The Secret to Fast Response:
As printers know all too well, business in the world of POP and screen printing — actually printing in general — is mainly event-based.
No one can predict when the next big box retailer will redesign all their stores, or when another will open 10 new locations, and need a full complement of signage immediately. Does your vendor have the capacity to support your success in these fast paced opportunities?
When jobs are unpredictable and immediate, printers and their suppliers get short notice. Getting the business depends on being the printer who turns the work around faster at a competitive price. But no matter how fast you are, you can’t print unless you have something to print on, and with plastic substrates, you really have to know your supplier. Understanding the capacity of substrate suppliers and their ability to respond with flexibility is a key indicator of their qualifications to meet your needs.
One Source for Multiple Substrates
As you’ve probably found out, sorting through potential substrate suppliers is a job in itself. Some deliver faster, while others offer variety and quantity. If your needs don’t change that much, if you mainly print just one resin on a standard sheet size, you can put a reliable process in place to get that substrate quickly and consistently. Using a single size or type of substrate makes it easier to find an alternative supplier.
But what if your opportunities aren’t cookiecutter simple? What if you need multiple materials and sizes all the time on a moment’s notice? Do you want to have to find a new supplier for every job proposal? Is a two-week lead-time satisfactory? Not likely.
The Advantages of a Single Supplier Model
One of the best models for flexible, responsive job bidding is working with a single supplier who carries almost all of the plastic substrate materials you might need. You don’t have to break in a new vendor or juggle multiple relationships to run your business.
Having readily available substrate variety works to the advantage of the print shop that doesn’t want to turn away business or delay a response. It benefits the print manager who doesn’t want to negotiate with multiple vendors every time a job comes in requiring a different type of substrate. This creates delays and inconsistency, when the key to winning the sale is speed and quality.