Why Sales Reps Should Spend More Time With Press Operators: The Untapped Advantage in Print & Packaging

In the printing and packaging industry, sales reps are often seen as the face of the company — the people meeting customers, generating new business, and shaping expectations. But behind every quote, spec sheet, or promised turnaround time is a production team responsible for making it all happen.

What many people outside the plant don’t realize is this:

The strongest salespeople in our industry share one trait — they deeply understand their production floor.

And the best way to gain that understanding?

By learning directly from seasoned press operators, finishing operators, ink techs, prepress teams, and plant supervisors.

When sales and production operate in silos, issues like unrealistic lead times, misquoted specs, and avoidable customer frustrations become common. But when those teams work together, operational strength becomes a competitive advantage.

Here’s why sales reps should be spending far more time in the pressroom, and how experienced operators can help them elevate their performance.

1. Operators Understand What Is Actually Possible

Press operators live and breathe the capabilities and limits of the equipment:

• What substrates run best

• Which jobs slow down production

• How long changeovers really take

• What artwork files consistently cause issues

• What finishing steps add time, cost, or risk

  
  

Salespeople who take the time to ask operators questions gain a realistic understanding of production, which helps them:

• Avoid overpromising

• Quote accurately

• Choose better specs for customers

• Prevent last-minute surprises

  
  

A seasoned operator can often tell a rep in 10 seconds whether a job is going to run smoothly (or be a nightmare).

2. They Can Offer Insight That Improves Pricing, Turnaround, and Profitability

Operators know:

• Which press is most efficient for certain run sizes

• How certain ink colors or combinations behave

• When tooling will delay a job

• What adjustments can speed up production without sacrificing quality

  
  

This insight helps sales reps put together stronger, more profitable proposals.

A rep who understands the nuances of production becomes a strategic partner to customers, not just a salesperson.

3. Operators Can Help Sales Avoid Costly Mistakes

Misaligned quotes, wrong substrates, missing bleed, incorrect unwind direction — small mistakes can snowball into:

• Press downtime

• Missed deadlines

• Customer frustration

• Reprints and added costs

  
  

When sales reps run project ideas past production early, it saves everyone time (and money). Operators can flag issues before they ever leave the building.

4. It Builds Trust and Reduces Internal Tension

In many plants, there’s a “front office vs. production” mentality.

Sales feels pressure from customers. Production feels pressure from sales.

But when reps make an effort to build relationships with operators:

• Communication improves

• Everyone feels heard

• Problems get solved faster

• Morale increases on both sides

  
  

Operators respect reps who take the time to understand their world — and those reps are more likely to get support when a rush job truly needs to happen.

5. Operators Can Help Sales Reps Sell More Effectively

A rep who knows the technical side can confidently talk to customers about:

• Color management

• Substrate options

• Press capabilities

• Specialty coatings and embellishments

• Efficiency advantages

• Run sizes and pricing logic

  
  

This builds credibility, sets the company apart, and often leads to larger or more complex jobs. Customers quickly notice when a salesperson genuinely understands the craft.

6. Operators Are Often the Secret to Innovation

Many production-floor innovations come from operators who find better, faster, or cleaner ways to run jobs.

When sales reps stay close to the production floor, they can:

• Spot new capabilities

• Suggest creative solutions to customers

• Identify new revenue opportunities

• Pitch capabilities competitors can’t match

Innovation often starts in the pressroom.

7. Most Importantly: It Creates a Unified Team Focused on the Customer

The best printing and packaging companies share one trait:

Sales and production operate as ONE team with the same goal — delivering exceptional quality and service.

When communication flows between both sides, customers feel the difference:

• Faster responses

• Better accuracy

• Fewer errors

• Higher confidence

• Stronger long-term loyalty

And that’s ultimately what grows business.

Final Thought: It’s Time to Bring Sales Back Into the Pressroom

In an industry facing skilled labor shortages, tight lead times, rising material costs, and constant quality demands, alignment between sales and production is more important than ever.

For sales reps, the pressroom is not just where jobs get printed —it’s where expertise lives.

For operators, sharing their knowledge strengthens the team, supports revenue growth, and ensures smoother workflows.

Companies that foster these relationships don’t just run better —they win more business.