Academy Photography Ltd. are a privately owned school photography business, servicing hundreds of schools throughout Staffordshire, Cheshire, Shropshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, and the West Midlands.

 

What challenges or needs led you to seek out a new software solution?

For over a decade, our business relied on Halsys's legacy software—a product that had served us well but had become increasingly outdated. Running on antiquated hardware, the system had started to slow down and posed significant risks, including hardware failures and a lack of support. Recognizing the growing vulnerabilities to our operations, we sought a modern, fully supported solution that could replace the legacy system while enhancing and streamlining our workflows.

 

How did Halsys assist you to make a decision?

Halsys provided invaluable support throughout our decision-making process. Through video consultations, software demonstrations, and detailed discussions about our workflows, they helped us understand how MaxLab could address our unique needs. They also shared MaxLab’s API documentation early in the process, allowing us to explore its integration capabilities with our existing internal IT systems.

 

How have you found working with Halsys, compared with other companies in your industry?

Working with Halsys has been an excellent experience. We had direct access to their top-tier support team and developers during the initial installation and throughout our first season using the software. Their commitment to understanding our specific needs and their proactive approach to seeking feedback have been exceptional. The tailored training sessions they delivered ensured our lab staff felt confident and fully prepared for the transition. I don’t believe I’ve ever experienced this level of support from any other company in the industry.

 

Can you describe how the MaxLab platform has impacted your day-to-day operations or productivity since the upgrade?

The integration of MaxLab’s API into our existing intranet has had a tremendous impact on our operations. Staff across the company now have direct access to our photo lab systems, significantly reducing the need for lab involvement in customer queries. This has led to faster response times and improved customer service.

For our lab staff, the new system has been transformative. Not only do they save time by avoiding customer query involvement, but jobs are also imported and prepared for printing far more efficiently than with the legacy software, saving hours each week. This freed-up time allows the team to focus on producing the highest-quality photo products.

 

Were there any surprises, good or bad, that you'd like to share?

The speed and ease with which certain tasks can now be completed have exceeded everyone’s expectations.

As our staff have grown more familiar with MaxLab’s capabilities, they’ve started suggesting additional ways it could be further integrated into our intranet. This has opened up new opportunities to streamline workflows even further.

 

Would you recommend our new platform to others in your field, and if so, what would be the main reasons for your endorsement?

I would wholeheartedly recommend MaxLab to others in the industry, particularly those still relying on legacy systems. The peace of mind that comes with using modern, fully supported software is invaluable. Beyond reliability, MaxLab has significantly improved our workflows, saving time and enhancing efficiency across the business.

 

If you could go back in time, is there anything you would do differently?

The only thing I would do differently is make the switch to MaxLab sooner.

 

What does the future look like for Academy Photos?

The future looks very healthy. We continue to grow steadily year after year and are well-positioned for a rapid growth drive whenever the opportunity arises. Tools like MaxLab, which streamline our workflows, will play a crucial role in our ongoing success.

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