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Do you use a lot of jargon in your line of work? Does this situation sound familiar: “The other day I was trying to explain to someone what I do, but I had to keep stopping to explain the terms and acronyms. By the time I explained what I did, it was about as clear as mud.”
Yes, we have all been there, especially in an industry that is high-tech or has a lot of complex moving parts. The industry-speak or jargon that we use is a double-edged sword, especially in today’s connected and collaborative working environments. The result is that there are people tasked with figuring out challenges in business environments such as workflow management, operations management, customer satisfaction and cost reduction that may not have the background or expertise in the solutions they are looking for. What do you do? Google it perhaps? Maybe… but you really need a better explanation than those that are available on Wikipedia.
How many of you have been asked to sign up for paperless delivery of your bills and statements? Maybe it is your credit card or your TV/cable bill. One thing is for sure, most of the people at Crawford Technologies, whether they are at Headquarters in Canada or our offices in the USA and Europe, have run into this situation in one way or another.
As part of the print and mail industry and as experts in the digital document management and delivery field, our company has seen it all when it comes to the challenges of delivering printed or electronic transactional documents. However, most of the time we are dealing with the challenges as seen from the perspective of the provider and how to make sure the end-customer, who receives documents in various print and electronic forms, is satisfied. As you look at the landscape of how bills and statements are delivered, email is a popular notification tool. The problem is that it is quickly becoming unmanageable.
We wish you and your family all the best during this Holiday Season and a prosperous New Year.
[Image courtesy of Bataatar]
The IBM Information OnDemand Conference took place a few weeks back in October. At the show there was a lot to see and learn about from IBM and their Business Partners. For Crawford Technologies this was our first year exhibiting alongside the recently acquired ASE Technologies, now the ASE division of Crawford Technologies. And the experience was not only enlightening, but definitely a venue we look forward to returning to next year.
This year one of the topics that gained a lot of attention was Healthcare. In fact, Gary MacFadden reported on Wikibon that this was a “major theme” along with the “Big Data” message at IOD this year. As MacFadden writes in his article, the Big Data in healthcare is both a challenge and an opportunity. As part of both sides of the equation the healthcare industry has to not only consider the move to Big Data, but also the innovations being offered, the importance of the data, getting analytics-ready, the current and pending regulatory statutes and how patient, providers and payer views get integrated together.
Be sure to read Healthcare a Major Theme as IBM Delivers Big Data Message at IOD 2012. The insight from MacFadden and the changes and opportunities on the horizon are sure to give you and your healthcare business some things to think about.
When we posted our blog last Friday the word was that Document Strategy Forum 2012 in Old Greenwich, CT, was still moving ahead as planned. Early Saturday we learned that Hurricane Sandy was being (and continues to be) relentless. As various States declared a State of Emergency, Document Strategy Forum was left no choice but to cancel the conference and exhibition.
For many the cancellation was sad news...
Change can be very refreshing; for Document Strategy Forum they have instituted a whole suite of changes for this year’s conference and exhibition. The major change for those used to attending in Chicago every year is the shift in venue to the Hyatt Regency in Old Greenwhich, Connecticut. However, the change doesn’t stop there with additional opportunities to learn and engage with vendors on the floor through the Vendor Showcase in the Application Theater.
Of course, change has its challenges too...
Can you believe we are about to change into Fall? As the last days of Summer wind down the print and mail industry is ramping up for a busy trade show season. Top of mind for many in the industry is GRAPH EXPO, but there are other shows like IBM Information OnDemand and Document Strategy Forum that will also engage the transactional document print and archive industries. As we cross into 4Q other the outlook for 2013 and the needs of our organizations and customers are also getting a lot of focus.
With that in mind we have pulled some interesting articles that might just help you assess what you need to see in Chicago at GRAPH EXPO, a question about your critical turning point, why Cross-media needs Print and a digital mailbox services that has turned away from a cloud hosting environment.
There is also some exciting news coming from Crawford Technologies next week. We have been busy back in our R&D department and have new announcements early next week. Make sure you join us for the Production Workflow Battle Royale – GUI vs. Configuration Files; Who Will Win? webinar September 27 at 1 p.m. EST. As part of this webinar we will share some of our latest innovations and what we will be demonstrating at GRAPH EXPO 2012. Sign up today.
Have you discovered The Printerverse at GRAPH EXPO 2012? If not, check our page and find out how to register for our two demonstrations (Digital Mail and Workflow Automation) and a chance to win a free GRAPH EXPO session pass. If you aren’t registered yet for GRAPH EXPO, you can also use this link to get access to the show floor and potentially win an EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK pass or entry into PRINT ’13!
*Make sure you sign up by September 24! Winners of the session pass will be that week.
What innovations are you looking for in your business?
Happy Friday! As usual we have been combing the news for the print, mail and ECM industries. This week we have news from InfoTrends on another chapter in the evolution of the print industry, new features at GRAPH EXPO 2012 that you won’t want to miss, a look at how Doxo is bridging the gap between print and paperless, an announcement from Zumbox and Computershare sure to change the US consumer uptake of Digital Mailbox Services and a look at repurposing content from an ECM system courtesy of AIIM.org.
That isn’t all the news either, here at CrawfordTech we have been busy back in our R&D department and have new announcements coming later this month. Make sure you join us for the Production Workflow Battle Royale – GUI vs. Configuration Files; Who Will Win? webinar September 27 at 1 p.m. EST. As part of this webinar we will also give you a preview into the exciting announcements and innovations being demonstrated at GRAPH EXPO 2012.
Speaking of, GRAPH EXPO 2012 is right around the corner; are you going to be there? If you are, be sure to check our page on The Printerverse to find out how to register for our two demonstrations (Digital Mail and Workflow Automation) and a chance to win a free GRAPH EXPO session pass. If you aren’t registered yet for GRAPH EXPO, you can also use this link to get access to the show floor and potentially win an EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK pass or entry into PRINT ’13!
*Make sure you sign up by September 24! Winners of the session pass will be that week.
What innovations are you looking for in your business?
Last week’s reading list looked heavily at news in the digital mail and digital mailbox services marketplace. This week we are switching gears to take a look at the digital print production market including high volume transactional output and automation. As part of that workflow discussion we have included news from the USPS and their productivity decline and a look at best practices in B2B communications.
Also, with GRAPH EXPO 2012 right around the corner, be sure to check our page on The Printerverse to find out how to register for our two demonstrations (Digital Mail and Workflow Automation) and a chance to win a free GRAPH EXPO session pass. If you aren’t registered yet for GRAPH EXPO, you can also use this link to get access to the show floor and potentially win an EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK pass or entry into PRINT ’13!
Have you looked at the future of the Print Production Workflow Market and the latest tools?
This past week has shown surge in digital post or digital mailbox news from around the globe; since this is a particular focus area for Crawford Technologies and our customers it encompasses most of our ‘must reads’ this week. That said we do have an interesting video blog on HP and their Graphic Arts Experience Center, which is sure to be of interest to anyone in the commercial or production printing business.
On deck for this week includes a the aforementioned video blog by InfoTrends, a look at the switch out of Fujifilm in place of Salmat in the Digital Post Australia venture, what it means to be an Efficiency Ninja and its relationship to digital mail and how digital mail is creating better patient engagement in the healthcare industry. Finally we also have information on the DM Awards and our recent release of a thought provoking white paper around exploring digital mailbox services.
Has digital mail made it to conversations during your business outlook for next year?
The announcements for GRAPH EXPO 2012 are starting to rollout via press releases, blogs and social media. Right on the heels of GRAPH EXPO will be IBM Information OnDemand and Document Strategy Forum. As a global solutions provider we are also focused on our presence at Cross Media 2012, across the pond in London during the first part of September, GITEX in Dubai and DMS EXPO in Germany.
September and October are shaping up to be full of interesting news including the recent MUST SEE ‘EMS awards announcements (early this year), Xplor returns to GRAPH EXPO, digital mail makes the news with a private launch, an interesting article on Production Workflow tools and their evolution, augmented reality and how it can lift print response and announcement of the DM Awards Finalists.
Has your business evaluated your production workflow tools lately?
Switching gear this edition, we are focusing on digital print and the idea of innovation. This week in the news we take a look at the future of digital printing from iPads and diapers to the outlook in Russia. As a part of that, Trade shows come in to play, which is why recent IPEX news of those going (and not) and the travelling road show is top of mind.
Finally, we found a thoughtful piece from WhatTheyThink? on innovation. They bring forward the idea that it is easy to talk about, but hard to do. The result? Well, you will have to read on to find out what thought-leadership they provide in this week’s edition.
Is idea execution hard for your company?
Here we are with another edition of the Crawford Technologies Weekly Reading list! At the end of last week we saw a sign of the times with a major school changing its name. Also in the news this week is an Australian company that is betting on digital mail and digital mailbox services to be the future revenue stream of their business. Some might think that is gutsy, but will they come out ahead?
In other mailing news this week, the USPS is in the headlines again with an unfortunate and significant loss for third quarter. Ironically, on the flip side we are told that print is still alive and has a future—specifically in variable data printing.
Finally, we have an invitation to next week’s Top Considerations For Your ECM Strategy Future webinar that will look at EMC Documentum and what companies should be looking at to make sure they are getting the most out of their archiving system of record. It has been shown that only 20% of business reports and documents are housed in the main archive system of record, this webinar will help you consider what to do with the other 80%!
Is there a future for variable data printing and can digital mail be the future?
Welcome to the first week of August; this is a time of year where many of us in the Enterprise Output Management and Enterprise Content Management industries are planning for the coming busy trade show season. It is also a time when many people are on vacation, so while our customers, partners, followers and employees take time with their friends and family we are keeping an eye on what is new, exciting and relevant in the news.
This week we look at the different types of inkjet (it might surprise you how many there are), liquid toner and the connection to Australia, Pitney Bowes in the financial news, an interview with a leader in Digital Mail, news from Manilla on their provider base and an innovative use of a QR code.
Which type of inkjet impacts your business the most?
Have other links we should feature? Tell us about them in the comments section below.
On this last full week in July we look toward August and the coming trade show season for the print and archive management industry. On the CrawfordTech roadmap is Cross Media, GRAPH EXPO, Document Strategy Forum, GITEX Technology Week, IBM Information OnDemand and DMS Expo (not necessarily in that order). And that is mostly in October!
It is indeed going to be a busy October, but as we head towards those shows and great customer interactions we continue to keep an eye out on what is happening in the news. This week we have a charitable story, a preview into a film about Linotype, color driving the production printing market and partnerships in the Digital Mailbox Services space.
Did you ever think there would be a movie about Linotype?
As we roll into late July I am sure the summer feels as though it is fleeting for many of us; right around the corner is back to school and not too far off the next set of trade shows. However, as we take in the beautiful days of summer, we must keep an eye on the trends taking us through toward third quarter.
Digital Mail continues to be a hot topic and we have some interesting news in the global arena including a strategy for India and a push for adoption that includes a video explanation of benefits. Looking at the document market, we have information on a new study released analyzing the Document Outsourcing Market. On the postal mail side of things the USPS looks at multi-channel for online merchants and GMC is acquired by a Pitney Bowes competitor.
What topics are moving your customers to engage with your company?
Want to know more about this topic and how to create new revenues from existing documents? Register for our free webinar now...
The year is 1906 and an Italian economist is counting the peas he has grown in his garden. Who knew that over 100 years later this simple action would lead to an undeniable principle that can help all of us shape our profits in the 21st Century?
Welcome to the Friday the 13th edition of the Crawford Technologies Weekly Reading List for the print, archive and alternate formats markets. On this rare Friday there are several bits of news we have gather from earlier in the week that speak to the future of digital printing and the rise of Digital Mailbox Services.
This week in the news we have a look at Benny Landa’s comments on drupa 2012 via a translated Hebrew article that might show the next direction digital production printing. Then we switch gears and look at an analysts take on the growing excitement in the Digital Mailbox Services market along with news from Europe on a new partnership to create the premier international mail B2C solution. Finally, we will have commentary on the investment being made in digital mail.
Which piece of news will move your business forward the most?
The UK’s national postal service is the latest to provide an ‘IMB’ system for tracking and tracing mail.
Royal Mail is a national institution in the United Kingdom. Responsible for universal mail delivery and collection in the UK, the organization delivers over 80 million items every working day.
As you can imagine this creates a need for tracking and confirmation services for mailers. In the U.S.A., the USPS has offered an IMB solution for some time, while in contrast Royal Mail has been busy developing various alternative systems to meet the needs of the UK population. That work is about to come to fruition with the release of a new IMB solution.
Welcome to the latest edition of our Weekly Reading List for the print, archiving and alternate formats industries.
In the news this week is an article from Document Boss that goes into detail about customer communications management and what it means for the future of dynamic document management. We take a look at Accenture's report on high performance in the postal industry which answers the question "how can we make the right strategic choices to build a sustainable future?".
We also want to invite our followers to two new webinars delivered in association with Xplor International and Xplor UK & Ireland. Both of these educational sessions aim to answer some important issues, including where the digital mailbox service industry is going and how to generate revenues from existing print streams.
Finally, following the recent news from HP and Agfa that they are not exhibiting at Ipex 2014, who else is considering their options?
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"I have not seen such good technical capability from another company in a very long time... it has been a great benefit to be working with a company of CrawfordTech's experience and capability." - a major print service provider