The Alternative Manager’s Guide to Exceptional Customer Service

This story is excerpted from the cover story from BIG PICTURE’s January/February 2026 edition, “The Alternative Manager’s Toolkit” by Chris Burslem.

Challenge/Task: Exceptional Customer Service

Traditional Playbook: Many print shop owners aim to impress and attract customers with highly personalized interactions, uncommon levels of attention and service, and just generally going above and beyond — sending thank-you notes, offering extensive support, or providing free drinks and cookies or the chance to watch the big game on their inhouse monitor. The goal is to create memorable experiences that craft loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.

The Problem: Exceptional service can be costly, inconsistent, and is sometimes unsustainable, especially for small businesses. Over-investing in customer service can also lead to inefficiencies, delays, or overly complex protocols that slow everything down. Moreover, it can set unrealistic expectations that are hard to maintain long term.

The Alternative Manager’s Fix: Instead of striving for “exceptional” in the traditional sense, focus on removing friction, both physical and psychological, so that every interaction is so smooth and effortless that customers feel pleased simply by the ease of the experience. The goal is to create a pain-free shopping journey that encourages repeat business without needing extraordinary gestures.

How to Make It Happen

• Start by mapping the customer journey to identify pain points and eliminate them. (Are the best parking spots reserved for customers? Does your website allow customers to book appointments? Do you email or text updates to customers?)
• Update the buying experience. This could include online proofing portals, emailing mockups for approval before production, virtual consultations for large-format projects, and video calls to review color samples or material options.
• Use technology — auto-fill forms, chatbots, self-service portals — to make interactions easier.
• Every customer starts their journey on your website. It should be where your friction-free journey starts too. Provide live job tracking, client dashboards, AI autoresponders, and be ultra-transparent about warranties, policies and prices.
• Work to your customer’s clock, meaning being willing to work outside of conventional business hours and do on-location consultations.
• Streamline the checkout process—minimize steps, eliminate unnecessary questions, consider tablets to close the sale on the production floor or at trade shows.
• Shorten wait periods for responses, deliveries, or assistance however possible.
• Manage expectations: Better to have a reputation as a print shop that reliably delivers rush jobs in 48 hours than one that promises same-day turnaround, but with hit-or-miss results. If you do the latter, you’ll be seen as underperforming.