Print companies have specific challenges that other businesses do not usually have to deal with. Data organization is a problem area for some of these companies. The amount of inventory they must go through can easily make project management for multiple clients a logistical nightmare that can affect overall productivity.
If your company needs help when it comes to information organization, it may be best to incorporate a management information system (MIS) specially designed to address your needs in your workflow.
This article will provide a thorough lowdown of what Print MIS is and how such software can help a business exponentially improve its operations. We’ll also provide a quick checklist of what you should look for before making a sizeable MIS software investment.
What is a Print MIS?
A print MIS is a system used to automate key functions of a printing business. The software categorized as MIS can handle most of your business processes, which can range from logistical solutions to optimizing the company’s entire workflows. Some also consider MIS as a people-oriented technology that aims to provide maximum productivity.
Print MIS software is intended to make a company’s processes more efficient to implement. When you select the right program, you can expect considerable growth, as your people can accomplish more tasks with their time.
How Did Print MIS Develop?
Print MIS systems may seem like a recent innovation that only appeared within the past 50 years, but the concept behind it has been around for longer than that.
Individuals and businesses have always looked for better ways to organize their inventories. One of the first attempts businesses made to automate inventory was tabulating cards that were implemented in the 1880s. IBM, one of the most popular tech companies in the world, started in 1911 as a company that specialized in tabulating for various businesses.
Card systems did not entirely disappear until the 1970s as magnetic storage media rose in popularity. Its reign as the preferred means of handling various business needs was short-lived as computer systems became more efficient in managing items and tasks expected out of a company.
Nowadays, the world’s biggest companies have an MIS system for their needs. Most modern MIS can be broken down into specific subsystems that help the company’s owners and management group see their present state. The information MIS provides also influences future decisions the company will make.
5 Ways Print MIS Can Help a Business
Since print management software is presented as versatile programs that can greatly benefit your business’ growth, it’s essential to know how these programs can help your company. This section will list down how MIS can help a printing company meet its business goals.
Accurate Print Estimates
Print businesses all over understand the importance of a competitive bid. There is plenty of competition that offers the same service, so it is tempting to make a lowball offer just to get a particular client. However, there’s a fine line between meeting the customer and undervaluing a company’s service. Making an absurdly low offer just to get a client can harm a print business in the long run.
An integrated MIS will help produce a fair estimate for both client and business. The MIS will consider the company’s current financial situation and the overall cost of production to make a more accurate estimate.
Better Inventory Management
Printing businesses need a lot of equipment to meet the demands of their clients. The amount of inventory that a printing business also goes through in a month can make inventory management a headache. Most modern MIS can alert a print company’s managers if they are running out of specific items. It ensures that the business will be ready for any sudden orders or increase in product requests.
Invoicing and Accounting
With all the purchases and sales a print business does in a month, accounting for everything can be a challenging task that not even the most seasoned accountant can easily take on. Any business leaving their books unsorted will find themselves in serious trouble if they don’t work on them come tax season.
The right MIS can create and log a business’ invoice to its system. By letting the program take care of the tasks, the company’s employees can focus more on delivering quality services to their clients.
Improved Project Management
Printing companies should be used to handling multiple printing jobs at once, and these projects usually take a long time to finish. However, it can be easy to lose track of your projects if you don’t have software that keeps track of the progress that you’re making.
Some of the best print MIS systems have integrated job management protocols to make the tracking of projects more manageable. It can also inform other people in the department about the progress of these projects.
Enhanced Customer Engagement
A printing company’s quality of customer interaction can be considered just as important as the quality of prints provided. Being transparent to clients can boost a print company’s reliability. They can integrate customer-facing systems into their overall MIS, which can help make interactions with print clients smoother to navigate.
Meanwhile, print companies can provide updates about print jobs and show and approve content and layout through an interactive customer portal.
Qualities to Look for in a Print Management Software
Proper MIS systems for print businesses are increasingly becoming in demand, and there are plenty of products for you to choose from. However, finding software that perfectly meets a company’s specific requirements can be a difficult task altogether.
Print companies looking for the perfect MIS system should have a checklist of qualities to look for. This list should help owners and managers find the ideal product to make their work more efficient.
- Is the system flexible enough? Trends and innovations can change the landscape of the printing industry in the drop of a hat. The ideal print MIS should be future-proof and adapt to a print company’s ever-changing needs.
- Is it easy to integrate? Print businesses nowadays use a multitude of programs to be operational. Choosing the wrong MIS can disrupt a company’s workflow if it doesn’t mesh well with existing software.
- Is it customizable? Every print company has different areas of focus, and it can be hard to find a program that perfectly fits a company’s specific needs for that particular specialization. The ideal MIS should be customizable so companies can alter it to suit their specifications.
- Is it cloud-based? While the world is slowly implementing on-site work again, recent events have highlighted the importance of cloud servers for many MIS. Get a system that has cloud storage capabilities so employees can access files wherever they are.
Transforming Printing Businesses with Quality MIS
There are plenty of things that can prevent a printing business from truly blossoming into something special. Print MIS products allow companies to focus on what they do best since these systems handle most tasks that usually take a long time to accomplish.
Businesses looking to integrate MIS into their operations should seriously research the system and look into their company’s specific needs. Once it’s clear what is expected from such software, choosing the right one becomes more accessible.
