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How to Choose the Best Print and Mail Vendor?

FSSI logo FSSI on May 29, 2020

Person crossing of checklist that says ten tips.

Ready to make the switch to outsourcing your company’s high-volume print and mail, but not sure which service provider to choose? Not all print and mail vendors are the same. Every business has unique challenges, expectations and regulatory requirements when it comes to printing and mailing communications to their customers. We have the insider tips for choosing the best print and mail vendor for your company’s needs.

Printing experience, resources, production capabilities, security certifications, and technical expertise can vary widely amongst vendors. Knowing what questions to ask could save your company considerable time and money with finding a vendor that meets your needs.

Criteria for Evaluating a Print and Mail Vendor.
These are just some of the criteria you should consider when trying to choose the best print company to outsource your project to.

Criteria to Consider When Evaluating a Printing Services Company

Consider the following criteria when evaluating potential printing services companies:

Print-Mail Experience 

  • Does the vendor possess extensive experience and understanding of your industry?  
  • Do they work with a wide variety of different industries? 

Digital Color Expertise 

  • Are there digital color experts on staff to ensure consistent branding and impactful messaging?
  • Do they have experience with color conversions?  

Security Certifications and Compliance 

Investments in Technology and Equipment 

  • Does the vendor have the latest print and mail equipment?
  • Do they stay updated with new technologies and software, providing trackable results?

Location and Print Capacity  

  • Where is the print and mail facility located?  
  • Does the prospective vendor have the print and mail capacity to serve your communication needs? 

Material Availability and On-Site Storage 

  • Does the vendor store paper, envelopes, or collateral in-house?
  • Can they leverage supplier connections for cost-effective paper stock and mailing materials?

Adaptability and Disaster Recovery 

  • Does the vendor have a disaster recovery plan, including off-site facilities?
  • Is there an archive and backup for data?

Data Handling and File Processing 

  • Is there an onboarding process?
  • What types of data and file formats can be integrated?
  • Do they have in-house developers and project managers for efficient and error-free processing?

Visibility and Job Tracking 

  • Does the company offer visibility through workflow or mailpiece tracking?
  • Are additional client-facing content management and marketing features available?

Sustainability and Eco-friendly Paper 

  • Is the potential vendor an eco-friendly print and mail provider?
  • Do they have a sustainability program or offer eco-friendly stock and mailing materials?

Choosing the right outsourcing provider to entrust with your company’s sensitive customer information and documents is an important decision. By asking these questions, you can gain visibility into a potential print-mail vendor’s processes and capabilities to make the right choice for your company’s communications.

For a more in-depth exploration of outsourcing print and mail, refer to our Getting Started Guide to Print Outsourcing.

How to Choose the Best Print and Mail Vendor.
These are important questions you should ask a potential print service provider to see if their service offerings match your output and security requirements.

FSSI

FSSI has 45 years of experience as a print services provider for highly-regulated industries. Learn more by downloading our special report, The Top 10 Reasons to Outsource Print and Mail Production, or contact us at (714) 436-3300 to speak with an FSSI print and mail specialist today.

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