Using an experienced print management company or print broker can change the way you order print.

The first thing to say is yes, print brokers mark up the price they are given to make themselves money...Does this mean the customer ends up paying more than they should? Well no, not if the print management company is doing a good job.

Print Management companies utilise a trade discount from their preferred suppliers, allowing them to make their margin from the discount.

So what should a Print Management company do to secure you the best print at the best prices? Well firstly a good broker or management company will have a list of at least three trusted suppliers for each print speciality, whether that specialist area is large format, folding, long run, short run or magazines. These printers will all give very good rates allowing the broker to mark up while still giving the best value.

A client of mine was responsible for placing print within a large financial organisation, I was able to save her £10,000 over the year by managing her print with no drop in quality or time, in fact quite the opposite; her print is delivered quicker than ever before.

From a customer’s view point, using a broker should work like this: You request a quote, the broker goes away and sources the best price from the most suitable supplier and the broker provides you with a quote within 24hours. This allows a client to go to one person every time and get the best prices whether they’re looking for business cards, brochures, letterheads or stationery. This is what saves a considerable amount of time and money.

So if you are now thinking that a Print Management company should give you the cheapest price every time then you would be wrong. They should supply you with exceptional value based on the quality you receive every time.