What do you feel were the main trends and key industry developments in 2022?
One key trend in 2022 was automation. This has been a theme over the past few years, but this year it was truly realised and adopted. There has been a significant move to multichannel creation and distribution of documents, and automation is key to enabling this – alongside increasing engagement and innovation, and reducing the need for time consuming, manual processes.

The past year has also been characterised by a rise in consolidation though acquisitions and partnerships. As printers realise they need more capabilities to meet customers’ demands – such as managing digital as well as print channels, or inbound as well as outbound communications, we’ve seen a number merging, being purchased, or partnering with one another on a temporary or permanent basis to futureproof themselves and offer the exact service their customers need.

Finally, despite GDPR being four years old, there has been an increased focus on compliance and integrity. Businesses and consumers alike are unforgiving of data breaches, and so organisations are waking up to the seriousness of data protection both from a regulatory and reputational standing. This is likely to be a growing trend as the government looks to implement new data regulation bills next year.

How have the numerous economic, political, and supply chain challenges that have dominated 2022 affected you and your customers, and how have you had to react?
Every business is looking at how they can do more with less. Many are simply focused on surviving, and so of course are less inclined to invest in new technology and automation as they want to get the most out of what they already have. As a result, we’re focused on demonstrating how we can help businesses achieve these goals and justify any investment; for instance, using automation to reduce manual tasks; improving efficiency and freeing up employees to focus on more complex and important work that adds value to the business.

We’re also having to ensure that we’re more creative and sophisticated in how we support our customers and offer our products and services, so that all the conversations we have are relevant. For example, we’re having more conversations around financing, and offering options such as leasing instead of outright buying equipment – making sure customers always have the opportunity to get the capabilities they need within their budget. This is a time of need for everyone, so we want to make sure our customers know we are always on hand to help. This focus on support rather than pure selling will continue to characterise the industry over the next year.

How have your relationships with customers and their expectations from you as a supplier changed in the past 12 months?
As well as the financial impacts mentioned above, customers now expect suppliers to innovate and show consistent value. They are much more focused on the business proposition and benefits, and suppliers should expect this to be asked for as standard rather than as a nice-to-have.

For instance, customer demands mean that the lines between digital or pure print offerings are becoming increasingly blurred; and inbound communications, which would normally be outsourced to a bureau, are a crucial component of any offering as customers attempt to meet consumer demands while also doing more with less. Expectations are higher than ever before, and so suppliers must show we can keep pace.

What do you expect to be the main trends, key industry developments, and biggest opportunities for printers in 2023?
A significant trend in 2023 will be the move towards specialisation. As communications become truly multichannel, it’s no longer profitable to be a jack of all trades but a master of none. Printers will have to either concentrate on being the best in a specific area or stream, or ensure all their offerings are high quality. Customers will only invest in printers with expert knowledge of their market and business, alongside an in-depth understanding of their challenges, needs and wants. Those who get ahead of the game and carve out these niches will be those who not only survive but thrive.

Alongside finding their niche, we’ll also see printers increasingly viewing themselves as partners to their customers. If they are just offering print services, then this can be easily replicated by another provider. But, if they’re offering additional value-add propositions such as production, creativity and composition, then they’ll become much harder to replace.

Finally, we’ll see this year’s focus on automation intensify as part of the wider conversation about engagement and innovation. Printers are still realising the full potential of automation in reducing manual work and increasing agility. Simply put, next year will be all about innovation and value.

How can suppliers better help printers navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities in 2023?
The biggest challenge over the next year will be around capturing more, offering more, and showing value during such a turbulent time. Suppliers have a duty to make this as easy as possible for printers, which will be even more important with the coming economic situation.

With such a focus on innovation, suppliers need to give printers the tools to innovate and show them how they can do more with less. At the end of the day, suppliers and printers should see themselves as partners. To navigate the challenges of the coming year, both need to work together to support innovation.

Note: This prediction is taken from a special Briefing article in the new issue of Printweek featuring insights from industry suppliers, hence it does not follow the same question template as the other predictions.