The Xplor View - October 2008 - (Page 19)

TransPromo… It takes a village! Over the past several months, we have heard software suppliers, vendors, and corporate users talk about TransPromo. While there is a lot of ‘buzz’ about this concept, many people believe that implementation and adoption have been far slower than anticipated. Everyone knows that you can save money on postage. What’s more, TransPromo delivers ROI, digital colour printing costs are coming down with the emergence of high-speed continuous feed digital colour print engines, and the process is environmentally friendly… so what’s the hold-up? At the InfoTrends TransPromo Summit on August 13 and 14 in New York City, several TransPromo users spoke about the complexity associated with implementation. There are a number of stakeholders associated with any TransPromo scenario. The challenge is getting all of these functions— Marketing, Information Technology (IT), Production, Operations, Analytics, and Finance—to work with a TransPromo campaign. The level of complexity typically increases with the size and scope of an organisation. The overriding message was that while the results are clearly worth the effort, getting started takes a village! Ms. Kelli Nesseth, Statement Marketing Manager for GE Money, shared her views and recommendations on TransPromo implementation at the 2008 TransPromo Summit. This case study highlights her thoughts and considerations. GE Money has learned that messages are most effective when they are targeted and relevant, and this is what TransPromo is all about. The marketing department will determine selection criteria and the associated messages with the greatest impact. Rather than just putting a strategy out there and letting it run, marketing develops champion/challenger testing (inserts vs. ‘onserts,’ direct mail vs. e-mail) to determine which messages work best for customers in a particular channel. What’s more, these messages must be flexible because the best strategy might be different based on the demographics of the customer. The benefit for marketing departments is that statements are a very low-cost channel because they have to be sent out anyway. In addition, these statements have a 98 percent chance of actually being read, possibly multiple times (once when the envelope is opened and once when the bill is paid). Statements represent a highly credible form of communication that can create an ongoing dialogue with a customer. Information Technology (IT) The next function in the process is information technology. Whether internal or external to your organisation, the IT department keeps TransPromo campaigns running smoothly. For ongoing campaigns, this is often where the targeting function exists—marketing sets the strategy, but IT is actually keying information into the system to determine who gets what. The IT department test-targets customer databases to ensure that recipients are actually receiving the messages that are sent to them. It also makes sure that all interfaces are running smoothly (including data warehouses and image libraries), as well as ensuring that e-bills are in sync with what is printed on paper statements. IT executives perform statement enhancement projects and recommend and implement new technologies based on their findings. It can be easier to get the support of IT executives by highlighting the quick paybacks that are available with TransPromo projects. Depending on the size and TransPromo: Engaging the Infrastructure According to Kelli, there are typically at least six functions within an organisation that need to be included in an ongoing TransPromo campaign— Marketing, Information Technology (IT), Production, Operations, Analytics, and Finance. There can also be external providers in the mix. Each of the stakeholders needs a clear understanding of WIFM (what’s in it for me?). Marketing The process starts with marketing. Marketing executives set the strategy for the statement channel by determining which messages will work best. They also harmonise across channels, ensuring that the strategy is set the same way regardless of media, be it direct mail, e-mail, or any other print media. Kelli states, “We have found that it is important to harmonise our messages using the same icons or taglines across all channels.” In the end, it is about combining reach with repetition. When the same images are repeated across channels, significant results can be achieved. GE MONEY makes statements work GE Money is a major issuer of private label (in-store only) and dual cards (co-branded) issued through retail partners. It is one of the few credit card issuers that offers cards in all four associations—Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, and Discover. Almost all of the card programmes (including the statement itself) are branded with the retailer’s brand. The company mails about 40-50 million statements in the US every month. GE Money’s Statement Marketing department is responsible for building the new statements to support acquisitions and start-up portfolios. The company also handles document redesign projects to support TransPromo initiatives. 19 Issue 6 October 2008 The VIEW Journal Xplor European Edition

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Xplor View - October 2008

The Xplor View -� October 2008 Contents TPE Master Class: Three Ways to Tame your Print-to-Mail Workflow Right Now Mission Impossible: Embracing Environmental Concerns TPE Master Class: Implementing a Lean Working Environment Improving Business Processes Yields Award-Winning Business Performance How Do� You Effectively Win New Business Writing a Marketing Plan to Win New Printing Clients How Buying Strategies Have Affected How the Industry Sells Let's Talk About Integrated Customer Communications Management:�Transpromo...It Takes a Village! Knowledge Management Part 3 XDU: Leading the Education Revolution Kodak plus Xplor equals XDU Around the World Xplor Europe News:�Short News Items for the Xplor UK�Programme and Europe News

The Xplor View - October 2008

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