PRINTING United Alliance is grateful to serve its members who make such significant impacts on the printing industry. Through our Member Spotlights, we continue to recognize our members, and help our community get to know their peers better, both professionally and personally. The following is a Q&A with Alliance member Emily Myers, vice president of Sales & Marketing at BCSI, headquartered in Burnsville, MN.
Can you please provide a brief history/background on your company?
Business Card Service Inc. (BCSI) is a family-owned business that started in 1954 by Paul Marchessault with a mission to achieve total customer satisfaction by listening to customers, anticipating their needs, and exceeding their expectations. We've been trailblazers in e-commerce since 1983, and are known for our automated system and integration capabilities with various technologies that automate the flow of orders into production and streamline the invoicing/payment processes.
With over 70 dedicated employees, we specialize in corporate identity products like envelopes and brochures, to saddle-stitch booklets and door hangers. We're proud to offer top-notch service, competitive pricing, and a streamlined process, serving both large and small corporations across the U.S. and worldwide.
Are there markets or industries outside of your traditional offerings you are looking to add (or have added)?
BCSI has responded to the increasing popularity of "print-on-demand" as opposed to warehoused printed marketing collateral. Corporations are trending toward ordering their printed literature, such as sell sheets/flyers, booklets, and door hangers, online with personalization to eliminate obsolescence and waste. We have added equipment to efficiently produce these products with premium quality, along with corporate identity products such as business cards, envelopes, note cards, etc.
In addition, we have added affordable synthetic substrates that are waterproof/tear resistant and can be produced in small quantities on-demand. These on-demand solutions with synthetic stock are popular among restaurant and hospitality industries.
Have you acquired any new printing technology recently? If so, could you elaborate?
BCSI offers a hybrid solution to the trending “digital” business card that offers the perfect combination of both printed and digitally accessible data. Our approach uses variable QR codes that contain the contact details printed on the business card. When scanned by a smartphone, these QR codes allow new contacts to be easily stored without any typing. The variable QR code is generated on-the-fly when users enter their order online and is displayed in the on-screen proof.
Printed business cards and vCard QR codes complement each other. Physical business cards are tactile, tangible, and visible, allowing recipients to use all their senses to create a memory of a brand and individual, thereby enhancing brand recognition and awareness so YOU WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN! Additionally, printed vCard QR codes are useful in environments with limited Wi-Fi or data connection, enabling easy storage of contacts on phones.
Another technology we have recently added is our online solution for accessing pricing (available only to print resellers) and online ordering of digitally printed products. Our solution is available at https://shop.printforce.com.
Are you currently experimenting with or planning to implement AI into your business?
BCSI uses AI on a limited basis to help us with content and creativity. Due to our solution-oriented and hands-on approach, we plan to continue supporting our clients needs through personal human contact via phone and email for the foreseeable future.
Why did you decide to join the Alliance? What resources do you plan to or have already utilized through your membership?
We joined as a result of the merger between Brand Chain and PRINTING United Alliance. We are excited about the membership benefits we were previously unaware of, including the educational opportunities. The Alliance has done a good job of introducing these benefits through their New Member Orientation Webinar.
Are you planning on attending PRINTING United Expo this September in Las Vegas? If so, what are you looking forward to the most?
BCSI is planning to attend the Expo this fall and will primarily be looking at new equipment technologies that are available to continually improve our quality and efficiency.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our company, our team is here to help. Reach out to us via phone or email for personalized assistance and discover how our solutions can meet your needs. We look forward to connecting with you!
Emily Myers
952-895-6750
Emily.Myers@printforce.com
https://www.bcsinet.com/