While implementing web to print (W2P), printing companies focus on setting up dedicated teams of technologists and digital marketing executives. They often overlook their regular sales teams, which are actually responsible for business development.
Companies often make the mistake of viewing the entire W2P setup as a standalone business unit, with an expectation of generating new print orders. Rarely do they consider W2P as an alternate way to run a print business, where nothing changes except providing customised print ordering options and broad basing the existing offerings.
When W2P solutions are implemented, and they feature online post adequate planning and digital marketing, they can start generating new business. However, the primary goal of investment should be to equip your business to move ahead with technology without treating it as starting a new technological business.
While having an IT expert based on the infrastructure of your print facility is necessary, building a new technical team, instead of training your existing team to adopt the new role is unwise.
A typical W2P storefront setup requires significant technical knowhow, hardware infrastructure, regular maintenance, up-gradation and security. The installation involves setting-up:
The best part is that there are plenty of white-labelled W2P solution providers who are willing to initiate the technical nitty-gritty setup, maintain and provide regular updates at nominal monthly fees. This not only saves you time and energy but also the investment cost to setup your own technical division just to handle an online printing store.
Next, create awareness among your sales team. Encourage sales team members to carry a tablet when meeting clients and demonstrate how the newly adopted W2P software is equipped to handle multi-location orders at a centralised printing facility.
Train the sales team members to generate leads / orders and close a deal using digital marketing. In this regard you can learn more from these blogs:
With ready to use W2P storefront on Software As A Service (SAAS) basis, you need not worry about hiring a high end IT team. Essentially, nothing changes except the medium of doing business.
Once an order is generated, you already have the entire printing and logistic systems in place. Hence, you can always start by upgrading the skills of your existing team instead of building new teams with additional skills adding cost to the existing business. The idea is to generate more and spend less, not vice-versa.
Contact us and we will be happy to guide you.