Set Your Company Up for Growth with a Print Shop Management System

As a small or medium-sized apparel decorating, garment or screen printing company striving to get to your growth targets faster, leveraging technology can provide the answers that you are looking for to achieve those goals. Piecemeal solutions, manual spreadsheets and outdated methods could be holding your shop back from the benefits and efficiencies necessary to improve the profitability of your business and deliver to changing industry demands.

In this blog, we illustrate how investment in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) like a print shop management system today, can reap benefits well into the future – no matter the size of your current operation. 

Why Invest Now?

We have found that many apparel decoration and print screening businesses currently utilize inefficient manual methods, having built their own databases or developed homegrown systems to accommodate processes – making modifications as necessary when changes occur. With a variety of mechanisms to accomplish business tasks, each adjustment in processes further complicates how the various systems work together. Making the investment in print shop management software sooner rather than later means that your business can prevent the high costs and difficulty of implementing a system after you’ve significantly outgrown your current system.

In the end, waiting too long to make this investment will ultimately cost more in lost efficiencies and implementation costs. ERP systems developed for the industry integrate the primary business functions of sales, accounting, production, inventory and financial reporting – providing a complete system from beginning sales order entry through artwork approval and order completion to shipping. 

Stay Current with Technology

In today’s competitive market, it is important for apparel decorators to evolve technologically with the industry, as your shop does not want to be left behind. Keeping up with new production methods and customer expectations is a challenge, however, partnering with an ERP software solution backed by a vendor with industry experience shifts that burden and allows you to focus on growing your apparel business. Then, your software provider can focus on the technology required to support that growth as a true partner.

With consumers expecting online art approval and real-time order status alerts, employing a print shop management system with the capability to deliver these features in an easily accessible customer portal is essential and can keep your sales team focused on sales, not responding to order status inquiries. Better communication tools provide visibility across an increasingly remote workforce, allowing even small companies to grow and expand to new markets. Keeping up with market trends such as DTG printing, shipping integrations and EDI that incorporate and integrate specific functionality, as well as continual investment in new technology are must-haves to compete in the market.

Prioritize Your Investments for Growth

When apparel decorators and promotional product companies are anticipating immense growth or developing a growth initiative plan, they often look to invest in people, purchase additional equipment and/or implement technology solutions, often in that order. Rather than adding the expensive overhead of either of the first two options, investment in print shop software helps to achieve growth targets faster. An investment in an ERP solution early in your growth plan can help automate and streamline business processes and integrate production steps to minimize your investment in additional staff and equipment.

ERP software vendors with industry-specific experience are able to implement best practices into your critical business processes – including order entry, artwork management, inventory control, shipping integrations, production scheduling, customer portals and financial integration. After automating steps and streamlining work centers and warehouse operations with an integrated ERP solution, it will become evident where you are lacking in manpower or equipment to reach your growth plans. In the search for an ERP solution, selecting software tailored towards simplifying everyday business practices sets your shop up for success.

With over 25 years of experience in providing shop management systems to apparel decorating and promotional goods businesses, we would like the opportunity to help your print shop meet its goals for growth. For a personalized demonstration of our print shop management solution, Aptean Impress ERP, contact us today.