Unik Web Creates Quality Digital Solutions That Combine Technology and Automation for Hueneye, an Industrial Printer in Canada
Challenges in the Printing Industry
The printing industry today faces many challenges with regards to modern technology, the shortage of manpower and increasing operating costs. In order for a printing company to remain profitable and offer a quality service, it requires the optimization of its production and supply chain.
Typically, a large amount of manual work is done by employees. This could be receiving files, managing custom pricing, improving graphic files, laying out documents or delivering products.
When order volumes are high, it becomes difficult for printers to perform manual tasks optimally and ensure that the service offered remains profitable. Hueneye was no exception to the rule and they faced the same challenges as its competitors. This is when the company chose to collaborate with Unik Web.
Services
- Development of custom web applications
- Integrations with WordPress, Wix and Shopify
- Third-Party Partner API Integrations
- Setting up and configuring a flexible and scalable hosting environment
The Assignment: Automating the Processes of an Industrial Printing Company for a Better Operations Management
In order to improve its operations management and its production time, as well as reduce waste and loss of income, Hueneye asked Unik Web to automate its processes and implement digital solutions in its business. The printing company also wanted to offer online sales possibilities on its website and integrate the execution of these orders into the existing production chain.
100,000
orders supported on the site each year
The Challenge: Optimizing the Logistics of a Printing Company with a High Sales Volume
To carry out the mandate, Unik Web created solutions that takes into account the high volume of orders recorded at Hueneye. The ultimate goal was to automate processes that optimize all stages of the printer’s production chain, from supply to delivery. We also made sure to design systems that maximize profit margins based on the materials used and the average time invested by employees to complete an order.
Reducing Manual Tasks Using Automation and Setting up High-Performance Formulas
In order to automate operations management related to Hueneye’s logistics, we developed a system that combines programming, API and artificial intelligence. The latter connects the website to the production chain via Metrics, a file imposition software used by Hueneye. This tool, which automatically arranges the visuals to be printed on a sheet to optimize the material used and avoid waste, then exports the files into a custom-designed production calendar.
From this calendar, prints are scheduled based on their due date and the time needed to fulfill the order. If a delay is expected due to a supply problem, equipment failure or other unexpected issue, employees receive a notification so that they can inform their customers of the potential delay.
10 M
product and price combinations
In print, quotes need to take into account the materials used for the order and the time needed to complete the project. We therefore designed a complete system that generates service offers. This system automatically evaluates the printing costs according to the customer’s requirements and ensures the profitability of the operation.
Thanks to mathematical formulas, we established ten million price combinations to ensure profitability for our client, regardless of the products chosen and the dimensions of the file. Finally, when the orders placed are for high volumes, the system offers a discounted price to customers according to a range of pre-established ranges.
To automate the operations related to order deliveries, we created a management software for outgoing parcels. This software takes into consideration on-site pick-ups, as well as deliveries by Hueneye drivers and by third-party suppliers. The system generates unique identifiers for each package in the form of barcodes, which are then scanned and sorted by the printer’s staff.
We also developed a product and inventory managing tool that allows our client to be notified when their stocks need to be renewed. Hueneye can therefore always carry the right amount of material necessary to meet the needs of its customers.
When users have non-standardized print requests, Hueneye sometimes does business with third-party vendors to fulfill the orders. To facilitate these collaborations, we created a secure auction system. The various suppliers can bid on the multiple projects, which allows our client to quickly obtain the best price for the order and satisfy customers.
Developing Digital Solutions to Improve Customer Experience for Hueneye’s Printing Company
Unik Web created an assistance tool which converts submitted documents to the standard format for successful printing. From this application, customers can approve their proof in real time and be informed if an error or a technical problem occurs with the file. For example, when the colorimetric mode is not the right one, the image resolution is wrong, the margins or the size are incorrect, the web interface directly notifies the users when uploading their document. Then, to facilitate communication between the client and the printer, we integrated a chat box linked to the ticket management system used by Hueneye, which is HubSpot’s Service Hub.
We then integrated an option into the ordering process that allows customers to choose the most advantageous delivery method according to the size of their package, the number of boxes to be sent and the delivery address. Once the preferred distribution method is selected, an API integration creates the shipment with the chosen delivery service. If a customer chooses in-store pick-up, they use a custom-developed online appointment manager to schedule a date and time to get their packages.
Some of the printer’s customers act as white label resellers. This means that they offer Hueneye’s services under their own business name. To facilitate collaboration between these retailers and Hueneye, we designed integrations with WordPress, Wix and Shopify platforms that allow retailers to offer the desired services on their website. These integrations also automatically manage revenue sharing between retailers and our client.
Lastly, we implemented on Hueneye’s website a flexible and scalable infrastructure that can adapt to the volume of orders. This ensures a good user experience on each of their visits, regardless of the traffic recorded on the site.
3
ecommerce platforms integrated and automatically managed
Implementing Systems to Automate Internal Operations
Unik Web developed a clocking tool that takes care of the payroll and staff schedules. It also offers the possibility of generating reports to analyze, for example, the number of hours worked in a month per employee.
Using APIs, we also integrated their Quickbooks invoicing system. We then automated invoicing and purchase orders. This tool also allows Hueneye to track payment more easily and to follow up on past due invoices when needed.
Technologies Used
Client Testimonial
Thanks to the automation processes that Unik Web has integrated into our printing plant, we have considerably reduced the manual work to be carried out to fulfill orders. We also maximized the logistics of our operations. I am extremely satisfied with the results and the service I get.
Michael Green
Founder & CEO of Hueneye
