When business owners strategize ways to increase profits, they usually focus their energy on determining how to attract more customers to generate additional sales. However, the key to boosting the bottom line is to identify ways to work smarter – not harder. In fact, improving net earnings is often directly linked to three activities: controlling costs, increasing productivity, and optimizing resources. And one way to accomplish all three objectives is to implement a Label and Artwork Management system.
However, many organizations hesitate to implement new Label and Artwork Management technology. After all, new technology requires changes in processes, changes in behavior, and maybe even changes in organizational structure – and not everyone likes change.
Furthermore, if your organization is already successful, the current state of your Label and Artwork Management process has contributed to this success. In fact, according to the theory of “structural inertia,” organizations are limited in their capacity to change because they’re selected – in evolutionary terms – for their highly reproducible behaviors. In other words: stability is rewarded. Viewed through this lens, it’s easy to see how you might think there’s no need for new Label and Artwork Management technology (and all of the changes that come with it).
But assuming the necessary conditions that enabled your success will continue to hold is risky. For example, where will your company be competing in the future and why? In what market segments? In what aspects of the industry? In which geographies? Based on what competitive advantage? If any of these are currently changing or could change in the future, then chances are good you cannot reasonably expect to maintain the status quo. And from Kodak to Blockbuster, there are plenty of cautionary examples highlighting the consequences of assuming your future is disruption-proof.
You also have to consider the “what if’s” in Label and Artwork Management – those scenarios that keep you awake at night:
- What if my product gets to market with an incorrect label?
- What if we don’t have a proper audit trail in place to determine how something was released when there is a question about it?
- What if a product launch is delayed because the label is not ready on schedule?
- What if we can’t find the latest version of an asset when a change is required?
- What if the one person who keeps track of the latest file versions decides to leave the organization?
Has there ever not been a time after a systemic event when you’ve heard, “we didn’t see that coming?” While it’s a completely human trait to ignore risks that are present but have not occurred, it’s also folly. Ignoring these Label and Artwork Management risks creates blind spots in your organization that can contribute to product-to-market inertia and even put the organization in peril.
So before you completely dismiss Label and Artwork Management technology, make your list of “what ifs” and answer each question. Do you really have the resources you need to adequately address each scenario? If not, consider how a Label and Artwork Management solution can mitigate these risks. Chances are, you’ll discover real value in Label and Artwork Management technology – not just because of its operational benefits, but because of its ability to safeguard your organization in the midst of changing marketplace conditions and unforeseen events.
Building a Business Case for a Label and Artwork Management System
To implement a Label and Artwork Management solution, you will first need to build a business case. Yes, in most organizations this is the formalized way to secure funding for a project, but in reality, the lifespan of a well written business case can extend beyond the financing. A business case forces you to define the business needs and objectives driving your project. Even a one-page statement that outlines the scope, goals, risks, and potential cost of a project does wonders to align a team of people around what needs to be accomplished. And importantly: this sets your project up for success from the onset. To learn more about building a business case for a Label and Artwork Management solution, download our e-book: Building a Business Case for Label and Artwork Management.
