In this day and age, many would argue that the print industry is a relic of a bygone era as everything is making the shift to digital. But this could be a misconception. According to Printing Impressions, the print industry is currently larger than the online advertising industry, music industry and video game industry combined. The problem lies in the fact that print companies are slow to move, slow to react and slow to address the concerns of their customers. This makes the industry prime for disruption.
A potential solution to these woes is the concept of web-to-print. Enterprises can be damaged by partnerships with firms that are slow to implement new media and that aren’t technologically innovative. Web-to-print is a solution that empowers enterprises to introduce a platform to thousands of employees across the globe. Employees can build, edit and actually ship printed documents in under five minutes, to anywhere in the world!
RR Donnelley recently announced the shutdown of one of their phonebook production facilities last year. This is a prime example of the ramifications brought by changing technologies and the changing needs of what is printed, and in what form.
One way firms can reduce their costs and print smarter is to print less, or print-on-demand. Print-on-demand benefits enterprises because it all but eliminates the upfront costs and minimizes risk. Another plus to on-demand printing is that it allows the content to be changed without expensive, wasteful reprints or corrections.
Instead of printing in mass quantities, the “print it when you need it” model has proven to lower costs across the board for enterprises. Furthermore, cloud-based printing has put professionals in the best position to make the right selections when choosing how and when to produce materials. These services are quickly becoming the Netflix of the print industry by providing businesses with more options and streamlined processes.
The print industry isn’t alone, however. Many industries are on the brink of digital disruption, but according to the Harvard Business Review, media tops the list. Of 2,000 C-level executives surveyed, 72 percent anticipated moderate or massive disruption in the industry. Close behind it are financial services and telecommunications.
