New year predictions: Jeremy Walters, Paragon CC

Walters: customer communications landscape has been transformed
Walters: customer communications landscape has been transformed

Jeremy Walters, chief executive at Paragon Customer Communications (UK, Ireland and Luxembourg), shares his thoughts on the decade ahead including the opportunities to be found in leveraging customer data and building a bigger picture for clients

What’s at the top of your Christmas wish list this year?
Happy clients and full order book

As the decade draws to a close, what trend do you think the 2010s will be remembered for?
Innovation, resulting in exciting advancements in technologies which have enabled new business solutions to be develop that have helped transform the customer communications landscape

What do you think will represent the single biggest opportunity for printers in the next decade and why?
The further proliferation of user data, deeper understanding of customer behaviour and analysis of customer preferences – enabling individualisation of printed customer communications that provide tangible added value and significantly enhance the customer experience

What do you think will represent the single biggest threat for printers in the next decade and why?
Continued increases in raw material and supply chain costs will potentially add further barriers and challenges for customers and this is a major contributor that drives customers to invest their available budgets in other communication channels

What’s the one thing that the industry should do more of, or do better, in the 2020s?
Building the bigger picture for customers and becoming true partners with a single voice that can understand their business and proactively identify challenges and solutions, to really add value as a communications partner

What was your highlight of the decade?
Too many to list, but definitely all the people I’ve worked with

We can't believe we're asking this question for the third year running: what is your one-word view on Brexit?
Two words: hurry-up

What are your hopes for the 2020s?
To see less polarisation in our society, to reduce factions and solve major challenges affecting the world, to allow foundations for sustained economic growth

What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Don’t go on an evening out with Nick Dixon!

What’s your favourite Christmas cracker joke?
Why did the snowman look through the carrots?
He was picking his nose!

What is the earliest Christmas present you can remember receiving as a child?
Pac-Man console game

Are you making any New Year's resolutions? If so, what?
It’s not something I typically do. We embrace change so much, I’m making new resolutions every month