Finding New Business Applications with Modern Web-to-Print Solutions
What kinds of business applications can you provide with your web-to-print solution? This seemingly simple question has become more complex over the years as web-to-print solutions have become more capable and versatile as a class of software.
This question has also become more meaningful as the print industry has undergone several shifts over the years and it has become increasingly important to diversify revenue and broaden business opportunities to stay competitive. These pressures translate to a guiding principle of “how can you do more for your customers?”
To meet this demand for more diverse offerings, the top-of-class web-to-print solutions have developed into complete marketing solution platforms, giving printers the ability to expand their offerings and win more of their customers’ marketing budgets.
One clear way to do this is by being able to serve client needs beyond the familiar “web-to-print storefront”. In this article, we will look at 3 examples of business applications that modern web-to-print solutions can empower printers to provide. These 3 examples demonstrate the broad range of what’s possible with these modern software solutions, from the simple to the complex.
Company Uniform Portals
Regardless of the company, uniforms help project a professional image and effectively promote the brand. They also provide wearers with a specific identity, whether they are police officers, nurse practitioners, or public safety workers.
Company uniform ordering portals streamline the process for employees to order apparel and uniforms while giving corporate headquarters valuable insights into volume and costs. Employees can easily search, select, and order uniforms, while headquarters can efficiently manage inventory and access reports on user activity, product demand, and overall engagement.
The advantages of creating custom portals for uniform ordering extend beyond simply limiting employees to the correct uniforms and styles. These portals also simplify the management and payment process for uniforms. When staff log in, it should be clear who is responsible for the payment—whether the employee uses their credit card and gets reimbursed or the company covers the costs directly.
Many companies offer their staff a uniform allowance, perhaps ranging from $500 to $1,000 annually. A company uniform portal can track this allowance, informing employees of their remaining balance and their total expenditure.
Employee Gifting Sites
Corporate gifting is about forging connections with employees, clients, or potential clients through personalized business gifts. These gifts can range from physical items like useful merchandise, edible treats, or custom clothing to non-physical options such as e-gift cards or experiences like travel or concert tickets. The goal is to leave a lasting impression and establish a meaningful connection with the recipients.
In recent years, corporate gifting has grown in popularity, with businesses recognizing its importance in building and maintaining relationships with clients, employees, and partners. Personalization has become a key trend, as customized gifts tend to make a more lasting impact.
Modern web-to-print solutions can make it easy to create single-purpose portals such as employee gifting sites. The idea is to make the experience as frictionless as possible, so employees can be sent an email with a link, go to the gifting site, pick their gift, enter their shipping information, and have it ordered with no payment info needed.
Tradeshow Materials Management
Exhibiting at trade shows presents significant logistical challenges for any company, particularly in managing materials. These large-scale events demand a variety of assets and equipment, ranging from single-use items to reusable assets like furniture and monitors.
For companies that exhibit multiple times a year, human resources departments that conduct numerous recruitment events, or businesses that host multiple corporate functions, a robust solution to this management issue is essential.
Innovative web-to-print platforms with features designed to tackle tradeshow material management can solve this issue. They allow corporations to streamline the way they organize and execute the logistics of tradeshow participation. Portals can be created which give resellers and distributors an easy way to reserve, order and return tradeshows gear and assets while tracking all activity happening in their portal.
These advanced features allows headquarters to build tradeshow kits to make it easier for distributors to reserve and order everything they need at once. This includes both one-off goods like promo and printed materials and corporate owned assets like monitors, booth tables, banners, and other equipment. Once the tradeshow is over, the employees send the corporate-owned assets back to the warehouse; and the system makes those items available again for others to reserve and order.
Web-to-Print Solutions and New Applications for Revenue
Modern web-to-print solutions have evolved far beyond traditional print services, offering comprehensive marketing and logistical platforms that empower providers to meet diverse customer needs. By leveraging these advanced capabilities, printers can expand their service offerings and capture a larger share of their clients’ budgets.
These examples illustrate the flexibility and potential of modern web-to-print platforms to transform how businesses operate and engage with their clients and employees.
As the print industry continues to evolve, adopting innovative web-to-print solutions will be crucial for companies aiming to stay competitive and diversify their revenue streams. By doing more for their customers, printers can not only meet current demands but also anticipate future needs, ensuring sustained growth and success in an ever-changing market.
