Highlight Printing, near downtown Minneapolis, MN asks:  What factors go into choosing the best printing vendor?

At first when I decided to blog on this topic, I was confident that I knew the answer and that I would be able to blog easily.  But after thinking it over for a bit, a little self-doubt crept in.  What if, even though we have a rockin’ shop and seem to get tons of kudos from our clients…what if, even then, I didn’t know the REAL answer.  I decided to go to the folks that know – print buyers.  So off went an email to a wide range of folks that buy printing from us – small offices, designers, office managers at manufacturing facilites, and print buyers & procurement managers at large corporations. 

Here is the question as it was written:  “My idea this morning to blog about is:  what makes a printer great.  In thinking over what to write, I thought that while I may THINK I know what people would say makes a great printer, (reliability, relationship, ability to follow details, ease of order placement, knowledge, wide range of offerings, pricing, etc.) I may not actually KNOW.  If you have time, would you mind writing a few words as to the qualities you look for in a great printer so that I may include this info in my blog?”

Listed below are the responses we received.  I just did a straight copy-paste, so where there are compliments to Highlight Printing, please forgive me for including this self-serving component :-)

• These are the things I look for: great customer service, high quality work, quick turnaround, and the intangible – fun people to work with
• As for what makes a great printer I’d have to say…drive and passion that’s what makes anyone good at their job and you’ve definitely got that…and you are a people pleaser and go out of your way to make sure things get done right!  Oh and communication and trustworthiness…that helps too!
• I can think of a few things:  attention to detail, personable, design suggestions (that is, suggestions that may improve how a piece prints or looks)
• What makes a great printer, all of the things you mentioned, service, price, attention to detail, range of capabilities – but none of that works unless you have someone who listens when you explain why you are doing things the way you are doing them and how can you (as a printer) make that happen easier, faster, less expensively if possible.
• A good sales rep is huge.  Small quantities at an economical price is huge.  Quality and detail is huge.  Fair price is huge.
• Service, service, service!  I don’t know what I am doing when it comes to printing and Highlight makes it all seamless, straightforward and affordable.
• I look for quality, confidence and reliability – I want to know when I place an order it will be done right and delivered when promised.
• I like the fact that you know our business and know what we need when we call in and ask for another box of what ever.  Dealing with your company is very hassle free.  I really don’t need to re-invent the wheel every time I need some printing done.  I think that this is more important to us than anything else.  We call, you print and the materials show up in a few day.  Perfect.
• Your new website is really nice and I would have time to write a few words about qualities in a great printer except you all already have all the great qualities that I would list.  Just keep up the good work.
• To me, what makes Highlight Printing (in particular) great is the people who work there, the customer service, and the fact that I can depend on you (Kathy, the whole team) to do a first-rate job in everything … from what we need printed, to the shipping, record-keeping, problem-solving, etc.  I always KNOW that everything will be handled as well or better than we would do it ourselves.  And, the ease in getting things to you online – versus what we were previously doing in terms of actually driving hard copies to the print shop each time.  And, I appreciate the way you treat your staff … that speaks volumes!  What can I say?  You’re the best!
• So some of the qualities I enjoy from Highlight are the promptness of service, quality of service, friendliness, customer first attitude.  You guys make the customer feel like every order is a priority.
• One of the challenges of someone like myself who knows little to nothing about printing, is to work with a printer that could and would take the time to educate me about what I needed to know to make good decisions about a project.  Working with a printer that I trust to always have my best interests in mind for producing the highest quality print job possible on my budget has been very important.  The effect of these two qualities of a great printer is a working relationship of trust and respect – Highlight Printing has proven to be just that, a great printing company.  Another quality that I appreciate more and more is a printer and staff that knows what they’re doing – I was lucky to have found Lisa Bickford and Highlight Printing.

What makes a great printer?  What does it all boil down to?  What actions do we need to take?

I am jazzed by the responses:  I heard passion for service, relationship, communication, experience, price/value, and reliability.  It reinforces my vision that I have always had for Highlight and what we have been working for all these years.  What it boils down to is that we LIKE our clients and to serve them with anything less than our best is like not doing our best for a good friend.  Action:  we will continue writing and implementing our “Customer Service Master’s Training Program” and will include these comments as inspiration and as part of the training.

Want to give Highlight Printing a shot?  If you would like to see what we can do for you, we’d be happy to send you some samples, or meet with you.  Please call us at 612.522.7600 or check out our website @ www.highlightprinting.com

The author, Lisa Bickford, president of Highlight Printing, is a veteran of the printing industry.  Since 1984 she has worked her way up through many areas of the industry before acquiring Highlight Printing in 1996 with her husband Don, who has also been in printing since the early 80’s.  The things she continues to find most satisfying are the wonderful business relationships that have developed with clients, vendors, & co-workers, and the energy that is created from challenge resolution.

This Printing Blog was launched in November, 2008, as a vehicle to share ideas, information, and innovations.