Printing user manuals. Why is it worth commissioning a professional printing house?
The user manual is a document that, together with the delivered product, is designed to facilitate the process of starting it up safely for the first time. It then assists the purchaser in using and operating the product and, in the event of any malfunctions, guides them through the service procedures. Although printed user manuals are sometimes overlooked by customers, it is the manufacturer’s responsibility to include them. The information they contain can be essential, especially in emergency situations when the user particularly needs help in solving a problem. In this article, you will learn why it is worth entrusting the printing of user manuals to a professional printing house.
Complete printing of the user manual: content, graphics, and execution in a single project
Proper operating instructions should contain a number of important elements in order to fulfill their function in terms of both quality and usability. Although many important decisions should be made at the instruction manual design stage, some of them—especially those concerning print quality—can be determined using the knowledge and experience of a professional printing house specializing in printing instruction manuals. When designing an instruction manual, it is worth paying attention to:
Content – the information contained in the manual should be substantive, clear, and understandable to the recipient, i.e., the user of the device. The most important information includes, among other things, the product’s functions and its application, the installation or start-up process, safety instructions, typical problems and their solutions, and the necessary manufacturer’s data and declarations of conformity.
Graphic information (diagrams, illustrations) – some content is much easier to convey with a simple, easy-to-read image, especially if the user has to perform several step-by-step actions. The desire to avoid customer frustration when setting up the device is an important reason to ensure the quality and legibility of illustrations.
Physical characteristics of the user manual (print, material, and binding) – although the content is the most important aspect, the way it is presented is the first thing a new user of the product will encounter. It is also a key aspect of the entire project, which directly affects its final price. Striking the right balance between print quality and production cost is one of the most challenging issues when implementing a new project. Drawing on the experience of a printing house can significantly facilitate and accelerate the entire process.
Why is it worth commissioning a professional printing house to print your user manual?
During the process of optimizing the costs associated with obtaining user manuals, one may get the impression that attempting to produce them using internal resources is the most cost-effective method. Perhaps in some cases, especially when we want to keep the number of manuals low in the form of simple-to-produce leaflets, this will indeed be the case. However, the support of specialists in most more complex implementations will translate into, among other things:
- Guaranteed print and material quality – the professional printing machines used by Etisoft Group companies guarantee high print quality and color control across multiple production batches. An efficient process, supervised by experienced printers, also minimizes the risk of production errors and delivery delays.
- Cost optimization and security of supply – cooperation with a professional printing house can actually bring even more benefits, the importance of which will increase with the length of the relationship between the customer and the supplier. Regular orders with advance estimates of print runs will allow you to plan deliveries for the coming months. It also reduces production costs by reducing the number of printing machine changeovers.
- Greater possibility of personalizing brochures – a specialized machine park also allows for the expansion of the product portfolio. A simple, unremarkable piece of paper can make a better impression when folded (i.e., folded to the required format) into a leaflet. In the case of multi-page book manuals in multiple languages, binding requires a complex process that makes it impossible to produce them without the use of dedicated equipment.
What to look for when choosing a supplier of printed materials?
Choosing the right supplier of printed materials is a crucial decision that can significantly affect a manufacturer’s internal processes. A significant deterioration in the quality of a batch of instructions delivered is grounds for complaint. A lack of complete documentation, in turn, can delay the packaging of the finished product and its shipment to store shelves.
To avoid similar complications, the future supplier should have:
- Experience in producing user manuals – although this seems obvious, not every printing house specializes in printing user manuals. This is a specific type of printing that requires particular attention to precision and technical aspects, in addition to aesthetics. In the case of drilling diagrams, which serve as a template during device assembly, every millimeter of print misalignment can make it difficult to aesthetically match, for example, a dishwasher to the front of a built-in kitchen.
Environmental and quality certificates – certificates are an element that is easy to verify and at the same time confirms the printing house’s declarations of professionalism. They oblige the supplier to meet rigorous, regularly confirmed competencies. The most important certificates include ISO 9001 (confirming product quality), ISO 14001 (responsible for the compliance of processes with environmental management standards), and FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council), which guarantees that the paper used for printing comes from a legal and controlled source. - Prepress support – user manuals require proper preparation of graphic files. Etisoft Group specialists provide full support both in project development and in the verification of already created files before production begins. This is one of many important stages that allow errors to be eliminated at an early stage of project implementation in the printing house.
- Quality control – an integral procedure preceding the start of production of the entire ordered print run is the approval of test prints. The internal quality department of the printing house is responsible for verifying the details, but the most important part of the entire process is the approval of the sample by the end customer. The approved print serves as a template, which during the project constitutes physical proof of the quality arrangements between the customer and the supplier.
Etisoft professional printing house – trust the experience of specialists
If you are looking for a printing house that will ensure regular deliveries of user manuals, choose Etisoft, a proven partner of customers from the household appliances/electronics and automotive industries. Graffiti Printing House, part of the Etisoft Group since 2011, has a modern machine park and experienced specialists. Thanks to this, every order for user manuals is carried out with attention to every detail and in accordance with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards.
Contact us to discuss the details of cooperation and receive an individual quote.
