Business at the Speed of Digital
For most industries where the focus is physical goods, there is a historical hesitancy to fully digitize their business. However, in order to run more efficiently, eliminate more waste and see more satisfied customers it is imperative to adapt to the modern world.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has made it easier to communicate effectively across supply chains and made the process from product development to final delivery faster than ever. As more business moves online, it is imperative to maintain pace, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Companies that are able to focus their energies and create digital systems now, will continue to see increasing dividends in the years to come.
Improve Efficiency
Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency. It can be difficult to question existing business practices when they have been successful for as long as the packaging industry has existed. Even the tightest ship can be improved and there are surprising ways that assistance from digital technologies has increased efficiency (and, in turn, increased profit).
First, an even partly digitized supply chain is able to reduce new product cycle times; whether that be from quicker approval during design or enhanced data analysis during testing. Second, and a smaller example with larger than expected repercussions, is digital printing maintains color consistency across larger scales than traditional printing methods. Converting a traditional workflow to a digital one can be a costly undertaking, but you will find it is worth every cent.
Reduce Waste
There are dozens of steps along the supply chain; starting with the brand owner to marketing to initial design to product testing to manufacturing… the list goes on. The biggest issue with this process is all of these experts, from designers to factory foremen, exist in individualized silos. The waste is shockingly high: up to one third of food product recalls are due to artwork errors (i.e. missing allergen information). Under a digitized supply chain, avoidable mistakes are caught and costs are reduced.
Another way to reduce waste using digitalization is by analyzing data collected in warehouses, ordering systems and delivery routes. Patterns that may have gone unnoticed are easily spotted with access to big data and predicting supply and demand trends becomes a breeze.
Client Loyalty
The name of the game in customer satisfaction is communication. A digitized company can increase transparency when dealing with their customers. Updates to clients can be sent immediately and automatically—and, thanks to the IoT, often without any extra effort on your part!
Digital printing has revolutionized the ability to respond to customers of all sizes. There is no need to create costly one-use plates for printing. These new technologies mean there is less need to worry about short run jobs failing to make profit margins or creating bottlenecks in the supply chain.
GCB Solutions is here to transform your supply chain of yesterday into the digital packaging process of tomorrow. Using a combination of technical know-how and IoT-assisted analysis, GCB Solutions can improve efficiency at every step of the process and create your packaging for less money in less time. Call us at (904) 263-2804 or schedule a free consultation, today.