Print Image Network is once again exhibiting at the annual AEA Conference in Brighton, 3 -6th February 2019. As a leading provider of electoral print solutions, we have supported the Conference and the AEA for many years and once again will be on hand to offer help and advice to electoral administrators from councils across the UK.
The agenda promises a full schedule, including new workshops, not to mention the exhibition where we will be meeting delegates and customers at Stand 12 from the Sunday afternoon.
Providing no fewer than 70 councils across the UK with electoral print solutions, we still have capacity for the May polls and delegates can speak to members of the team to discuss printed postal vote solutions, ballots papers and poll cards – where we can discuss with specificity our ‘poll sort’ poll card mailing options.
We will also have a full range of our grass skirt count solution items. As 2019 will present more multi-seat elections, we are getting lots of requests for our ‘25’ and ’10’ grass skirts. Our Small-10 and Large-10 skirts accommodate 10 ballot papers across and 3- 10 candidates down (plus one line for unused votes). Our Small-25 and Large-25 skirts accommodate 25 ballot papers across and 3-23 candidates down (plus one line for used votes). Our solution also includes summary sheet to suit the 10 & 23 candidate skirts. Plus, we have an excellent grass skirt training video which is available free to councils who purchase grass skirts.
Also, this year we will be launching our core values. As 2018 was a quieter year on the election front, we decided to formally define and publish our core values, which hopefully you will recognise us for. Through a series of surveys and workshops our employees selected the values they believe are inherent in our company. Come along to Stand 12 and find out how our values - Commitment, Efficiency, Knowledge, Professionalism and Trust can benefit your council in stressful election conditions.
We have lots to discuss, so please feel free to come along and speak with the team. You can enter our chocolate hamper competition and you could win an Echo Dot 3rd Generation which is our raffle prize at the Annual Dinner.
We look forward to seeing you at Conference!
You can check out our AEA Profile here>>
For electoral print and mail provider, Print Image Network, 2017 was a great year for customer service-related accreditations and recognition. We’re pleased to report that we have continued this success into 2018.
Following our third ‘full’ assessment, we have maintained our Customer Service Excellence Standard for demonstrating evidence of exceptional customer service. The full assessment, which happens every three years, comprises a comprehensive submission to the assessor, followed by an onsite assessment, where staff are interviewed in relation to five key areas:-
Our recent pass follows our Investor’s in People re-assessment in 2017, which saw us achieve the Silver Standard, exceeding the industry average in all nine of the performance indicators. The renewal of the Customer Service Excellence Standard further highlights our commitment to our customer-centric ethos.
Steve Power, Services Director and Print Image Network's Customer Service Excellence Ambassador, said of the assessment news “We are delighted that we have passed our third full assessment. Maintaining the Standard since 2012 is the result of hard work and commitment from the team. Our council customers trust us to help them through stressful and sometimes complex election periods, our latest pass confirms the procedures and systems we have in place allow us to provide trusted support and excellent service when customers most need it."
Customer Service Excellence Assessor, Michael Lynch, gave the following statement, "I have assessed Print Image Network Ltd for Customer Service Excellence several times and on my last visit I continued to be very impressed by their attention to detail and customer-centric focus. The team works very well together and as a result well-coordinated customer service is achieved."
He continued "I spoke to several customers during the visit and they were effervescent in their praise in relation to the service that they received from Print Image Network Ltd."
Print Image Network has many exciting initiatives planned for 2018 to further enhance the customer experience.
If you want to find out more about our Customer Service Excellence Standard or our Investors in People accreditation, please download our document ‘Working Together’ Investors in People and Customer Service Excellence: Our customer service journey >>
Electoral Print & Mail Specialist, Print Image Network Ltd is delighted to announce that John Turner has joined its team of electoral professionals as its Electoral & Democracy Specialist.
A former Returning Officer, John brings with him a lifetime of electoral experience and has held several pivotal positions, including Chief Executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators, the UK’s leading professional body solely interested in the administration of electoral matters.
John Turner is a highly respected electoral professional and is well-known within the industry. During his career at the Association of Electoral Administrators, he has worked closely with Government Departments, the Electoral Commission, and other national bodies to improve the administration of electoral matters in the UK.
Before his appointment at the AEA in 2006, John held the position of Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Public and Support Services at Norwich City Council, where he was responsible for Democratic Services and the Elections Office, among other departments. He was also the Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer for the Council until March 2005.
Print Image Network is one of two influential electoral brands business owners John Foster and Stephen Power have established in the UK, since starting the business in 2000. The appointment illustrates their commitment to growing the business in both statutory and non-statutory markets, under the Print Image Network and UK Engage brands.
John Foster, Managing Director and Steve Power, Services Director gave a joint statement regarding the appointment, “We are delighted that John is bringing his years’ of experience to Print Image Network. John has been involved in electoral administration his entire career and is at the forefront of legislative matters. From his positions at the AEA and local authorities to his consultation, training and oversea electoral ventures, his experience in electoral matters and democracy makes him an excellent fit with our business.”
John Turner said “I am very pleased to be joining John and Steve and the team at Print Image Network and look forward to the new opportunities and challenges that this appointment will bring. I have joined a progressive company at a very exciting time and am already impressed by the ethos of customer service and support which underpins the way in which the organisation operates.”
Contact Print Image Network on:-
The team at Print Image Network would like to thank all the delegates who spent time at our stand, stand 3 at the AEA Conference 2018. It was great to see so many familiar faces, and the conference seemed to have a certain buzz about it this year.
We were delighted to be asked to be a sponsor for the Practical Count Method workshops for the AEA Conference 2018, where we provided over 10,000 ballot papers, plus grass skirts and count sheets for the training.
The workshop focused on how to efficiently count multi-seat ballot papers in preparation for this year’s elections.
Laura Lock, Training Manager at the AEA said “The AEA is very grateful for the support of Print Image Network in supplying documents for the Practical Count Methods workshop. The workshop was really well received with great feedback and delegates appreciating the chance to actually have a go – thanks to the materials supplied by Print Image Network.”
Delegates said –
“A brilliant workshop, loved the interactive parts and actually getting the chance to use these count methods and learn more about them.”
“This was a really good workshop providing genuine hands-on practical experience combined with a really great opportunity to share knowledge.”
“Really interesting to look at the options available - and to try them.”
The winner of our prize draw – Laurent Perrier Champagne and Chocolate gift set was Susan Malmgrem, West Lancashire District Council. Thanks to everyone who completed our prize draw form at AEA Conference 2018.
We hope you all had safe trips home. Until the next time.
Print Image Network welcomed new Account Manager Simon Starkie to the company in August 2017. Simon has joined the growing team at the electoral print and mail specialist to manage the electoral stationery requirements for councils up and down the country.
With 20 years plus experience, Simon began work in the print world on a lithographic press, quickly becoming first minder, with an assistant under him, before being headhunted to become Production Manager for an agency who needed someone to advise them on printing processes. He simultaneously made the move into Account Management, with several national newspapers keeping him busy on promotional items like scratch cards, lottery cards, and bingo slips.
Having joined just two months after the Snap General Election, Simon missed a baptism of fire as Print Image Network had to rise to the challenge of printing millions of electoral print items in a matter of weeks. Simon is now looking forward to next May when he’ll be managing electoral print and mail requirements for local and mayoral elections. Impressed with the hard-working nature of the company, Simon feels at home with its strong work ethic.
He said of his new position “What appealed to me about Print Image Network was applying the skills I have gained in printing and account management, to a niche industry. The company’s ethos is centred on making the customer happy and delivering a first-class service. This demands a huge amount of expertise and knowledge and I’m looking forward to working with customers to deliver their 2018 election requirements.”
On a personal level, Simon is a husband and father of two based in Rossendale. When not ferrying his sons around, Simon’s favourite thing in the world is golf.
Simon will be attending the annual AEA Conference, 4th to 7th February 2018, along with the rest of the Print Image Network team.
To discuss 2018 elections, or other council related print and mail job, contact Print Image Network on:-
Electoral print and mail specialist, Print Image Network Ltd, has released the results of its 2017 customer satisfaction survey. Having improved consistently over the last few years, the local authority print supplier scored an outstanding 99% satisfaction rating.
The online customer survey was issued to customers from across the UK and was available to access throughout July and August 2017. Following the May local elections, plus the snap Parliamentary election in June, customers were asked to provide feedback on all areas of service, from general satisfaction and benchmarking against other similar companies, to feedback on sales and account management, quality, deliveries, reliability and customer support.
The results of the customer satisfaction survey contribute to the company’s Customer Service Excellence Standard. As the only electoral services provider to hold the CSE Standard, Print Image Network works hard to maintain high standards of customer service throughout the business.
Talking about this year’s results, Services Director and CSE champion, Steve Power, said of the survey results “Once again we are extremely pleased with the results of our online survey. Our customer-centric ethos means that we strive to deliver great service at every touchpoint throughout the customer journey. We’re glad these efforts are appreciated by our loyal customer base. It really is a testament to the commitment and professionalism of our staff.”
Scores were excellent across the board, however the team were particularly proud of the 100% scores it achieved for:
Print Image Network would like to thank all customers who responded to the survey in which the response rate had increased to 58% from 53% in 2016. Each customer who responded had the opportunity to vote for a donation to be made to one of three charities – Cancer Research, Alzheimer’s Society or Help 4 Heroes. As a result of the survey and donation requests from customers, plus a further donation from Print Image Network, the three charities will now benefit from a total donation of £450.
Print Image Network Ltd, a leading national supplier of electoral print and mail services to local authorities, has achieved Investors in People Silver, demonstrating its commitment to high performance through good people management.
Established in 2000, the North-West based company, prints and mails electoral stationery including postal votes, ballot papers, poll cards and electoral registration mailings. In 2017 alone, it produced 22 million pieces of electoral stationery.
Investors in People is the international standard for people management, defining what it takes to lead, support and manage people effectively to achieve sustainable results. Underpinning the Standard is the Investors in People framework, reflecting the latest workplace trends, essential skills and effective structures required to outperform in any industry.
Paul Devoy, Head of Investors in People, said: “We’d like to congratulate Print Image Network. Investors in People accreditation is the sign of a great employer, an outperforming place to work and a clear commitment to success. Print Image Network should be extremely proud of its achievement.”
Steve Burrows, Managing Director of Investors in People North of England delivered by IDG said:
“This is a fantastic achievement for Print Image Network and I would like to congratulate all of the team. We believe that your people make the difference and by investing in them you are looking to create sustainable success. IIP is designed to help organisations and their people to realise potential, providing a simple road map for excellence. With their Silver accreditation, Print Image Network is certainly working to realise their people potential.”
Commenting on the award, Services Director at Print Image, Steve Power said: “We are truly delighted to receive the news that Print Image Network has received Investors in People Silver. Within the business we have a strong commitment to improving people management; knowing that we have exceeded the industry average against the new IIP standard, in each of the nine industry benchmark indicators, is a testament to our staff and everyone’s hard work.” He continued, “Our employees are our most valuable asset and as a business we intend to continue to empower our workforce so that we can achieve our future goals.”
Since the introduction of the new standard only the top five percentile of organisations assessed achieve the silver level straight away.
Ends
For more information about Investors in People please visit www.investorsinpeople.com
Following a busy year of elections, Print Image Network Ltd has today issued its annual online customer satisfaction survey to council customers across the UK.
Many councils had local elections in May and all councils were involved in the Snap General Election, which was called for 8 June 2017. With tight timescales, electoral print and mail specialist, Print Image Network was responsive to the task and ensured that all council customers deadlines were met and poll cards, postal votes and ballot books were delivered, in advance of the country’s vote.
With an impressive track record when it comes to customer satisfaction, Print Image Network is the only electoral stationery printer to hold the Cabinet Office’s Customer Service Excellence standard. The results of the questionnaire will be reported to the CSE Assessor for our assessment in January 2018.
If you are a council customer of Print Image Network, look out for your online survey which will be delivered to you by email. As with previous years, Print Image Network will donate £5 to one of its three chosen charities for customers who complete the online survey and contribute to the company’s continuous improvement.
For more information about electoral print and mail, or to discuss requirements for next year’s elections, please contact the Print Image Network team on: -
Tel: 0161 209 4800
Email: sales@printimagenetwork.com
Following the announcement that there is to be a snap General Election, Print Image Network is gearing up to accommodate customer requirements for postal votes, ballot papers and poll cards.
The UK Parliamentary General Election (UKPGE) will happen on 8 June 2017. We understand that preparing for this, as well as 4 May 2017 polls, will present certain challenges for local councils across the UK.
Print Image Network will be working, with immediate effect, to deliver all customer requirements.
Why Print Image Network: -
If you need our expertise, please do not hesitate to contact us: -
As a leading electoral printing specialist and trusted supplier to no fewer than 80 local authorities across the UK, Print Image Network has to protect its company assets, IP and customer data, against common cyber threats.
Having held ISO 27001, the international standard for Information Security, for 5 years, information security processes are common practice at the North West based business. However, to further secure its systems, Print Image Network went through the Cyber Essentials application in April 2017 and is pleased to announce that it has passed.
What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a government-backed cyber security certification scheme that sets out a good baseline of cyber security suitable for all organisations spanning all sectors. The scheme addresses five key controls that, when implemented correctly, can prevent around 80% of cyber-attacks.
Print Image Network implemented these five Cyber Essentials Controls to help it stay secure: -
Why Cyber Essentials?
Working with local authorities to print election stationery including postal votes, ballot papers and poll cards, means handling confidential data and information. For Print Image Network it is therefore crucial to eliminate risk wherever possible, as cyber attacks can cause expense and disruption, something the company will go to extreme lengths to avoid.
Managing Director, John Foster, says of the certification “The reason we applied for Cyber Essentials was to add an additional layer of security to our already robust security set-up. Knowing that, as a business, we are protected from the vast majority of common cyber attacks allows us to concentrate on our customers’ needs with confidence.”
Print Image Services Director and Customer Service Excellence ambassador, Stephen Power, added “Achieving the Cyber Essentials certification will help to further enhance customer trust and confidence in our organisation and our service. As a team we work extremely hard to put the customer first; the customer experience and security has to be at the heart of everything we do.”
Included in the assessment was an external penetration test, which Print Image Network passed. The assessment was completed by IT Governance, the full scope included firewalls, routers, end user devices and hosted systems at the company’s headquarters.
For more information please contact the Print Image Network team on: -
