Many businesses elect to deal with their printing needs in-house. However, this can present a number of challenges. If you're considering using third-party commercial printing services providers, here are five signs it's time to take the leap.

High Consumables Costs

Buying paper and ink from an office supply place, even if you get a very good discount, can incur major expenses. If you're regularly shelling out money for consumables, you may want to see if commercial printing options are cheaper. Third parties often have economies of scale that allow them to pass savings to their customers.

It doesn't necessarily require placing huge bulk orders to bring costs down, either. Tell the commercial printing firm what your needs are and ask them for a quote.

Poor Quality

Even if you have a commercial-grade printer at your business, it can be tough to replicate the quality a printing business achieves. They have experienced graphic designers on staff who know how to make color adjustments to ensure products will always look amazing. Likewise, they can use digital profiles to dial in the look of their products.

A commercial printing services company can also do full-bleed printing. This means they can produce items where the ink goes up to the very edge. Similarly, they have access to inks in more colors and glossy papers. Consequently, they can deliver products that just look better.

Large Formats

It can be hard to maintain the number of printers and paper types required to produce items in large formats. Especially if you need to go up to banner sizes, it's hard to compete with what a commercial printing business can deliver.

Too Much Time Printing Stuff

Even if you're able to produce the item you desire within your operation, it can eat into your team members' time. Particularly in a small business, someone usually gets dragged into being the graphic design and printing specialist. As a result, they don't have as much time to do their job. If the demand is getting to the point that your appointed person is spending most of their time dealing with printing needs, it's probably time to send the work to a professional.

Expansion

As a business expands, its printing needs will usually also grow. If you're expecting a significant expansion, such as a restaurant adding multiple locations, the benefits of doing the work in-house are likely to decline. This is particularly true if you're planning an ongoing expansion. It may be best to find a commercial printing company that can provide the overhead required for your growing print needs.

Contact a professional for more information about commercial printing services.