Why Design Proofing Matters in the Print Industry?

Summary: Ever felt like your print order is ready for production – but one small design approval delays the process? You’re not alone. In this fast-paced printing world, even the slightest delay in print proofing can lead to missed deadlines, reprints, and dissatisfied customers. In this blog, we’ll uncover the reasons for delays in your design proofs, and what could be done to fix them. Read on!

Imagine your client has ordered flyers in bulk quantities for an event. The design is ready, production is prepared, but the design is not approved on time due to poor proofing mechanism. This leads to missed deadline and unsatisfied client.

Such challenges often occur with manual print approval workflows. In fact, research shows that 92% of missed deadlines are due to approval delays, while 82% are caused by communication issues between stakeholders.

The good news? Such delayed design approvals can be prevented by using modern innovations like web-to-print software. More print businesses are turning towards advanced design proofing software developed with web-to-print technology.

It not only reduces back-and-forth communication but also accelerates online design approval workflows. In this blog, we’ll uncover the causes that lead to delays in your design proofs and actionable steps to tackle them.

Why Is Design Proofing Critical in the Printing Process?

Design proofing is a critical step when ordering prints. It ensures that the initial design matches the final prints. Not proofing the designs properly can lead to costly mistakes and inaccuracies in print like improper colors, typos, or layout issues.

It acts as a final checkpoint to see if the text, images, bleed margins, and alignment are proper as per the requirements. Advanced design proofing tools can help to deliver fast and accurate proofs, resulting in enhanced customer satisfaction and repeat business.

What are the Impacts of Delayed Design Proofs?

Although delays in providing design proofs may seem like a minor issue, they can significantly impact various aspects of your print business. Let’s explore in detail how delayed design proofs affect day-to-day operations and overall business growth.

1. Late Delivery of Time-Sensitive Materials

If an order has a deadline and it is not approved on time, it will lead to delays in production and ultimately delays in delivery. This makes clients lose trust in the print business, wasted money, and lost marketing impact for the clients.

2. Increased Reprint Rates Due to Missed Errors

Opting a print order management system can increase efficiency, while its absence can lead to proofing errors like printing wrong phone numbers, outdated pricing, or designs with misaligned branding. It can increase reprint rates, and material wastage.

3. Bottlenecks in Print Production Workflow

Until and unless a design proof is not approved, it cannot move to the production process. This delay not only affects that particular print job but also slows down the other print jobs in line, especially during busy times.

4. Loss of Repeat Business or Referrals

When clients experience issues like errors in final prints and delays in order delivery, they may lose confidence in the reliability of your print business. This can make them turn to competitors, which can hurt your reputation and reduce repeat business.

Common Reasons for Delays in Design Proofs

When it comes to the reasons why design proofs get delayed, there could be several factors that can be the root cause for this issue. Let’s deep dive into this topic to understand why this problem exactly happens.

1. Manual Design Proofing Processes

The manual method of proofing designs often requires the involvement of multiple team members and juggling between email threads, attachments, and spreadsheets, leading to delays and errors. It does not have a centralized system for managing and tracking designs, needs back-and-forth communication, and the involvement of multiple team members, making it a time-consuming task.

2. Design Version Confusion for Everyone

Traditional proofing systems do not have a proper method for version control of print designs, making it challenging to track design iterations and find the appropriate file on time. Manually saving files like "final_v2" or "latest_edit_final_final" can create confusion for print service providers and print buyers, resulting in the approval of a wrong file and sending it for production.

3. Lack of Real-Time Alerts and Notifications

It is necessary that everyone involved in the design approval process has visibility into the approval status and receives real-time alerts during design modifications, in order that the print job gets quickly pushed into production. Such types of automated notifications and reminders are absent when it comes to manual design proofing methods, causing delays in print operations.

How to Choose the Right Software for Design Proofing?

As a print business owner, choosing an online print proofing software can be quite challenging. However, by following the right approach, you can make an informed decision. Here’s how you can select the appropriate software.

1. Understand Your Current Design Proofing Challenges

Before selecting a new software, consider the design proofing challenges of your existing print workflows. By identifying what’s causing delays in your design review and approval process, you can choose the right proofing software that directly addresses those bottlenecks.

2. Choose a User-Friendly Platform for Teams and Clients

Find a user-friendly proofing software that has an intuitive interface – not just for your team but also for your print buyers. Ensure the online proofing platform is ease-to-use, has a short learning curve, and is mobile-friendly, allowing you to effortlessly manage multiple proofs at once.

3 Look for Key Features That Simplify Proofing and Collaboration

Check if it offers key features like real-time design updates, version control, centralized management of designs, secured previewing and file sharing options. Ensure it supports multiple file formats, rectification of image resolution, color accuracy, and more.

4. Check Support for Integration with Varied Applications

Find an online proofing software for printers that supports web-to-print integrations with essential systems like MIS, ERP, CRM, accounting, payment, shipping, and more. Connecting with such existing and third-party applications can enhance the overall efficiency and streamline workflows.

5. Evaluate Ongoing Customer Support and Reliability

Look for an online artwork approval system provider that offers robust onboarding support and has a responsive customer service. Consider taking a live demonstration of how the proofing software can streamline approval workflows before opting for the software.

How an Approval Software Helps to Speed Up Design Proofing Process

With the evolution of modern design approval systems, speeding up the design proofing process has become easier. However, the secret lies in utilizing these innovations in the appropriate way for the best results. Let’s look at how to achieve this.

1. Centralize Feedback and Revisions

Design proofing software eliminates the need for back-and-forth emails and scattered feedback, by bringing all communication, approval requests, feedback, design modifications, and revisions into a single platform. This keeps all the designs and communication in an organized manner, thus speeding up the approval process.

2. Share Proofs Instantly and Securely

Utilize this online proof approval software to instantly share the print artworks in a secured manner, gather feedback for modifications from print buyers, and keep your creative assets protected. Your clients can use any device to review the proofs of these artworks even without downloading them, while ensuring the security of the design.

3. Automate Approval Notifications and Tracking

Print business owners can use this online design proofing software to automate approval notifications, track design revisions, and approval cycles, eliminating the need for back-and-forth emails. It helps you remain organized with a clear log of feedback submission date & time to effortlessly monitor design changes and approvals.

4. Use Version Control to Stay on Track

Leverage the chronological version control capability of the software to get a well-structured view of multiple design iterations and avoid confusion between versions. It allows you and your customers to have complete transparency and accountability of the design versions, thus saving time, and reducing costly mistakes.

Wrapping It Up!Delays in print design proofs can negatively impact productivity and lead to dissatisfied customers. Modernizing proofing practices with advanced technologies can minimize delays and help you deliver accurate prints.Opt for an innovative design proofing software for printers like the ones provided by OnPrintShop that offers chronological version control of designs, and asset protection with secured file sharing options. It also enables you to offer timely notifications at every stage of the design approval process and has a centralized platform for design corrections and receiving feedback.If you want to know more about the trailblazing features of this software and how it can double the speed of your approval workflows, then request a demo with OnPrintShop today. Our solution experts will provide a personalized demonstration to enhance your operational efficiency and boost customer satisfaction.