At some point in time, the odds are you will most likely need to print something. For anyone looking to print in Nigeria, there’s a series of challenges faced in undertaking any print related project. From deciding who to contact, where to go, how to produce designs, determine dimensions & specifications, and figuring what all the printing buzz words like paper-type, finishing, lamination, embossment, matt, gloss, card, and more buzzwords like A3, A4, A5, etc., are, it can be quite daunting for an individual to spearhead any print project without consultation with the right print partner. This is true even for businesses and business owners. Whether you are a startup, small business, medium enterprise, or an employee in an organisation responsible for the procurement and delivery of print related materials, there’s an array of challenges that could sprout.
As a print project can be complex to get started, you’re most probably going to outsource the stress to some “printer-guy”. You know that guy at the random shop in a random market close to your house who knows the basics about graphic design, tells you about Corel Draw, Stamp & Seal, Letterheads, – just to prove to you they knows what he’s saying. Yeah, your “printer guy”. Just because he adds the word ‘printer’ to his last name may not be as professional as you thought he’d be.
I’ve received a lot of complaints from clients who outsourced their printing to their “printer guy” only to be disappointed at the last minute (like that your infamous aso-ebi tailor), as the transaction always ends in some confrontation and ugly back-and-forth utterances.
I remember a certain experience I had with a past client who had contracted her last minute wedding invitation to her “printer-guy”. Her displeasure brought her crying in search for solutions as her wedding was only two weeks away! I recall statements like “this was not what I wanted”, in reference to the massive difference between the mock-up design on her phone, and the actual printed item. I’ve also witnessed more intense confrontational situations between “printer-guys” and clients. Several complaints as to pricing, delivery, and why they prefer outsourcing their print projects abroad.
Printing in Nigeria has gone a long way. From the 90’s to the early 20’s there has been a big shift. You no longer need to settle for the “printer-guy” with the advent of web technologies and web-to-print organisations like Print Anything™. The services offered by most web-to-print companies eliminate most of the challenges experienced between printer-guys and clients. I will discuss some of the top problems which are commonly the cause of rift between printer-guys and clients, and explain how Print Anything™ resolves most of these issues. I have broken down the list to the top five common problems as follows:
“Look at what I ordered, look at what I got”.
The design is not nice.
The price is too much.
No delivery, late delivery.
I’d rather just print abroad.
I will discuss all the above issues one after the other in another post which I have titled What is your greatest printing challenge – Part 2. Nevertheless, you can share problems you’ve faced in your own experience, or comment below.
What is your greatest printing challenge?
At some point in time, the odds are you will most likely need to print something. For anyone looking to print in Nigeria, there’s a series of challenges faced in undertaking any print related project. From deciding who to contact, where to go, how to produce designs, determine dimensions & specifications, and figuring what all the printing buzz words like paper-type, finishing, lamination, embossment, matt, gloss, card, and more buzzwords like A3, A4, A5, etc., are, it can be quite daunting for an individual to spearhead any print project without consultation with the right print partner. This is true even for businesses and business owners. Whether you are a startup, small business, medium enterprise, or an employee in an organisation responsible for the procurement and delivery of print related materials, there’s an array of challenges that could sprout.
As a print project can be complex to get started, you’re most probably going to outsource the stress to some “printer-guy”. You know that guy at the random shop in a random market close to your house who knows the basics about graphic design, tells you about Corel Draw, Stamp & Seal, Letterheads, – just to prove to you they knows what he’s saying. Yeah, your “printer guy”. Just because he adds the word ‘printer’ to his last name may not be as professional as you thought he’d be.
I’ve received a lot of complaints from clients who outsourced their printing to their “printer guy” only to be disappointed at the last minute (like that your infamous aso-ebi tailor), as the transaction always ends in some confrontation and ugly back-and-forth utterances.
I remember a certain experience I had with a past client who had contracted her last minute wedding invitation to her “printer-guy”. Her displeasure brought her crying in search for solutions as her wedding was only two weeks away! I recall statements like “this was not what I wanted”, in reference to the massive difference between the mock-up design on her phone, and the actual printed item. I’ve also witnessed more intense confrontational situations between “printer-guys” and clients. Several complaints as to pricing, delivery, and why they prefer outsourcing their print projects abroad.
Printing in Nigeria has gone a long way. From the 90’s to the early 20’s there has been a big shift. You no longer need to settle for the “printer-guy” with the advent of web technologies and web-to-print organisations like Print Anything™. The services offered by most web-to-print companies eliminate most of the challenges experienced between printer-guys and clients. I will discuss some of the top problems which are commonly the cause of rift between printer-guys and clients, and explain how Print Anything™ resolves most of these issues. I have broken down the list to the top five common problems as follows:
I will discuss all the above issues one after the other in another post which I have titled What is your greatest printing challenge – Part 2. Nevertheless, you can share problems you’ve faced in your own experience, or comment below.