When it comes to client interaction, SLB Printing takes pride in the idea of answering the phone with a real voice and reviewing and pre-flighting new file submissions outside of the automated workflow. I read a recent article by Mark Bohan in a printing trade magazine regarding this. In his article called “Integrating Multiple Production Workflows”, Mark discussed the need for automated file submission. I disagree with his advice “File submission needs to be as automated as much as possible through the use of Web-to-print solutions…” SLB Printing refuses to go down this road and I’m advising other small printers do the same! Automated workflows may work for online stores that process thousands of orders daily, but not for the small and nimble printer like us.

Compared to Online Printers
Let’s be real here, SLB Printing does not handle thousands of orders every day nor do we care to. We’ll leave that logistic quagmire to the online printers of the world. But try asking your online printer with the automated workflow to turn out 500, 5×7 postcards printed 2 sides in an hour and see what happens. I’ll bet they write you back and say it’s impossible for anyone to do it. I say don’t believe everything you read!
Back to the Bohan article, I was really disappointed after reading this comment, “the use of automated pre-flighting…is worth its cost multiple times over by eliminating unnecessary actions and customer interaction – while improving customer satisfaction as their speed to finished item is faster.” What in the world is that supposed to mean? It’s certainly not meant for the types of jobs SLB Printing sees coming into our store every day. It’s probably just another one of those online printer metrics that really places little or no value on customer interactions.

Production Workflow at SLB Printing
Here’s what you can expect from SLB Printing. You call with a same-day job and speak with someone from our Wonder Women customer service team. They’ll take down the specs and email you back a quote. Then, after you email us the press ready file as instructed, the same person you spoke with will preflight your file making sure there are no problems preventing the job from printing as intended. Then it’s off to the Miracle Making Team in the Pre-Press Department. They’ll impose the job onto our press sheets and whip the digital presses into production. After the Miracle Making Team in Pre-Press gets done printing, our Bindery Ninja Team takes over to finish the job in 8 seconds flat! (Well, may a few more minutes than that). But in the end, the entire run of 500 – 5×7 postcards is done in less than 2 hours. And this article you can believe… I’ve been doing this since 1984.

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