A wealth of printing industry experience informs the well-known industry identity’s latest venture of delivering a CX point of difference.
Few individuals have such as deep and varied experience of the printing industry as Scott Telfer. From early days in sales for Heidelberg, through managing some of the most innovative and iconic Sydney-based printing brands – Websdale, Penfold Buscombe, GEON and latterly his own Oxygen, which he sold to Blue Star two and a half years ago – he’s been at the forefront of print production development for the past few decades.
Now having parted from Blue Star at the end of last year, the affable Telfer is returning to an enduring theme of his industry engagement, ‘customer experience.’ He’s stepping out as CustomerCX, an industry consultant for global business brand, Market Culture Inc.
“Customer experience is something I’ve always been passionate about. Without customers you don’t have a business. I tell printers it’s not about the investment value of their business, but the customer vale. That’s what will get you higher and better returns,” he said.
He knows only too well the difficulties of maintaining a customer-centric culture in a small printing business where resources are often stretched just to keep production running. Most printing companies struggle in keeping the customers’ interest first, but Telfer is convinced it’s the only way to prosper.
“I firmly believe that if you can get all the people in the business engaged with this idea, with asking themselves ‘is this the right decision for the customer’ you will succeed. From the printer on the press through to finishing and despatch, everyone has to have that focus,” he said.
Increasing customer value is likely to deliver higher returns, he says, while encouraging customer loyalty and “gaining a greater share of their wallet.” Telfer quotes from his bible, Customer Culture Imperative, that customer experience is the last battlefield where businesses can differentiate themselves in the marketplace.
It’s his mission now to bring that differentiation to printers across Australia and New Zealand.