A few years back, I visited a screen printing shop to order shirts for an upcoming high school reunion. While speaking directly with one of the owners, I noticed a computer behind the counter, and naturally assumed the order would be entered here. I was mistaken.

As we reviewed the sizes and colors I needed, the owner flipped from page to page in a 3-ring binder looking up prices and filling out an order form on paper. The process to order 40 or so shirts took roughly 20 minutes. I could not help but wonder how much faster the process could have been with the use of an order entry system. I told her what I did for a living and indicated that I could design a system for her that would cut her workload significantly. She firmly told me she was not interested and went about her business. Sure, I could have pushed on, but as a representative of my high school, I felt it best to let it be.

When the shirts were ready, I did receive an invoice in PDF format that appeared to be from Quickbooks or a similar off the shelf bookkeeping application. That explained the presence of the computer on the counter.

What could I have done? I would have designed a system that would facilitate an easy and efficient order entry process. Inventory could be checked easily. After the day's orders were entered, purchase orders could then be generated to order blank shirts from the manufacturer (if not in stock). Production could be well organized and facilitated with the use of a PC workstation in the printing area. Invoicing could be done with the click of a mouse.

I am surprised, with all the technology available, that there are still businesses out there operating on paper and spreadsheets. For a surprisingly small investment, you can free up a lot of your time, making yourself available to address other responsibilities in your office and generate more sales. Then there's the time you would save your customer. That's priceless.