By Marc Raad
Have you ever been disappointed with a hardware or software supplier? Ever purchased workflow software in particular, believing it will help you to achieve the intended vision of full, end-to-end integration of all your key production processes, only to discover that your vendor can’t assist, or is “missing in action” when problems occur? Or perhaps you wait hours or even days for a reply? Ever wasted valuable time wading through pages of a software guide in a vain attempt to fix the problem yourself?
Fortunately, this scenario is “sort of” rare in our industry, where the software investment doesn’t hit the ROI that it should. And yet, it does occur from time to time for various reasons – especially when dealing with larger suppliers, third-party vendors, or tech support reps not familiar with the intricacies of your specific production set-up. Your workflow software supplier should be fully invested in your success and available to accommodate your requirements. That’s the way the Significans Automation team has operated since we were founded – and we’ll continue operating that way.
Plus, sometimes in our industry, software sits on a server doing nothing, or is under-utilized, never yielding its full potential. We’ve seen this happen quite often. Let’s face it, in the print and packaging print industries, downtime is not acceptable. Downtime doesn’t just cut profits; it affects employee morale and disrupts your entire operation. Bottom line: Significans will always act with a deep sense of urgency because we know your business and your reputation – as well as ours – are at stake.
Integrity and trust above all
We see ourselves not just as a vendor-neutral integration specialist, but as a trusted “partner” when it comes to sorting out a printer’s software assets and configuring them. This approach resonates with our clients, as evidenced by Printivity’s experience:
“When we set out on this journey, we weren’t just looking for a vendor, we wanted a partner relationship that could help us best navigate our foray into the world of automation, and we found that partner in Significans Automation.”
– Lucero Kabashima, Prepress Manager at Printivity (download the full case study by clicking here.)
This partnership mentality extends to all aspects of our work. As Wright Global Graphics also noted:
“They’ve got folks with a lot of experience; they understand our business. I’m a fan, I’m a raving fan! It’s been very good for me to see that my team has a team that they can depend on.”
– Greg Wright, President & CEO of Wright Creative Branding & Labels (watch the testimonial video by clicking here.)
As a trusted integration partner, we prioritize “the solution” rather than pushing specific products. This neutrality allows us to provide truly customized, efficient solutions. That may sound corny and clichéd, but it’s true. That trust and integrity permeates all our customer relationships.
It begins with the integrity of the data input by our printer clients, continues with our team members as they join forces with your IT staffers, and ends with the most efficient – and trustworthy – workflow software and automation systems in place. You’ll also get peace of mind in the knowledge that we’re only a phone call or e-mail away should any problems arise. That being said, we can also train your staff with the ultimate goal of allowing them to become totally independent, able to handle any workflow challenges that comes their way.
Delivering on promises
Integrity means following through on commitments. At Significans, we pride ourselves on delivering what we promise. HCL Labels attests to this:
“Everything was completed totally in a beyond satisfactory way. Everything that the team said that they could do they were able to deliver on.”
– Ben Nell, Vice President of HCL Labels (watch the first testimonial video by clicking here and the second testimonial video by clicking here)
It’s also been our experience that constant monitoring of the efficiency and connectivity of all your in-shop workflow processes is essential as you expand and purchase new presses, finishing equipment, and other assets. Our customers trust us fully in that regard as well because our team, with a combined 100 years of hands-on shop-floor experience, understands the top workflow software technologies on the market today, along with their strengths and their weaknesses.
Moreover, our support doesn’t end with implementation. We’re committed to ongoing assistance, as Century Printing and Packaging noted:
“Significans continues to be an excellent source for troubleshooting issues, implementing more automation, and improving quality and turnaround. We look forward to continuing to do work with the Significans team.”
– Neil Waldrop, COO & Owner of Century Printing and Packaging (read the full testimonial by clicking here)
Building long-term relationships
Our goal is to become an integral part of our clients’ success stories. Wallace Graphics summed up this relationship beautifully:
“For us, the Significans Automation team has been instrumental in our success. Today, we see them as an extension of Team Wallace and look forward to working together in the future.”
– Anthony Guice, Director of Operations at Wallace Graphics (download the full case study by clicking here)
One “bad apple” should never “spoil the whole barrel”
You’ve likely heard this cliché before, correctly or incorrectly referring to a member of a group whose bad behavior negatively affects the rest of the group. Have you ever been let down by your software vendor or other suppliers at a crucial time?
As more software becomes prevalent in our industry, this is becoming a little more of a dilemma in our industry. Most importantly, has this experience made you hesitant to begin your journey into automation? It shouldn’t. In my 30-plus years in this business, it’s been my experience that 99% of software vendors are hard-working professionals and above all, want to be trusted. However, due to mismanaged teams and bandwidth concerns they sometimes tend to drop the ball.
So, please rest assured that our trademark “We are Integration™” reflects our promise of continued support to the collective success of the printing community we proudly serve – and that includes you, your business, your employees and your future success.
For an assessment of your workflow software systems, please call Significans Automation at 1-877-463-4465. You’ll be directed not to a salesperson or a third party, but to one of our regional workflow automation and integration experts who has years of production-floor experience.
