30 email: editor@signlink.co.uk Issue 265 - June | July FRESH PERSPECTIVES / VERITY FOX willing to lead a race to the bottom. What has changed is the pressure to deliver ever-higher levels of speed, quality, and service alongside pricing that leaves very little room for error. Margins are already tight and external pressures outside our control continue to grow. Sustainable pricing isn’t about being uncompetitive. It’s about recognising that quality, service, and innovation all require investment – in people, equipment, and processes. Automation and technology play an important role, but they’re only effective when supported by skilled teams. I often think of a phrase my dad, from whom I’ve taken the Dominion reins, used to repeat: “Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity, and cash is king,” it’s a simple sentiment, but it remains incredibly relevant. Turnover alone doesn’t build resilient businesses. Sustainable profit allows print companies to invest, but, more than this, it enables them to improve and support the people who ultimately deliver the work. People, Partnership, and Perspective While it’s easy to talk about speed, quality, service, and price in abstract terms, behind each element are people. Behind the printers, finishing tables, and delivery schedules are expert teams making decisions, solving problems, and taking responsibility under increased pressure. In print, we’re often the last to be briefed, yet expectations remain that everything will be delivered urgently and without compromise. This isn’t a criticism – it’s the way we’re used to working and will continue to do so for as long as projects land on the production floor in this way. Honest conversations, accurate briefs, and realistic timelines make a tangible difference to the final result. At Dominion, we encourage customers to see us as a full-circle print partner, rather than simply a supplier. We aim to be involved in the process from the outset to implement know-how early in the briefing stage. We welcome challenges, unusual projects, and difficult briefs, and it’s our responsibility to help customers envisage the bold and go beyond what they thought possible in terms of impact. But we also believe in being upfront when something isn’t achievable within the constraints given. Ultimately, I don’t believe the shift from triangle to square needs to be a negative one. If it’s approached thoughtfully, it can lead to better planning and briefing, stronger relationships, and more sustainable businesses. Speed, quality, service, and price will always pull against one another to some degree, but with the right perspective, I really think balance is possible and everyone can be kept happy. In the long run, honesty will always strengthen customer relationships rather than undermine them
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