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Some Printers’ Experience with Embroidery

Tom Crouser March 12, 2012 Comments Off on Some Printers’ Experience with Embroidery

I published the story of One Printer’s Experience with Embroidery in the March 6, 2012 Crouser Report and then heard from several more. Following is the original article along with pertinent repsonses. = = = I didn’t hear from many regarding those printers who added embroidery as a service, but I did receive one detailed […]

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Problem with Hourly Rates

Tom Crouser March 2, 2012 Comments Off on Problem with Hourly Rates

There’s a big reason why we should quote a customer a specific price (from price list for instance) instead of quoting an hourly rate for a price. Admittedly, the hourly rate is simple, provides a quick answer and protects us from time overruns on a project. It’s built on a budget hour rate or cost […]

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12 Rules for the Successful Predecessor

Tom Crouser February 21, 2012 Comments Off on 12 Rules for the Successful Predecessor

Now it’s Mom and Pop’s turn. Last post I wrote about being a successful successor. What about being a successful predecessor? That takes work too, so here are twelve rules for predecessors (current owners of the business). They are similar but different than the rules for the successor

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12 Rules for the Successful Successor

Tom Crouser February 17, 2012 Comments Off on 12 Rules for the Successful Successor

Just because you’re ready to take over the family business doesn’t mean your predecessors are ready to turn it over to you. That is the message I have delivered to more than one successor; most of the time it’s because the successor isn’t trained and not qualified. But, sometimes the reason the transition doesn’t take […]

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Where do Print Shops go from here?

Tom Crouser February 7, 2012 Comments Off on Where do Print Shops go from here?

Products and services printers have added the last two years and their plans for the next two are the best predictors of where this industry is headed. Information based on data collected from 185 printers in January 2012 shows that 54% of all expansion was in tangible products (wide format, more digital capacity, signs) while […]

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