Why educators should put their trust in an effective print management partner

Introduction

When weighing up your financial burdens you’d be forgiven for forgetting print, yet studies have shown that printing costs can account for as much as 3% of an organisation’s annual budget.

It’s a considerable sum, which perhaps explains why more schools and universities are enlisting ‘print management partners’ to minimise expenditure and improve efficiency across the board.

For those unaware, print management is essential for any organisation that relies on printed materials. This is especially true of schools and universities, where the printing of teaching resources, learning aids and promotional material is an absolute must.

“Print is still a critical communication tool for the education sector. Although we are seeing volumes decline as digital communications grow, print still has a creative and important role to play in marketing and communication strategies.

– Joanne Kimber, Managing Director, Granby

But with so much printing taking place on a daily basis, it can be incredibly difficult to understand both your print needs and the impact on your budget.

In addition to being a financial burden, printing is often a poor use of time – taking teachers and academics out of the classroom for longer periods, for example, or swallowing up valuable admin resources organising test papers or mock exams.

Whether you’re printing in-house or managing your own print needs, inefficiency is never far away – perhaps it’s time for a more functional solution?

Introducing Granby…

Against this backdrop, the Lancashire-based print and third party logistics specialists at Granby are keen to share how an outsourced approach to print management can reduce burdensome costs, eliminate time wastage and keep the education sector up to date with the latest printing trends.

Granby is an established print management expert with over 50 years’ experience as a marketing services provider. Trusted by clients including London Metropolitan University, Testbase, International Women’s Day and Health Education England – Granby has built up an impressive portfolio.

Case study example – The 2021 Census

More recently, the business was awarded the ‘Field Force Logistics’ contract for the 2021 Census by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Granby is one of only a handful of suppliers entrusted to deliver the census across England and Wales.

“Working with a print partner like Granby will help educators maximise their budgets, minimise wastage and have a single partner managing all print formats.”

– Joanne Kimber, Managing Director, Granby

Cut exorbitant print costs

Getting to grips with print According to Granby, partnering with a print management service is the education sector’s best bet when cutting exorbitant print costs.

Whether it’s an optional test paper, an annual report or a college prospectus, schools and universities continue to rely heavily on printed materials.

A print management partner can shoulder the burden however and open up access to a network of trusted suppliers. They will have the knowledge and commercial relationships in place to procure and manage all print-related projects on the client’s behalf.

This partnered approach is absolutely essential for any organisation where print is a priority, and it’s very much the cornerstone of Granby’s own offering.

In recent years they’ve helped schools and universities to maximise their dwindling print budgets, specifying the right manufacturers for the job thanks to a clear understanding of the print requirements.

KPIs help wise spending

Partners must be accountable to the client however, and schools, colleges and universities will understandably have to justify outsourcing their print requirements before committing to a long-term contract.

Here, Granby recommends that organisations assess how much money is being saved through the use of Key Performance Indicators and the Service Level Agreement.

“Utilising technical experts and project managers through a print management partner means your print requirements, including the management of component assets like data and brand creative will be managed compliantly, consistently and to the highest quality.”

– Joanne Kimber, Managing Director, Granby

Protect your brand

Crucially, Granby is also able to act as a brand guardian, project managing print activity across all departments to ensure consistency, while their management, storage and distribution capabilities allow them to handle sends as small as a single prospectus to large volume bulk orders in preparation for the next student intake.

Many print management companies will have a vested interest in new technology, meaning clients will be able to take full advantage of the latest innovations – placing their print orders online, for example, safe in the knowledge that jobs will be delivered on time and at a reduced cost.

With the right print management partner, you’ll be able to allocate your time and resources elsewhere – making your organisation all the more efficient.

Here, Granby takes things a step further, assisting organisations on their journey towards digitisation. They’re able to reformat printed literature into digital assets and communications, for instance, and distribute material across digital channels.

It’s the kind of a 21st century thinking organisations should now expect from their print management partner.

Understanding your requirements

Ultimately, partnering with print specialist like Granby enables you to ensure your budget is spent wisely and in the correct medium, with consistent messaging across all formats and channels.

Print management begins with you however, and understanding your own requirements is essential to having a service that meets your specific needs. Consultation with an organisation such as Granby will help you identify your printing needs and how best to deliver them. It’s education done efficiently.