What is it?
It’s a management information system (MIS).

Why did you choose this particular software?
We’ve been an Optimus user on the Classic system for over 15 years and we reached the point where we had to either upgrade or move on. We looked around the market, but we knew Optichrome well and it knew us, so it was the obvious choice. Having said that, if the software hadn’t been right then we wouldn’t have chosen it.

Did you look at any other similar software packages?
We looked at all of the leading software in the marketplace and, as far as we were concerned, 2020 came out in front of its competitors.

What features do you particularly like?
It has the adaptability and the usability that we were looking for. The amount of information that it can hold is probably similar to other systems, however, the good thing about Optimus is that it allows you to utilise information and dump it into different packages. It’s also easy to navigate your way around.

What features do you wish it has that it doesn’t?
I can’t think of anything. It covers the whole gambit of business, from estimating to invoicing. We haven’t reached a stage yet where we’ve said “I wish it could do that”.

How quick is it?
It operates in real time so it’s live information that you’re working with. The speed of the system is only as good as the hardware that it’s running on.

How easy is it to use?
Being an Optimus user already, it was merely a case of changing the Classic system into a Windows environment, so as a result, we probably had the march on somebody starting afresh.

How reliable is it?
It’s only as good as the original set-up. As long as you put the right information in then it’s extremely accurate.

How much time or money has it saved you?
It’s saved us time on certain administration functions. In addition, it helps you highlight areas where you’re losing money and enables you to fill those holes, so it saves you money that way.

Would you say that it’s made you more productive?
Definitely. The MIS allows you to analyse your productivity, which in turn makes you more productive.

Has it won you new work?
Yes, in the sense that it helps you to identify those areas in which you are strong and from which you can generate better margins.

Were there any difficulties experienced during installation?
No, the installation went smoothly.

What about the service?
The support service is good.

How about training?
The training that Optichrome provided was very good and as a result our staff got up to speed on it quickly.

Who do you think the system is right for?
It is suitable for a broad range of printers from SMEs through to large companies.

Would you recommend it to someone else?
Yes. We recommended it to another company just a few weeks ago and it is my understanding that it has now placed an order.

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CONCLUSION
User’s verdict
Reliability 4/5
Ease of use 5/5
Value for money 4/5

Supplier’s response
“We were delighted when McCormick went for an upgrade because it has always been a good customer and we’ve worked well with it in the past,” explains Optichrome R&D director Nigel Tyler. “Most customers migrate from the old version to the new version over a period of time as there is a way of running the old version of 2020 alongside the updated version, but McCormick was quite unusual as it went for the big bang and switched from the Classic version to version 18 overnight, which worked out well.”
Price Basic system from £5,000
Contact Optichrome 01483 740233

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