How a Printer (Yes, a Printer!) Can Change the Course of Your Business Forever

In honor of National Device Appreciation Day on December 17, we want to celebrate all the ways this special technology tool can uplift businesses (because the printer deserves more credit than it gets!)

Look around. How many devices do you see right now? What about in other rooms or other buildings? How many devices power your business and life? We have a mind-blowing number of technologies at our disposal – technologies capable of assisting us in ways we couldn’t have imagined generations ago, or perhaps even a year ago. We certainly aren’t in the Stone Age anymore. Our tech has come a long way, especially in the past decade. It’s easy to recognize how our trustee smartphones and Bluetooth®-connected wireless ear buds keep our personal lives on track. However, it’s also easy to take devices for granted when it comes to business, especially devices like printers that seem so commonplace.

So, it’s important to acknowledge that some of the most meaningful technology tools we have today aren’t over-the-top fancy or breaking the bank. They are small, simple and practical. Yes, we’re talking about the printer (again). It may not get as much hype in TV ads or have as many accessory options as your smartphone, but it’s the reason you can afford fancy TVs, smartphones and other gadgets. If you’re in the business of making, baking, packaging or shipping goods, your business lives on labels. And your hand lives for a printer that doesn’t require it to write out all those labels.

That’s not the only reason to be grateful for your printer on National Device Appreciation Day (and every day thereafter). Your printer can also have an incredibly positive impact on your business’ growth journey. It allows you to…

1. Unleash your creative potential.

Your brand can come alive with the power of printers. As we just mentioned, you need labels for your inventory, packaging, and everything in between. You also need a way to print notes, packing slips and more. With the right printer and design software, you maintain total creative control over the presentation of your company, from the exterior cardboard box to the thank you card inside. The result? Better brand consistency and more personality woven into your products. Plus, you get to have so much more fun running your business. With today’s mobile desktop printers (yes, mobile + desktop is possible), you can design any kind of label or logo you want. If it’s a label, all you have to do is print, peel and stick on any of your stock. If it’s a card of some sort, just print and drop in the bags or boxes used for customer orders or on your table at the farmers’ market so people know how to find (and order from you) online.

You can convey whatever tone, voice or story you want. Printers can take all the infinite imagination bottled up in your head and turn it into a customized physical reality. Your brand will exude in everything you do – and everywhere your orders go.

2. Save the most valuable resources.

Integrating the right printer into your business functions can save you a tremendous amount of time, energy and money in the long run. Why is that? Because for every product you label by hand and every individual address you write out, you are losing valuable time and energy that could be spent doing more important things, such as fulfilling even more orders. On the flipside, the more orders you have the capacity to fulfill – thanks to the ease of printing your labels – the more money you will earn. You can even push the efficiencies further and use labels to streamline your in-house organization.

What used to take you hours can be complete in a few short minutes – if you have the right printer. We know…amazing, right?!

That’s not all…

Using printers that are environmentally friendly can help you save the earth’s resources! You’d be making an even bigger impact beyond the four (physical or digital) walls of your business. How can a printer support environmental sustainability? Well, some are now being constructed using fewer parts to help reduce plastic waste and allowing you to use biodegradable cartridges to reduce your carbon footprint. (Fun fact: the cartridges used in Zebra ZSB Series printers can even be planted in your flower bed after they’re empty. That’s right – they’re compostable!)

In other words, leveraging devices that keep things simple will make you a happier entrepreneur and help you make your customers happier – especially those who are worried about the future of the planet.

3. Knock your shipping logistics out of the park (and ensure packages get delivered to the right doorstep) every time.

Online orders are everything these days – it comes with the whole digital revolution thing we’ve been encountering. This world is all about speed, efficiency, and convenience. People expect to get what they want when they want it. And if your business is pretty small, you might not immediately have the means to pull off super speedy shipping for low rates. But you know what can boost your shipping abilities like never before? Printers.

By printing your shipping labels, you are getting the right label upon the click of a button. You are also ensuring the name and address are correct and harnessing one of the most powerful logistical tools ever known to humankind: barcodes. No matter how much you try to insist you enjoy handwriting your shipping labels to add some “personality,” you can’t handwrite a barcode. It’s probably physically impossible and, well, it’s giving us a headache just thinking about it. Printing a clear and scannable barcode for each package means the carrier can scan and deliver the right package to the right place at the right time (courtesy of the fixed scanners used at sorting facilities and mobile devices used by delivery drivers). With the supply chain issues the world is facing, delays could very well happen. But at least you and your customers will be able to see when they do and where packages are stuck (so everyone can see it’s not your fault something didn’t arrive on time). So, utilize this digital tool to set your business up for the best possible outcome and give your customers that great customer service experience they deserve.

4. Work from anywhere, even the middle of nowhere.

Did you know compact label printers like the Zebra ZSB Series printer can give you the freedom of mobility? Let’s face it, smartphones rule the world these days. So, what if we told you that you can run your business from your phone on the couch (or from virtually anywhere)? With the cloud-connected ZSB Series printer, you can use Mobile PDF Printing features to crop, rotate and print shipping labels, barcodes, and all your sweet custom label designs right from the palm of your hand. The best part is it’s compatible with all major shipping carriers’ labeling requirements and e-commerce platforms. (Remember when we said how important logistics are?) Beyond just mobile printing, you can take to the drawing board and design your fun, personalized labels from scratch on your mobile device. This level of freedom and ease is an exciting feature of the ZSB Series printer’s new Mobility PDF Printing capability, and it’s worth being on your list of devices to try out on this Device Appreciation Day.

You are working so hard to build up your customer base and secure long-term loyalty. Don’t let that hard work go to waste. Harness all the digital technology tools our society has to offer, especially the simple printer. Make your life easier and your business more fun. We know spending money on new tech devices or unfamiliar device brands can seem intimidating at first, but you truly won’t regret it once you realize how incredible these devices and brands can be for your business (and personal stress levels). Appreciate your devices and your customers will appreciate you!

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Editor's Note:

You appreciate how the modern world’s devices help you build your business, and we appreciate you reading these tips on how to build a better business! Tune into the Zebra ZSB blog for more helpful advice about how to keep your business growing and thriving.