HP has always said its Indigo users have an edge in quality machinery. Now, the company says they can make that edge even sharper with three major initiatives
HP continues to expand its range of HP Indigo business tools. The company says it has designed these tools to enable print service providers to make the most of their ability to drive market share in digital print.
These business tools include the newly launched HP Capture portal for business development; the HP Indigo SmartPlanner software; and HP’s sponsorship of the Digital Solutions Cooperative (Dscoop), an independent, international community of graphic arts business owners and technical professionals who use HP Indigo and HP Scitex equipment.
Troy Wood, from HP Indigo channel partner AM International, says, “Printing hardware is only one piece of the digital print puzzle. Upstream software applications, finishing systems, and business development tools also have vital roles to play in providing competitive, integrated end to end digital printing solutions. HP’s business development package provides Indigo users with world class tools to develop their business and maximise the return on their investment.”
Dscoop - the Digital Solutions Co-operative
USA based HP Indigo users formed Dscoop seven years ago. It focuses on educating and connecting its members with each other and with HP to improve members’ business growth, efficiency and profitability. Run by HP Graphic Arts Users for HP Graphic Arts Users, Dscoop has thousands of members around the globe enabling print service providers to tap into a wealth of knowledge and experience across a range of markets.
Dscoop launched its Asia Pacific chapter last year with the inaugural annual conference in Korea. It will hold this year’s annual conference in Singapore in August followed by the USA conference in February 2012.
Print service providers can obtain more information at the website www.dscoop.org.
HP SmartPlanner
HP has designed its SmartPlanner software to facilitate an accurate comparison of a company’s set up and running costs for conventionally printed jobs versus digitally produced runs. With this tool, print service providers can compare live jobs over a specified period to demonstrate the point of convergence.
Troy Wood says, “SmartPlanner is the most accurate tool for comparing production time and costs of printing a job on conventional equipment, offset or flexo for example, versus printing that same job on HP equipment.”
“This software helps print service providers price their digital jobs and maximise profit by selecting the most effective production platform for each job. This is particularly important for conventional printers who are introducing a digital print offer to their services as they can accurately compare both offset and digital print production on a job by job basis.”
SmartPlanner has application for general commercial, label, publication, and direct mail printers. As the most accurate tool for estimating production time and cost on HP equipment, SmartPlanner calculates the most profitable and time-effective production process for a job. HP adds that SmartPlanner also measures addressable pages and monthly print volume required to break-even on investment in HP Indigo equipment, based on a print service provider’s actual job mix.
Smart Planner allows a print service provider to:
• Quantify how an HP digital press reduces production costs and enables growth based on the PSPs own operating structure and costs
• Calculate expected ROI and payback period on investment in an HP Indigo press
• Use SmartPlanner outputs to help substantiate the case for financing
• Re-examine cost of conventional press operations and verify that operating cost assumptions are current
HP Capture
Exclusively for HP Graphic Arts customers, Capture is a comprehensive programme consisting of educational modules, business tools, community networks and market development activities, to help print service providers capture more business.
HP delivers the programme online via an exclusive portal, and splits HP Capture into three segments: education, tools and community.
Education – this provides participation in comprehensive learning programmes guided by industry-leading experts and HP to grow knowledge and expand business opportunities.
Tools – print service providers can explore a multitude of business-enhancing tools created to help them find new business opportunities, discover new applications and optimise operations.
Community – print service providers can share best practices and improve business by joining the HP Capture community to build networks with HP customers, industry influencers and solutions partners.
