What is the definition of "service" in the printing industry? That likely depends on who you ask; after all, no two printer-client relationships are the same. Every customer has unique needs and preferences, and thus a unique idea of what "service" means to them. Ask us how we define "service", and our reply is simple: "Whatever it takes to delight each customer."

An industry friend of ours recently had the opportunity to ask one of our customers for his definition of service. David is an art director for a well-known museum in Massachusetts, and was kind enough to give us his honest assessment of the service Springfield Printing provides him.

The Planning Stages
David is responsible for designing and producing a variety of printed materials for his museum, including art books, brochures, invitations and other direct mail pieces. Although he has a good idea of how he wants a piece to look and feel before he designs it, he still makes it a point to bounce his ideas off us as part of his planning process.

"I know what I like, and I know what the museum directors and members expect," said David. "Designing in this environment, you quickly learn the printing techniques, capabilities and limitations of individual printers. But even if I'm sure I know how a piece should be formatted, or what paper I want to use, I still ask for input from Bruce, Aaron and Doug. They almost always suggest something I never would have considered.

"For example, I always ask Bruce for some paper choices. I let him know the critical elements of a particular project - budget, weight, feel - and he gives me exactly what I'm looking for. It's fair to say that I rely on Bruce to help me select the right paper."

At Springfield Printing, planning advice is always free - and friendly. From paper selection, impositions, and layout templates to packing and delivery choices, our goal is to help our customers plan their projects for success at every step of the print production process.

"Color is Always Critical"
Designing printed materials for a museum can be quite a challenge. Even a simple postcard has to mirror the quality and craftsmanship of the works of art it represents. That means color has to be rich and accurate from the first piece to the last.

David laughs when asked if he has special requirements for his color-critical work.

"Color matching is always critical on my projects" he said. "Almost every piece I design has at least one image of a painting or artifact from the museum's collection, and they all have to match as closely as possible the original piece of art."

David works particularly close with Doug Sherwin on scanning in Springfield's prepress department. To help David determine the appropriate color balance, Doug offers color proofs that include several versions of each image, each with slight variations.

"Everyone in Springfield's prepress department really knows what they're doing," said David. "When it comes to proofing color, I love having choices. It speeds things up a lot when I can see several versions of an image and say, 'OK, that's the one I want'. You can eliminate so much back-and-forth that way. Perhaps the key element to working with a printer is having confidence in their ability to accurately reproduce color. That confidence is the real reason why I enjoy working with Doug and the rest of the prepress department. They know color."

Communication is Key
At Springfield Printing, we recognize that our clients are very busy. That's why we strive to be as proactive as possible when communicating with clients - before, during and after the print production process.

"There are a great many details involved in our print projects," said David. "The folks at Springfield are diligent about helping me keep track of these details with plenty of follow-up communication, which I love. Of course, good communication works both ways. If I call them for anything, I know I'll be speaking with someone who is empowered to make decisions and keep a project moving forward. Having that "printing expert" at my fingertips is a valuable asset - and the extra touch of Vermont friendliness certainly doesn't hurt!"

Little Things Make a Big Difference
When people ask us what sets us apart from other printers, we don't answer with "the latest equipment", "fastest production speed" or "highest quality". While we believe those to be true, we focus instead on the little things - the intangibles - that make us easy to do business with. We pride ourselves on our friendliness, our flexibility and the high level of competence of our people.

"The obvious things are important to me, as they are to all print customers. Technology is important, and they have the latest technology in every department. Price is also an important factor, as well as production speed and turnaround time.

"But the intangibles are the reason why I love working with Springfield Printing. If I need to change my schedule abruptly, they always do their best to accommodate me. When it comes down to it, I care more about getting the job done right than anything else. That right there is my definition of great service."