Somerset West Signage

The brief from a busy Somerset West sign counter

The client worked from Somerset West and handled a steady mix of trade work, walk-in requests and repeat business from local shops, estates and small firms. The old process relied on phone calls, sent artwork and handwritten notes for sizes, so each job needed extra checking before it could move into print.

The brief was to present signage in a way that made sense to non-technical buyers while still giving staff enough control over sizing, finishing and artwork checks. The team wanted one storefront where customers could pick product types, enter measurements, upload files and see the price shift as the specification changed.

• Wide format launch for banners, boards and custom signs
• Clear size input for standard and non-standard jobs
• Artwork upload with proofing before production release
• Order tracking that staff could follow through the job stages

Product builders shaped around common sign jobs

We set up product builders for the main signage lines the shop sells most often. That covered banner jobs, rigid boards, window graphics and made-to-measure signage with finishing choices such as eyelets, hems, drilled holes and trimmed edges. The builders were arranged so the customer sees only the options that matter to that product, which keeps the ordering path shorter and the price logic easier to follow.

Price matrices were configured around size bands, material choices and finishing add-ons. The shop could present square metre based pricing where needed, but also allow flat rates for fixed sizes and common formats. That mix matters for signage, because a poster, a construction board and a fabric banner do not need the same pricing method.

• Custom sizes entered in millimetres or metres
• Finishing rules tied to each product type
• Price steps for common size ranges
• Artwork prompts linked to the selected board or banner

Artwork control for files that do not arrive neatly

Signage orders often arrive with artwork that is missing bleed, uses the wrong dimensions or needs a quick check before print. We added artwork rules so the storefront asks for the correct file type and flags the details staff need to review. That included guidance for safe margins, cut lines and file naming, which cuts down on avoidable back and forth inside the shop.

Proofing was built into the workflow rather than treated as an afterthought. Once a customer uploads a file, the team can inspect, mark for correction if needed, or approve it for production. For a shop handling boards for storefronts and site signs around Somerset West, that step matters because even a small sizing error can affect install day and material waste.

Payments, delivery and order movement through production

The project needed a checkout flow that could work for both direct buyers and trade accounts. We set up payment handling for online orders and linked delivery choices into the product journey so the customer sees the collection or courier option before the order is placed. That is useful on signage jobs where board sizes, roll widths and finishing can affect packaging and transport.

Behind the storefront, order tracking was configured to move each job through the usual print stages. The shop can see what has been ordered, what still needs artwork clearance, and what is ready to enter production. For a busy signage team, that reduces missed handovers between sales, prepress and finishing.

• Payment capture tied to the checkout path
• Courier or collection choice shown at order stage
• Production status visible to staff and client accounts
• Job notes carried through from order to dispatch

Training for the people who work the boards and the inbox

Once the storefront structure was in place, we handled staff training with the people who would use it every day. The sessions covered product setup, artwork review, basic admin tasks and the steps needed to keep the catalogue tidy as new sign formats are added. For a local team, that is as important as the software itself because signage catalogues tend to grow in layers.

The training also dealt with how to manage repeat corporate buyers through a B2B portal setup. That means approved users can place their own orders against the right product range and pricing rules, while the shop still keeps control of the artwork and production path. It is a practical fit for estate managers, retail groups and businesses that re-order the same signs with minor changes.

What changed once the storefront went live

The launch gave the Somerset West shop a cleaner front end for signage sales and a steadier back end for production. Customers can now build a job with the right size, finishing and upload fields in front of them, instead of sending vague instructions and waiting for a manual quote thread to be stitched together. Staff spend less time re-keying details and more time checking the real production issues.

The strongest result was the consistency of the order data. Measurements, artwork files, price rules and delivery choices now travel in the same structure from first click to dispatch. That helps when the work crosses from custom boards to banners and then into repeat trade signage, because the system does not force every job into the same narrow shape.

• Cleaner ordering for custom sign sizes
• Less manual correction of job details
• Better handover from sales to production
• Improved control over repeat trade accounts

The next build we would make on a similar signage line

If we were extending a similar Somerset West signage storefront, we would begin with the products that account for the most reorders and then grow the catalogue around those shapes. That keeps the first launch manageable and makes it easier for the team to keep artwork rules, price matrices and finishing choices aligned. It also gives the print shop room to add new board sizes or banner variants without upsetting the ordering flow.

We would also keep the proofing step close to the product builder, not hidden several screens away. In signage work, the customer needs to see what they are ordering before the file reaches print, and the staff need a clean route from upload to approval. That part of the workflow matters just as much as the visible storefront.