How to improve label management
and ordering

June 20, 2022

If you run a label printing business, you are well acquainted with the headache of getting client PDF files print-ready. Indeed, fixing file errors can disrupt an entire printing workflow, forcing your customer service and prepress specialists to waste precious time.

This never-ending emailing or calling back and forth, from file submission to finally getting the labels printed, isn’t ideal for either label manufacturers or brand owners.

Luckily, there’s a better way. Below, we discuss what you can do to improve your label management and ordering efforts.

Switch from analog to digital printing

Figure 1. Manual prepress workflow

Striving to stand out from their competition, label manufacturers are increasingly switching from analog to digital printing because it is cost-effective and helps handle more printing jobs.

But while the switch from flexo to digital is a good start, it will not help you fully optimize your prepress workflow, especially if it is still done manually.

As software technology continues to evolve rapidly, it opens up numerous opportunities for label manufacturers to revamp their workflows. And those first to embrace the new ways of working are likely to reap the benefits sooner. This is where automation comes into the picture.

Automate your prepress workflow

With the world increasingly moving online, client expectations for a smoother and quicker delivery will continue to grow. Understanding that those best equipped to adapt will gain a competitive advantage, label manufacturers look into more ways to shorten production times and increase efficiency.

By automating cumbersome, time-consuming prepress tasks, such as preflight or Step & Repeat, label converters can reduce the number of human errors and boost throughput.

The prevalent belief is that automation is an extensive and costly undertaking for the IT department, but times have changed. Today, prepress automation software can be implemented and used without external specialists or automation workflow knowledge, making it more accessible and user-friendly.

Figure 2. Automated prepress
workflow without Customer Web Portal

Implement a Customer Web Portal

Purchasing products and services online is the new normal for most of us, and the label industry is no exception. Brand owners want to order and get their labels in a simple, straightforward manner on the internet.

Having a Customer Web Portal is a win-win for you and your customers. No more endless emailing or calling to sort out each order or resolve file errors - the whole prepress communication can be taken care of in the portal.

The portal allows you to provide online services to your customers while enabling you to be more productive and efficient. For example, with LabelHub’s Customer Web Portal, you get:

Label management and ordering online

Customers can just log in and make their orders with a few clicks from anywhere at any time. The user-friendly interface makes it easy to search, filter, re-order and see the order history.

Complete visual overview of the entire label inventory

A Customer Web Portal makes the need to browse through your inbox to look for that order confirmation obsolete. All the labels are there, including visuals and specifications.

Simple drag-and-drop artwork delivery

Customers can just drag and drop their PDFs into the portal. They get instant preflight feedback and print-ready status. If there is an error in the file, easy instructions on how to fix it are given immediately.

Your best bet is a solution with a combination of prepress workflow automation and a Customer Web Portal. Good automation software will seamlessly integrate into your business and streamline printing workflows, leaving fewer errors and instant gains in its path.

Find out more about how to implement prepress workflow automation and how it improves label printing workflows. Download our free white paper: