TAKING charge
Every successful modern signage business owes much of this to its software. While it is true that the hardware actually produces the physical signage, and of course investment in this kit is critical, it is the software that drives this machinery to ensure you are achieving the highest quality output possible.
Workflow software is an incredibly important part of all modern businesses, not just in the sign industry, but also other areas. To put it simply, quality workflow software helps the user to improve the way they operate and get the most out of the hardware they are running to produce signage work.
With this in mind, SignLink speaks with a number of developers about their latest software options and finds out how these updated solutions can help sign-makers gain an advantage in the busy and competitive modern market.
Added value
Enfocus is a software company that offers solutions for PDF productivity and workflow automation. Freddy Pieters, solution architect at Enfocus, says running a successful print shop is not just about the printing hardware, explaining that what is the use of a very fast press if you cannot feed it in time with the large amounts of data it can consume?
Switch from Enfocus has integration capabilities to receive or retrieve metadata from an MIS system and to send updates
“What is the point of having a very large press if you cannot fill the material in an optimal way,” Pieters says, adding: “Would you rather see your operators perform manual tasks on files to make them ready for print, or spend time on creating added value?
Would you rather see your operators perform manual tasks on files to make them ready for print, or spend time on creating added value?”
“The investment in software is a lot smaller than an investment in hardware, but no less important. A twenty- or thirty-thousand-pound investment in software may seem a lot, but if it helps optimise the usage of a press worth half a million pounds that consumes millions of euros in material over its lifetime, it is a no-brainer to consider this carefully.”
As to what sign-makers should look for in workflow software, Pieters says requirements will vary depending on the individual needs of the sign-maker, but there are a number of general requirements to note.
“When there is an MIS (management information system) in use, it can provide indispensable metadata that helps drive the automation – for example what substrate the job has to be printed on and how many copies,” Pieters says, adding: “And the automation can update status information in the MIS, so a solid follow-up of the job through the entire process can be achieved. So, when there is an MIS, an integration of some sort adds a lot of value.
“Another key feature is the ability to verify that a customer-supplied file meets the desired specifications and the ability to automatically modify the file to make it ready for print by adding bleed, pockets, grommets or correct colours.
“There will also have to be a solution for handling imposition, nesting of and an integration with the output devices, both presses and cutting devices. It must be possible to pass the metadata obtained from the MIS to the output devices, so the respective operators do not have to figure out what to do with a file and waste valuable time with double data entry.”
With this, Pieters highlights Switch, an automation from Enfocus, which he says has a lot of integration capabilities to receive or retrieve metadata from an MIS system and to send updates.
“PitStop Server has all it takes to pre-flight files and correct them to make them ready for print,” he says, adding: “PitStop Server is integrated in Switch, where there are also many integrations with third-party software tools that can perform specific tasks, like nesting to use just one example.
“By tying all the components together, you can create an end-to-end flow that seriously reduces the number of touchpoints, leading to a faster handling of jobs with less errors.”
Secure repeat business
Elsewhere, Erik Strik, chief executive of PrintFactory, says that this is the most complete production suite for banner, sign and large-format printing. Strik goes on to say one of the biggest workflow bottlenecks in printing is chasing colours, and that an efficient and effective colour management system is essential to your success, helping to maintain your reputation and secure repeat business.
“Investing in new printing equipment does not resolve workflow issues,” Strik comments, adding: “Relying on multiple RIPs will result in efficiency problems and inconsistent colour across devices.
“It is not necessarily a costly process to switch to an end-to-end platform that meets your individual needs, and it is a longer-term fix for ensuring effective print production workflows. Subscription models are making even the most advanced solutions more accessible.
“PrintFactory is workflow software for large-format printers. It comes with a set of tools that work much harder and smarter than the average, standard RIP shipped with wide-format printers today.”
Expanding on PrintFactory and its highlights, Strik picks out some of the core features of the solution. These include a built-in design quality editor tool that allows the user to pre-flight, identify and change colour settings in any file. Users can also load pre-defined templates or make their own and store them for later use.
PrintFactory features a built-in design quality editor tool that allows the user to pre-flight, identify and change colour settings in any file
Other features include a built-in layout tool that offers one-click nesting features as standard, while high speed economical True Shape Nesting (TSN) algorithms analyse the outlines of files and calculate the best use of substrates. Production settings can be saved and loaded for future work.
PrintFactory has a built-in layout tool that offers one-click nesting features as standard
Strik also notes PrintFactory’s VISU Device Link profiles that can remove colour errors and allow for ‘on-press proofing’ with predictable colour, clean spot colours and neutral greys remove, as well as reduce ink consumption by as much as 25%.
O Factoid: PrintFactory’s VISU Device Link profiles can help reduce ink consumption by 25% O
In addition, Strik says PrintFactory’s three-step profiling wizard offers professional colour results into the hands of any large-format printer, while almost no settings are required, making profile creation accessible to everyone.
“What takes hours of manual work in design applications, with PrintFactory can be done in seconds,” Strik says.
Increase productivity and profits
Next, Sign Tracker is a software application designed for use in small signage shops. Joe Arenella, customer care specialist at Sign Tracker, says that after working in the sign sector for 25 years, most mistakes come down to the lack of quality project management systems to handle incoming jobs and quote requests.
With this, Arenella has three tips to help increase productivity and profits. Firstly, sign shops need more than a paper system in order to survive and thrive in the modern market.
“If you don’t know how many jobs you’ve sold or what stage of production they are in, you are likely feeling overwhelmed,” Arenella says, adding: “Quoting off the top of your head overloads your shop with unprofitable jobs and leads to desperation, taking every job that comes in the door just to cover expenses, ultimately resulting in lost profits.
“What you need instead is a system to track all your jobs from start to finish, and tools to quote jobs accurately that control mark-ups on material and labour. Finding and implementing an easy-to-use system will help eliminate these headaches and guide the healthy growth you desire.”
Secondly, he says employees need to see the big picture, telling the story of when he visited a sign shop that was looking for a system to improve workflow.
Arenella says: “During the two hours I spent training the owner on our system, employees burst in roughly every five minutes with questions: ‘what do I charge for this?, ‘what colour red is this?’, ‘when is this getting installed?’. Honestly, it was not their fault. Other than a whiteboard listing half-erased jobs, they had no idea what to do.
“What employees need instead are the tools required to help them see the big picture in the shop, especially clearly defined tasks they are responsible for with deadlines. This will help them know exactly what to do at all times, and complete jobs in much less time. Committing to a software system that manages production, design files, due dates, work orders and job notes will help your employees feel successful and empower them to keep your customers happy.”
Thirdly, Arenella says customers need reliability and highlights the fact that approximately 80% of a shop’s profit comes from quality clients, customers who value the work you do and are willing to compensate you for it.
“They have a higher close ratio and spend more because they are often seeking an ongoing relationship with a sign shop to help solve problems, not create new ones,” he explains, adding: “A system that gives you the information you need to communicate accurately builds trust and reliability and is key to growing and keeping a quality customer base.
“Having the tools in place to ensure their happiness will lead to better jobs, more profits, and a less stressful workload.”
Summarising this, Arenella says managing a profitable business with happy employees and customers is possible when the right system is in place to ensure success.
“There are many to choose from, so dive in and find a system that works best for your workflow,” he says, adding: “While it is preferable for a shop to adopt a system at the start-up phase, it is never too late to change. An old sign dog can learn new tricks.”
Arenella’s closing comments offer a somewhat apt conclusion to this feature. While almost all signage companies do have some sort of software system in place, it is never too late to add such a setup or even update an existing solution to ensure you are making the most of your kit and producing the best results possible.
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