Sometimes, the time comes to make a change – even when you’ve been working with the same printer for a long time. There could be a variety of reasons for switching printers: quality concerns, timing, cost and transportation logistics, among many other things, could influence your decision. Switching to a new printer can be a daunting task for any business or association. However, when it comes to making this transition, a good printer can make the process seamless and efficient.
What To Consider When Switching Printers
Most publishers and business owners start sweating at the idea of leaving their established printer – and for good reason. There are many factors to consider when looking for a new printer, and it can be difficult to find the right fit. Beyond things like quality, cost and availability, it’s important to make sure your new printer is easy to work with and will represent your business well.
Quality of Printed Materials
The quality of your printed materials reflects on your brand. If a business puts out a low-quality magazine, readers might assume their products and services are similarly low quality. When connecting with a new printer, make sure to ask for samples of similar projects they’ve done, so you can accurately judge the quality of the printer’s work.
Quality of Service
When starting a relationship with a printer, it’s important to make sure your needs will be met. Printers providing high-quality service are helpful, proactive and communicative. On the other hand, poor service can leave you confused and frustrated, and may even result in your projects being late or incorrect.
Printing Capacity
Higher distribution comes with many benefits; increased ad revenue and a larger presence, to name a few. The last thing you want is a printer who can’t handle your growing distribution. When choosing a new printing partner, you’ll want to make sure their capacity is large enough to accommodate larger runs, especially if you foresee growth in your business or association’s future. But, don’t get lost in a sea of clients by simply choosing the largest printer you can find; instead, look for that “goldilocks” printer that seems to fit you just right. Not too big and not too small.
Cost Considerations
When trying to maintain a budget or turn a profit, cost is a crucial factor. Cost considerations may even be the driving force behind the decision to switch printers. Unfortunately, cutting costs often means sacrificing quality – so it’s important to find a printer not looking to cut corners on your project or your quality.
Benefits of Choosing Walsworth
Customized Solutions
One size doesn’t fit all. Walsworth provides tailored solutions, addressing the unique needs of each customer for a personalized experience. Whether your business or association is simply looking for high-quality printing services or you’d also benefit from mail and distribution, Walsworth has you covered. We’re ready to help you through each step of the process, from design to fulfillment.
Understanding Your Printing Needs
Before making the switch, it’s essential to assess your current printing requirements and consider future scalability. With over 87 years of experience, Walsworth knows the printing process inside and out. Our sales and customer service representatives can bring your specific vision to life with a wealth of expertise to back them up.
Price and Quality – the Best of Both Worlds
Many printing partners will force you to choose between price and quality – but not Walsworth. Walsworth offers competitive pricing without compromising on quality, ensuring businesses and associations get a ton of value for their investment. Walsworth’s commitment to excellence means every print project meets the highest standards. We use state-of-the-art press equipment to produce finely crafted projects, which are rigorously checked for errors and inconsistencies by our expert employees.
Step-by-Step Guide to Switching to Walsworth
Initial Consultation/Discovery
The journey begins with a comprehensive consultation to understand your printing needs and expectations. Our customers get to know us, and we get to know them. “Good reps are like pain archeologists,” says Andrew Shackelford, Commercial Sales Representative. “In the discovery process, we help identify pain points and service issues with the customer’s current printer, then create a plan for how we can solve them.” We encourage potential customers to come in for a plant tour, so they can see our dedication to quality in action.
Tailored Proposal
After understanding why you’d make a move, and whether we would be additive to the success of your plans, the Walsworth rep provides a detailed proposal, outlining our services and associated costs. This proposal is custom-tailored to address the specific needs identified along the way. You will work closely with your sales rep to address any questions or concerns regarding the proposal.
Onboarding Process
Once the proposal is accepted, the Walsworth team will begin working to introduce the new customer and their project into our system. “The process of changing printers is never easy, but we work to make it as comfortable as possible,” says Shackelford. “I like to have an onboarding call – first one-on-one, then I’ll bring in the rest of the team.” Walsworth has dedicated Customer Service Representatives, Mailing Specialists and Pressroom Supervisors ready to jump into our new customers’ projects.
The onboarding process is important: the Walsworth experts learn how best to meet the new customer’s needs. We learn first-hand what is important to you and your staff. We understand any production constraints and help you deliver a better product.
Ensuring a Smooth Transition
Minimizing downtime during the transition is a priority for Walsworth. Once you are officially on board as a client, we prioritize service and communication to ensure you stay up to date on the status of your print project. We encourage our customers to share any concerns with us after making the switch, so we can fix potential concerns immediately. The best way to accomplish this is with a thorough post-production review of the first project, sharing what went well, what can be improved, and what issues might simply be growing pains as we learn about each other.
Transition Seamlessly With Walsworth
Making the switch to a new printer is a significant decision and may seem daunting. However, Walsworth has the tools and expertise to make the transition a positive experience. With our industry experience, customized solutions and commitment to excellence, we’ll maintain or even improve the quality of your publication once it’s in our expert hands.
With decades of experience, Walsworth has earned a stellar reputation in the printing industry. Client testimonials and industry recognition solidify our position as a trusted and reliable printing partner. Walsworth was recently named the 29th largest printer in the U.S. and Canada, as well as the third largest magazine and book printer. Aside from these rankings, the quality of our work speaks for itself. To learn more about printing with Walsworth, fill out a contact form to get in touch with us today.
