ZEBRA PRINT GROUP
CONTINUED
Samantha says the company officially marked its 20th anniversary in September. “It was a lovely opportunity to reflect on how far the business has come,” she says. “We celebrated with the team, because ultimately, they are the people who have helped make Zebra what it is today. We also used the anniversary as an opportunity to look back at some of the milestones, people and customers that have shaped the business over the past two decades. “Twenty years is a significant achievement for any SME, particularly in an industry that has experienced so much change, so it was important to take a moment to celebrate it properly. But we’re also very focused on what the next chapter looks like.” Factors of success Indeed, 20 years is a milestone that many businesses – regardless of sector – don’t achieve, so it was well worth celebrating. Samantha puts the company’s ongoing success down to several factors. “I think adaptability has played a huge part,” she says. “Print has changed enormously over the past 20 years and businesses that stand still very quickly get left behind. “We’ve continued to invest, diversify our services and listen closely to what our customers need. Rather than simply seeing ourselves as a company that puts ink on paper, we’ve evolved into a partner that can manage much more of the print process for our customers. “But I’d also put a lot of our success down to relationships. We’re incredibly proud to have achieved 100% client retention and, over the last 24 months, we’ve welcomed 56 new clients. For me, that demonstrates that you can grow without losing the personal service and attention to detail that your existing customers value. “We pride ourselves on combining the capabilities and technology you would expect from a much larger print business
with the personal service and flexibility of an independent company. We currently produce about 2,400 jobs a year and, despite our growth, maintaining strong, long-term relationships with our customers remains at the heart of what we do.”
Samantha Overton
Changing times As Samantha admits, almost everything has changed about the business since it was established. “The technology, the speed at which customers expect things, the range of services we provide and the way we manage print,” she says. “Zebra started as a much smaller traditional print business, whereas today we operate from a 21,000sq ft facility and offer digital and litho print, large format, promotional merchandise, design, fulfilment, storage and web-to-print solutions.” But, that said, some things haven’t changed – and for good reason. “Technology has allowed us to become faster, more efficient and more responsive, but one thing that hasn’t changed is our focus on service,” she says. “We never want technology to come at the expense of relationships.” Samantha’s own journey with the business has seen her role growth with it – all the while developing a detailed understanding of Zebra Print Group’s customers, people and operations – culminating in taking on the managing director role. “Taking on the MD role was an opportunity to build on the foundations that had already been CONTINUED
zebraprintgroup.co.uk
“
We pride ourselves on combining the capabilities and technology you would expect from a much larger print business with the personal service and flexibility of an independent company.
”
26
Powered by FlippingBook