How GSB eliminated 34 years of manual workflows
"That efficiency and timesaving of labor—which for the last 34 years we've been writing up manually—that automation right there is just so outstanding and it's only going to grow." - Stephan Steiner, President, GSB Digital
For 34 years, Stephan Steiner has been at the helm of GSB Digital, New York City's largest print provider. Serving prestigious clients across financial services, legal, marketing, and real estate sectors, GSB Digital has built a reputation for delivering the highest quality prints and visual merchandising to some of the world's biggest brands.
But even the most successful businesses face challenges. Like many print service providers, GSB Digital was grappling with the industry's shift toward smaller print runs, fragmented systems, and the need for greater efficiency. That's when they turned to GelatoConnect.
The challenge: Bridging the gap between ad hoc and automated
When we spoke with Stephan, he painted a clear picture of GSB Digital's operational landscape: "Maybe right now today 70% of our volume is ad hoc and 30% is automated—ecommerce or portal type work. The goal is to transition more of the ad hoc to an automated function to strip away touch points, make it more efficient, eliminate waste."
This challenge isn't unique to GSB Digital. Across the print industry, businesses are struggling to balance the personal touch of custom work with the efficiency demands of modern commerce. The solution? Finding technology that can unify fragmented processes without sacrificing quality or customer relationships.
The solution: GelatoConnect's end-to-end platform
After three years as a Gelato partner, GSB Digital was already familiar with the power of integrated print solutions. When GelatoConnect was introduced, Stephan saw an opportunity to address a fundamental industry problem.
"Every print service provider is buying all of these different software applications trying to patch a need," Stephan explained. "The concept from Gelato of really pulling this all together in a centralized way was very beautiful—it's kind of a holy grail that I think many print organizations have been seeking forever."
Immediate impact: From manual to automated
The results were visible from day one. During our interview, Stephan was looking at his monitor in real-time: "There are at this moment 69 jobs that have been automatically written up by GelatoConnect through Gelato Connect workflow, connecting through the API of our MIS system. That efficiency and timesaving of labor—which for the last 34 years we've been writing up manually—that automation right there is just so outstanding."
Key Benefits Realized:
Operational Efficiency
Automated job creation eliminated manual processes
Smoother workflow resulting in continuous production flow
Reduced touchpoints and streamlined operations
Quality Improvements
Near-zero error rates through automated processes
Improved on-time performance
Enhanced customer satisfaction with "little to zero complaints"
Enhanced Visibility
Real-time inventory tracking through mobile app
Better customer service through photo-enabled complaint handling
Comprehensive tracking of error rates and performance metrics
Beyond efficiency: Enabling growth
GelatoConnect didn't just improve existing processes—it opened new opportunities. "We now have the ability to very easily tie into your Shopify account if you are selling something that is print manufactured on Shopify, we can connect, create a template or SKU that UID number and get that into the workflow," Stephan noted.
This capability has enabled GSB Digital to approach the marketplace in a more sophisticated manner, creating new opportunities with clients they couldn't serve as effectively before.
The power of partnership
What stands out most in Stephan's experience isn't just the technology—it's the collaborative approach. "The willingness on Gelato's behalf to work intimately with GSB on integrating various platforms" made the difference.
Recently, GSB Digital worked with the GelatoConnect team to integrate PrintOS with procurement, ensuring dead-on accuracy of paper usage by tracking every sheet that goes through their Indigo press. This level of precision eliminates waste tracking issues common in traditional MIS systems.
Looking forward: The journey continues
While GSB Digital has achieved significant improvements, Stephan views this as part of an ongoing journey. They're continuing to integrate more processes, working toward routing all logistics through GelatoConnect, and exploring new ways to optimize their operations.
The procurement module alone has transformed their inventory management. With 816 different products entered into the system, they now have real-time visibility into inventory value—something that was impossible before. "I am exceedingly thrilled to have an app that I can literally pull up on my phone and see and check on inventory in a real-time function," Stephan shared.
The bottom line
For GSB Digital, GelatoConnect represented more than just another software solution—it was the key to unlocking the "holy grail" of unified print operations. The combination of immediate efficiency gains, improved quality control, and new business opportunities has positioned them for continued growth in an increasingly competitive market.
As Stephan concluded our conversation: "I'm grateful for the partnership. I'm grateful for the relationship... all the many people on the Gelato side that are working alongside my team to move this forward and really make it best-in-class."