It’s been a pretty long time since the dawning of the so-called “Digital Age.” Early on there was lot of press promoting the labor-saving value of this new digital way of doing things. New digital products and digital business solutions were popping up like mushrooms after a rain. And often, in the beginning at least, the hype far outstripped the actual performance of those new-fangled digital products.

 

But that was then. Today, digital systems are robust and much more stable. Performance, for the most part, has finally caught up to those early over-blown promises. Printers crank out great images at true production speeds; you no longer need a Ph.D. in computer engineering to achieve decent color; and email has become ubiquitous and reliable.

 

For the most part, the various digital technologies employed for production in the signage and graphics industry work as advertised. And shop owners considering these products don’t necessarily require an A-to-Z explanation. In our industry just about everything is digitally dependent—from electric signage controllers to large-format printers, CNC routers, engravers, flatbed cutters, and even our sales ordering and workflow tracking systems. 

 

Researching new product options online has become easy and fast. With relatively little effort (because of much improved search engines) you can find information on just about anything you need for your shop. Manufacturers and wholesalers often provide their entire catalog of products in downloadable PDF format. Ordering products from many wholesalers has become as easy as a few mouse-clicks. 

 

And now, with the growing popularity of social media networks, sourcing products has incorporated a whole new digital wrinkle—instant end-user feedback. One business-focused professional networking site that I often use—LinkedIn—features a number of specific industry related groups that you can sign up for. Sign & Digital Graphics hosts a group there, as do many of the industry associations.

 

Other industry groups you can find at LinkedIn include LED Professionals, Digital Printing-Wide Format, to name just a couple. Discussions in the S&DG group run a gamut of topics. One shop might ask advice on how to create certain kind of signage effect, or request help finding a certain type of product with a question like: “Where can I get a thermoformable sheet that accepts solvent inkjet inks?” 

 

It becomes especially interesting when I see a shop owner post something like: “I’m considering purchasing new ABC-brand CNC router. Does anyone have experience with this machine?” Sometimes the feedback is positive, sometimes critical, always enlightening. Of course manufacturer reps are also following these groups, ready to refute misinformation, address legitimate concerns, or make a pitch for their own wares.

 

To me, this kind of healthy interaction represents a whole new era of empowerment for our industry. Getting instant feedback from professional colleagues in this way can be extremely helpful when considering a big-ticket item like a router or big digital printer. It represents a new way to help you quickly separate hype from reality, and to ask the right questions when considering a purchase. And this kind of research/sourcing tool is available to every shop owner with a computer who makes the effort to log on. I mean, how great is that? 

 

Okay, back to work.