process & workflow: Make It Work

Drisler: If you know anything about Print MIS you know that any system worth its salt can seamlessly process an order from request for quote through accounting. However, our vision for Nucleus goes beyond traditional Print MIS. Our goal is to provide users a “command center”, pulling together all the information they need to effectively perform their jobs. User-defined dashboards contain a variety of ways to show you the information you need to act effectively and decisively. Automatic notifications alert you immediately regarding any mission-critical exception. We include reporting tools that enable you to easily and quickly analyze the vast amount of data available to present you actionable information. Our goal is to empower users with superior tools to provide the highest quality service while effectively managing production and controlling costs.

Mitch Flemmer, business software consultant, Cyrious Software: Many sign businesses today are fighting competition based on price and customer service. We estimate that an average company not using a system can improve their profit margin by 10 percent after implementing and using a full system like ours. For example, if the average sign business not using a system has a profit margin of two percent, adding and using a good business management system ought to enable them to increase the profit margin to 12 percent range. Customers tell us Cyrious Control enables them to do a lot more, with a lot less.

There are numerous benefits that result from implementing a business management system including, but certainly not limited to: better organization, increased efficiency, significant time savings and higher profitability. Each of these benefits ultimately allows a sign business to provide a better product with better customer service, and with a higher profit margin.

How does this help with profitability? If you're competing on price, it's crucial to know the true costs of your products. You need to know your margin on each order and when an estimated price is no longer profitable. Estimates are more consistent, and things are no longer left off estimates. Further along in the cycle, by staying close to your customers and monitoring accounts receivable, you have a greater likelihood of obtaining payments on-time to ensure cash flow.

How does this increase efficiency? Simply put, you only enter order information once. The same information used to create the estimate is automatically used when converted to an order, work order, invoices, etc. Save hours of time by not relying on messy handwriting, stacks of paper and inconsistent records. You can search by order, invoice, customer or company to instantly access the information you need.

Giles: A good estimating program is the front end of processing. The time saved in the front end means the ROI is measured in weeks or months, not years. It is very cost effective. Once a good frontend is in place, going back is never an option. The software becomes one of your most valuable tools saving you money every day in save time and better estimates.

Harrison: The past three years have been devastating to the Printing Industry as a whole. It is estimated that up 25 percent of all printers have vanished since 2008 when the recession begun. However, even with these horrendous losses Franklin Estimating software has five percent more customers than in 2008. These surprising numbers tell us that a well run and modern business can not only survive, but even thrive in any economy.

Lewis: Businesses today are in a very competitive market. Fractions of a cent can be the difference between success and failure of the business. Knowing where you are today as opposed to old “if there is money in the shoebox at the end of the month” strategy can reveal issues that can be corrected immediately and not later when it may be too late. Solution-IV has an Analytics (BI) feature, e-Dash and service that rolls up the entire business, in real time, providing precise financial information as to where the business is today compared to yesterday, last week, last month, last year with many supporting drilldowns. Estimates and quotes are listed and can be reviewed in detail to determine if they need attention.

Moore: Better customer service leads to more sales and profit.

Muzumdar: Studies have shown that our software provides a strong business case for the investment because of the reasons mentioned above. The return on the investment includes not only cost reduction, but improved customer service and growth potential because of superior operational insight available to management.

Depending on the nature of the business, current processes and inefficiencies, a company can expect direct cost reductions of anywhere from three to eight percent of annual revenues. Depending on the size of the firm, this can represent a several-fold return on investment for the company.