Most print-on-demand businesses run on averages. On average, the margin looks fine. On average, jobs are profitable. But averages hide the truth. In this week’s video, I break down how workflow automation gives you real visibility – tracking the actual cost of every job, every cycle, every machine, and every operator – what is making you money – and what isn’t.
Transcript
One of the defining characteristics of Print On Demand is just how variable and volatile the work can be. Autosize shift, production windows move, overtime creeps in, the cost of goods is changing job by job, collectively that means your margins are moving potentially a lot. The problem, most businesses run on averages. So while you might know that on average you’re doing okay, you don’t know what’s really driving your profit and which jobs are letting you down. And that’s where workflow automation can make a real difference. Because in automation, we’re tracking every single job by every person on every machine. We know how many cycles were run, how long each one took, what the actual cost was because of your fails and not what the assumption is. And that level of precision can completely change your understanding of your business. You can see which SKU quantity and option mixes are profitable and which ones aren’t. You might even realize that the market segment that you’re chasing isn’t the one that delivers the best outcome for your business. In Print On Demand, true profit flows from attention to detail, but you also need simplicity to avoid being overwhelmed by data. And that’s where we can help you. If you’d like to know more about how we can make a difference for your business, reach out, we’d love to help.
