What are the telltale signs of a great screen printing, embroidery, and DTG shop? We asked 9 of the industry's most experienced printers, shop owners and consultants what they look for.
Who we talked to:Brett Bowden from Printed Threads (a popular and totally unique print shop in Texas)
Ryan Moor from Ryonet (a worldwide supplier of screen printing machines and supplies)
Alan Howe from SAATI (a manufacturer of cutting-edge industrial fabrics and chemicals)
Charlie Taublieb from Taublieb Consulting (a long-time industry consultant and trade show leader)
Greg Kitson from Mind's Eye Graphics (a leader in training and continuing education for screen printers)
Rick Roth from Mirror Image and The Ink Kitchen (a world class, high-volume print shop and a popular online publication for screen printers)
Mark Coudray from Coudray Technologies (a world-class innovator in print shop consultation)
Richard Greaves, Member of the Academy of Screen and Digital Printing Technologies (a beloved industry standard-bearer, expert consultant, and longtime expert in all things screen printing)
Scott Fresener from T-Biz Network (a world leader in educating and improving screen printers' knowledge)
What did they tell us? There are a few things that really good print shops all have in common:
- Cleanliness is always a telltale sign that the shop owner and employees care about the shop. This doesn't mean everything is perfectly spotless, but it does mean the facility is presentable and (most of all) highly functional.
- People like being at the shop. No one seems afraid of the owner or hateful of their work. "Seeing people smile is a good sign."
- Processes and procedures. A written guidebook that handles the workflow in a meaningful way is a dead giveaway that the shop is taking its production process seriously.
- They know their strengths and weaknesses. "The first thing I want to see as a consultant is the prints they're not happy with." - Charlie Taublieb. Shops that excel know what they can do well – and they do a lot of it.
- Owners know how to listen to customers. The customer always comes first – so listening to what the customer actually wants is crucial for having good product go out the door.
- Everyone is hustling. "There's systematic movement. You can see that everything is moving in a synchronized way." - Rick Roth.
- The shop is organized. "It doesn't mean it's not cluttered or spotless. There's checkpoints, milestones that have been recording. That means there's someone that understands that this is a process." - Mark Coudray.
- A tireless, never-ending desire to "work clean." Like a restaurant, if you clean while you're working you'll have a much easier time staying organized. Someone has put time into the process and thought about the entirety of the workflow, and it's reflected in the desire to keep the shop clean.
- Employees care about their work. It can be obvious from the moment you arrive – the employees in the shop really care about their work. They take pride in it. It matters to them.
What do YOU think makes a great print shop? Watch the full video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0ISCBE0Y44
