Printorders.com, the online ordering division of Des Moines, Iowa-based printing and design firm Specialty Graphics Inc., enables end users to go online and select from artwork stored on the firm's server. End users can add or edit art and text, specify quantities and materials (brochures, business cards, etc.), then approve proofs such as this one before placing orders.
David Church used to drive 25 miles along a congested highway to deliver printing to a large Chicago client. Church, a sales consultant at Park Ridge, Ill., distributorship Park Ridge Business Forms, could have faxed proofs to the firm, but sometimes they weren't clear enough to ensure the client would receive exactly what it wanted.
The client's five offices complicated matters. Each had its own needs for business cards, letterhead and stationery. The firm considered several online ordering systems, but found glitches in them. Then Church discovered Printorders.com, the online ordering division of Des Moines, Iowa-based printing and design firm Specialty Graphics Inc.
Printorders.com enables end users to go online and select from artwork stored on its server in Des Moines. End users can add or edit art and text, specify quantities and materials (brochures, business cards, etc.), then approve proofs online before placing orders.
Each of the end user's offices can order printing as required, so Church no longer needs to travel to the end user's headquarters or to each of the company's offices.
Saving Time for Both Sides
Many online ordering systems require distributors to enter order specifications, but Printorders.com enables end users to handle that, saving time for both sides, Church says. Replacing faxed proofs with web-based communication can shave five days from the ordering process, he says.
Customers gain ordering control and "get the proofs right away, which is fantastic," Church says. "It's the best online ordering system I've run into. The end user likes the idea of being able to go to the computer, enter the order and they're done."
Printorders.com operates at a higher level than other online ordering systems Park Ridge Business Forms has worked with, Church says. "It's more sophisticated and has more bells and whistles," he says. "It's a Cadillac. It doesn't break down. The customers love working with it."
Park Ridge Business Forms has used Printorders.com for three years. During that time, Church says, the system has performed consistently well. "I'm still using only a small portion of what it's capable of doing," he says, adding that Printorders.com offers excellent support to assist end users when needed.
Powerful System Behind the Ease
The major reason for the stability of Printorders.com is the technology behind it, says Erica Kiefer, the company's director of online systems. Printorders.com employs a UNIX-based operating system, which Kiefer says is much more reliable than a Microsoft one. The company uses frame relay for its internet connection, providing faster connection speeds and increased reliability than other telecommunications options, she says.
Scott Gaulter, founder of Specialty Graphics, developed Printorders.com after becoming frustrated with the traditional faxing of proofs. He says traveling to client sites to ensure the accuracy of their orders limited Specialty Graphics' customer base to the Des Moines area. With Printorders.com, Specialty Graphics now accepts orders nationwide (and could take them worldwide). "Now we get more orders from outside the Des Moines area than from inside," Kiefer says. "Customers like it because there's no misreading of numbers from a poor fax. What they see is what they get."
Though Gaulter designed Printorders.com to build Specialty Graphics' business, the firm also licenses the use of the system to other printing firms, including distributorships. Other companies using the system access it via Printorders.com's server because the company doesn't release the software code.
Don't Forget the Slip
Packing slips that accompany online orders can be valuable communication items. Consider them billboards for your marketing message that can include your logo, toll-free phone number, web site address and satisfaction guarantee.
Go to the Polls
It's easier to gain loyalty from customers, vendors and strategic partners who interact with your firm. The internet is an ideal medium to generate interactivity and gain feedback. A simple way to gain both is by adding a polling feature to your web site. The results can be excellent sources for target marketing and specified advertising.
Tool to Use: ProductCart 1.5
ProductCart 1.5 (www.early
impact.com) shopping cart software enables users to customize shipping and delivery options, email order notification and placement of specials and discounts. Inventory and sales reports can be adjusted automatically when orders are cancelled or returned.
