Welcome to the Dove Direct Print and Marketing Blog. Today's post, "Retain Customers with Integrated Business Solutions," discusses strategies and tactics aimed at both retaining and growing customers using automated, customized enterprise-level platforms. All organizations can benefit from utilizing integrated business solutions to meet goals and overcome challenges by incorporating customized automated tools and processes, reducing turnaround time, eliminating waste, saving money, gaining new business, securing accountability, guaranteeing integrity, and meeting any communication and data requirement challenges. Integrated business solutions are not exactly new to various industry sectors; however, these solutions will vary based on the particular industry in question. In this post, we refer to IBS (integrated business solutions) offered by a vertical integrated print and mail facility, with an array of new technological tools combined with IT processes.
Our Quote of the Day: "Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth." – John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States of America
The earth is traveling around the sun at 67,000 mph, yet we do not feel a thing. Further, the earth's surface at the equator moves at a speed of 460 meters per second, or roughly 1,000 miles per hour. In addition, scientists suggest 2021 is forecasted to be a shorter year than average, with the earth spinning faster than it has in the last 50 years. Now imagine if sales forecasters had to create a solution that could take into account human behavioral changes that could be affected by the speed and rotation of the earth. It's a challenge that most organizations would trash, given the sheer size and resource requirements to create such a solution. However, affordable, practical solutions have proven to be game-changers when it comes to solving complex business challenges.
Project Challenges
At some point in time, every business will confront complex challenges that can make or break the companies progress. In this post, we provide demonstrable examples that showcase a full-service commercial printing company that met and solved challenges using a solution-based approach applicable to any level of business.
On-Demand Marketing Support
A marketing agency required a reliable partner to print and mail advertising collateral on demand. Sounds easy enough, right? You can likely point to an example. For this example, we cite an integrated project requiring printing and mailing collateral on-demand, synonymous with utilizing variable data printing, aka VDP. This type of project also requires that big data deliver the data points into a digital press. So what else is new?
But here's where the challenge grows to a whole new level. The marketing agency advised that the data files would be coming in from several cities multiple times a day. And as a result, project response times required 24/7 operational capability throughout the life and scope of the project. That means data capture and responses to that data would have machine technology tools also working on a 24/7 basis.
An organization that can deliver these solutions can meet the challenges with a customized integrated business solution. They designed and developed custom applications to automate data cleansing along with the collateral composition. See, it's one thing to capture the data and cleanse it to orchestrate how it would affect the collateral output—and do it several times a day!
Further, this fully operational provider provided a complex bar code solution that was integrated into the document workflow, which put forth the capability to match the collateral before inserting it into envelopes. Lastly, as a vertical integrated print and mail facility, multiple shifts were run, which solved the challenge of meeting strict deadlines and SLA guarantees. In this instance, the solutions provider enabled data to be captured, cleansed, composed, fulfilled and delivered with personalized collateral 24/7.
Statements Processing
In this example, a Fortune 500 retailer required a print & mail provider to print statements and notices for their financial services & logistics department. Routinely, data for financial services contain information that organizations must protect. Thus data security was of primary concern.
Additional requirements included managing 20+ file types that were incoming daily from four mainframes across the country. The challenge was identifying a vertical integrated print and mail solutions provider to automate
data processing, printing, and mailing.
The resulting solutions included custom processing software with a corresponding user interface in conjunction with a comprehensive XML-driven file processing system. The provider created a process integrating the applications with third-party automated software. Further, the provider ensured that alerts, audits, and set-up reports could be managed in order to reduce downtime and facilitate process improvement. In this example, the document composition platform brought the capability to compose, print, and mail statements within 3 hours, supporting just-in-time deliveries, benefiting several stakeholders, including retail, financial, and the customer.
FCRA Document Lifecycle Management
An extensive background check provider was manually creating, distributing, and archiving multiple types of letters, forms, and compliance documents. Keeping numerous and various document types secure most likely impeded workflow and cut down on profitability due to the caseload.
The checking provider chose to outsource and automate the process to reduce dependencies, including the complexities of instituting periodic changes.
A vertical integrated print and mail solutions provider was responsible for designing a document lifecycle management solution. The solution would need to include tracking, returns processing, and reporting, as those functions were noted as critical requirements to ensure FCRA regulatory compliance.
As a result, the solutions provider's analysts and developers worked with the client's product managers to analyze documents processing and compliance requirements.
This resulted in creating a custom-designed and developed solution constructed on the print and solutions provider's document composition platform, which could manage the lifecycle (from composition to archival) of the documents generated within the client's organization. This document array included letters, compliance forms, background reports, etcetera.
By streamlining the solution, the client was able to consolidate printing and mailing operations with a single vendor platform, thereby reducing costs and risks.
Solution Based Business Integration
From these integrated business solution examples, one can ascertain how the print landscape, the art of streamlining workflows with creative and customized solutions can be of enormous benefit to any organization's bottom line. Automated technology goes a lot farther than the digital aspects of data compilation. It can be a game-changer for reducing costs, leveraging resources, and saving time while simultaneously improving customer retention and attracting new business.
The Net-Net
It's easy to understand how robust integrated business solutions can be for many business sectors. Retaining customers in a non-brand-centric universe is more challenging than ever. Simplification, reducing costs, and prioritizing accounts can be especially beneficial in the age of the consumer, who happens to be just as important and influential as the corporation. With more mergers and buyouts on the horizon, it is critical to partner with a capable integrated business solutions provider, in this case, a vertically integrated print, and mail solutions provider. If your organization has yet to partner with a qualified integrated business solutions provider, you may want to review the benefits of working with such a provider. We hope this article sheds light on the subject, and thanks for reading "Retain Customers with Integrated Business Solutions!"
Let's talk about integrated business solutions and how they can move your messages forward, help grow your business, change behavior, and improve the customer experience. Let us show you how to improve your document processes to optimize your workflow, reduce costs, and maximize your organization's printing, letter shop, and mailing capabilities.
Dove Direct has an official USPS certified bureau located within our offices to save you time and money. We can even create a demo file for you. For more information, call Carla Eubanks at 404-629-0122 or email Carla at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Dove Direct, your Atlanta vertical integrated print and mail solutions provider, offers organizations end-to-end data, printing, and mailing solutions:
- Data Management
- Variable Digital/Data Printing
- LetterShop and Fulfillment
- Digital Mail Scanning Services
- Fully Automated MLOCR Presort Bureau
- Marketing and Production Management Support
- Secure Data Life Cycle Management
If you don't want to wait, you can reach Dove Direct today by calling 404-629-0122 or complete the Dove Direct Contact Form.