How to Run a Profitable Screen Print Shop

Running a profitable operation in a competitive marketplace is likely the single biggest challenge facing print shop owners today.

Simply pushing for more orders doesn’t necessarily mean greater profits, and in fact can have the reverse impact. Flaws in the way a shop does business may actually cause costs to rise.  Quoting print prices that do not keep up with costs as volume goes up can have catastrophic impact. Basic printing and handling processes must be adjusted to improve both efficiency and customer satisfaction, with maintaining or increasing profits as the goal.

Here are some recommendations to increase profitability:

• Standardized Print and Material Options. Compile a catalog of designs that can be used for various clients. Every project need not start from scratch, and a catalog saves time and development costs.
• Make Designs Simpler If Possible. Designs that avoid large areas of ink, halftones, or special effects cost less and last longer. Some clients insist on specific images, but many are open-minded about saving money with simpler graphics.
• Print Order Management Tools. Group orders as efficiently as possible. First come, first served can be wasteful. Orders that have similar requirements should be completed together to minimize setup times and setting changes, as well as speed up production.
• Great Customer Service. Dealing with clients effectively is fundamental to success. Employees should focus on listening to each client and be trained to maintain a helpful, friendly attitude regardless of the size of the order. Great customer service gains a client’s loyalty far more often than cheap prices.
• Upsell into Profitable Items. Employees should be encouraged to suggest profitable print options to clients, such as adding a variety of garments to a single print run.  Completely fulfilling clients’ needs – especially with additional value – can be beneficial to both printer and client.
• Know Your Printing Costs. Every sale should be tracked for a better understanding of what individual clients want and which products are producing the most profit. Ordant’s  price-estimating software enables print shops to compile client profiles, which are invaluable in predicting future orders, gauging general trends, and budgeting for the long term.

Ordant’s software solution is another way for your screen print business to boost profits. Check out our free demo to learn more.