Customers are always looking for that something special feature that makes one service stand out above and beyond the other options. If you don’t offer something remarkable, your business will fail to thrive. The key is to maintain your traditional services, quality and reliability, while offering customers added value through the auxiliary services you provide.
Running a successful commercial or in-plant printing facility in an economy as cutthroat as ours means embracing these value-added applications. Adding specialty binding services can broaden your customer base and heighten the satisfaction you already provide to your existing customers.
Customers are looking for a full service printing package for a number of reasons:
- There is a cost and convenience benefit to the customer to have all printing and finishing services done under one roof.
- They are looking for finishing services for their reports, books, documents, etc. that will make their final product appear more professional.
- There is no need to coordinate the movement of the product from one facility to the next, resulting in a faster turnaround time.
By adding specialty binding services, you can broaden your client base and heighten customer satisfaction.
How to Choose Binding Equipment? When considering a binding machine, you’ll want to make sure the machine you choose fits your needs based on:
- The projected quantity of binding production.
- The size of the documents you’ll be binding.
- The type of binding methods you’ll be using (wire, comb, plastic coil).
- The speed and efficiency that you will need from your binding equipment.
- Your budget.
When purchasing binding equipment, finding a product that offers versatility is a key factor in determining which equipment will give you the most long-term use. Punching machines that offer dies that are interchangeable provide the ultimate in versatility and allows you to use multiple binding methods with just one machine. Most importantly when purchasing bindery equipment, make sure the product you invest in is durable, you should be able to get many years of use out of your equipment.
So how do you determine if investing in binding equipment is the right decision for your organization? How do you calculate potential return on investment when one of the key factors of the return is the potential for an increase in volume?
If you are currently supplying customers with binding services but out sourcing those services to other suppliers, take a look at your costs. You might be surprised how easy it is to cost justify the binding equipment and see a return on your investment in no time. Additionally, find out whether your existing customer base is going elsewhere for binding and finishing services. This is important as you want to capture all of your customer’s print related business. If your customers are using an alternative source for binding, see if you can find out how much they are paying and the volumes they’re working with. This will make it even easier to cost justify bringing binding services in house.
Next, consider whether there are new customers to be gained by adding binding services. Adding binding services will not only bring in customers in need of binding services, but add to your current print production volume, as well. Also, Customers are looking for a one-stop shop for all printing and production needs; this helps their organization save time, hassle and money.
Bottom line: today’s print buyers appreciate services that add value and save them time, money and stress. If you’re considering adding binding equipment to your shop, choose a long-lasting and versatile binding solution, it is easy to determine how long it will take to pay off your initial investment and start to make revenue on the binding services you can offer your internal customers.
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