HYBRID MAIL GIVES PRINT SERVICE PROVIDERS MORE TO OFFER By Ernie Crawford

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hile many print service providers (PSPs) focus on producing and mailing high-volume transactional documents like billing statements, a new revenue stream is opening up for them due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing number of remote and home-based workers. The pandemic has had a significant impact on business offices across a wide variety of industries.

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JULY-AUGUST 2021 | MailingSystemsTechnology.com

According to a recent study, the number of people working from home went from 18% to 51% because of the pandemic. These jobs might include almost any role in an organization, including customer-facing positions like sales or customer service representatives, as well as others who find it necessary to answer inquiries or send out printed information on a daily basis. The challenge for them — and the opportunity for PSPs — is that these workers no

longer have easy access to the company printrooms. When possible, employers have provided laptops for their remote workers to allow them to access and record customer data. Printing out correspondence can be difficult for them and may not convey the desired corporate image, but providing each of these workers with laser printers and toner would be expensive, and perhaps for only occasional use. Additionally,