Streamlining Growth and Reducing Costs with Automated Print Management

Eliminating Bottlenecks and Removing Unnecessary Costs

Sull Graphics was seeing a steadily-increasing volume of work from their loyal customer base, and those customers were asking for a broader range of services. 

Sull Graphics engaged an outside consultant to help analyze their process and workflow, identifying where automation could streamline production. They also needed to improve the quality of information available about each job – a need shared by virtually every department in the company.

The first priority was to reduce the number of costly touchpoints, or places in the process where staff intervention was necessary. One major area involved shop floor data, which was not always accurate, resulting in job costing errors that often affected profit margins. The sales team didn’t have information readily available, resulting in calls to the customer service group and wasting the time of staff in both departments.

The web-to-print system, which was handling more volume, was an isolated island of automation. Since it couldn’t be integrated into Sull Graphics’ existing print MIS system, staff had to rekey the information into the order management system. And because the web-to-print orders had not been properly estimated, each one required review before being invoiced.

The resulting delay meant a corresponding delay in getting the invoice into the customer’s hands. In addition to web-to print orders, one administrator was tasked to create pro forma invoices and review cost information before the invoices could be sent to customers.