2023 PREVIEW
Crystal balls at the ready While predictions are difficult to make, some experts in the print channel give their opinions on what they think will happen in the sector in 2023 and find much cause for optimism.
many cases, overcome. It isn’t all gloomy either – there are causes for optimism, with plenty of innovation in the sector, and those businesses that are outward looking and embrace new opportunities and product lines should been looking to grow their sales and bottom line as a result. But what do those in the channel think about what the next 12 months may bring? Of course, making predictions is notoriously difficult – who among us saw the COVID pandemic or Russian invasion of Ukraine coming at the start of 2020 and 2022 respectively? – but we have gathered a range of experts and thought leaders in the print channel who over the following pages give their expectations for the coming year, and what they think some of the major trends will be.
While 2022 was another turbulent year for businesses involved in the print channel – as well as for many customer businesses in a range of sectors – the year ended in a better place than it started for many. The lockdowns now seem to be a fading memory, and trading conditions have stabilised, with many businesses now trading at pre-CVOID levels or above, and the ‘new normal’ of hybrid working is becoming established. There may be still problems in the sector – supply issues, along with wider economic concerns such as a looming recession and rising costs of products and energy, to name but three – that will focus much attention in the coming 12 months, but the resilience the sector has shown in recent years will mean that these issues will be faced up to and, in
Terry Caulfield , general manager, Brother UK Hybrid working is going to continue to be the dominant trend in 2023. Inevitably, it will lead to a greater focus on the transition to the cloud, data security and implementing the right tech that will help businesses boost productivity for their decentralised workforce.
Another benefit is ensuring greater oversight on data security, which has become more of a challenge since moving to a more decentralised workforce. Workflow and document capture solutions available via MPS will play a crucial role in this. Outside of services growth, we’re seeing a good opportunity to help drive efficiencies in warehousing and logistics. We found in our recent study that inefficient labelling creates at least a week of downtime every year for 60% of businesses in the sector. Supplying reliable labelling technology that is seamlessly integrated with wider systems will help to minimise the downtime that logistics firms can seldom afford. Sustainability will also continue to be a major focus for business in 2023. We know that green credentials are given as much as a 40% weighting in tender processes, and it will be on businesses to prove that they’re making inroads. Effective tracking of how and where consumables are recycled, which is part and parcel of our MPS contracts, will be part of the puzzle here and further increase appetite for managed services.
Demand for managed print services (MPS) will continue to rise and we expect to see strong growth in 2023. Having a proposition for companies of varying sizes will be vital and we’re already seeing significant traction with our small business-focused PrintSmart Essential service, which allows buyers to pay a small monthly fee for their ink and toner supplies, device installation, supplies recycling and maintenance services. MPS also fits within a wider trend for businesses to acquire tech and services on a Netflix-style monthly service, and this is something that will only gather pace this year.
Terry Caulfield general manager Brother UK
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