Printbuyers Online

What is the value of hiring an experienced print buyer vs. a novice buyer?

Answered by Suzanne Morgan, founder, Print Buyers Online.com

Question:
I was recently asked if there are any research findings regarding the value of hiring an experienced print buyer vs. a novice buyer. My company wants to save some money and hire someone without experience and then train them. I am trying to quantify a percentage of savings recognized by the skills of a seasoned buyer. What’s your take on this?

Last year, because of quality issues at the printer, we ended up with about 10% under and now we have to go back on press. Obviously, this re-print will cost us much more. I would like to put an underrun number in our contract for next year. Is it okay to request 0% underruns?

E.H.

Answer:
I think this question is very interesting. I’m often frustrated with organizations that attempt to “save” $10,000 or $20,000 by hiring someone without experience over a seasoned buyer. Print Buyers Online.com hasn’t conducted formal research on this. But after spending over 10 years training print buyers and providing consulting services to buying organizations, I feel strongly that an experienced print buyer (who is forward thinking and has a big-picture mindset) can save an organization a substantial amount of money. If this buyer is responsible for a significant print spend, then the cost savings – just due to the experience of knowing which suppliers to work with, how to effectively produce jobs, etc. – could be many times the person’s salary. I just can’t understand the penny-wise, dollar-foolish view that many organizations take in hiring. It takes a long time to gain the expertise as a buyer and unfortunately that expertise is not always recognized within organizations.

Almost all print buyers start from the novice position, so I’m not knocking new print buyers. I just believe that there are many senior print buyers with excellent skill sets who are seeking work that are overlooked because their desired salary is viewed as being too high.

Suzanne



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