Today, sign-makers around the world are enjoying the benefits of software on a subscription basis. Simply by paying a low monthly fee – a revenue expense, not a capital outlay – the latest version of the software is instantly available. SAi plays vital role in it! The company’s licenses for all output devices are affordable and options are available for special tools on an as-needed basis. Subscription software is automatically updated as it is refined and upgraded when new versions become available.

SAi introduced its subscription programme in 2014, when software by subscription was a very new concept. Today, most major business and home software programme are available by subscription. So are SAi Flexi, Flexi Design and EnRoute and signmakers of all sizes around the world are enjoying the benefits. “Sign printing is a moving target these days and having the latest software means that we can take on work with confidence,” says Dan Bosley, owner, Screenguild Signs at Aldergrove in British Columbia, Canada. He adds, “Even though there are only three of us, we offer a full service, from design to installation. We began using the subscription service for SAi Flexi in 2015 and run it on four computers: three for design-related work and one for production.” Screenguild Signs is 100 percent digital and does a lot of work for shopping malls and property management companies, where it uses SAi Flexi to drive two print and cut machines. “We can run one RIP to drive both of our machines, which is a great advantage for a small company,” Dan says.

HFE Signs at Burton-on-Trent in Staffordshire, UK, is a much larger company but also depends on technology to achieve production speed, quality and customer satisfaction.

An internet-driven business, HFE Signs relies on smooth operations at every stage to email proofs to customers within 24-hours. It typically has final products en route to its national and international customers within 48-hours. “To do this, it is essential to have the right software, properly integrated,” says Karl Hunter, director, HFE Signs. He adds, “Because FlexiSign software communicates directly.”

HFE Signs began using SAi Flexi in 2016 and is supported by reseller Graphtec GB Ltd. “We now have 10 SAi Flexi licenses. We favour this software as it communicates directly with our 10 output devices which range from print and cut to wide-format, grand format and UV flatbed printers. The software subscription programe means that we are assured of having the latest versions on all our systems without having to spend valuable time downloading, applying patches, or ordering CDs and waiting for them to arrive,” says Karl.

Karen Carmody, who runs Vision Graphics and Film Design with her husband, Ryan, in Canberra, Australia, echoes that experience. Having started with Flexi through the basic package that was installed on one of its first large format printers, the company subsequently needed more functionality and installed a more feature-rich version using the monthly subscription option. “Running such a user-friendly software package is great, but accessing it in this way makes it extremely convenient. It helps with overheads and also enables us to enjoy the very latest version, so for businesses like ours it makes absolute sense,” says Karen. She adds, “As is quite typical with any sign and display business, work can be up and down, with several big jobs followed by a fairly long gap until the next sizable project,” she said. “In this situation, paying for SAi Flexi as and when required is ideal.”

Subscribers are also able to access new tools like SAi Flexi Cloud that links installed software to the Cloud for storage, images sources and other web-based services. There is also the SAi mobile application so managers can access Job Reports while away from the office. The new MyFlexi mobile app works with SAi FlexiSIGN and FlexiPRINT to provide print shop employees efficiency-enhancing tools to streamline production and enable remote quoting using FlexiQuote.

So, for sign-makers who prefer to relax and listen to CDs, rather than watch the bar on the monitor inch along as software loads, automatically updating (SAi) subscription software is an attractive proposition. Few things about computers have ever been easier.