As a Director of Operations for a K-12 education publisher, ensuring timely delivery of printed materials to schools and retailers can be a daunting task!
As you create your custom learning materials, be aware of these seven key things to help ensure you’re meeting print deadlines and ensuring timely delivery.
1. A reliable printing partner
Here’s the honest truth: you can do everything right on your end, only to lose credibility with your customers due to delayed delivery from your printer.
Choose a printing partner that has a proven track record of delivering high-quality printed materials, on time, every time. In order to successfully locate a quality printer, look for a company with glowing reviews and modern equipment, as well as a team of experienced professionals.
This combination of cutting-edge technology, industry experience and a track record of customer satisfaction is the ticket to high-quality printing you can rely on.
2. Truly efficient production processes
When it comes to creating unforgettable learning materials, the design element is just one small part of the journey.
Make sure the printer you choose has an efficient production process that minimizes downtime and errors. This can look like selecting a partner who utilizes automated systems such as digital asset management to streamline the material creation process.
How will you know a printing partner is efficient? Check out their online reviews and see what previous customers had to say. Look for descriptions like “great communication”, “fast delivery” and “reliable deadlines”.
3. Strong communication
Speaking of great communication, keeping an open line of dialogue between you and your printing partner is crucial to the success of a printing project. Regular communication between the printer, shippers, and you will better ensure timely delivery, and cut down on costly mistakes.
Before signing over your project to a printer, make sure they are committed to regular updates and are consistently responsive to any questions or concerns you may have.
4. Realistic delivery timelines
In a perfect world, everything we need would arrive at our doorstep without us having to lift a finger. In reality, it takes a certain amount of intentionality to pull off a shipment without a delay!
Work with your printer to establish realistic delivery timelines based on the size of your order and the time of year. Consider factors such as holidays, peak printing times, and shipping times when anticipating delivery; high-demand seasons like the beginning of school, before and after academic breaks, and during busy mail seasons can slow down the arrival of your important materials, so plan accordingly.
5. Dependable shipping partners
Not all printing partners are created the same! Just because a business has experience creating learning materials doesn’t necessarily mean they are equipped with the knowledge to service your branch of academic learning.
Choose a reliable shipping partner that has direct experience delivering K-12 materials. Additionally, look for a partner that uses modern tracking technology to ensure your materials arrive at their destination on time (and in good condition).
6. Printing partner flexibility
Ever hear the phrase “Expect the best, prepare for the worst”?
Be prepared for the unexpected by choosing a printer and shipping partner that’s flexible, honest, and able to quickly adjust to changes in your order or delivery schedule. After all, life happens; make sure you’re able to pivot quickly when and how you need to by staying transparent with your printing partner at every stage of the creative process.
7. A commitment to continuous improvement
A key indicator of a trustworthy printing partner is a desire to constantly be better.
Likewise, as an education creator, continuously evaluate your processes and look for areas to improve. This can include identifying bottlenecks in the production process, finding ways to reduce shipping times, and making changes to your shipping process to improve reliability.
By striving to improve at every turn, you can pass along advantages to your end customers, allowing them to benefit from your hard work while also increasing brand loyalty.
By keeping these seven things in mind, you can help ensure you’re meeting print deadlines and ensuring timely delivery of your printed materials.
This, in turn, will lead to satisfied customers and a successful business.
Ready to tag-team with an amazing printing partner? JPS Books + Logistics wants to help elevate your materials and distribution. Learn more at
