Print makes the business world go ‘round. According to the document industry analyst IDC, business executives spend 45% of their time working on documents. Think about a common day in an office environment: Unless when we are driving, walking, eating, or talking to someone on the phone, we are probably working with some kind of written or typed document, the vehicle of business communication. Even if this document is on the PC or smart phone in the form of an email or web page, it has a high likelihood of being printed in the business environment.

IDC says that 610 billion emails are sent each year. Okay, that sounds like a lot. But here’s the kicker: 50% of them are printed! What? Why do we print something out that was intended to be viewed electronically?

I think there are three reasons we prefer the printed page over an LCD screen:
• View-ability – Paper documents are typically easier to read. There's no glare of an LCD screen to create eye strain.
• Deliver-ability – Whether you are meeting face to face with another person or with a group, it is faster and simpler to just hand them a printed document that they can read immediately. Why email it to them and ask them to view it on their LCD screen? Why project the document on a wall and make people crane their necks to read it? If you have a document, just hand it to them and let them read it.
• Manageability - Take a printed document and write notes on it, highlight words, draw pictures on it, rearrange the pages, fold them, and then file the document. Sure, maybe you can do most of these on a computer, but how much longer will it take?

Over 7.5 billion documents are created in offices each year and one trillion pages are printed each year. Why do we love print? People just feel more comfortable holding a piece of paper in their hands when they are reading it. We like our computers, smart phones, and Kindles. But when reading a document in a business environment, we love the printed page.

Print makes the world go 'round. Fast, colorful, digital printers make it go 'round a little smoother.