This article is sponsored by Aleyant as part of WhatTheyThink's Print Software Product Spotlight series. In preparing this article, the WhatTheyThink Print Software Section editors conducted original, in-depth research on Aleyant’s product suite. This Product Spotlight describes what the editors feel are the product suite’s strengths in the marketplace. Aleyant reviewed the final article for accuracy but had no editorial control over the content.

The Print MIS software space is predominantly characterized by vendors whose products were built during the age of offset printing dominance. These products have of course evolved, yet the quick-turnaround, personalized, and digital printing nature of our current print industry is pushing the limits of ERP/MIS products that were built when turnaround times were calculated in weeks instead of hours.

One of the more difficult areas of the Print MIS/ERP market is the small printer who needs a simple system that requires little to no IT support and doesn’t burn a hole in their annual profits. This is the perfect application of cloud-based software because it delivers the software solution with zero on-site IT infrastructure or resources required. If you have on-site technical resources at your disposal, they should absolutely be deployed to provide revenue generating technical services to your customers (e.g. variable data printing, database management, cross-media services). Don’t waste precious technical resource on the equivalent of “technical janitorial duties” (e.g. maintaining servers, virus protection, etc.). The cloud enables a safe, secure, and reliable connection to your business applications and for small printers this includes the Print MIS/ERP solution.

Aleyant PrintJobManager™ is a cloud-based entry into the Print MIS market. Most printers will recognize Aleyant as the maker of the popular Aleyant Pressero™ web-to-print solution. Aleyant is entering the Print MIS market with a stand-alone solution PrintJobManager that of course can also be purchased fully integrated with Pressero. Because PrintJobManager is new (Aleyant has been developing it over the last two years), it is built based on the current realities of the print industry (turnaround times are decreasing, order volumes are increasing – while average order values continue to fall, personalization is rising, and automation is a must). A brand-new technology solution also benefits from being deployed on a modern technology stack. Aleyant built the whole solution to be mobile-friendly (responsive design), with an open API addressable approach, and leveraging an extensible plug-in approach for challenges such as taxes and credit cards. Basically, all the characteristics we expect with modern web technology.

Print MIS/ERP implementation is a well-known challenge in the industry with too many horror stories to recount. Because a Print MIS touches every corner of your business, its implementation can be daunting. Most printers, especially smaller ones lack the resources to lead this kind of complex implementation and the change management required to be successful. Aleyant is coming to market with a full-service implementation plan –  where their focus is to do the initial set up for their customers. When you think about this, it makes so much sense. Do you want to know how to setup your Print MIS from scratch (something you should only have to do once)? Or do you just want to know how to use your Print MIS once its setup?

Integration is such a critical factor in making any print software decision. It is no surprise that Aleyant is keeping with the API addressable approach in PrintJobManager they brought to market with Pressero. When integrated with Pressero, product pricing created in PrintJobManager can be seamlessly used within Pressero storefronts, eliminating the need to create and maintain separate pricing systems for online stores and in-shop management. In another move that shows their commitment to integration, Aleyant has integrated with Zapier. For those who are not aware of Zapier, it is an online automation tool that connects your favorite apps, such as Gmail, Slack, MailChimp, and over 500 more so you can create custom workflows to solve specific business challenges. Because Aleyant integrates with Zapier, you instantly have 700+ applications you could conceivable connect to PrintJobManager without hiring a programmer!

Small printers are feeling the pressure of both automation and becoming more data-driven. Both market demands are heavily dependent on a Print MIS that is your true system of record. PrintJobManager benefits from its birth date, it is built based on what the print industry is today and where the print industry is going. It leverages a modern technology stack that enables true seamless integration to hundreds of other web apps. For small to medium size printers who have been putting off a much-needed Print MIS transition or for those small printers who always thought a real Print MIS was out of their reach – PrintJobManager offers a viable and compelling solution.

 

To learn more about WhatTheyThink.com’s Print Software Product Spotlights, please contact Jennifer Matt, Print Software Section Editor at [email protected].