New year predictions: Jon Tolley, Prime Group

As managing director of PrintWeek’s SME of the Year, 2013 was a year to remember for Prime Group’s Jon Tolley. Although if he doesn’t get his mother-in-law’s calendar printed by Christmas it could well be his last.

What’s at the top of your Christmas wish list?

Right now, 30 hours a day and capacity to select the photos for the calendar I make every year of the kids for the relatives. I think I’ll be pushing my luck getting it through digital right now and the mother-in-law will string me up if she doesn’t get one, not sure what is worse right now….

What trend (business or technology) do you think 2013 will be remembered for?

High-speed wide-format inkjet, the technology is quite remarkable and one to keep a close eye on.

What do you think will represent the single biggest opportunity for printers in 2014 and why?

Integration with other channels remains a significant opportunity as does making clients lives easier by creating and connecting with a global network.

What do you think will represent the single biggest threat for printers in 2014 and why?

Focusing too much on print as a process and not enough on what the actual objective of that output is. Also, ignoring the technology that is on the horizon. I also think that there are now some major shifts in how marketers are having to work: budgets have been cut, channels have expanded and the way consumers expect to interact with marcomms has changed and yet marketers still have to do more with less. As a result personalisation is now a must, because the cost of commercial print is already low so now we have look at other ways of making their budgets work harder.

What does the industry need to do differently in 2014?

Understanding what exactly it is that they do for their customers.

What was your highlight of 2013?

Winning the PrintWeek SME of the year was a major highlight (I know I’m creeping but it really did come as a complete surprise) and completing the move into our purpose-built production facility.

What are your hopes for 2014?

Continued growth and seeing the strategy we have laid out for the coming years come to fruition.

What was the most important thing that you learnt in 2013?

That the banking model has fundamentally changed in recent years and that relationship banking is dead.

What will you do differently in 2014?

Change who we bank with! Anyone recommend a new bank?

What will you be having for your Christmas dinner?

This year for the first time in about 11 years we are having Christmas by ourselves, I love getting together with the whole family at Christmas so it will be strange not to have a houseful, but delightful to relax and play with the kids new stuff. Once I’ve cooked the turkey that is, and roasted the potatoes and, and, and…    …more fizz needed!

Are you making any New Year's resolutions? If so, what?

Hmm, not thought about this one too much as I tend to just do it anyway. Personal goals are to keep up my running and beat my half marathon time