DIY print at Silvan
04/06/2007
If you step into one of the 11 Swedish shops in the DIY chain Silvan, you will be met by a host of red bargain signs. Silvan has chosen to invest in in-house-print of the signs that announce campaigns and major offers.
It was the desire to offer customers a better overview of campaign offers that led the DIY chain Silvan to begin investigating the printer market last autumn.
The goal was to find an A3 printer that could print the shops' special offer and campaign signs in colour, in contrast to previously, when everything was printed in-house but only in black and white A3.
"We want to be able to print in larger format in colour in order to provide a better overview of our offers as soon as the customer walks into the shop. A3 signs in colour should make it easier for the customer to see the price." explains IT manager Carsten Clausen.
To begin with, Silvan decided to test an A3 printer at its headquarters in Århus. If the results proved satisfactory, Silvan would subsequently install the selected printers in the 11 Swedish Silvan shops, where according to Swedish tradition, bargain signs should be red.
"When we buy hardware, we usually analyse the market and check who are the strongest brands for the product we are looking for. That is also what we did here, but OKI Printing Solutions are an old partner, so it was seemed natural to begin by looking at what they could offer. But there were also other players involved." explains Carsten Clausen.
C9600 for testing
The choice fell on a C9600 colour laser printer that was tested at Silvan's headquarters for a month.
"There are four parameters that are important for us in this type of situation: operating costs, reliability, service functions and functionality for the users. For example, it is essential that it is easy to replace the toners when a machine like that is placed out in the local shops and the staff are expected to use it themselves." says Carsten Clausen.
The C9600 passed the test and it has been supplying the 11 Swedish Silvan shops since January.
Spring is our high season and naturally we have had many great offers and campaigns, so we are looking forward to seeing the result.
The red signs are designed centrally and then the staff in the individual shops can go into the network themselves and download the files and print them. If necessary, the shops can also design special offers themselves.
"From a purely functional perspective, I would describe the purchase of the C9600's as a success. In fact, I have not heard any comments from the shops, and that tends to be a sign that everything is working as intended." says Carsten Clausen.
