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Budget Blinds’ reliance on web-to-print is open and shut
By Andy Brown
Vertis Communications |
Budget Blinds is the kind of client most distributors dream of landing. The company, whose franchises sell window blinds, repeatedly ranks in the upper echelon of Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500, a list of top systems according to their financial strength and stability, growth rate and size. Budget Blinds climbed to No. 29 overall on the January 2007 list. Established in 1992, it has more than 1,000 locations in 47 states and $200 million in system-wide revenue.
The company that secured Budget Blinds as a client, however, is not a traditional distributorship. In fact, Baltimore-based Vertis Communications is a full-scale marketing communications provider with more than $1 billion in annual sales revenue. It combines creative services and production expertise to attract Fortune 500 clients. The company also is an early adopter of new technology. Its seasoned web-to-print solutions played a key role in winning Budget Blinds over.
Passing the Test
The partnership between Vertis Communications and Budget Blinds started slow. In 2000, the franchise company was looking for a supplier of vehicle wraps. “They wanted to ensure the integrity of their corporate identity,” says Mike Wardle, vice president of sales for Vertis Communications. “We secured the opportunity to test with them, and they found that the way we served them really met their needs.”
Vertis’ role in protecting and building Budget Blinds’ corporate identity grew. Franchisees wanted custom marketing collateral. They previously had to phone, fax or email orders into the corporate office. A web-to-print application from Vertis allows them to order yard signs, bus kings, in-store displays, car toppers, sales sheets, advertising inserts and other materials through the internet. “We’ve created a link on Budget Blinds’ home page, and that’s the one point of contact for their franchisees,” says Chuck Denso, sales executive for Vertis Communications’ Irvine, Calif., facility. “We’ve taken paper out of the equation.” Franchisees use templates to add custom information, such as their addresses and phone numbers, while colors and logos are fixed by the corporate office. “One of the nice things about this software is that anyone can use it,” says Denso. “If you’re not computer literate, it’s still easy. If you’re working out of your house and don’t have much RAM, you can still use it.”
“In some aspects, there are hard cost savings, but technology solutions focus on soft cost savings—aggravation, stress.”
Chuck Denso, Sales Executive Vertis Communications, Irvine, Calif.
“We secured the opportunity to test with [Budget Blinds], and they found that the way we served them really met their needs.”
Mike Wardle, Vice President of Sales Vertis Communications, Baltimore
Programmed for Results
It’s one thing to set up the technology and another to get franchisees to use it. Budget Blinds introduces new franchisees to the system during their initial training period. Each franchisee receives a welcome kit with a user name and password that allows them to access the web site. They spend time reviewing the interface, so when they open for business, they’ll already know where and how to enter copy and upload images. It’s imperative that the franchisees know the system, because Budget Blinds requires them to use it. “They’re pretty much mandated to do it,” says Denso. “You can’t order material any other way.”
One drawback to selling web-to-print applications is that it’s difficult to measure ROI. “In some aspects, there are hard cost savings, but technology solutions focus on soft cost savings—aggravation, stress,” says Denso. When customers ask how web-to-print will save them money, Denso turns the question around: “We throw it back to the client and ask, ‘How much time are you spending on this now? How do you measure ROI if we can get something to you a week earlier than our competitor?’”
Budget Blinds apparently is satisfied with the results. In a sign that their partnership is growing, Budget Blinds invited Vertis Communications to attend its annual sales meeting to meet with franchisees. “They said, ‘You guys are the experts in the marketing and advertising industry. Feel free to create products that will help our franchisees grow their businesses,” says Denso.
Andy Brown is managing editor of Print Solutions magazine. Email comments to abrown@PSDA.org.
