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As wide-format graphics buyers increasingly demand faster turnaround, higher quality, and lower price—as well as an ever-growing range of specialty print applications—print service providers are looking for the fastest and most versatile equipment possible. Manufacturers are helping…but is there really a “silver bullet”?
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About Tim Greene
Tim Greene is the Director of InfoTrends’ Wide Format Printing Consulting Service. He develops InfoTrends’ annual global market forecasts for hardware and supplies used in the wide-format printing markets. He is also responsible for conducting multiple primary research studies annually in the wide-format market, on a custom basis and as part of InfoTrends’ syndicated research.
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Discussion
By Alan Roberts on Jul 11, 2014
Equipment and Speed isn't the Silver Bullet, its the ability to be able to provide solutions for the entire value chain that is the Silver Bullet and it is a combination of People, Process and Technology and the large format equipment is only one piece of the technology required for the effective Value Proposition.
By Bob O'Shea on Jul 11, 2014
Equipment and speed is only part of the solution. Whilst much else has changed over the last 40 years I remain amazed at the continuing lack of commitment to and recognition of the importance to customer service (CS). Getting CS right outflanks any technical silver bullet but, every day, we see evidence of poor or non existant CS. Or perhaps I should say that the silver bullet opportunity only succeeds over time with CS that excels. As Jen Matt said just the other day, think like your customer and assess his needs. Don't get me wrong; I'm amazed at the continuing exponential speed of change and of the solutions to client requirements that this brings. Wide format is just one of those "massive" changes.
By Michael Brenk on Jul 14, 2014
Bob has it right. Equipment is only a piece of the puzzle. I'm continually amazed at how many owners/managers lack of commitment to employees and the communication in their companies. The industry is in its simplest form-- 'custom manufacturing'. Every job is different but important to that client. Communication between the sales person to the account manager/CS to the operator to the person that sends the project out is the key ingredient. Many say they have it in place but really don't. It's a process that starts at the top and everyone must fully understand and commit to.