworthy.

F.P. Horak has been a top print shop in Michigan for decades. Whether you need posters, marketing materials, magazines, 3D printing or something else, we have the technology, expertise and process to get your project done on time and on budget. Learn more about what we can do for you at fphorak.com.