07-05-2019
In the survey, FedEx Office analyzed the opinions of consumers and SMBs about their preferences and purchasing habits regarding professional printing services. Among the key findings, professionally printed materials benefit small businesses in multiple ways, with 92 percent indicating it helps them compete with larger organizations. Additionally, nearly nine in 10 SMBs believe professional printing is very, or somewhat important in communicating with potential clients and attracting new business.
When deciding where and how to have something professionally printed, a comprehensive service offering that includes quality, support and convenience, is important.
Quality ranks No. 1 for both consumers (77 percent) and SMBs (78 percent). Among SMBs, high quality printing e.g., color matching and inks resistant to water, UV light and tearing (64 percent), as well as the ability to consult someone on their printing project (44 percent), were cited as very important.
Roughly half of SMBs and consumers cited the convenience of placing an order online or on a mobile phone as very important. About the same amount say that being able to obtain a digital proof online is very important.
Professional printing also plays a key part in job searches and hiring trends. Professionally printed business cards (64 percent) and resumes (59 percent) were found to be very or somewhat important to small business hiring managers – a key element to consider for those in the job search process.
In fact, business cards are still heavily in use with more than 76 percent of consumers and 81 percent of SMBs using business cards to research and connect with people. Moreover, when it comes to business cards, SMBs are interested in design and quality, while consumers are more interested in style, card stock and colors.
“Even as our world becomes increasingly digital, people prefer to print the materials that matter most to them – whether it’s for personal use, such as a resume, or for business purposes such as collateral reflecting their company’s image. Professional printing services continue to grow, and FedEx Office is meeting the demand with services including color matching capabilities, project consulting and the convenience of being able to submit a job anywhere – in-store, online or through a mobile device,” said Brian Philips, president and chief executive officer of FedEx Office.
“FedEx Office continues to identify trends and opportunities to bridge the physical and digital worlds, using our nationwide network to meet our customer’s needs – no matter the location or project scope,” Philips said.
For more information about the survey please visit https://www.fedex.com/en-us/printing/articles/Power-of-print-survey.html.
Source: FedEx