Snap Norwest

Service leaves an indelible impression at Snap Norwest

It takes nerve, and more than a dash of self-confidence, to relinquish a successful business and open a new one with no customers in a greenfield site.

But that’s what Peter and Marg Spencer did in 2005 when they opened Snap Norwest in the fledgling Norwest Business Park, and their gamble has paid off handsomely.

Peter started with Snap in 1999 with his first franchise in Balmain, but sold it to open another in the Sydney CBD, and then another not long after.

“We sold them in 2004, took six months off and set up Snap Norwest in April 2005. It was a greenfield site so we had some equipment but no customers. But we had a great first year,” he recalled. “We have a broad range of customer sizes from local tradespeople through to multinationals but over time we’ve managed to gain a good spread of clients so we’re not over-reliant on a group of clients or a particular industry.”

Snap Norwest’s ongoing success brought with it some challenges. With increasing workload pressure on Snap Norwest’s production capabilities, in September 2018 Peter Spencer sought a technology solution that would complement the Ricoh Pro C7110SX and Pro C5110s digital presses, which had served Snap Norwest well for three years.

“We were looking for a machine that is reliable,” said Peter. “Speed was not that important – it’s more the quality and the maintenance, and we wanted inline finishing too.”

I didn’t compare it [Ricoh Pro C7200X] with other machines – I liked our relationship with Ricoh. I knew I could trust them

Snap Norwest invested in a Ricoh Pro C7200X Graphic Arts Edition five-colour digital press with Fiery controller in October 2018, giving it two effective print production systems. The Pro C7200X is the primary machine, and the Pro C7110SX with an inline Plockmatic booklet making system handles overflow work, inline and offline binding. The Ricoh Pro C5110s has been consigned to office MFD duties.

“When I saw the Pro C7200X and what it did, I saw an opportunity and took it,” recalled Peter. “I like its registration, and it’s a bit quicker than the 7100. I didn’t compare it with other machines – I liked our relationship with Ricoh. I knew I could trust them.”

That, said Peter, was the driving factor behind his investment decision.

“Service got us to Ricoh. What we do is look at the organisation that is going to differentiate itself on service. That’s where Ricoh came in – on a promise – and they’ve delivered on it since day one. It was a fantastic experience.

“We’re with Ricoh for our third machine over six years. We were told that Ricoh were very high in their service culture, and given that was the area that was lacking with our previous supplier, we jumped at the opportunity. They haven’t let us down in all that time,” he said.

“The second device, the Pro C7110SX, was a no-brainer for us, and the third device was a no-brainer. We’re currently looking at their new wide-format machine because we’re up for a new wide-format device.”

Peter Spencer, Owner/Director of Snap Norwest

The Pro C7200X has brought new versatility to Snap Norwest with its ability to print five colours, including white, clear and bold colours such as pink, neon yellow and invisible red. An added advantage is the ability to hot-swap the white and clear cartridges so print jobs can be customised to suit customer requests. It can also print on a wider range of stocks, including heavily textured paper, so customers can opt for more creative embellishments in their print work.

“We use the 7200 series fifth colour option all the time,” said Peter. “People are looking for something different, and they like the samples we show them. It works well with foiling too. It allows you to put down clear ink or black over a laminate where you want the effect, so we can do a lot of our own foiling when previously we sent it out.”

These additional capabilities are all part of Snap Norwest’s unstinting drive to provide the best possible service to customers. It’s that service that has proven to be the hallmark of Snap Norwest’s – and Peter Spencer’s – enviable business reputation.

Said Peter, “The secret of running any successful business is putting your money where your mouth is, and getting in touch with people when you say you’re going to. Following up with people makes a difference. They appreciate it.

“We’re not the cheapest printer, but all our customers know they can count on us every time. That’s the secret.”