Ryan: All right, everybody, welcome back. We’re diving deep today, getting into how one manufacturer went from almost complete chaos in their production to a smooth operation.
Ryan: Yeah, we’re looking at Sign Zone. You know those guys, they make like, everything for visual communication and displays.
Emma: Oh, yeah.
Ryan: Banners and signs and trade show booths.
Emma: Like the really big ones too, right?
Ryan: Huge. Yeah. They handle something like 600 to 1200 production orders every day.
Emma: Wow, that’s a lot. I can’t even imagine how you manage that kind of volume.
Ryan: Right. Especially since, well, the case study shows they had some serious growing pains to deal with.
Emma: It’s like you start small and things are working fine, but then suddenly you’re big, and everything falls apart.
Ryan: That’s exactly it. It’s kind of rough. The picture they paint of the before times. Imagine a giant warehouse and you have absolutely no clue where anything is.
Emma: Oh, no.
Ryan: And then on top of that, you’ve got people trying to assemble orders, but they don’t have all the information they need.
Emma: Right.
Ryan: And there’s no system for scheduling or figuring out what to prioritize. Total recipe for disaster.
Emma: Yeah. And you know what happens then, right? Those little issues, they become big problems fast.
Ryan: Oh, yeah.
Emma: Missed deadlines, wasted materials, and unhappy customers.
Ryan: Nobody wants that.
Emma: And that was Sign Zone. Stuck right in that mess.
Ryan: So did they just give up?
Emma: Not at all. Actually, they were really proactive about it.
Ryan: Okay.
Emma: They formed a whole internal team to tackle this head-on.
Ryan: Smart.
Emma: Yeah. And the first thing they did was get super clear about what they wanted to achieve.
Ryan: Oh, that’s smart.
Emma: Right. So they identified these three main areas that needed improvement. First, communicating those production orders to the workers. Gotta be crystal clear.
Ryan: Yeah, makes sense.
Emma: Second, making sure tasks and deadlines are clear and who’s responsible for what.
Emma: And then lastly, having a system to decide which orders are the most important. Gotta prioritize, right?
Ryan: Totally. Sounds like they knew they needed to change big time. But they weren’t going to just randomly try things. They had a plan.
Emma: Exactly. Plus, they were smart enough to include the people who would actually be using these new systems. Brought in their Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central partner, too.
Emma: Oh, and they came up with, well, think of it like a three-pronged attack to tackle the problem.
Ryan: Love it. A three-pronged attack. So what’s prong number one?
Emma: First, they needed to control that inventory. Remember, they were dealing with this massive warehouse and no clue where anything was.
Emma: So they decided to activate that advanced warehousing functionality that comes with Business Central.
Ryan: Gotcha.
Emma: This gave them way more control over their stuff, and they could actually find any item in that huge warehouse.
Ryan: So no more wandering around for hours looking for like one specific thing.
Emma: Exactly. Think of all the time they saved. But of course, they didn’t stop there.
Ryan: Of course not. What’s next?
Emma: They decided to add barcode scanning using this add-on called Warehouse Insight.
Ryan: Now we’re talking.
Emma: Imagine workers with handheld scanners instantly updating everything as they move things around.
Ryan: Wow, that’s efficient.
Emma: Talk about taking their inventory system to the next level.
Ryan: It’s like they gave it eyes and a brain. Okay, I’m starting to see how they’re tackling this chaos, but what about the actual production floor?
Ryan: How did they deal with assigning tasks, deadlines, and all those unexpected hiccups that happen?
Emma: Well, that’s where prong number two comes in. Shop Floor Insight.
Emma: This add-on completely changed how they do production.
Ryan: Interesting.
Emma: It’s like a digital supervisor. It gives specific tasks to each worker, tracks their progress, and even points out things like scrap or defects before they become major problems.
Ryan: Okay, starting to sound like a well-oiled machine here. But we still have 600 to 1200 orders a day to deal with, right?
Emma: Yeah.
Ryan: How did they schedule all that?
Emma: Well, that brings us to the third and arguably the most important piece of the puzzle. MXAPS. Advanced planning and scheduling.
Ryan: MXAPS. Sounds intense. Tell me what makes this so special?
Emma: Think of it like a super-smart scheduling assistant. It takes all the complicated parts of production—materials, machines, worker availability—and figures out the most efficient schedule.
Ryan: So it does all the thinking for you, basically.
Ryan: But I’m imagining like a whole room full of engineers huddled over crazy algorithms. How did they actually put something like that into practice?
Emma: Well, it wasn’t easy. Remember, this isn’t just like you plug in some software and you’re done.
Ryan: Right.
Emma: They had to make sure MXAPS would work with Business Central and Shop Floor Insight.
Ryan: Oh, yeah, of course.
Emma: It’s kind of like conducting an orchestra, making sure every instrument is tuned and playing the right notes at the right time.
Ryan: So there was a lot of integration work and customization, I’m guessing.
Emma: Exactly. And they had a great partner to help them through it.
Ryan: Their Microsoft Dynamics partner.
Emma: That’s the one. They were crucial in getting Business Central to work smoothly with MXAPS and automating a lot of those manual processes.
Ryan: So how did the employees handle all this new technology and these big changes? Were they nervous or resistant?
Emma: That’s a good question, and it’s something Sign Zone was really careful about. They knew that even the best system won’t work if people don’t use it.
Ryan: Of course.
Emma: So they put a lot of effort into training and making sure everything was clearly communicated throughout the implementation.
Ryan: So they didn’t just give everyone a new software manual and say, “Good luck.”
Emma: No way. They went above and beyond.
Ryan: What did they do?
Emma: For example, they printed step-by-step instructions and put them at each workstation.
Ryan: Smart.
Emma: That way, everyone had a clear guide right in front of them.
Ryan: That’s a good idea.
Emma: And they made sure there was always someone available to help if anyone was struggling.
Ryan: Those little things can make a big difference in how people feel about change.
Ryan: Let’s talk results. How did these changes impact their everyday work?
Emma: Well, their on-time delivery rate went way up, which obviously made their customers happy.
Ryan: Yeah, that’s huge.
Emma: They also significantly reduced scrap and rework.
Ryan: Saving time and money.
Emma: Exactly. A win-win situation.
Ryan: But what about the employees themselves? Did they benefit from this new, more tech-driven way of doing things?
Emma: Absolutely. Productivity increased, especially for new staff.
Ryan: Oh, that’s great.
Emma: Having clear tasks and deadlines and real-time feedback made a big difference.
Ryan: It’s not just about having the tools but knowing how to use them effectively.
Emma: Exactly. They also introduced touchscreen computers at workstations, which made it easier for employees to use the system and track their progress.
Ryan: They really thought about the user experience. From a management perspective, they got a much better view of the production process.
Emma: They could track progress in real-time, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions.
Ryan: So they went from not knowing what was going on to having a clear picture of the entire production floor.
Emma: Exactly. Pretty impressive, right?
Ryan: Very impressive.
Emma: Sign Zone realized that the human element was just as important as the technical side. They invested in training, communication, and ongoing support to ensure everyone was comfortable with the new systems.
Ryan: It’s not just about using technology because it’s there. It’s about using it to solve real problems and empower your workforce.
Emma: Exactly. Sign Zone’s journey shows that small changes, done strategically and with a focus on people, can have a big impact on an organization.
Ryan: They didn’t just improve production; they transformed their whole company.
Emma: And there’s a lesson in that for all of us. Whether you’re running a huge manufacturing company or just trying to make your day-to-day life more efficient—embrace change, empower people, and always look for ways to improve.
Ryan: And on that note, we wrap up our deep dive. We hope you enjoyed exploring Sign Zone’s incredible journey. Until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and keep diving deep.
