For many manufacturers, the start of a new year brings fresh priorities—and a clearer view of what’s working and what isn’t. If you’ve been running your current production software for a while, this may be the ideal moment to step back and take stock. Not because change is always necessary, but because informed decisions require honest assessment.
The question isn’t simply whether your software still functions. It’s whether it’s truly serving your operation’s evolving needs—and whether better options exist that could transform how you work.
You Finally Have Real Data to Work With
After several months of operation, you’re no longer guessing. You have actual performance data to evaluate against your goals. Are you hitting your production targets? Where are the persistent bottlenecks? Which jobs consistently run over time or budget?
This is where the right analytics platform becomes invaluable. SpencerMetrics’ CONNECT platform, for example, captures comprehensive production data across your entire operation—from job inception to completion—providing detailed insights into productivity metrics, operational uptime, and process efficiency. Rather than relying on gut instinct or anecdotal feedback, you can identify exactly where inefficiencies live and quantify their impact.
The key is having software that doesn’t just collect data, but makes it accessible and actionable. CONNECT’s vendor-agnostic approach means it integrates with virtually any equipment manufacturer, eliminating the silos that often prevent manufacturers from seeing the complete picture. When your digital presses, finishing equipment, and analog machines all feed into a single intelligence platform, patterns emerge that would otherwise remain hidden.
“There’s a pretty considerable disparity between the theoretical and the actual, and one of the benefits of SpencerMetrics is being able to actually narrow that gap and see that gap narrow over time. It’s been really, really powerful for us.”
— Jim Martin, President, Numo Manufacturing
Future-Proofing Your Operation Matters More Than Ever
The manufacturing landscape continues to evolve rapidly. Automation, sustainability requirements, and customer expectations around turnaround times are all intensifying. The software you choose today needs to support not just current operations, but your roadmap for the next three to five years.
This means looking beyond basic functionality to consider connectivity and scalability. Can your software integrate seamlessly with your MIS/ERP systems? SpencerMetrics addressed this challenge with its API 2.0, which enables direct machine-to-machine connectivity and shop-floor data integration, replacing manual data entry across the entire production process. This kind of automation isn’t a luxury—it’s becoming essential for operations that want to remain competitive.
Consider also how you’ll access insights as your operation grows. Traditional reporting requires technical expertise and time—resources most production managers don’t have in abundance. Emerging AI-powered analytics layers, like SpencerMetrics’ CONNECT-Q, are changing this equation entirely. By enabling natural language queries (“Which operator had the highest efficiency yesterday?” or “What caused the downtime on Press 3 last week?”), these tools democratize data access across your organization. Every team member, regardless of technical background, can tap into production intelligence instantly.
“I start my day looking at yesterday’s productivity reports. Then, weekly, we run the analytics to see equipment utilization capacity, and we’ve also been able to get into job costing analysis. It just gives us more data on where to target productivity—it really helps you do your job better.”
— Joe, 4over, one of the largest trade printers in North America
Tax Season Revealed Your Pain Points—Don’t Ignore Them
If your recent accounting cycle surfaced recurring headaches—manual data reconciliation, disconnected systems, reporting gaps, or hours spent compiling information that should flow automatically—those issues won’t resolve themselves. In fact, they’ll compound over the coming year.
The manufacturers who thrive are those who treat these friction points as signals, not annoyances. When your production data flows seamlessly into your business systems, month-end closes become faster, job costing becomes more accurate, and financial visibility improves across the board.
Complete visibility and control over production isn’t just an operational advantage—it’s a financial one. Identifying and eliminating inefficiencies, reducing energy waste, and optimizing resource utilization directly impact your bottom line, with effects that become increasingly significant at scale.