Published Dec. 15, 2021
NPRC Mini-Survey Explores Typesetting
Charges and Key Industry Productivity
By John Stewart, Executive Director, NPRC
Once again, we would sincerely like to thank the owners of 123 printing firms who took the time to complete our most recent survey. Without their support and prompt participation, detailed surveys such as this would simply not be possible. Thank you very much.
NPRC is proud to present the results of its latest mini-survey. The survey was launched on Friday, Dec. 10th and Closed end of the day on Dec. 14th. While the survey data presented below is based upon 123 firms, additional responses continued to come in after the formal deadlines. This survey covered pricing practices for basic graphic and design services in the printing industry. Below are the questions and the corresponding answers based upon our data.
#1 – Do Most Firms Impose a Minimum Typesetting Charge? Approximately 75% of our survey respondents indicated their firm “strictly” imposes or enforces a minimum typesetting charge, regardless of how small the task might be, while another 15% said they did not.
“Minimum Typesetting charge?
We say we do… but often not enforced.”
An additional 10% checked “Other” and we think their answers, although representing only 10% of those surveyed, was closer to the truth than many participants would acknowledge. Some of the comments we received included:
- “$15 min. charge, usually waived for regular or non-abusive customers, applied to those who are abusive…”
- “Yes, with a handful of exceptions.”
- “We are supposed to, but many times do not.”
- “If it takes less than about 5 minutes then no we don’t charge, say a name change on a business card.”
- “We do about 90% of the time”
- “Depends on the client …”
- “We say we do… but often not enforced.”
Based upon our experiences over the years in tracking general productivity in this department, we suspect there are many owners who upon more serious reflection, would agree with one or more of the sentiments expressed above. The bottom line is we are failing miserably in tracking productivity.
To read the rest of this special report, click on the following link:
MINI-SRV-3-FINAL.pdf (printingresearch.org)
