What happens when the software that's supposed to make running your business easier starts getting in the way?
For many sign and print companies, outdated systems, disconnected information and complicated processes can quietly become part of everyday working life. Teams learn to work around the limitations, often without realising how much time those workarounds are costing them.
That was the reality for Birmingham-based creative and print company Blue Chilli.
After 13 years using an outdated Management Information System (MIS) that offered little more than quoting and invoicing, Directors Steve O’Flaherty and Carl Wheeler knew there had to be a better way.
By introducing Clarity Go and Clarity Pro, part of Clarity Signage and Print Business Management Software, Blue Chilli connected customer information, quotations and production in a way that better supported its team.
The difference was significant.
As Steve explains:
“We'd be lost without Clarity now. We really, really would.”
So, what wasn't working before, what changed, and what can other sign and print businesses learn from Blue Chilli's experience?
See the BlueChilli story
Watch Paul explain why Action Graphics chose Clarity Signage and Print Business Management Software and how the system now supports quoting, costing, Sage integration and reporting across the business.
1. When your print MIS software becomes part of the problem
Founded in 2009, Blue Chilli is a Birmingham-based creative digital marketing agency offering much more than traditional design services.
Alongside websites, animation, video, photography and social media, the business specialises in large-format print, digital printing, litho printing and merchandise.
With such a diverse range of services, managing customer requirements, quotations and production information is an important part of everyday operations.
But for the first 13 years, Blue Chilli relied on software that wasn't making those processes any easier.
Steve recalls:
“Very complicated, very clunky, didn't really help the business in any way. It was just a means to an end to getting quotations and invoices done.”
The problem wasn't simply that the software was old. It was that the system wasn't supporting the wider needs of the business.
Customer information, job descriptions and other important details were stored separately, making it difficult to maintain a connected workflow.
Carl explains:
“Before Clarity, everything lived in different places. Client details in one place, job notes, descriptions in another place. So nothing talked to each other.”
For print businesses handling multiple customers, bespoke quotations and different production requirements, that lack of integration creates unnecessary complexity.
Employees spend time locating information, checking details and ensuring everyone is working from the same information.
And when those processes become familiar, it's easy to accept them as normal.
The question is whether your software is genuinely helping your team, or simply allowing them to get through the working day.
2. What changed when Blue Chilli introduced Clarity Go and Pro?
In early 2022, Blue Chilli explored an alternative to its existing system.
Following a demonstration of Clarity Signage and Print Business Management Software, the team immediately recognised the potential.
Steve remembers being “absolutely blown away by the functionality of the system.”
Rather than replacing one isolated process with another, Blue Chilli adopted both Clarity Go and Clarity Pro, creating a more connected way of managing customer details, job information, estimating and production.
Connecting information across the business
One of the most important changes was bringing information together.
Previously, details lived in different places. Now, the team could access connected customer and job information without relying on separate systems.
For a business offering everything from digital marketing to large-format printing, that visibility makes it easier for employees to understand the work being managed.
Making flexible working possible
Clarity Go also introduced greater flexibility for the team.
Its cloud-based access allows employees to work from home and manage their own client accounts.
Carl explains that this helped distribute responsibilities more effectively across the business, giving individuals greater ownership of their customers.
That also supports a more personal service, as employees can take responsibility for their client relationships while working from shared information.
Supporting complex print quotations
Meanwhile, Clarity Pro plays an important role in Blue Chilli's print estimating.
Steve uses the system to prepare quotations for large-format and litho print work, while other members of the team can see the relevant job information.
Carl highlights one of the biggest practical benefits:
“If Steve's quoting on something, I can see that job live.”
This shared visibility helps the business stay aligned on job details, costs and delivery arrangements.
Instead of information being restricted to one person or one part of the business, employees have a clearer picture of what's happening.
3. Can better print management software help businesses win more work?
For Blue Chilli, the benefits of introducing Clarity have gone beyond making internal processes easier.
The directors believe the connected approach has also supported their ability to win business and deliver a better customer experience.
With employees taking greater ownership of client accounts, customer information easier to access and quotations connected to job details, the business can operate with greater consistency.
Carl explains:
“We do believe that it's helped us win more business.”
While Blue Chilli hasn't provided a specific increase in sales or conversion rates, the commercial value of its new approach is clear from the team's experience.
Less time spent managing information
When customer details and job information are connected, employees don't need to rely as heavily on searching across disconnected systems.
That gives the team more time to concentrate on customers and productive work.
Better communication between employees
Live job visibility means employees can access information about work being quoted or managed by colleagues.
That shared visibility reduces uncertainty and helps everyone remain aligned.
More personal customer relationships
By distributing work across employees and enabling remote access through Clarity Go, Blue Chilli has given team members more responsibility for their individual customers.
For a creative and print business where relationships and service matter, that's an important advantage.
Steve summarises the operational impact:
“It streamlined the business like you wouldn't believe.”
The lesson for other sign and print companies is that improving business processes isn't simply about saving administration time.
It's also about creating an environment where employees have the information, confidence and flexibility to do their jobs effectively.
4. Why does training and support matter when replacing an MIS?
For many established print companies, the idea of changing software can be daunting.
When employees have used the same system for years, there may be concerns about learning new processes, transferring responsibilities or disrupting daily operations.
That makes the support offered by a software provider particularly important.
For Blue Chilli, the experience of working with the Clarity team was a positive part of the transition.
Steve explains:
“The team at Clarity were absolutely brilliant. Hands-on training.”
The support didn't stop after the initial implementation.
When employees needed further guidance, the Clarity team returned to provide additional assistance and remained available by telephone and Microsoft Teams.
This helped the team work through difficulties as they became more familiar with the software.
Steve says he would recommend Clarity to other companies within the sector.
His experience highlights an important consideration for any sign or print business reviewing its systems:
The right software needs to be supported by people who can help your employees use it effectively.
Even a capable system will deliver limited value if employees don't feel confident using it.
Training, onboarding and ongoing support are therefore important parts of making a successful change.
5. Is it time to reconsider your current print MIS software?
Blue Chilli's experience raises an important question for sign and print business owners.
Just because your current system works, does that mean it's working well enough?
An MIS might still produce quotations and invoices, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's supporting the rest of your business.
If your team is regularly switching between systems, searching for customer details or relying on individual employees to provide job updates, there may be opportunities to improve the way your business operates.
Consider the following questions:
Does your software connect customer information, quotations and job details?
Can employees see the progress of jobs without having to chase colleagues?
Is your estimating system suited to the different print processes you offer?
Can your team access the information they need when working remotely?
Does your current software help employees manage customers more effectively?
Are you receiving the training and support needed to get the most from your system?
If your answer to several of these questions is no, it may be worth reviewing whether your current software is still suitable for your business.
Finding the right solution for your operations
Clarity Signage and Print Business Management Software is designed specifically for businesses operating in signage and print production.
Clarity Go provides cloud-based access to core processes such as customer management, estimating, job tracking and invoicing, making it a practical option for sign and print companies that want more connected everyday operations.
Clarity Pro supports businesses with more complex production and estimating requirements, including advanced print calculations, stock management and detailed production control.
As Blue Chilli demonstrates, the right combination depends on how your business operates and the challenges you're looking to address.
The aim shouldn't be to introduce software for the sake of change.
It should be to make the processes your team relies on easier, more consistent and better connected.
From outdated systems to a more connected business
For 13 years, Blue Chilli operated with software that was complicated, disconnected and limited in how it supported the business.
Today, with Clarity Go and Clarity Pro working together, the team benefits from shared information, greater flexibility, live job visibility and a more connected approach to customer management and print estimating.
Steve and Carl describe significant time savings, improved ways of working and a system they believe has helped the company win more business.
Perhaps Steve's strongest comment says everything about the difference it's made:
“We'd be lost without Clarity now. We really, really would.”
Watch the Blue Chilli customer story
Hear Steve O’Flaherty and Carl Wheeler explain their experience of replacing an outdated MIS and why Clarity has become such an important part of their business.
Is your software a help or a hindrance?
If your sign or print business is still relying on disconnected information, complicated processes or an outdated MIS, it may be time to explore what a more connected system could offer.
Could your sign or print business benefit from the same level of visibility?
If you want greater control over estimating, job costing, and workflow, arrange a focused walkthrough with our team.
We can look at how your business currently handles quotations, materials, labour, accounts integration, and reporting and show you where a more structured process could help.
