If you’re in the market for a printer, print manager or just some prints for an upcoming event, you may have run across one or more of these terms. Perhaps you saw “print house,” “print distributor” and “print manager” too.
It’s a complicated mishmash of terms, and you’re just trying to get what you need taken care of. We’re willing to bet that doesn’t include an extensive deep dive into the various industries of the print world, so we’re here to give you a crash course and send you on about your business.
In this article, we’ll cover the core facts you need to know about:
- Printers
- Print houses (also known as printers or print distributors)
- Print brokers
- Print management companies
- Print management
- Print managers
You should know exactly what type of professional to contact for your business’s needs when you’re done reading — and if you have any questions remaining, feel free to contact our team.
What Is a Printer?
Depending on your specific online query, your search for something related to a “printer” may turn up information about print houses, which we’ll cover in the next section. More likely, you’ll be treated to a slew of web pages about HP, Epson and Canon devices.
In the latter case, you’ve found yourself faced with information about printer manufacturers. If you’re looking to purchase a printer machine for your own home or office space, you can research these manufacturers to decide what brand and model makes the most sense for your needs.
What Is a Print House?
Print houses are ground-level service providers where the physical act of printing takes place.
Print houses go by many names, including printers, print professionals and print distributors. They're equipped with various printing technologies and offer a range of services, often including graphic design, binding and finishing.
Working directly with a printer allows for greater control over the consistency of your printed items and more direct influence over deadlines and pricing, particularly for large orders.
What Is a Print Broker?
Print brokers, also known as print managers in some contexts, act as intermediaries between clients and printing companies.
They don’t own printing equipment but instead leverage their network of printers to find the best match for your project based on quality, cost and timing. While they add a layer of cost for their brokerage services, they can often secure lower prices due to their industry relationships and volume discounts. As a result, you're likely to find matching or better prices than you would with print houses.
What Is Print Management?
Print Management, as a broader term, refers to the business practice of overseeing an organization's print operations.
This includes managing print hardware and software, ensuring efficient printer and copier device connections, and optimizing print-related IT infrastructure. Print management software plays a crucial role here, offering tools for IT managers and system administrators to enable, monitor, and control printing across organizations. These solutions help in reducing waste, controlling costs and securing print jobs.
The evolution of print management from traditional server-hosted solutions to cloud-based services reflects a broader IT trend toward efficiency and strategic growth. Cloud print management, for instance, offers significant operational advantages by allowing printing from any internet-connected device to any printer within an organization, which is especially beneficial in today's remote-working environments.
What Is a Print Management Company?
Print management companies share similarities with print brokers in that they don’t do the printing themselves but manage the process across their network of suppliers, often choosing the most cost-effective option for each job. They might also offer warehousing services, allowing for bulk printing at lower rates with delivery on an as-needed basis.
What Is a Print Manager?
A print manager will often work as your single point of contact when you reach out to either a print broker or a print management company.
Which Print Professional Is the Right Choice for Your Business's Demands?
When choosing a print service provider, the decision between working directly with a printer, engaging a print broker or partnering with a print management company depends on your specific needs. Direct work with printers offers control and potentially closer relationships, whereas brokers and management companies can provide broader options and potentially better rates due to their negotiating power and industry connections.
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