The decision of whether to incorporate printing technologies in your own business setup or whether to outsource it to professional printing services is multi-faceted. The infiltration of digital technologies has definitely made the lengthy process of design and print much more accessible and convenient. Small to mid-sized firms, can develop an in-house printing facility by making a one-time investment. However, the need for outsourcing for some firms stays a necessity. This is because a business needs to understand whether they have the time and trained personnel to concentrate on side activities other than the core business processes. Outsourcing is done for the very purpose of retaining core activities which you specialize in and outsourcing tasks that you don’t have command over.

Reasons for creating your own in-house printing service:

Besides the fact that professional equipment is available to consider bringing production printing capabilities in-house, it also gives the business the discretion and facility of cheap printing services. The benefits of in-house printing services have been outlined below:

1. Cost

The overall cost of printing is minimized as compared to contracting it to third parties

2. Format

Any wide format document can be scanned and digitized as per your industry (e.g. architecture, engineering, construction) needs by installing a wide format printer.

3. Track

You can keep track of the cost incurred per print over the life of the device

4. Manage

You can manage the quality and quantity of the printed material.

5. Time

Avoid time delays in completion and delivering of consignment.

Printing is constantly revolutionizing, with each business tailoring the process to suit their specific needs. Besides the major benefit of cost savings, in-house printing services offer security, control, and convenience of timing.

Security:

The trust factor is important when handling sensitive financial data that demands confidentiality. The printing of ID cards or bills that you receive in the mail cannot be outsourced, lest they become targets of fraud and duplication. Hence it is better that your own employees handle the printing department to secure privacy rights. The shift to online documentation due to security reasons has reduced the demand for transactional printing services. Fewer volumes lead people to develop in-house printing services. However, you can even offer your clients online printing services to facilitate them.

A fair comparison between the two:

Why outsource?

Having considered the pros and cons of outsourcing v/s In-house printing services, there often comes a time when printing services need to be tailored as per specific requirements. Partnering with a third party helps you understand your target market and they take responsibility for creating customer satisfaction with their end-to-end printing services. Certain complex and high margin tasks are better accomplished when outsourced such as producing quality yard signs for a building material business or a property dealer would make no sense in setting up a print store. A quality printing firm will do that for you as per your needs. Superior quality customized business cards demand professional printing services to achieve the desired classy look and competitive advantage. Outsourcing is also opted for when you want to facilitate your employees and increase their productivity by lessening their burden.

To summarize

Considering whether to outsource your printing services or make use of cheap printing services in-house is a crucial decision. For this, you need to take a holistic view of your company and employees. Knowing your needs will help you decide what you need to do. Do your employees feel overburdened? Will they be able to manage and multi-task amongst other more important responsibilities in hand? Sometimes spending a few more dollars may be worth rather than relying on in-house facilities that may be undermining to organizational success in the long run.