Many higher education institutions are rethinking and revitalizing on-campus experiences by modernizing dorms, dining halls, libraries and student common areas to meet the expectations of their always-on, constantly connected campus communities. But meeting those expectations, while not breaking an already-tight budget, can be complicated. Retail printing and mail centers often depict this challenge – not keeping up with offsite competition or modern expectations. With the right approach, these centers can exemplify how to better serve the campus community in a way that’s on-brand, on-trend and profitable.
With that said, when many higher education leaders are looking for ways to improve, they often overlook retail printing and mail centers. But why is that?
Sometimes it’s because they don’t understand the role technology – or, perhaps more importantly, technology they can justify an expenditure for – can play in improving campus document services, especially automating copy, print, pack and ship operations. And other times it’s because they haven’t experienced the right partner who works closely with them to identify the strategies and techniques to streamline their on-campus print and mailing needs while decreasing operating costs. Without an experienced voice in the mix, it can be easy to assume such a turnaround is out of your budget’s reach. However, these kinds of improvements – in both a campus’s level of service and its bottom line – often help decision makers see the opportunity these types of challenges present.
Take, for example, Florida International University, which empowered its students to print quickly and conveniently from anywhere, via any device, while also transforming two underperforming, uninviting retail print and mail centers into exemplary, revenue-generating copy, print, pack and ship centers.