This week, we shone the spotlight on Kevin, instantprint’s Pricing Strategist, to find out how his role has developed within the company, his favourite projects and what he gets up to in his spare time.
How long have you worked at instantprint?
It was a little over a year ago now, just as the world began to open back up in spring 2021 that I joined the instantprint team, and I’ve been happily plying my trade here ever since.
Originally, I joined the team as a Pricing Analyst, and I was astounded by the level of training and personal development that instantprint invested in me. Within just a few months I progressed into my current role - Pricing Strategist. During my time at instantprint, I’ve gained a much deeper working knowledge of the wider print industry and the processes involved.
What does your average day look like?
An average day? I don’t think I’ve had an “average” day since I joined the instantprint family. Every day brings new challenges in an ever-evolving world and we are constantly striving to improve our offering. I’m kept very busy managing costs to ensure we can offer the best possible prices on our website. I love launching new products to meet our customers’ needs such as our new luxury book range.
How does your role fit into the customer’s journey?
How important is price to you? It might seem like a silly question, but the answer can vary from person to person. Ultimately responsible for instantprint’s pricing, I play a key role in our customer journey. Pricing in advance for print can be a challenge, so every price point on every product page needs to be carefully considered. By finely balancing the management of cost and our dedication to the highest quality, I ensure that our pricing is fair.
What makes you proud about working at instantprint?
So much makes me proud about working at instantprint! instantprint is a caring and inclusive employer that supports their employees professionally (with top class training, management, and coaching) and personally (there’s such a thoughtful, family-feel here). One of the company’s core values is “Everyone Contributes and Values Others” and it was really clear that this value is lived-by from the moment I walked in.
Aside from that, I’m so proud to work for such an ambitious British manufacturing company. There’s a contagious culture of improvement and growth within the organization that starts with the founders and Co-CEOs, Adam and James, and runs through the entire workforce.
Sorry to go on but I am really proud to work here. I’ll finish with the people. The people around me make me proud every-single-day. Seeing people who are truly amazing at what they do still striving to take things to the next level is inspirational. It’s the people around me who allow me to succeed and feel proud of myself. It’s people around me who make smile every day!
Tell us your favourite memory of working at instantprint!
Can I do a top 3? I’m doing a top 3….
3. Sports Day – we have fun at instantprint, that’s a given, but our annual sports day is amazing! The whole company come together for fun, food, and some friendly competition.
2. Rubbing shoulders (metaphorically) with royalty – When Prince Edward visited our site to see how an industry-leading printer operates, he made an unscheduled stop at my desk for a chat. We put the world to rights for a good few minutes before he moved on to view our production area. I didn’t get the shoulder-rub though, as some restrictions were still in place.
1. Meeting the team – My number one memory (so far) of working at instantprint must be when I joined the wider team for the first time. Wow! They made me feel more than welcome, more like “at home”.
What’s your favourite print product and why?
I love reading. There’s no getting around it, and that will probably mean I’m biased but… I just can’t resist a hardcover lay flat book. Ooh that unbroken image really is the crème de la crème. On top of that, the quality and feel of these books is so luxurious that a reader feels like they’re holding something very special. They are a coffee table must-have.
What’s your favourite project that you’ve worked on so far?
This is another tough question; I’ve worked on some exciting and innovative projects in my time with instantprint. The one that sticks out the most is the launch of new luxury book lines. Gaining a deeper understanding of the world of luxury print was an eye opener. Also learning about the intricacies of the practical side of book printing was fascinating.
Tell us about your downtime hobbies or a random fact about yourself
It’s a fast-paced life of dogs walks and reading for me. If I’m not out in the woods getting muddy, you’ll find me ear-deep in a good book. Anything with a good story will do though, movies, tv and video games get a good share of my free time too.
