The Xplor View - October 2008 - (Page 3)

Three ways to tame your print-to-mail workflow right now The exact instant when the industrial age morphed into the Information Age is nearimpossible to pinpoint—marginally less difficult than catching a caterpillar emerging from its chrysalis as a butterfly. Some might peg it as the moment when personal computers became ubiquitous fixtures on desktops around the world. Others might suggest that information truly eclipsed manufacturing when the Internet came roaring onto the scene in the early 21st century. While we can debate when the transition occurred, there is one thing we can all agree on. When it did happen, the global economy shifted from the production of physical goods to the manipulation of information and businesses began using information technology to acquire, retrieve, convert, shape, massage, store, protect, process, and exchange information. Consider the business of producing mail—it marries the best of both eras, combining super-efficient manufacturing techniques with access to information to create, manage, and distribute information in new and exponentially more efficient ways. This article explores three advances that are having a transformative effect on both mail and the mailstream. These developments include the advent of Royal Mail's RED TAG™ service, TransPromo and colour enablement, and print control and management (a.k.a. centralized output management) by leveraging access to up-to-the-minute device and process information, otherwise known as ‘Production Intelligence.’ with a new RED TAG barcode as they are machineprocessed. Tracking requires no change in the way mail is handled and, if there is a customer response element to the mailing with a barcode, RED TAG will track that as it enters the Royal Mail system. RED TAG is expected to deliver significant efficiency and cost-reduction benefits. Chief among them are enhanced tracking of individual mail pieces and visibility into the mailstream; and improved ability to monitor, predict, and improve mailing performance. However, as with any process improvement, RED TAG service comes with its own set of challenges. For many print-to-mail operations, the transition means making sure certain infrastructure components are in place, including a bulk printing system capable of adding the new RED TAG barcode and an automated document integrity control system. Implementing a new barcode can introduce new challenges to an organization as it will require application changes or reengineering the document before print. Also since RED TAG is an item-based Track and Trace service, requiring an accurate electronic manifest submission to the Royal Mail after each mail run, operations need to tightly integrate their print and mail processes together to meet the accreditation standards required by Royal Mail for RED TAG. Linking print and mail processes requires the implementation of a ‘closed-loop filebased’ integrity system where the status of each mail item is closely tracked and reconciled from the print step to the end of the inserter to ensure what is printed and presented to the Royal Mail matches the electronic manifest file submitted. To implement such a system requires a higher degree of planning and knowledge that may not be available today in some organizations. To simplify the transition, print-to-mail operations can start by asking serious questions about the state of their mailstream now, identifying what they want to accomplish, and strategies for getting there. There are two ways to achieve this—taking a do-it-yourself approach to tackling these questions and developing a roadmap—or engaging experts to assess the existing operation. It is all a matter of preference. Every company is unique, as is every mailstream. However, most operations can benefit from a professional RED TAG system assessment to perform an accurate gap analysis. In researching providers and solutions, it is important to look for flexible, integrated solutions as opposed to point product alternatives. Either way, it is important to optimize your operation for RED TAG before the fact, to conduct an analysis, and work with every stakeholder to develop a plan and secure budgets to ensure success. Building sales and relationships with TransPromo and colour enablement The second way to add value to the mailstream is also one of tremendous opportunity, which may account for the fact that TransPromo and digital colour are two of the hottest applications on the print-to-mail horizon. Today, consumers and B2B customers are bombarded with a seemingly endless stream of information and communications. One way to cut through the clutter is combining digital colour with variable data to transform standard-issue statements and invoices into colourful TransPromo documents. Transactional documents also generate a high degree of involvement. It is not unusual for recipients to spend between one and three minutes with each bill—more than any other form of communication. Statements use trusted media (the postal service) and are often viewed more than once as customers pay bills, submit expense reports, prepare taxes, and file documents. Finally, because companies are already mailing them, statements are one of the most cost-effective channels, and because the target audience is existing customers, there is greater potential to increase profits compared to targeting new prospects. While colour is not a requirement, studies show that the effective use of colour and personalization outsells traditional black-and-white messaging by a factor of 80 percent or more. A recent InfoTrends cost analysis shows the differential between a four-page colour and black-and-white document to be a mere 6.5 cents. So, it is not surprising that the use of colour in TransPromo documents is expected to grow by upwards of 33 percent by 2010. Questions for those interested in capturing the TransPromo wave would do well to reflect on the following. Do you have the infrastructure to produce personalized colour documents? Do your document production and marketing departments work together Making the most of RED TAG How much impact can a barcode have on your mailstream? In a word, plenty. Today's print-to-mail operations are arguably more complex and more essential to customer communications than they have ever been. And while workflows have made great strides, many operations still face significant challenges in integrating print and mail. Fortunately, new tools for driving efficiency and cost reduction are being developed every day. One such tool is the Royal Mail's RED TAG tracking and reporting service. RED TAG is a specialized, end-to-end service that combines Royal Mail scanning and database technology to provide tracking and reporting technology that allows mailers to track items printed 3 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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