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A Q&A on web-to-print with AMGRAF Inc.’s CEO
Franklin J. Garner III is president and CEO of AMGRAF Inc., a provider of prepress automation solutions to printers. The company’s core products are forms design and web-to-print applications that include MECCA 2000 and OneForm Designer Plus software. Print Solutions Managing Editor Andy Brown conducted this interview with Garner via e-mail. Send comments to abrown@PSDA.org. |
What is web-to-print?
Web-to-print leverages the internet infrastructure, database management technology, and the popular “do-it-yourself” trend to provide a better print solution. By implementing this new approach to the print production workflow, the print supplier can simultaneously be better, faster and cheaper. Web-to-print automation software offers the following advantages:
• Customers can key and proof their orders for documents online.
• Printers can aggregate press-ready orders by type, run length, paper/ink usage and due date.
• Online jobs can output directly to digital presses and/or plate-making devices.
• Approved design templates ensure that standard layouts, fonts and colors are used.
• Sorting, collating and numbering can be accomplished before the job is printed.
• Variable information for targeted marketing can be printed in one pass.
• Mail house services and auto-addressing can be connected to the digital printing system to support direct mail applications.
• Shipping labels and postal forms can be printed inline with the jobs.
• Payment processing can be incorporated into the online ordering system.
The difference between e-commerce and web-to-print is that e-commerce is used for all kinds of goods and services. Web-to-print is print production oriented and may also include e-commerce for billing, shipping and payment processing.
The difference between web-to-print and variable data printing is that web-to-print can be used to design and order a small or large quantity of a specific document or product. VDP typically means that every document is slightly different, such as numbered checks, personalized postcards and account statements.
How widespread is web-to-print technology?
Traditional printing companies have been slow to invest in web-to-print because it’s expensive. At minimum, a company needs to hire (or outsource) technicians, web developers and programmers to be competitive. They also need to acquire high-end digital color presses, web-to-print software and build a functional web site. Then there are advertising and marketing costs to promote the capabilities, and start-up costs to debug the workflow.
Despite these costs, acceptance of web-to-print is accelerating due to the success of some of the early adoptors. Almost every print manufacturer has made some commitment to web-to-print. Many have teamed with application service providers (ASPs) to minimize their start-up costs.
The learning curve is relatively fast once the financial commitment is made. The technology is easy to implement and standard web browsers, servers, databases, shopping carts, digital presses, RIPs, plate making devices and mailroom processing software are all supported.
How can companies successfully sell web-to-print applications?
The best opportunities are with existing accounts that don’t have a web-to-print solution in place. Web-to-print can be introduced as a new service with faster turnaround and more personal control. To attract new customers, salespeople need to understand the best uses of web-to-print and understand the buyer’s preference for technology.
Web-to-print is well suited for jobs that follow a template design. Stationery products are typical because the layout, imprint information, fonts and ink colors can be predetermined and locked into the template. The client simply chooses a template and proceeds to add personalization. We do not recommend using web-to-print where the starting point is a blank sheet of paper.
To sell web-to-print to a broad audience, it must be marketed online and offered as a web service. Clients who prefer web-to-print are tech-savvy. They choose to use the internet as a work tool, and designing and ordering printed materials online is part of their job. These customers will find the web-to-print provider using web search sites, blogs and other online utilities.
How are distributors affected by
web-to-print?
Distributors must make a compelling case for their role in the web-to-print movement. In many ways, web-to-print is the new distributor. The sales cycle is becoming entirely online, with online catalogs of products, online estimating and pricing, online design, order submission, payment processing and shipment tracking.
That said, there are certainly opportunities for distributors to jump into web-to-print themselves. Because so much of the production workflow is automated, and digital presses are much easier to install and operate than offset presses, distributors can quickly become high-tech print suppliers themselves.
