Choosing an MIS...

What else could it do?

There's sometimes a decided lack of awareness as to what MIS could actually achieve, and with how much or how little effort. Here are a few pointers to help you make your decision.

 

There’s simple MIS and complex MIS, and while the sky is the limit for price, there is also a free print MIS available..

Printpak’s Community edition is a fully functional free MIS. To see this and other versions from Printpak go to the home page.  Good luck in your search.

 

 

Inform you instantly of work that is not profitable

• The whole concept of profit is vital to calculating an estimate.
• Correctly set up systems can let you see cost, profit, and added value (the contribution to fixed overhead). 
• See how the customers target price impacts your bottom line.

Help you in progressing both documentation and production process requirements

• For a start you’ll need estimates and invoices.
• You’ll need to progress the jobs, and also see what jobs are lining up for each press.
• Forms such as Jobsheets, purchase orders, despatch notes, confirmation notes, labels etc can be useful.
• Stock control can help your procurement processes.

Clearly advise you of where you are most productive

• What types and areas of customers, and which categories of work?
• Are long runs better than short runs? and on which presses do you get the best profit?

 

Help you market your products effectively

• Get an on-line presence – a shop-window for your customers.
• Allow customers to see progress of live jobs and re-order old jobs.
• Let them price and order on the web and see the job appear in your work in progress as a properly costed order.
• Allow your customers to call off finished stock on-line.

Plan your profit

• With care, you can prevent your year-end containing any nasty surprises.
• Identify and weed out your unprofitable customers for a useful profit boost .

Improve your target and general marketing capability

• Having identified your target customers, you can send them personalized communications.
•  You can also keep track of call-backs via CRM style tools.