Printers: How GPS Can Help

As the owner of a printing business, you need to attain profit objectives through the right sales mix. In addition, your productivity must be motivated and controlled. GPS can help you establish your road map to profitability by helping you enhance the following aspects of your business: sales and marketing, operations, performance standards, estimating, financial planning and organization and communication.

GPS can assist you in controlling operating expenses and reducing costs thereby yielding profits—if you take the time revise your operations, you can make it happen. GPS puts systems in place to assure profits. Let GPS help you establish or improve the following profitable mix elements:

Sales/Marketing

  • Full knowledge of company capabilities
  • Customer identification
  • Targeted marketing (highest potential customers)
  • Using customers to prequalify
  • Focused advertising
  • Advertising effectiveness feedback
  • Sales planning and sales activity monitoring
  • Public relations and customer service follow up

Administration/Management

  • Management authority and responsibility clearly defined
  • Organizational relationships that facilitate efficient operation
  • Well-defined operating procedures
  • Profit-based employee compensation procedures
  • Profit-based decision making

Estimating/Job Costing

  • Time and labor requirements based on experience
  • Accurate material assessment
  • Current material prices
  • Application of accurate overhead and burden rates
  • Accurate calculation of profit
  • Reconcile bid price with market realities

Financial Planning/Management

  • Cash flow planning and management
  • Flexible budget planning
  • Establishing overhead cost
  • Establishing breakeven
  • Developing pricing policies
  • Establishing profit by job type

Job Cost Control

  • Spoilage management
  • Purchasing control system
  • Material/supplies monitoring and control
  • Accurate tracking—comparing actual cost to estimates
  • Efficient workflow, machine layout and operation
  • Effective management of personnel

Performance Management

  • Job descriptions and duty lists
  • Implementation of policies and procedures which are based on a manual
  • Systemic and effective communication
  • Employee performance review/evaluation
  • Job progress reviews

Equipment Repair/Maintenance

  • Scheduled preventive maintenance
  • Operator training
  • Maintenance records
  • Assigned maintenance responsibility for operators and for managers