NPS Caremore Transforms Print Operations with printIQ
NPS Caremore has evolved from its roots as a 1970’s Prontaprint franchise into a modern commercial print leader serving diverse sectors across the UK. With 23 employees, NPS Caremore recognised that outdated technology was holding them back from their vision of industry leadership.
When new ownership took over in 2018, they quickly identified that their existing MIS system couldn’t support their growth ambitions. The company had originally purchased an MIS that didn’t meet their requirements, prompting a renewed search for a more capable solution. They needed more than just a vendor, they needed a true technology partner who could help modernise operations, bring more work in-house, and build a foundation for automation. That search ultimately led them to printIQ, and the results have since streamlined and transformed their business.
Key Results
Since implementing printIQ, NPS Caremore has successfully brought wide-format printing capabilities in-house, eliminating their need for outsourcing anything larger than A3. Wall wraps and large-format work have become a major growth area for the business. printIQ’s simplified quoting system has allowed staff with less print experience to generate quotes faster and independently, dramatically improving response times to customers and enabling faster turnaround on orders.
The partnership with printIQ has positioned NPS Caremore for continued expansion, with plans underway for flatbed technology investment and workflow automation implementation. Most importantly, NPS Caremore has shifted from playing catch-up with technology to actively pursuing innovation leadership in their market. As Andy Bennett, Sales Director from NPS Caremore states, “having someone that’s actually willing to help us build the MIS out and make sure that it’s doing what we need to do is miles better. It’s a true partnership; not just a customer-supplier relationship.”
The Challenge
NPS Caremore faced critical operational challenges with their previous systems that threatened their growth potential. System limitations meant that any print job larger than A3 required outsourcing to third parties, creating delays and reducing profit margins. When NPS Caremore wanted to integrate with third-party systems, they were quoted high costs for API connections, making modernisation cost-prohibitive. Most critically, their existing systems couldn’t handle the company’s expansion into wide-format printing, holding back a key growth opportunity.
Beyond the technical limitations, support failures compounded their frustrations. With international support teams, NPS Caremore had to wait hours for responses to morning queries, severely impacting productivity. The support teams lacked print industry experience and couldn’t understand operational challenges, whilst proven to be an unreliable partner with ongoing, unresolved problems. Andy summarised their frustration: “We had nothing but problems with our old MIS partner, whereas with printIQ, obviously, it’s gone full circle for us.”
The Solution
printIQ delivered a comprehensive solution that addressed every pain point whilst providing unexpected value:
UK-Based Expert Support
printIQ’s UK-based team eliminated timezone frustrations, providing immediate support during business hours. More importantly, team members brought actual print industry experience, understanding NPS Caremore’s challenges from having “been on the side of the printer.” This expertise meant NPS Caremore could focus on running their business rather than constantly configuring their MIS.
Simplified Operations & Integration
The simplified product quoting system eliminated the need for technical estimators, enabling any salesperson to generate accurate quotes quickly. printIQ seamlessly integrated with NPS Caremore’s new Infigo web-to-print platform without expensive API fees, creating an efficient workflow from online ordering through production.
True Partnership Approach
Unlike their previous vendor relationship, printIQ operates as a genuine partner. printIQ provides demonstrations and consultations without sales pressure and consistently delivers added value without hidden costs. As Andy noted, “we’ve always felt like we get that little bit extra value with printIQ, which is always appreciated.”
The transformation is clear, NPS Caremore has evolved from a company restricted by technology limitations to one positioned for industry leadership, all built on the solid foundation of their printIQ partnership.
looking forward
printIQ has positioned NPS Caremore for ambitious expansion plans including:
- Workflow automation
- Flatbed technology investment for board production
- Next-generation digital printing equipment
- Achievement of their goal to lead rather than follow in technology adoption
