Thanks to certain software that's been developed, significant improvements in the results have been realized when it comes to screen printing. It can also be used to make many common offices processed go smoother from sales to production management.
While many different types of print shop software can be used, these are just some of the ways it can be utilized in screen printing.
Creating Designs
Some of the latest statistics on the computer graphics market found that the industry was expected to grow to nearly $32.7 billion by 2019, and computer graphics software is often used in screen printing shops to create logos, typography, multi-dimensional designs and more. Adobe Illustrator, one of the most popular, can do all this and more. As it can be pricey, some startup shops may choose to use free downloadable programs like CorelDraw which offers a lot of freedom for design and many of the same features as Illustrator. However, for those new to design, as it's not meant specifically for t-shirt designs it has a longer learning curve.
Halftones
For halftone jobs, RIP software is often used to control the ink that goes onto film positives. It creates halftone dots, the reprographic technique that simulates continuous-tone imagery by using dots which vary in spacing or size to generate a gradient-like effect.
Capturing and tracking sales leads
It can be difficult to keep sales leads organized, but there is software available that can help capture those leads a salesperson or service rep gets as well as track and follow them to be sure that none of them fall through the cracks and that more deals are closed faster. There may be an option to use customized pipelines to better forecast sales too.
Generating quotes
Generating custom quotes or creating a quick quote in seconds can also be something that screen printing shops can take advantage of with software. A fast, professional quote can significantly increase the odds of a sale. The software can provide follow-up reminders and be customized in a way that provides discounts, multiple pricing schemes and more.
Production Management
Once the work order is in, that's not the end of the sale – if the customer isn't happy with the job, they're likely to go elsewhere, but software can help ensure a smooth process throughout. It can provide online proofing so that customers can approve files right online as well as get a notification about changes or approvals. It can help automatize a scheduled process and keep files better organized all in one place. Rather than sending out individual email updates, it may send automatic status updates, keeping everyone up to date in much less time.
And, production workflow status options can allow users to see all the steps that still need to be done and those that have been completed, helping to spot or prevent problems throughout the process.
Software for screen printing shops is a great way to ensure a win, win situation for everyone involved.
