The BAPC Mini Survey for winter 2008 found that BAPC members thought attracting more business in the coming year would be the key challenge – the same result as in the previous year.
However, improving staff performance, reducing operating costs, and boosting productivity and efficiency all shot up the list as printers pre-empt the struggle to match output and input costs in 2009.
Last year's number two, retaining existing business, dropped to number 10 in the list while last year's number three, fighting falling margins, fell to seventh place on the list of top concerns.
Sidney Bobb, chairman of the BAPC, told PrintWeek: "This survey shows that printers are worried about the economic climate in 2009. It is interesting that improving staff performance is so high this year – to do this, printers will need to invest in training."
Environmental issues rose up the table to eight from 10th last year, a position which Bobb admits he found "surprising", while combating the credit crunch emerged as the sixth biggest challenge.
Top concerns for BAPC members:
1) Attracting more business (2007: 1)
2) Improving staff performance (8)
3) Reducing operating costs: (6)
4) Improving productivity and efficiency (5)
5) Implementing a marketing strategy (4)
Attracting new business is the 'key challenge' for printers
Printers believe that improving efficiencies and staff performance, as well as reducing operating costs, will be the key challenges for the coming year, according to a recent survey.
