So here is another example of how the current recession is driving companies in the US to experiment with innovative cost cutting measures that border on the ridiculous. The other day Jim (name changed ) the Director of Marketing at one of our good local silicon valley hi-tech customer sends me an urgent email saying that he really needs my help with pricing for collateral for an upcoming trade show.  Turns out that one of the geniuses there (engineer – upper management) has directed their marketing deptt. to drop PrintPapa (current print provider with an excellent track record of providing hi-quality prints at very reasonable prices with fast turnarounds) and deal with a printing company in China as part of their latest cost cutting initiative. Now poor Jim is in a state of distress as the last thing he wants to do is go all the way to Shanghai to do (what??)… YOU GUESSED IT.. A PRESS CHECK !!!

In any case the Sales Team at PrintPapa was not about to let a good customer go all the way to China for their printed materials so after some back and forth and negotiations over the prices, we managed to keep the job in the US of A. Jim sure looked quite happy when he did finally stop at our facility to do the Press Check (I guess because he does happen to like the folks at PrintPapa and did not like outsourcing jobs to China). The print jobs turned out perfectly and a potential disaster was averted because there was no way Jim’s bosses would have been happy with the quality of the collateral from China and also it was doubtful if they would have received their order back in time.

It does make me wonder about the future of all businesses like ours in this country who not only have to deal with domestic economic issues but are under pricing pressure from countries in Asia and other parts of the world as the businesses in those countries continue to contstantly evolve and get better at what they offer to the point where even a small print order worth a few thousand dollars is in jeopardy of being outsourced…..