Many companies worldwide have invested in wide format inkjet machines, either as part of an existing print capability or as a new venture into the digital world. Some have been producing work for many years whilst others are relative newcomers but, for everyone in the display sector today, there are issues coming to the fore which need to be addressed. FESPA recently held its directors’ forum in Budapest to concentrate on many of the issues facing businesses today and, with a recent tightening of the economic belt likely to make industry more competitive, the timing for this particular event proved to be very pertinent to the current state of the market. Marcus Timson, corporate communications director for FESPA, outlined the reason for holding this forum. “According to FESPA research,” he said, “in an increasingly competitive and changing media environment, we need continually to think outside the box to deliver extra value. The current market demonstrates that there is overcapacity, pressure to reduce margins and increased competition. It has never been more important for image makers to perform at the highest level and deliver value for their customers.”

Fespa Forum, a two day mix of marketing ideas, strategy planning and communications improvements, with plenty of delegate participation included.

FESPA decided to assemble a selection of speakers who understand what being a service provider is all about, inviting them to present to an audience comprising printers from all over Europe, along with representatives from member associations. The result was a fascinating two day mix of marketing ideas, strategy planning and communications improvements, with plenty of delegate participation included. Whilst specialist trainers and consultants outlined the motives and moves behind becoming more successful, these talks were complemented by presentations from companies specialising in the production of wide format output. They had also used practical and workable business models to get them where they are today.

Sceptics might believe that there is little point is spending the best part of two days listening to, and entering discussion with, training consultants and fellow print providers. However, I don’t believe anyone came away from this forum without gaining some kind of knowledge, help and ideas. It might be a simplistic approach to use formulaic schemes to work out strengths and weaknesses within individual companies but it’s so very true that, for many companies, there is complacency and perhaps even apathy which prevents them from striving to find sensible methods not only to retain existing customers but also to add new ones. With so much concentration these days on technology, speed of output, quality and, inevitably, price, it is easy to forget that there are other important aspects within the mould that need attention.

Ours is a people business and as Peter Kiddell of PDS Con-sulting stressed, “It’s all too easy to become totally dependent on email and the telephone – communication is based on the fact that seven percent is what people hear, 38 percent is how you say it and 55 percent is body language.” His belief is that customers should be buying an experience and not just a service but, currently, the personal factor is tending to be forgotten.

Kiddell’s views shared by the other speakers included Paul Street of PS Training Services whose emphasis lay on customer understanding and those often misused phrases ‘creative thinking’ and ‘creative activity’. With additional contributions on the marketing mix including those from Marcus Timson and CPI Consulting’s Patrick Maes, the juxtaposition of their presentations and those from successful service providers made a lot of sense.

Mark Simpson, of Simpson Group, outlined how his company has used an innovative approach by having its main offices designed to represent the different elements found in a shopping mall. His presentation was titled ‘I am not a printer’. He feels that print has become a dirty word and, as a result, it’s now devalued. He feels that the word ‘management’ implies that printers don’t know what they’re doing. An interesting percentage noted by Simpson was that, with many jobs carried out by his company, 20 percent represents the actual amount printed, whilst 80 percent can be attributed to ideas and other elements of the order.

Print & Display’s Christian Duykaerts is of the firm belief that success comes from working ‘through the line’ and not just above and below it, with design and consultancy also representing a major part of his company’s service. Sweden’s Big Image was represented by Andreas Skantze and he explained how his company’s early adoption of bespoke digital production has given it an unusual position in the segment for giant graphics for theatre, cinema and more conventional displays.

Overall, the forum’s intention to stimulate the minds and working capacities of businesses involved in the industry took place at an appropriate time when the economy is showing signs of slowing. Price and quality are no longer sufficient to enable companies to move forward: without ideas and opportunity, the only drivers can be price and quality and neither of these is sufficient to enable companies to move forward!

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