The insight report highlights keys areas for print businesses to work on

Canon has published its latest industry insight report – Building your future with print – that claims that, while print services are still in very much demand, extensive change is required in order for print houses to meet the evolving demands of customers.

The survey found that 62 percent of print and media buyers still request print jobs for their media campaigns and that 84 percent of them were pleased with overall performance from printers. The report also shows that almost one in three customers are now using web-to-print services, a 50 percent increase since 2012.

Beyond the positive results, the survey highlights key areas for improvement within the sector; 44 percent of buyers said that they are unaware of new developments and products from their printer while, despite 80 percent of print businesses acknowledging a need to modernise their operations, they admint to continuing to struggle with strategic planning, with under half of respondents having a formal business development plan in place.

"Whilst there is much to be positive about in terms of the continued value of print amongst print buyers there are still improvements that can be made by print service providers to capture further opportunities and establish even stronger links with their customers," states Andrew Harris, marketing manager for Canon's European and UK professional print department. "Not only does the report outline a number of key recommendations for building a stronger future, it also gives an indication of the future skills that PSPs need to develop to deliver these new service offerings."