Online ordering systems are a great way to maintain brand consistency, increase your speed to market and eliminate unnecessary expense and waste. Online storefronts filled with print collateral/graphics allow for enhanced collaboration in the ordering process, as well as a level of buyer/seller transparency that would be hard to achieve otherwise. Here are some of the main benefits to these systems:
Brand Management
Before the advent of digital printing and web based technology solutions, it made sense to stock large and expensive inventories of marketing collateral and signage. At that time, it was truly the most cost effective and quickest method of delivering your brand message and content.
Utilizing a combination of production and technology solutions, web based online ordering systems enable printers and clients to share access to a centralized “digital warehouse,” giving both parties on-demand access to inventories, specifications, costs, and designs. This collaboration enables customers to make real time changes to content, react quickly to market changes, maintain brand standards and control costs.
Ease of Use
For many print buyers, graphics aren’t a one-time deal. Collateral needs from the field or members are constant and always immediate. Signs get damaged, new stores get built, and fleets expand. An online ordering system automates the production and distribution process, eliminating the time consuming administrative work that was previously necessary to place an order. When materials are needed, the online system provides the user base a quick and easy way to do it.
The streamlined process enables printers to quickly and efficiently produce smaller “on demand” orders. From a business perspective, printers can assume that frequent smaller “on demand” orders will be complemented by larger orders from happy clients as those needs arise.
Accountability
There’s no substitute for strong interpersonal relationships among printers and customers. However, it’s usually a good idea to have more than a single point of contact in any important process. An online ordering system can provide the desired redundancy without any additional staff. As orders are placed, accountability is established on both the buying and selling side of the process. Detailed reporting and comprehensive job history enables both parties to analyze performance and identify opportunities for process improvement.