U.S. Business Products Thrives on Technology
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
Technology has driven many printers out of business over the last 10 years. Digital media including the Internet and email has greatly reduced print volumes. And with low-cost color laser printers and copiers, businesses can produce high-quality print materials themselves.
You might expect a printer to be unenthusiastic about the impact of technology on their business. Not U.S. Business Products, an independent print shop with offices in Albany, Ga. and Dothan, Ala.
“Technology has been our savior. It helps us accommodate our customers’ needs in real time,” said Sterling Phillips, head of U.S. Business Products Albany office.
Speed counts
Printers who invested in technology and kept up with innovation survived the industry upheaval. Those that are left tend to be competitive on price, leaving speed and customer service as the deciding factors for many print jobs.
“Speed is usually the biggest issue for customers. When I started in this business 30 years ago, we would quote seven weeks to complete a job. Now seven days is not fast enough for many customers,” Phillips explained.
By keeping up with technology, U.S. Business Products can keep up with customer demands. For example, customers can send their job to U.S. Business Products in an electronic file. The file is entered into the pre-press system and a proof can be generated almost instantly. Upon receiving customer approval of the proof, the job can be in production the following day.
“The process is all electronic. No people will have touched the job, which makes it faster, more reliable and more accurate,” Phillips continued.
Big business pricing and expertise for all
For more than 25 years, U.S. Business Products focused primarily on big business clients. As competitors left the area over the past three years, the company expanded their market to include small- to medium-size business customers. According to Phillips, by “gang-running” smaller orders on a press, they can offer competitive pricing on smaller jobs.
“We’ve adjusted our processes to make more customers fit on our presses. We made a commitment to serve small- and medium-size businesses with the same pricing and expertise that we’ve always offered to large businesses ,” he continued.
As a result, 2009 was a banner year for U.S. Business Products. The company expanded its work with area marketing firms and benefited from positive word-of-mouth.
“Working in a small metro area like Albany, word-of-mouth makes a big impact. We make a point of doing what we say we will do and doing it right,” Phillips said.
More technology ahead
According to Phillips, U.S. Business Products will continue to embrace technology in its business going forward. In the near future, the company will join the online printing community by launching its own website for print orders.
“We selected the software for a business-to-business portal that customers can use 24/7 to place orders for business cards, brochures, post cards and other print jobs,” Phillips said.
Phillips expects the portal to generate more business regionally for U.S. Business Products. The website will be simple to use and offer the types of jobs that a high volume of customers typically purchase.
“It’s another way of using technology to accommodate what our customers want. With today’s lifestyle, people often don’t have the time to meet with a salesperson, come into the office or talk on the phone,” he continued.
While many printers have been done in by technology, U.S. Business Products has embraced it. Whether it’s a customer-friendly website or the latest six-color, five-color and two-color printing technology available in their Albany office, U.S. Business Products is successfully using technology to improve their service, extend their reach and grow their business.
