As we enter a new year, the ever-evolving decorated apparel industry presents unique challenges for print shop management. There’s the growing trend of massive web-to-print services that churn out swag and apparel for customers like RedBubble and CustomInk. Plus, e-commerce giants like Amazon continue offering next-day shipping services, which aren’t always realistic for a mom-and-pop shop. It’ll take some creativity to stand out from the pack and stay competitive in the coming year. 

Even with these challenges, it’s also an opportunity to make your business shine in the coming year and show new and existing customers why you’re the go-to source for all their printing needs. It’s also a great chance to readjust things internally so everyone on your team is excited and enthusiastic about working at your shop.

Print shop management: the digital curve 

One of the most significant things print shops must do is adapt to the digital era. This doesn’t mean getting rid of a solid in-person experience with a showroom and in-person orders (and, in fact, keeping that component to your shop can help you stay unique to printers who might only do online orders).

But, adopting tools like online stores, order management software, production management tools, and online art approvals will give you a leg up and keep your business efficient and profitable. 

To get you started, here’s a checklist of annual tasks you should tend to every January in the shop.

6 Actionable Steps for Print Shop Management in 2024

  1. Conduct a Technology Audit:
    Every year, conduct a thorough audit of your current technology infrastructure, also sometimes known as your “tech stack.”  Do you need to add more licenses to your software because your team has grown since last year?

    Maybe there are tools you aren’t using as much now because your business has changed direction since the previous year, so you can consolidate some of your tech stack. If you’ve noticed repeated customer issues, this can also be a place to reassess your shop’s technology. That could be everything from a better way to track emails to your order management.

    If you need to upgrade a plan or switch to a completely different service, now’s the time to make the jump while you have the space to do so.

  2. Invest in a User-Friendly E-Commerce Platform:
    Choose a reliable e-commerce platform that can help you get started on the right foot, like InkSoft, to establish your customers’ online stores.

    You’ll want stores that provide secure transactions, so going with a trusted store provider like InkSoft ensures that your customers’ transactional information is safe.

    You also want to ensure you’re using a platform that provides your customers with mobile-optimized stores since mobile e-commerce is booming and continues to grow. In 2023, mobile e-commerce     cracked more than $2 trillion, which is expected to keep climbing in the coming years.

    With InkSoft, you’ll get professional-looking, secure, mobile-optimized stores that are easily customizable for all types of industries and niches.

  3. Implement a Centralized Order Management System:
    It goes without saying that if you can’t stay on top of your orders, it will be a challenge to grow, and it’ll be difficult to keep current customers happy if you’re experiencing delays or misprints. With Printavo’s order management tools, you can automate and centralize your order processing. These tools will minimize errors, improve customer communication, and enable your team to handle more orders.
  4. Upgrade Your Art Approval Process:
    When you’re dealing with two or three customers a month, email attachments of artwork can work fine. But if you start to scale up and juggle several high-volume orders with detailed artwork for each batch of merch, you can quickly lose track of your art approvals.

    If you’re handling art approvals that require multiple sign-offs, such as school merch orders where an administrator and coach need to approve an order, having a more straightforward way to stay organized is crucial. Incorporate modern art approval tools like GraphicsFlow to streamline client communication and expedite approvals. This not only saves time but also enhances collaboration and customer satisfaction.

    You can handle your entire art approval online and send it to multiple recipients so everyone who needs to sign off on the job stays in the loop, and your team can move to production faster.

  5. Train Your Team on Print Shop Management Technologies:
    Whether you’re using InkSoft, GraphicsFlow, Printavo, or a whole other suite of products, you want your team fully trained on whatever programs you’re using to run your business.

    Opt for onsite training or online workshops with training resources so your team can familiarize themselves with the functionalities and benefits of these tools.
  6.  Gather Customer Feedback and Iterate:
    Continuously gather customer feedback regarding the online store, order management processes, and overall experience. What’s working and what’s not? Do they need better branding for their storefront so they are more recognizable?

    Maybe they simply need to switch out the product offering in the store to generate more interest. Use this feedback to make iterative improvements and enhance customer satisfaction.

Business optimizations for the new year 

In addition to improving your tech stack, there are things you can do on a holistic level to get your shop in a prime position for the new year.

Here are a few quick thoughts on what you can do:

Explore Sustainability Practices

At this point, sustainability isn’t just a hot trend. It’s a big part of the conversation on all buyable goods. And doing it right doesn’t necessarily come with a one-size-fits-all solution. Start by talking to your customers and see what they’re looking for in the businesses they spend money with because it might be simpler than you think. Maybe they want less packaging or more blanks options, like fabrics made from recycled products.

Or, your shop can start getting its packaging from recycled cardboard and other materials suppliers. 

Before you go through and replace all your inks, reassess items like this, plus other incremental changes like the lighting you use and how well your shop is insulated for weather changes.

If you need a starting point, check out this great blog with tips on where to begin. 

Invest in Employee Well-Being

It’s no big secret that happier employees contribute to a more positive work environment and are apt to be more productive. This year could be the perfect time if you haven’t assessed your team member programs in a while. Some options you can consider include:

  • Wellness programs: These programs can be everything from a gym stipend to periodic free stress management and mental health classes for your team. Here’s a breakdown of the different types of wellness program options you can offer.
  • Flexible work schedules: If your staff size and schedule allow, consider giving your team different schedule options so they have more opportunities to enjoy life outside of work.

    For example, only some people need weekends off, so if someone on your team is better served with a Wednesday and Thursday off, see if you can accommodate that.
  • Professional development opportunities: Plenty of your crew might be happy with their current role on the production floor or in the front office. That said, offering professional development opportunities is always a great way to show your team they’re valued and you’re equally interested in their success as much as the shop. 

You can tap many resources for this perk, whether in-person mentoring at the shop, online classes, or periodic offsite workshops. Those workshops can be work-related classes like ROQ’s screen printing workshops or broader topics like management seminars. 

Get Current on Industry Trends 

If it’s one thing we’ve learned over the years, especially how things shifted between 2020 and now, the decorated apparel industry is evolving as rapidly as everything else around us. It’s worth staying informed on industry trends, emerging technology, and customer trends so your shop can adapt and stay ahead of the curve.

Countless publications like Screenprinting Magazine, Impressions, Graphics Pro, and newsletters (like ours!) share weekly industry news, tips, and tricks you can access for free or low cost.

Tradeshows are also still a great way to get up to speed on what’s happening in the industry. If you’ve had to scale back your traveling to tradeshows, you can now attend many online seminars, either live or archived.

Plus, social media makes connecting with other businesspeople in your area easier. If you aren’t already involved with local organizations like your Chamber of Commerce, now’s the time. You can tap into other groups like local printer meetups through Facebook, Nextdoor, or other social media sites.

Heading into 2024, consider the combination of reassessing your shop’s digital tools and adopting a holistic approach to print shop management. This two-pronged approach can help position you for growth and competitiveness in the new year and beyond.