What’s in the Cards for Quick Printers?
As technology changes, some industries are questioning their fate. One such industry that is challenged to survive because of rapidly changing technology is the quick printing industry. Technological advances affect these companies twofold. First customers have access to improved technology and second improvements in technologies within the printing industry make it expensive for quick printers to keep up.
Studies have shown that this industry’s customers are traditionally small retail companies, churches, schools and other small business organizations. Today these customers have more convenient options for printing stemming from technological advances including improvements in the quality and affordability of the laser printer and easy-to-use word processing software such as Microsoft Word. Suddenly, printing 100 or 1,000 copies from the office laser printer is affordable. Not to mention, the quality is comparable to using a quick printer.
In addition to home or office printers, the small business customer has the option of user-friendly and cost-effective online companies such as Vistaprint. These services add a convenience factor that is not duplicated with quick printers where a person has to drive to the location to place the order and then drive back to pick it up.
Quick printers can no longer rely on small businesses and the home office sector to survive and thrive into the future. The solutions for overcoming these challenges are:
- Learn how to sell to middle market and Fortune 1,000 companies.
- Acquire sophisticated and expensive print technology to give larger companies the solutions that they require.
I believe that companies will struggle to achieve one or both of these tasks. First of all, middle market companies purchase from sales people who call on them in their offices. This format is drastically different from what a quick printer is accustomed to where clients walk in the doors when they need something printed. In order to make this change from reactionary business to proactively selling, staff would have to be trained and educated in sales which would require a great deal of time.
The second aspect, obtaining equipment would require a significant monetary investment. It is just not feasible for the majority of quick printing shop owners to devote the resources to make these necessary enhancements.
The bottom line is that quick printers will no longer be able to rely on home office consumers and small business owners as the bread and butter of their businesses. Individual quick printers must make significant adjustments if they have any chance of surviving for future years to come.
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What planet does this guy live on?
Is there a quick printer of any repute that does not have an online ordering system? That does not offer free delivery?
I know of many quick printers located in industrial areas that have not had a customer walk in in years. And, oh by the way, there are many, many (the majority?) quick printers with full time sales reps that actually call on customers.
If you want cheap you can get cheap, just like any thing from cars to houses, but don't plan on using an online only printer if you want to make last minute changes or if you want to discuss why your project didn't turn out the way you expected.
The demise of the quick printer has been forecast for years...don't hold your breath.
I believe that the combination of high quality laser printers, plus internet printing, has already vastly reduced the quick printing industry. I used to be in that business and ALL the quick printers near me have closed, except for perhaps 1 or 2. Technology has passed them by. When I see quick print franchise offerings at franchise shows I think, "How can you stand there and try to sell that obsolete business model?"
Printers will be around forever. If I am not mistaken printing was the first business to be francshised, by Ben Franklin? Can anyone confirm this. My company spends about 8k in printing per year. I also try to do alot of adverting through my printer (local quick print franchise).
I do think Greg Muzzillo's statements are correct to a point but I find it funny that he write this. Did he really write this? I don't think I would be too interested in his franchise after reading his statements.
DC Foods writes, "I don't think I would be too interested in his franchise after reading his statements."
I would be concerned if ProForma were a quick printer. My understanding is that it is more of a commercial print broker so it side steps a lot of the problems highlighted with technologies that annually continue to cut into quick print franchises.
Printers haven't always been around. Before Guttenberg arrived a few hundred years ago, there was no such thing as a printer. It was all handwritten.
Where do you think the future is going? Split between small scale ink jet and huge commercial off-web? Or do you think the written word will soon skip paper and go directly to electronic publishing?
Talk about low costs of printing for small businesses. I just saw a laser printer for $119 at Sam's Club. With laser cartridges that yield 2,500 copies going for $75 nowadays, that means a small office can produce print right from its computers for 2 to 3 cents a sheet.
How's that for changing the rules of the game?
Franchise consultant Michael Seid argues that Ben Franklin was the first American franchisor. But franchise consultant Peter Birkeland argues that Seid can't just invent stories without showing the facts. (See Myths in Franchising.) Birkeland argues that Seid is using a sales technique called transference to borrow from Franklin's tremendous reputation to inflate franchising's.
But Don Sniegowski also reports that printer Benjamin Franklin is one of America's Eight Greatest Franchising Pioneers. So take your pick.
Singer Sewing Machine is widely regarded as America's first modern franchisor.
a church. It affiliated with a senior sect head office (in those days perhaps the Church of England for one example). It operated in accordance witrh prescribed methods and rituals, including micro management right down to the wording of every service, and the ritual prayers. It sent reports of its progress and remitted fees/dues/offerings/contributions to the head office. It was subject to termination for non compliance, in the same sense that all churches have always been terminable for breach (think of the Protestant Reformation, for example. And don't forgert the Spanish Inquisition run by Torquemada to deal with heretics - was he the inventor of Steve Horn and the Dunkin Donuts method?)
Going further back, it is beyond dispute that the same modus vivendi existed in the old Hebrew religion, and who can dispute that Jesus Christ was the first breakaway franchisee? It could easily be posited that the trial and crucifiction of Jesus was the harbinger of today's liquidated damages clause.
Richard Solomon, FranchiseRemedies.com, has over 45 years experience with franchise litigation and crisis management. He is a graduate of The Citadel and The University of Michigan Law School
thanks
This comment has been moved here.
This discussion thread should focus on the topic of the expert column above: the quick printing industry. I have moved a few comments on the author's company and earnings claim postings since they are off topic. There are a number of news articles that have already covered this firm. One such piece was about the elusive earnings claim several weeks ago, which specifically posted part of this company's financial performance representations. Its current FDD is also attached here.