Just about ready to burst...

 

 

You know that feeling when you have a secret and you're just not allowed to tell anyone?

 

It's like when you find our you're going to be a dad (or mum), but tradition says you should really wait until after the 12 week scan before making it public knowledge?

 

That feeling of excitement and eager anticipation builds up inside to the point of bursting.

 

Well I have to admit, we have some really exiting news about a job we did previously for a customer and next week, we're going to be able to share it!

 

We've known about it for a while, since the end of May actually, but we've been under an embargo and not allowed to say anything specific about it.

 

But next week, all that will change!

 

We'll be shouting from the roof tops and we just can't wait.

It's still wet inside...

 

It was fun watching the first episode of Series 4 of the Great British Bake Off (#GBBO) last night.

 

I'm the first to admit that I'm no expert baker, however I enjoy it. And I really enjoy GBBO.

 

I actually auditioned for this series at the end of last year (it's funny that these things are prepared so far in advance) and the process was fun, although I must admit to an element of disappointment when I wasn't chosen to proceed to the next round of auditions.

 

But it was quite fun watching last night, it is clearly a pressure cooker environment, and gee whiz, I don't think I've seen so many blue plasters in one episode!

 

Of course, what makes the GBBO so enjoyable, as well as the cakes, are all the double entendre! Some of them are just hilarious and have obviously been edited in such a way to create that giggle factor.

 

We didn't get any soggy bottoms last night, but we did get "it's still wet inside" which is real 1970's cartoon postcard stuff!

 

Personally, I love it and look forward to the next few weeks of can't miss TV.

 

Oh, and yesterday, I started a diet.

Try hiring an amateur!

A number of my posts recently have focused on price.

 

This was not deliberate, but a representation of the day-to-day challenges that we face.

 

More and more people are buying on price and not on service, and that's making the job harder.

 

But I digress and that's not really the purpose of this.

 

Recently, I read a post on LinkedIn from a chap that I had started following.

 

He's a really nice guy, I have known his dad and him since he was a little nipper.

 

However recently he's been branching out into new fields and offering stationary.

 

Whilst I have deliberately misspelled stationary, I am confident his use of the wrong word was un-intentional.

 

Hmm, would you entrust your work to someone who's only USP is the desire to undercut (his words, not mine) the competition? Even more so, someone that can't event get the word correct.

 

I certainly wouldn't.

 

Remember the old saying:

 

"If you think hiring a professional is expensive, try hiring an amateur!"

Love me tender...

Been working on a tender bid this week. I enjoy them, however always find them funny things to do.

 

There were 7 chapters in this tender, although I've worked on some that have had many more.

 

However, given the effort that goes into producing them, you just wonder how much time the recipient takes to read it?

 

Do they really read the first 6 chapters, or just skip to the pricing schedule to see how much it's going to cost?

 

Do they care that you've invested this amount in equipment, training and premises, do they care that you donate so much to charity? Do they care that the company has invested in 9001 and 14001?

 

By the way, I'm not referring in particular to the tender I've just completed, but the tendering process in general.

 

I always feel it's a bit of a numbers game. The more tenders you present, the higher the percentage of actually winning one.

 

Of course, the circumstances might be different if you're the current incumbent and have a relationship with the client.

 

In one of my previous positions, we had one very major client who accounted for a large percentage of the company's turnover.

 

Despite the excellent working relationship dating back nearly 10 years, the account went out to tender and we lost it. We didn't do anything wrong. The service we provided was second to none. the quality was great. But somebody felt they could do better, faster and most probably cheaper.

 

It was a very hard lesson to learn.

 

It really is a numbers game!

Time to say goodbye...

Today we say cheerio to our colleague Saoirse who leaves us for pastures new.

 

The lure of the big, bad oil and gas industry has proven too strong, which is frustrating as it's taken me my first year at Printagraph to learn how to spell her name!

Of course, it goes without saying that we all wish her well in her new role.

Good Luck Sursh!

Limited Edition Book...

I get quite excited about some of the projects we get involved in.

 

Even though our core business involves a fair amount of "jobbing" work, we also undertake a decent bit of cracking orders.

 

Earlier this morning, we delivered an order to a local artist who was undertaking a limited edition book for the very first time.

 

There had clearly been a lot of work gone into it and I must say the final product looked great.

 

It was produced digitally here on the premises in our Tullos factory, using the latest "layflat" paper from Xerox, and then hard back bound with a lovely gloss lamination.

 

The print run was only 50, which would just not have been possible using older technology.

 

It was a lovely project to be involved with and the feedback from the client has been extremely positive.

We have a nice car park...

 

 

Over the last few months, we've made huge investment in our equipment and our premises.

 

Of course, not only is this to provide a safe and comfortable environment for us to work in, but also to provide an unrivalled range of services to our local business community.

 

In addition to the introduction of the very latest digital press from Xerox, the iGen 150, we've also recently installed a hard back casebinder, the only one in the area.

 

And at this very time, we're in the process of reorganising our internal reprographics department.

 

Other recent works included the lifting and re-laying of the car parking areas together with cladding of the building exterior.

 

It's all been done to make things as easy as possible for our clients to trade with us. And for us to be able to complete orders as efficiently and as quickly as possible.

 

We always encourage and welcome clients to our premises to have a look round, although you might have to bear with us at the moment until the current building works are completed in a few days.

The £5 investment...

I'm a member of an on-line business network.

 

I like being a member of this network. It allows me to undertake an element of networking at  a time that suits me and my work schedule, rather than at 7am or lunchtime

 

Not quite the same as an in-person networking club, however there is excellent advice and banter amongst the members, some of which clearly meet up on a regular basis.

 

It's a great source for sharing information too. Many members will ask questions about the best place to go for a coffee or who would you recommend for fitting double glazing. It's great and members are clearly willing to provide advice to other members when there is no benefit to them personally.

 

However I noticed a post last week about a member asking for a recommendation for printing business cards. they had already approached a local company for a price but wanted a comparison.

 

There were 17 replies.

 

Most backed up the original poster, agreeing that she had made the right call in going to the local company. The company isn't the one I work for, but they have a good reputation for quality and service. whilst being competitively priced.

 

Other replies were suggesting that she should be using price as the one and only factor in buying business cards. They really were suggesting that spending £5 for 250 cards or whatever was the best way to promote their company.

 

Your business card says everything about your company, and if you're only going to spend £5 (and believe me, people know that's what you've spent!), what does that say about you?

 

Like I said, it's a great network and I really enjoy my daily visits, but some of the information has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Time for Global Domination...

 

 

So, it's been a little whilst since I last posted.

 

In fact, even I was shocked to see it was May since my last post on my blog.

 

Of course, I still have my Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram accounts that I have been posting regularly. I guess it's just easier to post a picture than it is to create a post..if you get my drift!

 

So what's been happening in this time. Andy won the tennis, the football has restarted (not that I'm a fan), the whole world waited for the birth of a new baby and a new Dr Who was announced.

 

Anyway, I'm going to be a bit more disciplined with my blog and get posting to it a bit more regularly.

 

I guess the most existing new we have, I cant even say!! We are under an embargo until mid August before we can share the good news.

 

But it's BIG!

 

In fact, it's Global!

 

Can't wait to share the news very soon.