Web-to-Print is #1 at Print 09

It shouldn't come as a much of a surprise to anyone that Web-to-Print (W2P) has been voted as a #1 application that must be seen at the forthcoming Print 09 show in Chicago in September.

Together with IT and MIS, W2P was rated joint top of a list of core essentials for the profitable survival of Printing businesses in what the organisers of the show, GASC (Graphic Arts Show Company), call the 'Must See'Ems'. A panel of 21 international analysts, consultants, educators and editors voted for the ten most important elements that would help Printers to come through the recession. This is the full list:

1. IT
1. W2P
1. MIS
4. Variable Digital Printing
5. Workflow
6. Colour Management
6. Cross Media Production
8. Automated Equipment
9. Customer Relationship Management
10. PreFlighting

The group of judges stated that Printing has become 'Computer-Centric', meaning that Print buyers are increasingly purchasing online, any communication with a Printer is increasingly happening online and that content management is increasingly taking place online. They went on to say that the computer skills of most Printers, however, are limited to estimating and pre-press. There is a distinct lack of skill when it comes to IT and e-commerce.

Print 09 is being billed as a 'Software Show'. There will, of course, be plenty of interesting bits of shiny metal on show that could help your business but these days, if you don't have an effective and efficient online customer interface, there's not going to be much point in being 'Lean and Mean'.
I know it's going to be hard for many to find the time to visit Print 09 in the current climate but, it would be very beneficial for most to talk to all the W2P vendors. Some of these companies are introducing programs to help Printers understand the complexities of trading online. These courses will fill up very quickly.

Now is the time to take your business online.

www.w2p.co.uk