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Printers are complaining of the lack of qualified candidates and a higher-than-expected amount of turnover. While this section of WhatTheyThink is titled Software, the focus is often more on people than software. After all, people are what make your software investments' ROI. Software is simply potential.
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About Jennifer Matt
Jennifer Matt is the managing editor of WhatTheyThink’s Print Software section as well as President of Web2Print Experts, Inc. a technology-independent print software consulting firm helping printers with web-to-print and print MIS solutions.
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Discussion
By Joe Fedor on Feb 01, 2023
>> 1. We had a guy (most common).
>> 2. I don’t know.
>> 3. I guess it’s me.
Classic. And SO spot on!
By Eyal Raz on Feb 01, 2023
Good reading!
"Software as simply potential.." A valid and important point of view!
like any other potential....without an expert, F1 is a car.
By Jeffrey Pierce on Feb 01, 2023
??
By Jeffrey Pierce on Feb 01, 2023
Sorry, I pasted a "thumbs up" emoji in the previous post and it rendered as [??] Somebody call the in-house MIS expert!
By Wayne Lynn on Feb 01, 2023
Jenn, your point here strikes at the heart of an important issue. MIS/ERP software, being the system of record for the business, is the source of information for most business decisions that determine the viability and resilience of the business. Distorting the functionality of the software to fit "our way" of doing things could, in many cases, distort the reliability of that information. This, in my opinion, speaks to the necessity for elevating the role of this expert you are referring to. Clean and accurate information flows are like oxygen to the business. Getting people to use the system the way it was designed is the necessary first step to getting the system to deliver on its intended purpose. Getting the system used properly and understanding why that is necessary are both expectations for the "expert".
By Cory Sawatzki on Feb 07, 2023
You are so right Jennifer. And not just the MIS. Although it is the tip of the iceberg as they say, this same thing can be said for any main RIP, Variable software, Mailing software, eCommerce solution, etc. You have to know who your key technology champions are, and make sure you not only allow them to grow, but also have means to document processes to stay away from that "Tribal Knowledge".
As always, great info. Thank you.
By Robert Godwin on Feb 11, 2023
If a printing company wants to grow over the next ten years they must first realize to do so they must become a software company. For example, Tesla does not position itself as a car company. It is a software company. Tesla does software really well. Good cars are the result of software technology.
Printing companies that plan for the future as software technologists will provide growth and expansion. Good print will be a result. They will be the lucky ones; luck being a result of good planning and hard work
As Dirty Harry queried, “So tell me punk, are feeling lucky?”