By this point, the workflow strategy has been created, the customer has been included in discussions about its goals, and the print company has created some sample products and print items for the customer to test. As well, the print company and customer have completed a pilot period and identified unforeseen workflow issues. What remains is the final step of making the site live.<\/p>\n
Making the site live involves ‘turning it on’ to accept orders from the entire user base. If the above steps have been completed properly, there should be very few issues.<\/p>\n
Even after\u00a0a storefront has been\u00a0launched, it is not considered complete. There should\u00a0always be a system of continuous assessment in place to respond to customer feedback and correct any errors as the orders start coming in. Even after the site is live, the programmer should navigate the storefront to ensure its usability,\u00a0and\u00a0place a test order to ensure no issues arise for the customer during the ordering process. Also of consideration is a post-order assessment, where the internal processes in the printing company are evaluated for completeness and efficiency, as outlined below.<\/p>\n
Orders should enter an automated workflow, creating a seamless transition while bypassing several departments. Once an order has been placed, the appropriate staff are notified to fulfill it. If a VDP product was customized, then a print-ready PDF should automatically be uploaded to a hot folder. At this point, either an automated system or a prepress operator reviews the file for print standards and imposes it on the print template. These files can then be automatically produced on a digital press or be sent to the plate setter to be prepared for litho printing. Throughout every step of the process, email notifications should be sent to appropriate staff so they can fulfill the order, and to the customer so they can be kept\u00a0informed of anything related to the order such as invoices and product shipping.<\/p>\n
It is beneficial to select a storefront suitable for integration into a management information system (MIS)\u00a0to streamline orders from customization to invoice. Integration is a connection between two systems that enables the exchange of data.\u00a0The information is automatically entered into\u00a0an electronic docket, which is a database that\u00a0collects and maintains\u00a0customer information, products ordered, shipping information, and billing information automatically. When integrating two systems, it is important to note which system is the master data holder and which is the subscriber to that data. Only one digital system should ‘hold’ the data, whereas all the other systems access the same database. In a print environment with a functioning print MIS system, it is the MIS system that should be considered to be the master in every case. The MIS system collects orders from everywhere, not just the orders placed through storefronts online. The web2print system\u00a0pushes data into the MIS system and subscribes to the master data stored and managed in that system, such as pricing and job specifications. This can be challenging because the web2print software and the print MIS system are often provided by separate vendors, which can prevent a smooth exchange of data.<\/p>\n
Web2print is one of many secondary, or subscriber, connections into a printer\u2019s business and production workflow. Web2print should serve its main purpose, which is to capture orders in the most efficient manner while maintaining a competitive edge for a print company’s sales team. Orders must be transitioned seamlessly and smoothly into the production workflow and MIS system so they can be treated like any other order, whether\u00a0they were placed online or by traditional means. In this way, web2print is regarded\u00a0as only one of many business opportunities that bring sales to a print company.<\/p>\n
When making any business decision, investment must be weighed against return. This is known as return on investment, or ROI. Moving a business online to accept orders is a serious\u00a0business decision. Web2print can be\u00a0a worthwhile investment and understanding how to\u00a0measure ROI before investing in a vendor\u2019s software is important.<\/p>\n
Typically, in a print company, the estimate for the actual printing process is very well defined. The estimating department can provide detailed analysis of all of the costs associated with printing a specific printed product. Where web2print differs, however, is in the costs of capturing the sale and in streamlining the process in the print shop. For example, there are specific increased costs in running a web2print site online. If the system was paid for as a one-time licence, then the total cost must be amortized over the life of the licence, and each print order shares a small part of that overall cost. Some SaaS systems, on the other hand, charge a piece rate or a monthly fee. These are easier to incorporate into the costs of the job. On the savings side, there are processes within the print company that are made more efficient, so an analysis of cost savings can be made there as well. However, print companies should\u00a0not fall into the trap of thinking that just because\u00a0a print job\u00a0can be completed\u00a0in a shorter time, it is automatically cheaper to produce. In order to assess the total ROI, only\u00a0real costs that affect the print product’s\u00a0profitability\u00a0should be assessed.<\/p>\n
Timing is important\u00a0when calculating ROI because a printer must determine when to\u00a0invest\u00a0money based on an expected return of that investment. Purchasing or building an online system is not automatically going to generate revenue. It is likely that the print company could invest thousands of dollars very quickly before the system provides any value in return. There is a human aspect to this as well. Sales professionals are still critical for driving new customer sales to the web and finding new online opportunities, both of which will help improve the return on the initial investment.<\/p>\n
Systems with monthly payments are sometimes better for new online ventures, as they do not require a huge investment upfront. Up-front payments\u00a0force a print company to\u00a0give away all monetary leverage in a single transaction, and while they might be more cost-effective when serving\u00a0large numbers of customers, they can do serious financial damage in the short term.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t