Web-to-Print: The First Step to Production Efficiency

In today's Web-connected world, real-time access and a laser focus on developing efficient processes are driving many business decisions. Web technology enables in-plants to create self-service options for buyers to order, track and collaborate on jobs using the Internet. As a result, Web-to-print storefronts have become an important part of the print business.

To remain competitive, in-plants need to explore new ways to harness the power of the Web to solve customers' problems, drive business growth, differentiate their offerings and ultimately deliver results.

In March of 2013, InfoTrends, in partnership with North American Publishing Company (IPG's parent company), surveyed 254 print service providers, including 158 in-plants, to find out how they are developing, implementing and growing Web-based business models. The results from this survey provide practical insights for service providers about how Web-to-print technology is being implemented in production print environments and the key opportunities it provides.

There are many definitions for what Web-to-print entails. Though often used interchangeably with print e-commerce, the concept of Web-to-print is defined by InfoTrends as "connecting print buyers with print sellers through a Web-based interface, where they can order print products." It also describes a category of software that enables this process. There are many levels of Web-to-print adoption, such as allowing one-off or ad-hoc file submission for non-recurring jobs, catalog ordering for static print or template-based ordering to enable personalized or variable print.

Opportunities for In-plants

According to the survey, 41 percent of participating in-plants offer a Web-to-print solution. Investing in Web-to-print offers in-plants many opportunities that outweigh the challenges of implementing new software and technology. Enabling customers to submit jobs through an online portal streamlines the workflow process from the start. The moment a job is submitted, automatic checks can be put in place to assess the file and ensure it is "print ready," removing human touch points. The result is more efficient production operations and better use of limited staff resources. Nearly all in-plants surveyed that have implemented a Web-to-print solution agreed that the investment resulted in higher levels of efficiency.

Capturing process improvement begins with understanding which print applications are commonly ordered. A large number of the applications in-plants produce are very similar, enabling them to automate their production once they reach the facility. The top five common print applications produced by in-plants include letterhead, business cards, brochures, forms and posters; all of these are great applications for online ordering.

Offering an online storefront also provides in-plants with the opportunity to expand existing service offerings by providing new applications in an easy-to-order format. This allows the in-plant to showcase print and ancillary service capabilities that may otherwise be overlooked and outsourced.

Where to Start?

Before making any software purchases, it is important to evaluate and align internal goals and expectations with the functionality of the software under consideration. Another important step is to identify potential implementation challenges. The top challenges identified by in-plant survey respondents were staff training, designing templates, integration and customer training.

Additional steps in-plants can take to prepare for a smooth Web-to-print investment focus on evaluating operations and assessing staff skills. Here are some tips:

1. Identify Internal Goals and Expectations: Having a complete picture of current service offerings and future plans will help narrow down the search for the best solution to fit current and future needs. Additionally, it provides the opportunity for considering integrations with other systems to further expand service offerings, such as providing support for variable data document creation and cross-media marketing campaign development.

Key questions to consider when identifying needs and goals include:

• How will the solution be delivered (e.g., hosted or licensed)?
• What applications and services are currently offered and which services will be migrated to a Web-based storefront?
• Will services be expanded to include non-print applications?
• Are there corporate goals, such as mobile enablement, that need to be supported?

2. Consider Integrating with Other Systems: When selecting a Web-to-print provider, consider existing software, such as variable data printing, that can be integrated with the storefront to allow customers to order personalized print. Ensuring that the two solutions have means in place for integration (such as an API) will help simplify the process. About 36 percent of in-plants currently offer job customization/personalization/variable data services through a Web site or Web-based interface to facilitate custom job creation.

3. Level of IT Support: Determining what level of IT support is available is important when deciding how much vendor support will be necessary. If the in-plant does not have its own IT support, consult with your organization's IT team to understand their availability during the selection process and the software implementation.

4. Understand the Vendor and its Services: When making any large investment, understanding the company providing the solution can be just as important as the solution itself. Look at how long they have been offering Web-to-print products, what other types of services they offer and (most importantly) what level of support they offer customers. Many providers allocate a specific amount of support for solution setup and training, offer online help documentation and provide professional services to ensure a smooth integration. Understanding what is included with the software purchase will help alleviate any unexpected costs later.

5. Keep Your Organization Informed: When investing in software that will affect end users, get their buy-in early in the process. Including staff in the decision process by listening to feedback, concerns and wish-list items will ease the migration from old ordering processes to the new storefront.

There are also many tools available for helping in-plants find solutions that fit their needs. One of them is the InfoTrends Ultimate Guide Online to Web-to-Print, which helps identify solutions that are targeted towards specific production facilities, such as in-plants.

Web-to-print offers a variety of benefits for in-plants, ranging from improving the file submission process to moving jobs into the production workflow faster. Following the tips offered in this article will help to ensure a successful investment in Web-to-print for your in-plant.