Printing Industry Best Practices
Tracking On Time Deliveries

We’ve seen many customers reach peak anxiety levels waiting for their jobs to be delivered on time. The day the job is due, many a customer can recall getting that dreaded call from the printer asking for more time. Customers inevitably feel forced to pad the required delivery dates of subsequent jobs, or they simply take their business elsewhere.

One approach printers can take to improve on-time deliveries is to create weekly and monthly reports showing the number of jobs delivered on time each day. An on-time delivery should be based on the customer’s original required date—not a later date negotiated by the printer.

You can also measure on-time deliveries by the percentage of orders shipped on time using the following calculation: (# of orders shipped on time / # of orders shipped)

When implementing an on-time delivery initiative, or any performance improvement program, its best to set short term and long term goals. Short term goals are what you want as the immediate results. While long term goals are what you want the ultimate results to be. For example, your short term goal may be to deliver 90% of all orders on time and your long term goal may be to deliver 100% on time.

Present the on-time deliveries data in easy to understand reports or graphs. Post the results in high-traffic, well traveled areas such as in the lunch room, or by the employee time clock. Most important, be sure to celebrate with your people when they achieve the goals.

 

By Craig L. Press
President, Profectus, Inc.
craig.press@profectus.com

 

Craig L. Press is president of Profectus, Inc, a national consultancy that helps printing organizations implement best business practices and maximize the value of their information technology investments. www.profectus.com Phone: 1-888-868-8662

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