PRINTITRESELLER.UK 43 VOX POP continued... What’s more, printed materials such as brochures, business cards, direct mail, and magazines still play a crucial role in branding and marketing efforts – take PrintIT Reseller and Technology Reseller magazines, as prime examples Greig Millar, Chief Revenue Officer, Brother UK: Digital transformation holds a huge opportunity for the print industry. Businesses have used hybrid to re-evaluate their print infrastructure and introduce technology to discover more efficient and productive ways of working. Steve Holmes, EMEA & America’s Regional Director & GM, PaperCut: A digital, data-driven business is always going to be more agile, which underpins competitive advantage in today’s digital economy. Secure, cloud-based platforms should help foster and accelerate collaboration, which is important in an industry like print, given that those in the ecosystem often work together very closely. Therefore, digital transformation will enable us to bring new solutions to market quicker, ensuring we’re meeting our customers’ evolving print needs from a device, software and support perspective. P PrintIT Reseller: Digitisation is driving business innovation, does print still have a place in the digital workplace? James Overton: Digitisation continues to improve processes and drive innovation in the workplace but printing also very much still has its place. Our volumes have recovered to around 80 per cent of pre-pandemic and we are actually seeing growth in other areas so I would absolutely say yes. Chris Bates: Yes, absolutely it does. With few people now spending 100 per cent of their working time in the workplace, the kind of devices in use will change. The shift in attitudes to sustainability and energy consumption will also be a factor here. But printed output will still be needed for many processes and activities. Rory Gallagher: Absolutely! Most clients recognise the advantage of digitising paper-based processes but for some it’s simply not achievable, certainly in the short or even midterm. Taking healthcare and logistics as a case in point, two verticals we are particularly strong in; some of these organisations are so reliant on paperbased workflows, they simply can’t take a revolutionary approach to transform them. We work with these clients to look for evolutionary steps to streamline paper-based processes with a longerterm strategy to reduce the reliance on print. Richard Hall: As a result of digital transformation, the print industry no longer focuses primarily on the functionalities of the physical hardware, manufacturers now must focus on the greater picture of document management to remain competitive. With more integrations and connectivity, come greater security risks which need to be addressed. In addition to this, business structures have adapted since the COVID-19 pandemic with more people working remotely which adds an additional dimension that manufacturers need to consider. Digital transformation is great for consumers because there are far more options than ever before when it comes to addressing cumbersome digital workflows and processes. Arwel Griffiths: There is definitely a place for print in today’s digital workplace. Printed materials can enhance learning, understanding, and the retention of information. Research suggests that people tend to remember information better when they read it in print compared to in digital formats. It’s also a fact, that printed materials can also help reduce distractions and promote productivity without the interruptions commonly associated with digital devices. Also, while digital media has become more widely accepted in the day to day running of life in general, it's important to consider that not all individuals or target audiences prefer just to receive digital content. Some customers, clients, or employees may still prefer or request printed materials and it's essential to accommodate their preferences to ensure effective communication and engagement. John Green: Definitely. In many industries, there are legal and compliance requirements that makes it a mandatory for the use of printed documents for record keeping and documentation purposes. Some organisations still rely on physical copies of contracts, invoices, and other important documents to meet these legal requirements. What’s more, printed materials such as brochures, business cards, direct mail, and magazines still play a crucial role in branding and marketing efforts – take PrintIT Reseller and Technology Reseller magazines, as prime examples. Printed documents can make a lasting impression on potential customers and provide a physical representation of a company's identity and values. Richard King: Print will always have a place in the workplace but in our experience, innovative organisations are now taking a hybrid approach Rory Gallagher Arwel Griffiths John Green
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