How To Choose a Print Provider

Procurement managers, operations leads, and marketing departments all share one common hurdle: picking the right print provider. From business forms and stationery to leaflets, posters, and promotional items, printed collateral fills every corner of all businesses, and choosing the right supplier requires a fine balance of cost, flexibility, and capabilities. With a mix of private and public sector clients at CSP, we understand those budgetary and time-sensitive challenges. Here, we highlight exactly what you should look for when finding a print provider.    

Unexpected stockouts. Inconsistent branding. Storage headaches. Spiralling spend. These are merely a handful of the typical issues companies with high print demands regularly face. In order for processes to run seamlessly, they need to rely on a print provider who can cope with demand, has the facilities to tackle those all-too-familiar pain points, and can make your role – and departments – operate smoothly. 

There are several reasons we’re a trusted UK print provider, and these should be at the very top of your list when searching for yours: 

1. Volume and Budget Control 

Naturally, keeping track of quantities helps manage budgets. Print providers with automated stock management and replenishment systems can help you save on unnecessary expenditure and simple human errors. At CSP, our platforms are programmed to reprint when your stock levels fall below an agreed threshold, meaning you’ll never be caught short of essentials like patient admission forms or safety-compliance posters again or be swamped in unwanted booklets and pamphlets. 

Although it may seem minor, this also removes the hassle of physically monitoring and ordering whenever you think you’re going to run out of goods. For public bodies like local authorities, councils, and the NHS – where staff are already stretched – this can be a welcome benefit that enables the workforce to prioritise the things that matter. 

Experience comes into play here, too. By enlisting an expert, they’ll have the knowledge to advise you on reducing commercial printing costs. 

2. Print, Store, and Deliver

Sourcing a print provider is just part of the puzzle. Many firms simply don’t have the space to keep endless boxes of paperwork and print collateral. Even off-site storage poses delivery fees and complications.

At CSP, we can remove that logistical burden. Our ‘print, store, and deliver’ service means that we’ll print your items, provide a place to store them until they’re required, and ship them on demand.

3. Brand Consistency

In print, colours are imperative, and no one understands this more than multi-site organisations. With different branches ordering their own materials, each order must strictly adhere to your brand guidelines. For illustration, consider our client, HCA, which has 60 sites nationwide. When a team member orders something for their hospital, it’s crucial that the distinct HCA blue matches the brand shade on all signs and posters across its estate. 

Not only does this consistency make printed products look high in quality, but it also reinforces your corporate identity and plays a major role in customer and patient confidence. That’s why opting for a print provider that uses spot colours is vital.

NHS blue (Pantone reference PMS 300) is another great example. The exact shade subconsciously signals authenticity when we receive correspondence from our local hospital or doctor’s surgery. Even a subtle variation in hue will stand out to a keen eye and quickly undermine the recipient’s trust. 

Working with a print specialist, like CSP, who can accurately match your brand’s colours is invaluable here, especially when handling customer- and patient-facing documentation. Our ROI portal serves as a central document repository, locking in your approved colours, fonts, and layouts so each site receives on-brand collateral every time.

4. Reporting and Data

Without clear insights into what you’re printing and why, it can be difficult to optimise spending and measure ROI. As well as keeping a firm handle on volume and expenses, our print-management system allows you to see what’s been printed, when, and why, making your budget monitoring reports easier to complete. 

5. Data-Driven Collateral Rationalisation

There are additional benefits to harness with print-management technology. Having information readily available makes collateral rationalisation straightforward.

Essentially, this takes the time out of manually having to go through printed materials to decide which ones to keep in circulation and which ones to retire. By tracking printing frequency and costs, you can swiftly identify what delivers results and what’s draining your budget.

6. Sustainability Credentials That Reflect Your Values

If you’re supplying printed collateral in today’s world, you’re already under the microscope when it comes to sustainability. And if you’re a name in the public sector, that focus is even more intense. Government departments and associated organisations must adhere to Government Buying Standards. For paper-based procurement that involves scrutinising printers for FSC®-Certified (or equivalent) stock and recyclable materials that meet government criteria.    

For private sector entities, you may feel the pressure is off. However, you’re not entirely off the hook. Buyers and stakeholders are more switched on than ever to sustainable practices and can spot ‘greenwashing’ in a heartbeat. In fact, according to KPMG, 54% of consumers said they would stop buying from a company if it was revealed that their sustainability claims were misleading. 

That’s why it pays to find a provider that reflects your principles. At CSP, not only do we carry FSC®-Certified stock and hold ISO 14001 accreditation, but we champion recycling, lowering energy consumption, and minimising waste. By partnering with suppliers like us, you’ll fulfil regulatory requirements and show customers and stakeholders that sustainability isn’t just a buzzword; it’s something your organisation lives by.

7.  End-to-End Consistency 

Even if your stationery is on-brand, it only takes one off-shade or out-of-character leaflet design to throw all your hard work off course, confusing your audience. 

With CSP’s web-to-print platform, you can ensure templates are stored in one central portal. This reduces risk of error and means only pre-approved designs are produced. 

Partner With a Print Provider You Can Trust 

If you consider these seven key benchmarks when appointing your print provider, you’ll benefit from on-brand, on-budget printed materials backed by live data insights, all from a partner that mirrors your sustainability ethos. 

Ready to simplify your print procurement from one single supplier? Get in touch with CSP today.