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TrendWatch This Week (12/14/99): So this is love?
Printers love their customers for their sales dollars, but are they ready
for a more serious commitment? One that requires open communication, honesty,
and letting down their guard. No, this isn't Marriage Counseling 101 --
it's a discussion about printers allowing customers to track jobs in their
shop via the Internet.
Currently, very few printers allow job tracking through the Internet (5%),
but some say they are planning on doing it in the next two years (16%);
and even more are considering it later (31% might do it in the next two
years). Then there are those who will not even consider it (38%).
Why is that? Are they afraid of customers "getting inside" their businesses and seeing what really goes on? Or are their workflows just not ready for this technology? Or do they think customers will try to micro-manage their jobs through prepress and onto the press?
Why should you care?...
The game is a simple one: in coming years customers will force their printers to provide this service. Printers who don't will not stay on the "short list" of preferred suppliers. Many of the printing industry's new dot-com companies will make sure customers know about this new game. And most won't care if they marry for money. After all, their commitment is to their venture capital partners.
Here's to a great holiday season and a happy and safe New Year's -- TrendWatch Partners
For more information about how you can receive TrendWatch graphic arts and publishing market information reports, contact Dr. Joseph Webb or James R. Whittington, CMC, TrendWatch partners (info@trendwatch.com) or call 800-283-8063.