Digital Printing and…My Car? – Weighing in on Digital Print Investments…

Written by Joel Basa, e-Marketing Manager at Xerox Corporation
188,500! I’m not referring to the AMPV for a digital press…it’s the number of miles my car reached on my way to work this morning. My 10 year old economy car has not had any major mechanical problems. I’m hoping my car keeps going but the reality is that I will eventually need to purchase a new one. I’ve started to ask myself, “What are the major factors that will influence a large investment?” such as a car…or how about investments for a digital printing business?
For a car, one may look for a vehicle that looks eye-catching or something that is a pleasure to drive. These types of factors put a smile on the driver’s face and its passengers. For a digital printing business, one may consider similar factors on how to delight a customer. This may be accomplished through its digital press’s image quality or the ability to add variable information to a customer’s print job. Putting a smile on a customer’s face is important to all businesses.
The ability to “do more” applies to both a car and a business. With a car purchase, one may be able to carry more passengers or drive with more control in slippery conditions. In digital print, businesses look to “do more” for their customers and increase the number of applications they can offer their customers. For example, a business may want to explore applications in the area of photo publishing or digital packaging. How about solutions for 1:1 marketing?
Cost plays a part in any large investment. For a car, the actual purchase price is one aspect but fuel efficiency is another key consideration along with regular maintenance costs. In digital printing, businesses are looking for ways to reduce their cost. A business may look at workflow investments to reduce their cost by making their shop run more efficiently and streamline their operations.
Taking advantage of an offering’s full capabilities applies both to a car and digital print. Understanding how a car’s stereo can hook up an MP3 player or enabling hands free phone calls allows you take full advantage of your vehicle. In digital print, business development tools can open up a world of opportunities to help you grow your business and tap into the full capabilities of your current investments.
Taking a look at all these various factors is important for any digital print operations. What are the biggest factors when you consider investments for your digital print business? How are these factors aligned with your primary business objectives for 2011?