Running a print business is a constant battle for your attention as a leader. Every day you can simply show up for work and drown in all the issues fighting for your attention. Added to this daily grind is the overwhelming reality of how much the world around the print industry is changing and hence expecting your business to evolve (quickly and constantly).

All of this contributes to the fact that most printers have never really stepped back from their print business and assessed an overall strategic plan as it pertains to software. I know printers have done this kind of planning with production; I hear how prepared they are when they go to trade shows/user conferences to evaluate new production and finishing equipment. This is to be expected; other than buildings, the presses represent the most significant capital expenditures in a print business.

It is no surprise that I want to encourage printers to think about their overall investment, strategy, and plan for the software running in their business. More and more, software is taking on a larger role in all businesses, print is no exception. The level of integration between software solutions in your print business is getting tighter, more “tightly-coupled,” and hence delivering more potential efficiencies.