What Is In-House Printing, And How Does It Differ From Outsourced Printing?
Printing is demanding, can make or break a business’s marketing efforts, and varies depending on the organization’s needs. Because of this, two printing options are utilized to meet hasty deadlines and fulfill stringent demands: outsourced and in-house printing.
The Basics Of Outsourced Printing vs In-House Printing
Outsourced printing is when a business contracts with a third-party printer, such as Lineage, to take care of your print projects. Unlike outsourced printing, in-house printing refers to printed materials that are designed, printed, and shipped internally. With in-house printing, the company controls materials and campaigns from beginning to end, including turnaround time.
In-house printing requires businesses to manage, coordinate, and process their documents using equipment within their office walls. In contrast, outsourced printing involves sending your files to an independent firm that uses its fleet of machinery to print your documents and send them back to you or your customers. Businesses with more resources may keep an in-house printing department.
Is Outsourced Printing Or In-House Printing Right For Your Business?
Businesses that decide to handle printing in-house must carefully examine what kind of materials they are printing and if they are creating enough to justify having the equipment on-hand. Small posters or brochures may be feasible for businesses, but other items, like large banners or premium direct mail, may require specialized equipment that will likely need to be used more frequently to justify the cost.
For a business to run effectively, it usually needs printed materials for marketing, networking, training, and everyday needs. Depending on the size of your company, printing in-house for large-scale projects can be costly, and often the equipment is too small or lacks the functionality to handle the workload. There are growing concerns with maintaining cycle counts on printing devices, and the need for larger print jobs often results in fee overages.
What Does It Mean To Outsource Your Printing?
Outsourcing printing means businesses do not need to pay for in-house printers and print technologies. Lineage allows firms to produce the job at the best rate while removing internal challenges. Printing accurately and efficiently is critical to success in today’s business climate. Sometimes the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of outsourcing print-to-mail services outweigh the benefits of in-house printing.
What Are The Benefits Of In-House Printing?
However, outsourced printing is not for everyone, so what are the benefits of in-house printing?
The primary benefit of in-house printing is control. Businesses that invest in their own equipment and manage their documentation directly have greater authority over their schedule, design, costs, and more. This control also means your business can forgo the middleman. Depending on the business’s needs and the operation’s size, in-house designers and managers that focus on the business’s printing needs may be necessary, making in-house printing the right decision.
With outsourced printing, digital files need to be printed and sent back in physical form. This process inevitably adds time, hassle, and potential logistical issues, which could be particularly troublesome if you’re business is dealing with a tight deadline.
Instead of sending digital files back and forth, in-house printing allows businesses to streamline this process keeping everything under one roof. Over time, if you have experienced staff and quality products, the cost of in-house printing may pay off.
Additionally, in-house printing offers businesses additional security. If your company ever needs to print private customer information, legal documents, or other confidential information, sending it to a third party might not be worth the risk. In-house printing keeps your documentation under your roof so you can safeguard it better.
Because of this, professional services industries, most notably healthcare, law, and finance, have begun to move towards in-house printing, especially for jobs containing sensitive or private data. Many industry groups have published guidelines about outsourcing and its implied security concerns.
What Is Involved In Outsourcing Your Printing?
Previously, outsourcing your printing was the only way to leverage more expensive and comprehensive technology. However, this is no longer the case. From document output management software to preparing certified and return receipt mail, Lineage has solutions to help your business’ in-house printing succeed. Get personalized, relevant communication delivered to end users based on preference with our document management and communications software.
Businesses can rely on Lineage for state-of-the-art mailing systems, addressing software, and letter openers. These can help increase mail processing efficiency while providing detailed spending reports, postage machines, and meter systems. Addressing software assists businesses by increasing mail deliverability, navigating complex postal regulations, and reducing postage expenses. With the right office equipment, personnel, and training, these and many other print services can be provided in-house to any business, enabling you to print what you need when you need it.
Our mail and letter opening machines can handle mixed mail and envelope sizes while protecting contents and preserving document integrity. Lineage provides excellent mailing and communication solutions for in-house printing that you will not find elsewhere.
Choosing A Partner For Your Outsource Printing Or In-House Printing Needs
Since our beginning in 1984, Lineage has been solving mailing, file management, printing, document storage, and other challenges. Our “old-school” values and “new-school” technology processes help us create successful solutions for our clients for whatever they need; file management, printing, or mailing services. Lineage is a unique document storage company dedicated to our client’s needs. As experts in both outsourced and in-house printing, Lineage can set up whatever your business needs to succeed.
The ultimate question is whether or not your business wants to take on this kind of responsibility associated with in-house printing production. High-volume printers with unique needs may feel the cost is justified, while lower-volume companies may not be willing to take on that considerable expense. That being said, there is no right or wrong way to do printing. Consider your business and learn about the advantages and disadvantages of in-house printing to determine what is best for you and your customers.
Lineage’s process is seamless, efficient, and cost-effective. Contact us now to learn more!
