Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Are You MDP Certified?
By Keith Ballard, FCi Production Scheduler, Kentuckiana PCC Programs Director
Don’t be left behind; bring more knowledge to your professional career by completing the USPS Mail Piece Design Professional Certification. This program is administered by the USPS Business Mail Academy and combines the now obsolete MQC Specialist with the newly created online MDP information to increase your knowledge base 10 times over. The seven-hour study guide can be accessed from your computer and takes you through a series of slides, presentations, and practice tests to keep you current on USPS rules and regulations. This knowledge is worth its weight in gold to your business and clients. You will learn what it takes to keep your mail compliant and maximize your postal discounts. After completing the self-paced study course, you can then apply to take the USPS “final exam” to earn your certification. Log on to the BMA web site at www.nced.com/bma/ for more information.
Fulfillment Concepts prides itself in being current and up-to-date on the latest USPS rules and regulations. If you have ever looked at any of the regulation handbooks, you understand how overwhelming and complex they are. We have on-site team members who hold over 10 USPS certifications in all types of USPS mail solutions. Many of these can be achieved through your local Postal Customer Council or the National Postal Forum. We have saved clients thousands of dollars in potential re-work by proactively catching design errors. Even simple mistakes could result in lost postal discounts or even mail rejection based on non-compliance of USPS regulations. Remember, knowledge is the key to guiding you and your clients down a successful path. Once you have proven this success, they will look at you with complete faith and trust that you have their best interest in mind. My advice to you: become as knowledgeable as you can. Your career and business will thrive on it.
Don’t be left behind; bring more knowledge to your professional career by completing the USPS Mail Piece Design Professional Certification. This program is administered by the USPS Business Mail Academy and combines the now obsolete MQC Specialist with the newly created online MDP information to increase your knowledge base 10 times over. The seven-hour study guide can be accessed from your computer and takes you through a series of slides, presentations, and practice tests to keep you current on USPS rules and regulations. This knowledge is worth its weight in gold to your business and clients. You will learn what it takes to keep your mail compliant and maximize your postal discounts. After completing the self-paced study course, you can then apply to take the USPS “final exam” to earn your certification. Log on to the BMA web site at www.nced.com/bma/ for more information.
Fulfillment Concepts prides itself in being current and up-to-date on the latest USPS rules and regulations. If you have ever looked at any of the regulation handbooks, you understand how overwhelming and complex they are. We have on-site team members who hold over 10 USPS certifications in all types of USPS mail solutions. Many of these can be achieved through your local Postal Customer Council or the National Postal Forum. We have saved clients thousands of dollars in potential re-work by proactively catching design errors. Even simple mistakes could result in lost postal discounts or even mail rejection based on non-compliance of USPS regulations. Remember, knowledge is the key to guiding you and your clients down a successful path. Once you have proven this success, they will look at you with complete faith and trust that you have their best interest in mind. My advice to you: become as knowledgeable as you can. Your career and business will thrive on it.
Monday, November 29, 2010
The Deciding Factor
By Don Eger, Sales Representative
Everyone is looking for the “silver bullet” these days; the one factor that separates a “win” from a “loss”. Management in every business segment is asking themselves, “What can we possibly do to close the sale faster? We have the best technology, resource integration, great people and a proven track record.”
Like it or not, there is no single factor that makes any company really stand out in the crowd these days. Technology has become the great equalizer… and without it you’re doomed. While having it, there is the constant struggle of staying in the forefront every single day. Rating the competition on the proverbial 1-10 scale only reinforces the harsh reality that there is a great deal of parity in these challenging economic times.
So what is the key differentiating factor? What causes a company to choose one prospect over another? Quality? Price? Performance? Sure, they all impact the final decision, but ultimately, the real deciding factor is CHEMISTRY. That’s right; the reality of it all is that people like to do business with people they like, people they can identify with. You certainly wouldn’t want to do business with someone you didn’t think you could get along with, regardless of the strengths of their respective organization.
It’s not always easy to quantify, but chemistry is a key determining factor in who gets the business. And it is an even more important factor in retaining the business once it is landed. The customer/client must be able to identify with the team that has been assembled to service the account. Trust, proactive behavior, problem-solving abilities, dependability and a sense of urgency are the attributes that are so difficult to identify in the courting phase, but are key components in developing and maintaining the best of relationships.
So, when your next prospect is in the decision-making process, never discount the impact of good chemistry. More often than not, it IS the deciding factor.
Everyone is looking for the “silver bullet” these days; the one factor that separates a “win” from a “loss”. Management in every business segment is asking themselves, “What can we possibly do to close the sale faster? We have the best technology, resource integration, great people and a proven track record.”
Like it or not, there is no single factor that makes any company really stand out in the crowd these days. Technology has become the great equalizer… and without it you’re doomed. While having it, there is the constant struggle of staying in the forefront every single day. Rating the competition on the proverbial 1-10 scale only reinforces the harsh reality that there is a great deal of parity in these challenging economic times.
So what is the key differentiating factor? What causes a company to choose one prospect over another? Quality? Price? Performance? Sure, they all impact the final decision, but ultimately, the real deciding factor is CHEMISTRY. That’s right; the reality of it all is that people like to do business with people they like, people they can identify with. You certainly wouldn’t want to do business with someone you didn’t think you could get along with, regardless of the strengths of their respective organization.
It’s not always easy to quantify, but chemistry is a key determining factor in who gets the business. And it is an even more important factor in retaining the business once it is landed. The customer/client must be able to identify with the team that has been assembled to service the account. Trust, proactive behavior, problem-solving abilities, dependability and a sense of urgency are the attributes that are so difficult to identify in the courting phase, but are key components in developing and maintaining the best of relationships.
So, when your next prospect is in the decision-making process, never discount the impact of good chemistry. More often than not, it IS the deciding factor.
Monday, November 1, 2010
QR (Quick Response) Codes - Connecting consumers to real time offers in an easy-to-use "mobile" environment
By Joe Leist, Sales Director
Have you seen the new QR Codes lately? If not, fasten your seat belt, as more and more companies are seeking ways to reach out to their customers and prospects like never before. The main benefit for marketers using direct mail is that QR codes can turn a printed direct mail piece into an interactive mobile call-to-action, allowing static messages to become a quick-scan hyperlink to just about anything online.
For those new to QR Codes, a QR Code is a matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code), readable by QR scanners, mobile phones with a camera, and smartphones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on white background. The information encoded can be text, URLs, web links, or other data. The QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes. QR is the acronym for Quick Response, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.
I recently downloaded my free QR scanner application titled LifeScan from the Blackberry App Store for my Storm II and it works perfectly as advertised! My first QR Code test was for a "Win A Free Camera" contest that was presented on the cover of the Printing Industry Association of the South's (PIAS) monthly newsletter / magazine. The QR Code image on the front cover was simply scanned by my Storm II. Approximately 5 seconds after the scan, the app took me to an online survey whereby PIAS asked me questions about my membership, the technology we use here at FCi to support our clients marketing efforts, a few sales-related questions, and of course they requested my email address prior to submittion, which I am certain they will use for various emails campaigns in the future. Interestingly enough, I still haven't logged on to to my computer at work...hence the "mobile" power of the QR Code!
QR codes mass acceptance is soon to follow as smartphones are quickly becoming the phone of choice for all consumers, including adults. According to a Forrester Research report conducted in October and November 2009, 17 percent of US adults used smartphones, up from 11 percent in 2008 and 7 percent in 2007 and that smartphones are one of the hottest growth sectors in the economy right now. Usage continues to grow, even after significant growth over the past two years. Forrester notes that nearly one in every three US adult mobile phone subscribers now has either a smartphone or a quick message device (QMD), up from one in five less than a year earlier. In another report, according to comScore's MobiLens, 234 million Americans 13 and older used mobile devices between March and May 2010, with smartphone usage increasing 8.1% during the three month period.
Additionally, faster mobile web connectivity is growing, and mobile web search is becoming one of the most common uses for these devices. Imagine receiving a direct mailer with a QR code. Embedded within the code is a Personalized URL that takes you to a website offering a 25% off coupon for the exact pizza you ordered the last three times at your favorite restaurant. Later that week, you drive to the restaurant, show the waitress your coupon on your smartphone, and proceed to order your pizza along with the cheesesticks since you just saved 25% off of your favorite pepperoni, sausage, and mushroom pie. For marketers, the possibilities are endless. Just as important, this technology is measurable, which has been lacking in the industry longer than any CMO wants to admit.
As Smartphones explode as the mainstream media / communication device, it stands to reason that QR Codes will be one of the hottest applications in the marketing world. They are easy to track and provide an immediate response mechanism that catches consumers at the very moment of interest - when the consumers are intrigued. QR codes will help them take the next step and will make the new generation of direct mail more powerful than ever. For all you marketers using direct mail today, QR code technology is one that you cannot ignore.
Have you seen the new QR Codes lately? If not, fasten your seat belt, as more and more companies are seeking ways to reach out to their customers and prospects like never before. The main benefit for marketers using direct mail is that QR codes can turn a printed direct mail piece into an interactive mobile call-to-action, allowing static messages to become a quick-scan hyperlink to just about anything online.
For those new to QR Codes, a QR Code is a matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code), readable by QR scanners, mobile phones with a camera, and smartphones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on white background. The information encoded can be text, URLs, web links, or other data. The QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes. QR is the acronym for Quick Response, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.
I recently downloaded my free QR scanner application titled LifeScan from the Blackberry App Store for my Storm II and it works perfectly as advertised! My first QR Code test was for a "Win A Free Camera" contest that was presented on the cover of the Printing Industry Association of the South's (PIAS) monthly newsletter / magazine. The QR Code image on the front cover was simply scanned by my Storm II. Approximately 5 seconds after the scan, the app took me to an online survey whereby PIAS asked me questions about my membership, the technology we use here at FCi to support our clients marketing efforts, a few sales-related questions, and of course they requested my email address prior to submittion, which I am certain they will use for various emails campaigns in the future. Interestingly enough, I still haven't logged on to to my computer at work...hence the "mobile" power of the QR Code!
QR codes mass acceptance is soon to follow as smartphones are quickly becoming the phone of choice for all consumers, including adults. According to a Forrester Research report conducted in October and November 2009, 17 percent of US adults used smartphones, up from 11 percent in 2008 and 7 percent in 2007 and that smartphones are one of the hottest growth sectors in the economy right now. Usage continues to grow, even after significant growth over the past two years. Forrester notes that nearly one in every three US adult mobile phone subscribers now has either a smartphone or a quick message device (QMD), up from one in five less than a year earlier. In another report, according to comScore's MobiLens, 234 million Americans 13 and older used mobile devices between March and May 2010, with smartphone usage increasing 8.1% during the three month period.
Additionally, faster mobile web connectivity is growing, and mobile web search is becoming one of the most common uses for these devices. Imagine receiving a direct mailer with a QR code. Embedded within the code is a Personalized URL that takes you to a website offering a 25% off coupon for the exact pizza you ordered the last three times at your favorite restaurant. Later that week, you drive to the restaurant, show the waitress your coupon on your smartphone, and proceed to order your pizza along with the cheesesticks since you just saved 25% off of your favorite pepperoni, sausage, and mushroom pie. For marketers, the possibilities are endless. Just as important, this technology is measurable, which has been lacking in the industry longer than any CMO wants to admit.
As Smartphones explode as the mainstream media / communication device, it stands to reason that QR Codes will be one of the hottest applications in the marketing world. They are easy to track and provide an immediate response mechanism that catches consumers at the very moment of interest - when the consumers are intrigued. QR codes will help them take the next step and will make the new generation of direct mail more powerful than ever. For all you marketers using direct mail today, QR code technology is one that you cannot ignore.
Monday, October 18, 2010
...But I don't like SPAM!
By Bryan Robison, Senior Data Specialist
Email is one of the most effective & cost-efficient ways to market your company’s products & services. It’s also a great way to reach out to new customers and to stay in contact with current ones. However, before hitting the “send” button on your next email marketing campaign, you need to ensure that it won’t be flagged as spam and that it complies with the Federal Trade Commission’s CAN-SPAM Act.
What exactly is ‘spam’? According to Spamhaus.com, an electronic message is "spam" if (A) the recipient's personal identity and context are irrelevant because the message is equally applicable to many other potential recipients; AND (B) the recipient has not verifiably granted deliberate, explicit, and still-revocable permission for it to be sent. In other words, it’s all about consent and not content.
The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 was enacted to help control the proliferation of unsolicited bulk email; to give recipients a way to opt out of receiving unsolicited messages; and to lay out penalties for violations. Some of the major requirements of this law include:
1) Use accurate headers, such as your “From,” “To,” & “Reply-To” names
2) Subject line must correlate to the content of email message
3) The message must include a valid physical postal address
4) Plainly give your recipients the choice to opt-out of receiving any future emails
5) Handle any & all opt-out requests promptly
And, CAN-SPAM is enforced. Just ask Kodak & ICE.com. Kodak Imaging Network sent over 2 million messages that didn't have an unsubscribe link or a physical address included in their emails. They were fined $26,000; not a pretty picture. ICE.com sent an email marketing campaign to 6,000 recipients who had previously unsubscribed. Their penalty: $6,500 in cold, hard cash.
Designing beautiful, catchy, interesting and/or whimsical email messages is the easy part; the hard part is ensuring that your recipients have opted-in and that you are CAN-SPAM compliant. Because your email messages are all about consent, not necessarily content.
Email is one of the most effective & cost-efficient ways to market your company’s products & services. It’s also a great way to reach out to new customers and to stay in contact with current ones. However, before hitting the “send” button on your next email marketing campaign, you need to ensure that it won’t be flagged as spam and that it complies with the Federal Trade Commission’s CAN-SPAM Act.
What exactly is ‘spam’? According to Spamhaus.com, an electronic message is "spam" if (A) the recipient's personal identity and context are irrelevant because the message is equally applicable to many other potential recipients; AND (B) the recipient has not verifiably granted deliberate, explicit, and still-revocable permission for it to be sent. In other words, it’s all about consent and not content.
The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 was enacted to help control the proliferation of unsolicited bulk email; to give recipients a way to opt out of receiving unsolicited messages; and to lay out penalties for violations. Some of the major requirements of this law include:
1) Use accurate headers, such as your “From,” “To,” & “Reply-To” names
2) Subject line must correlate to the content of email message
3) The message must include a valid physical postal address
4) Plainly give your recipients the choice to opt-out of receiving any future emails
5) Handle any & all opt-out requests promptly
And, CAN-SPAM is enforced. Just ask Kodak & ICE.com. Kodak Imaging Network sent over 2 million messages that didn't have an unsubscribe link or a physical address included in their emails. They were fined $26,000; not a pretty picture. ICE.com sent an email marketing campaign to 6,000 recipients who had previously unsubscribed. Their penalty: $6,500 in cold, hard cash.
Designing beautiful, catchy, interesting and/or whimsical email messages is the easy part; the hard part is ensuring that your recipients have opted-in and that you are CAN-SPAM compliant. Because your email messages are all about consent, not necessarily content.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Social Media and Blogs
By Jeff Komlos, Information Technology Project Manager
I thought I would have a little fun with the irony of this week’s topic. My blog topic this week is all about Social Media, picking a blog topic and writing a valuable article. I was having trouble becoming motivated to select a topic to discuss, so I referred back to some information I had passed along to our internal team about writing blogs. At that point, I decided that there was a lot of value in the information provided, and it would be worthwhile to share. If you search the web, there are a lot of great sources that provide advice on blog authoring. I have collected what I believe to be a strong list of guidelines for writing posts. These guidelines won’t be an exact fit for everyone, but seem to work very well for us at FCi. The first question to ask is: What can Social Media do for you?
Social Media will:
• Provide a “Call to Action” for your customers.
• Push information to your client base, both current clients and potential clients.
• Give your potential customers a chance to “get to know you” before they actually get to know you.
• Provide a platform that allows your current customers to “sell” for you. Most of these tools will empower your customer base to provide information for you, taking some of the burden off of you. They will become content contributors.
• Show that you are cutting edge and willing to make the effort to include the younger generation in your direct marketing efforts.
Now, what about a blog? A blog is a great tool for showing expertise in a field or industry. As mentioned above, it allows your current and potential customer base to “get to know you”. Here are several tips you may want to consider when writing a blog post.
• Keep your content fresh. Stale, old content not only hurts search rankings, but it doesn't give your audience a reason to come back. Try to, at the very least, post new blogs once a week, more if you can.
• Websites are a reflection of your business and blogs are no different. Keep your blog informal, but don't cross the line of professionalism. Keep content high quality with correct grammar, no misspelled words or politically incorrect content.
• Feel free to also include small articles from guests you invite to participate, or create a post that is just a link to another site with some comments prepared by your group. Blogs can also feature guest writers that may have useful information to share with your customers. Such guests would be other professionals related to your industry or type of product you sell.
• Your blog should read more like a journal entry and less like an advertisement. Too much advertising can turn readers off from reading your blog, so make sure to be somewhat subtle.
I thought I would have a little fun with the irony of this week’s topic. My blog topic this week is all about Social Media, picking a blog topic and writing a valuable article. I was having trouble becoming motivated to select a topic to discuss, so I referred back to some information I had passed along to our internal team about writing blogs. At that point, I decided that there was a lot of value in the information provided, and it would be worthwhile to share. If you search the web, there are a lot of great sources that provide advice on blog authoring. I have collected what I believe to be a strong list of guidelines for writing posts. These guidelines won’t be an exact fit for everyone, but seem to work very well for us at FCi. The first question to ask is: What can Social Media do for you?
Social Media will:
• Provide a “Call to Action” for your customers.
• Push information to your client base, both current clients and potential clients.
• Give your potential customers a chance to “get to know you” before they actually get to know you.
• Provide a platform that allows your current customers to “sell” for you. Most of these tools will empower your customer base to provide information for you, taking some of the burden off of you. They will become content contributors.
• Show that you are cutting edge and willing to make the effort to include the younger generation in your direct marketing efforts.
Now, what about a blog? A blog is a great tool for showing expertise in a field or industry. As mentioned above, it allows your current and potential customer base to “get to know you”. Here are several tips you may want to consider when writing a blog post.
• Keep your content fresh. Stale, old content not only hurts search rankings, but it doesn't give your audience a reason to come back. Try to, at the very least, post new blogs once a week, more if you can.
• Websites are a reflection of your business and blogs are no different. Keep your blog informal, but don't cross the line of professionalism. Keep content high quality with correct grammar, no misspelled words or politically incorrect content.
• Feel free to also include small articles from guests you invite to participate, or create a post that is just a link to another site with some comments prepared by your group. Blogs can also feature guest writers that may have useful information to share with your customers. Such guests would be other professionals related to your industry or type of product you sell.
• Your blog should read more like a journal entry and less like an advertisement. Too much advertising can turn readers off from reading your blog, so make sure to be somewhat subtle.
Monday, September 27, 2010
When Personalization Gets TOO Personal
By Rachel Hardin, Sales and Marketing Assistant
These days, the amount of information that is easily gathered about a consumer by researchers can be frightening. Technology is aiding the process of gathering Internet usage / consumer profile information down to the second, and that information is used by sales and marketing executives for personalized direct mail and other sales tools allowing them to connect with the customer on a personal level… or at least that is the goal.
Recent accusations of information misuse and even racial profiling by the Center for Digital Democracy and the US Public Interest Research Group have marketers and sales executives on pins and needles. Everyone wants to hit that fine line between personalization that amazes the consumer and personalization that frightens the consumer (and makes them wonder how they even got that information in the first place).
So, how exactly do you know how to hit that fine line without crossing it? Here are a few pointers to consider on your next personalized campaign:
-Do not include any customer information that is not directly related to the product/service you are offering.
-Avoid including information related to: medical data, financial information, sexual preference / orientation or personal identifiers (i.e. social security numbers, driver’s license information, telephone numbers and/or physical descriptions).
-Has the majority of your audience heard of your company or organization? If they have not, you should be even more cautious about the customer information you disclose as this could trigger a defensive response, not knowing how you acquired this information.
-It is key to make use of ongoing dialog with customers about data collection. Finding out and complying with their preferred level of privacy can help sales and marketing executives gauge the success and professionalism of their efforts.
Personalized marketing campaigns can be a great way to impress potential clients; however, if the information is not used in a respectful manner, your plans can backfire and your campaign will have the exact opposite effect. Consider who you are targeting, what product / service you are marketing, and what sort of reputation your company has with your target audience, if any. After this has been done and your mailing has been dispersed, communication is key. This will lead to an effective, personalized campaign.
These days, the amount of information that is easily gathered about a consumer by researchers can be frightening. Technology is aiding the process of gathering Internet usage / consumer profile information down to the second, and that information is used by sales and marketing executives for personalized direct mail and other sales tools allowing them to connect with the customer on a personal level… or at least that is the goal.
Recent accusations of information misuse and even racial profiling by the Center for Digital Democracy and the US Public Interest Research Group have marketers and sales executives on pins and needles. Everyone wants to hit that fine line between personalization that amazes the consumer and personalization that frightens the consumer (and makes them wonder how they even got that information in the first place).
So, how exactly do you know how to hit that fine line without crossing it? Here are a few pointers to consider on your next personalized campaign:
-Do not include any customer information that is not directly related to the product/service you are offering.
-Avoid including information related to: medical data, financial information, sexual preference / orientation or personal identifiers (i.e. social security numbers, driver’s license information, telephone numbers and/or physical descriptions).
-Has the majority of your audience heard of your company or organization? If they have not, you should be even more cautious about the customer information you disclose as this could trigger a defensive response, not knowing how you acquired this information.
-It is key to make use of ongoing dialog with customers about data collection. Finding out and complying with their preferred level of privacy can help sales and marketing executives gauge the success and professionalism of their efforts.
Personalized marketing campaigns can be a great way to impress potential clients; however, if the information is not used in a respectful manner, your plans can backfire and your campaign will have the exact opposite effect. Consider who you are targeting, what product / service you are marketing, and what sort of reputation your company has with your target audience, if any. After this has been done and your mailing has been dispersed, communication is key. This will lead to an effective, personalized campaign.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Speed and Accountability, can they co-exist?
By Ed Sweeney, Information Technology Manager
In the fulfillment industry, if you’re not fast and accurate, you’ll struggle to compete. We live in a “now” world and when a consumer places an order for something, they want it now, and expect no less. To be competitive in your order turnaround time, you’ve got to speed up the process, reduce touches, and eliminate manual processes, all without losing precision. With precision comes accountability, and with accountability comes a more efficient workforce. If team members know they are accountable for their actions and that their name is attached to their part of the process, they are more likely to buy into the overall process. This is where you must be careful eliminating manual processes and reducing touches, because you can easily remove accountability at the same time. Technology can help create an efficient process without threatening accountability, all the while increasing order turnaround speed. One specific way that Fulfillment Concepts, Inc. has increased speed and accountability is by incorporating barcodes on employee badges that identify each employee. With this in place, an order can be tracked from the time it arrives into our system until the time it leaves the building. Each step an order takes is tied to a timestamp and a person, leaving little question about an order status and who is responsible for its care. This is just one of many ways that you can increase speed without accountability and accuracy suffering. We’d like to hear from you in the field as to what you’ve done similar to increase turnaround speed, accuracy, and accountability. Use the comments below to respond. We’d love for you to share some experience.
In the fulfillment industry, if you’re not fast and accurate, you’ll struggle to compete. We live in a “now” world and when a consumer places an order for something, they want it now, and expect no less. To be competitive in your order turnaround time, you’ve got to speed up the process, reduce touches, and eliminate manual processes, all without losing precision. With precision comes accountability, and with accountability comes a more efficient workforce. If team members know they are accountable for their actions and that their name is attached to their part of the process, they are more likely to buy into the overall process. This is where you must be careful eliminating manual processes and reducing touches, because you can easily remove accountability at the same time. Technology can help create an efficient process without threatening accountability, all the while increasing order turnaround speed. One specific way that Fulfillment Concepts, Inc. has increased speed and accountability is by incorporating barcodes on employee badges that identify each employee. With this in place, an order can be tracked from the time it arrives into our system until the time it leaves the building. Each step an order takes is tied to a timestamp and a person, leaving little question about an order status and who is responsible for its care. This is just one of many ways that you can increase speed without accountability and accuracy suffering. We’d like to hear from you in the field as to what you’ve done similar to increase turnaround speed, accuracy, and accountability. Use the comments below to respond. We’d love for you to share some experience.
Monday, September 13, 2010
The New Cloud
By Mike McCarson, Manager of System Design (IT Department)
Is Cloud Computing a thing of the past? Not likely. There’s no doubt that the concept is alive and well, BUT the original concept of the phrase Cloud Computing is losing its “wow” factor. Back in the day, cloud computing was a job function that companies outsourced to that large, unexplainable black box in the sky. Companies would make specific decisions about targeted job functions such as word processing tools, and purchase platform space from the likes of Microsoft and others. But in today’s fast paced culture, especially in the IT industry, the continuous development of new & improved technology creates a saturation of cutting edge software and devices that stretches and conforms the definition of the Cloud Computing concept. This isn’t something that we make targeted decisions on anymore; it’s assumed in a lot of cases. For instance, almost all of the handheld devices today implement some form of cloud computing. That being said, the IT “geeks” aren’t the only ones that have to move along with the times. Remember the buzz word Global Warming? The new phrase is Climate Control. What about Reality TV? Yes, this phrase is still buzzing around, but is it still accurate?
Is Cloud Computing a thing of the past? Not likely. There’s no doubt that the concept is alive and well, BUT the original concept of the phrase Cloud Computing is losing its “wow” factor. Back in the day, cloud computing was a job function that companies outsourced to that large, unexplainable black box in the sky. Companies would make specific decisions about targeted job functions such as word processing tools, and purchase platform space from the likes of Microsoft and others. But in today’s fast paced culture, especially in the IT industry, the continuous development of new & improved technology creates a saturation of cutting edge software and devices that stretches and conforms the definition of the Cloud Computing concept. This isn’t something that we make targeted decisions on anymore; it’s assumed in a lot of cases. For instance, almost all of the handheld devices today implement some form of cloud computing. That being said, the IT “geeks” aren’t the only ones that have to move along with the times. Remember the buzz word Global Warming? The new phrase is Climate Control. What about Reality TV? Yes, this phrase is still buzzing around, but is it still accurate?
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Are you a vendor or a partner?
By Amy Schwoeppe, Client Relations Manger
At FCi, we are very relationship-oriented. Being in the fulfillment industry, we believe it is extremely important to be partners with our clients, not just vendors.
In a partnership, there is open communication. We understand our clients’ needs by taking time to learn their business as well as their individual needs. We ask questions and provide feedback. We work together to find the best fit for each need. We help them build processes that deliver the best service for the most cost effective ways to achieve their goals. If something isn’t right, we work together to find a solution; we don’t just want to provide the service. Partnerships build trust and loyalty, which leads to healthy, productive relationships. A vendor is selling something, and we aren’t here to simply sell. We are here to help boost our clients’ business and provide exceptional service along the way.
If we were simply a vendor, why would our clients want to stay? The comfort of having someone looking out for your best interest, improving your processes, saving money and bringing innovation to the table – that’s why they stay; that’s why a partnership is successful. As a vendor, it’s a service or product for sale: no relationship… no insight… no feedback.
Our approach is why we have exceptional retention with our clients. We learn each piece of our client’s business and dedicate teams to be specialists for each client. We train and cross train for extensive coverage. We strive to understand the intimate details of each account, which gives us the advantage to identify issues and resolve them quickly. If you are in an industry in which your clients may benefit from the same approach, perhaps you should take this into consideration and not just be a vendor for your clients, but transition that relationship into a partnership.
At FCi, we are very relationship-oriented. Being in the fulfillment industry, we believe it is extremely important to be partners with our clients, not just vendors.
In a partnership, there is open communication. We understand our clients’ needs by taking time to learn their business as well as their individual needs. We ask questions and provide feedback. We work together to find the best fit for each need. We help them build processes that deliver the best service for the most cost effective ways to achieve their goals. If something isn’t right, we work together to find a solution; we don’t just want to provide the service. Partnerships build trust and loyalty, which leads to healthy, productive relationships. A vendor is selling something, and we aren’t here to simply sell. We are here to help boost our clients’ business and provide exceptional service along the way.
If we were simply a vendor, why would our clients want to stay? The comfort of having someone looking out for your best interest, improving your processes, saving money and bringing innovation to the table – that’s why they stay; that’s why a partnership is successful. As a vendor, it’s a service or product for sale: no relationship… no insight… no feedback.
Our approach is why we have exceptional retention with our clients. We learn each piece of our client’s business and dedicate teams to be specialists for each client. We train and cross train for extensive coverage. We strive to understand the intimate details of each account, which gives us the advantage to identify issues and resolve them quickly. If you are in an industry in which your clients may benefit from the same approach, perhaps you should take this into consideration and not just be a vendor for your clients, but transition that relationship into a partnership.
Monday, August 30, 2010
The Power of the PCC
By Keith Ballard, FCi Production Scheduler and Kentuckiana PCC Programs Director
What is a PCC you ask? Founded in 1961, the Postal Customer Council is a group of USPS Officials and industry leaders who serve to bridge the communication gap and foster educational and networking opportunities between the Postal Service and the mailing community. There are more than 200 local PCC chapters with approximately 100,000 members across the nation. You can bet there is one in your area that would welcome your participation.
I have been involved with the Kentuckiana PCC since 1990 and more recently as Special Events Coordinator and Programs Director on the Executive Board since 2008. Our goal has been to take the PCC to new heights and give our 800+ members value and the education needed in the tough economy we are all facing. Due to the never-ending amount of USPS changes and new regulations, we are increasing our general meetings to 6 per year and have added additional programs to the traditional 2 seminars per meeting. Our next meeting will be PCC day on 9/15/10 and will include 3 seminars from USPS Headquarters. Most of our seminars are custom designed by our Industry members or USPS presentations only offered at the National Postal Forum. You will be allowed time to socialize and network with your peers while being served a catered lunch from Bootleg BBQ. We will wrap up with a webcast of Postmaster General Jack Potter spelling out his challenges and plans to transform the Postal Service, and end the day with tours of our local USPS facility. This is a great way to see the USPS machines in action and know what happens to the mail after it leaves your hands. Our Annual Membership is free and everyone is invited to attend this action packed event at a cost of $25.00 per person.
The PCC is beneficial to FCi and everyone who mails and could not exist without your involvement. So I encourage you… PLEASE BE INVOLVED. Every member makes a difference to refine, change, or voice your opinion to the USPS industry. FCi, as a member, has been able to keep up with major USPS changes to remain postal compliant through the PCC’s education programs. FCi also maximizes the best postal discounts and efficiencies from mailpiece creation to output with our participation in many other workshops and key PCC events. Please visit our website at www.kentuckianapcc.com or contact me at kballard@fciusa.net for more information about the Kentuckiana PCC. Other areas may contact your local post office for a chapter nearest you.
What is a PCC you ask? Founded in 1961, the Postal Customer Council is a group of USPS Officials and industry leaders who serve to bridge the communication gap and foster educational and networking opportunities between the Postal Service and the mailing community. There are more than 200 local PCC chapters with approximately 100,000 members across the nation. You can bet there is one in your area that would welcome your participation.
I have been involved with the Kentuckiana PCC since 1990 and more recently as Special Events Coordinator and Programs Director on the Executive Board since 2008. Our goal has been to take the PCC to new heights and give our 800+ members value and the education needed in the tough economy we are all facing. Due to the never-ending amount of USPS changes and new regulations, we are increasing our general meetings to 6 per year and have added additional programs to the traditional 2 seminars per meeting. Our next meeting will be PCC day on 9/15/10 and will include 3 seminars from USPS Headquarters. Most of our seminars are custom designed by our Industry members or USPS presentations only offered at the National Postal Forum. You will be allowed time to socialize and network with your peers while being served a catered lunch from Bootleg BBQ. We will wrap up with a webcast of Postmaster General Jack Potter spelling out his challenges and plans to transform the Postal Service, and end the day with tours of our local USPS facility. This is a great way to see the USPS machines in action and know what happens to the mail after it leaves your hands. Our Annual Membership is free and everyone is invited to attend this action packed event at a cost of $25.00 per person.
The PCC is beneficial to FCi and everyone who mails and could not exist without your involvement. So I encourage you… PLEASE BE INVOLVED. Every member makes a difference to refine, change, or voice your opinion to the USPS industry. FCi, as a member, has been able to keep up with major USPS changes to remain postal compliant through the PCC’s education programs. FCi also maximizes the best postal discounts and efficiencies from mailpiece creation to output with our participation in many other workshops and key PCC events. Please visit our website at www.kentuckianapcc.com or contact me at kballard@fciusa.net for more information about the Kentuckiana PCC. Other areas may contact your local post office for a chapter nearest you.
Monday, August 23, 2010
The Lowest Hanging Fruit May Already Be On The Ground!
By Don Eger, Sales Representative
Business development efforts more often than not focus on “low hanging fruit”. Time and time again savvy marketers identify key business segments that are ideally aligned with the goods and services that a respective company has to offer. While it is strategically sound to pursue new business in this manner, all too often companies tend to lose focus on what helped make them successful in the first place…their current customer.
One of the most commonly overlooked sources of increased revenue has already “fallen from the tree”. Just look at your own current client base. Sure, you’re knocking yourself out on a daily basis jumping through hoops and making sure that everything you do contributes to a high customer satisfaction rating. But, when was the last time you sat back, took a deep breath, and asked yourself…”What more can I being doing for my client? How can they additionally benefit from the services in which my company has demonstrated expertise? Have I looked at every possible perceived client need and properly aligned it with each and every capability my company has to offer?”
Here are a three simple ways to grab “ripe fruit” that is just within reach…
1. Proactively strategize about programs that are consistent with ones you are already implementing in your client’s behalf. This doesn’t need to be anything formal. Brainstorm with your current account group, it may be as simple as saying to your contact at the next meeting, ”have you ever considered…?”
2. Meet with primary contacts and ask how you can reach deeper within their organization. In most cases, and particularly if they are a well-satisfied client, they’ll be more than happy to put you in touch with influential decision-makers in other departments.
3. Schedule semi-annual reviews. This can be an effective new business tool for sales personnel, regardless of the industry you represent. Discussion can lead from “how are we doing” to “what else can we be doing”.
Sure, it’s all a common sense approach to building business relationships, but client satisfaction and increased revenues go hand-in-hand. Remember, the first day you acquire an account, you are one day closer to losing it, so make every day count!
Business development efforts more often than not focus on “low hanging fruit”. Time and time again savvy marketers identify key business segments that are ideally aligned with the goods and services that a respective company has to offer. While it is strategically sound to pursue new business in this manner, all too often companies tend to lose focus on what helped make them successful in the first place…their current customer.
One of the most commonly overlooked sources of increased revenue has already “fallen from the tree”. Just look at your own current client base. Sure, you’re knocking yourself out on a daily basis jumping through hoops and making sure that everything you do contributes to a high customer satisfaction rating. But, when was the last time you sat back, took a deep breath, and asked yourself…”What more can I being doing for my client? How can they additionally benefit from the services in which my company has demonstrated expertise? Have I looked at every possible perceived client need and properly aligned it with each and every capability my company has to offer?”
Here are a three simple ways to grab “ripe fruit” that is just within reach…
1. Proactively strategize about programs that are consistent with ones you are already implementing in your client’s behalf. This doesn’t need to be anything formal. Brainstorm with your current account group, it may be as simple as saying to your contact at the next meeting, ”have you ever considered…?”
2. Meet with primary contacts and ask how you can reach deeper within their organization. In most cases, and particularly if they are a well-satisfied client, they’ll be more than happy to put you in touch with influential decision-makers in other departments.
3. Schedule semi-annual reviews. This can be an effective new business tool for sales personnel, regardless of the industry you represent. Discussion can lead from “how are we doing” to “what else can we be doing”.
Sure, it’s all a common sense approach to building business relationships, but client satisfaction and increased revenues go hand-in-hand. Remember, the first day you acquire an account, you are one day closer to losing it, so make every day count!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Are you mailing JUNK MAIL?
By Joe Leist, Sales Director
Have you ever wondered why so many companies use direct mail marketing for customer acquisition? The answer is quite simple. It works! This week I received over 15 direct mail pieces at my home address here in balmy Louisville, KY. Offers came from local companies such as realtors, auto dealers, and insurance agents. A few mail pieces were received from national retailers such as Dicks Sporting Goods, Macy’s, and Justice (you’d have to have a 10 year old daughter to know that one!). And lastly, I received some very aggressive offers by credit card industry giants, Chase Bank and PNC.
While most of us consumers get somewhat annoyed by the many offers being provided through the direct mail marketing channel, (maybe you’ve heard the term “junk mail?”), some of the offers seem to be right in line with my needs. How is it that some mail is considered junk, while other pieces might be golden? That's the million-dollar question marketers face every day, and one that can be avoided with a simple understanding of direct mail marketing basics.
If you are considering utilizing direct mail for customer acquisition, you might be interested in better understanding the top 5 mistakes marketers make when building direct mail campaigns:
1) The wrong list: Oftentimes marketers use either out-dated house files or have done a poor job in securing a great list. As postage rates continue to increase yearly and as consumers continue to get bombarded with a wide variety of marketing messages on a daily basis, it’s imperative to target an audience that meets your ideal customer profile. Why mail a furnace replacement offer to a new-home buyer if that buyer won’t be replacing a furnace for at least 8 years!
2) Poor copy: Whether you use self-mailers, or the often-used 9 x 12 with buck slip in a # 10 window envelope, copy sells. To see what others are using in their copy, either start collecting your own direct mail pieces, or consider joining “Who’s Mailing What”, which is simply a direct mail database of thousands of direct mail pieces in PDF, which is searchable by industry. If you’re not interested in subscribing, feel free to call me and I can pull some industry samples for you to review.
3) Not enough testing: It’s imperative to test, test, and then test some more. Rule number one is never to mail just one copy of anything, but instead test multiple pieces in the same mailing. You just might be surprised at which copy is working and often times it is not the piece you thought would garner the higher response rates.
4) No relevancy / No personalization: In the old days, direct mail was created on commercial printing presses and every piece delivered the same message using the same graphics regardless of age, race, income, and other demographics ultimately resulting in poor response rates. Today’s marketing service providers use data-driven technology that allows every direct mail piece to be unique to the recipient. A great example in relevancy can be seen from one of the regional grocers here in the Midwest whom uses their member base house file list for up-sell opportunities. Have you ever wondered why you received a Bonny Bell ice-cream coupon when you purchased another brand’s ice cream just three weeks ago? Data drives the offer and is easy to accomplish with today’s technology being used by marketing service providers.
5) No plan for following up: 10,000 mail pieces delivered, 1.29% response rate (or 129 responders), and no follow up plans. Yikes! It’s true, and we see if every day whereby marketing and sales continue to operate on separate floors with no follow up game plan, especially in the B-to-B marketplace. Do yourself a favor and plan your follow up processes before you launch your next marketing campaign.
Good luck to those embarking on an excellent customer acquisition marketing strategy using direct mail and always remember: build or purchase a targeted list, write copy that is compelling with a good call to action, test, test, and test some more, use personalization and data driven content to more closely communicate with your prospects interest, and always remember to build a follow up strategy prior to launch. Otherwise, you might just be adding more junk mail to the postal stream.
Have you ever wondered why so many companies use direct mail marketing for customer acquisition? The answer is quite simple. It works! This week I received over 15 direct mail pieces at my home address here in balmy Louisville, KY. Offers came from local companies such as realtors, auto dealers, and insurance agents. A few mail pieces were received from national retailers such as Dicks Sporting Goods, Macy’s, and Justice (you’d have to have a 10 year old daughter to know that one!). And lastly, I received some very aggressive offers by credit card industry giants, Chase Bank and PNC.
While most of us consumers get somewhat annoyed by the many offers being provided through the direct mail marketing channel, (maybe you’ve heard the term “junk mail?”), some of the offers seem to be right in line with my needs. How is it that some mail is considered junk, while other pieces might be golden? That's the million-dollar question marketers face every day, and one that can be avoided with a simple understanding of direct mail marketing basics.
If you are considering utilizing direct mail for customer acquisition, you might be interested in better understanding the top 5 mistakes marketers make when building direct mail campaigns:
1) The wrong list: Oftentimes marketers use either out-dated house files or have done a poor job in securing a great list. As postage rates continue to increase yearly and as consumers continue to get bombarded with a wide variety of marketing messages on a daily basis, it’s imperative to target an audience that meets your ideal customer profile. Why mail a furnace replacement offer to a new-home buyer if that buyer won’t be replacing a furnace for at least 8 years!
2) Poor copy: Whether you use self-mailers, or the often-used 9 x 12 with buck slip in a # 10 window envelope, copy sells. To see what others are using in their copy, either start collecting your own direct mail pieces, or consider joining “Who’s Mailing What”, which is simply a direct mail database of thousands of direct mail pieces in PDF, which is searchable by industry. If you’re not interested in subscribing, feel free to call me and I can pull some industry samples for you to review.
3) Not enough testing: It’s imperative to test, test, and then test some more. Rule number one is never to mail just one copy of anything, but instead test multiple pieces in the same mailing. You just might be surprised at which copy is working and often times it is not the piece you thought would garner the higher response rates.
4) No relevancy / No personalization: In the old days, direct mail was created on commercial printing presses and every piece delivered the same message using the same graphics regardless of age, race, income, and other demographics ultimately resulting in poor response rates. Today’s marketing service providers use data-driven technology that allows every direct mail piece to be unique to the recipient. A great example in relevancy can be seen from one of the regional grocers here in the Midwest whom uses their member base house file list for up-sell opportunities. Have you ever wondered why you received a Bonny Bell ice-cream coupon when you purchased another brand’s ice cream just three weeks ago? Data drives the offer and is easy to accomplish with today’s technology being used by marketing service providers.
5) No plan for following up: 10,000 mail pieces delivered, 1.29% response rate (or 129 responders), and no follow up plans. Yikes! It’s true, and we see if every day whereby marketing and sales continue to operate on separate floors with no follow up game plan, especially in the B-to-B marketplace. Do yourself a favor and plan your follow up processes before you launch your next marketing campaign.
Good luck to those embarking on an excellent customer acquisition marketing strategy using direct mail and always remember: build or purchase a targeted list, write copy that is compelling with a good call to action, test, test, and test some more, use personalization and data driven content to more closely communicate with your prospects interest, and always remember to build a follow up strategy prior to launch. Otherwise, you might just be adding more junk mail to the postal stream.
Monday, August 9, 2010
How to Maximize Digital Printing Efforts
By Gary Sublett, Data Processing / Docutech Specialist
Have you read Rachel's article, “The Power of Paper”? This is absolutely true! I hope you are looking at the possibilities of a marketing plan that includes a digital color press produced component as time and time again it has been proven that this is the way to get the most return on your marketing dollar.
You may wonder, why use a digital color press produced component? Below are the economies of a digitally produced color piece:
· Relatively endless personalization possibilities with variable data print (VDP).
· Quick turn around.
· Economical short to medium runs.
· Near linear cost per piece produced.
· Real proofs produced by the exact workflow that generates the final product.
· Print-on-Demand. (POD)
· In-line finishing. (Trim, score, stitch, fold, etc.)
All of this sounds great, but there are even considerations one must make when planning a digital color print component. Attention to a few details at the creative design phase can go a long way to maximize the benefits of digital print. Here are a few key areas that we have found to be critical:
· Get your printer involved early in the design phase. If your ideas involve a mail piece, coordinate with your printer to ensure your design complies with postal standards and regulations.
· Proof early and often. Proofing on a digital press is significantly more economical, quicker, and allows for an interactive creative process.
· Determine the most appropriate color space to use (RGB vs CMYK) during the design phase and when to convert to CMYK.
· ICC profiles used and why.
· Image formats, resolutions, compression. (JPEG, TIFF, EPS, etc)
· Optimizing large areas of solid and gradient tints to avoid mottling and banding.
All things considered, digital printing (especially color printing) can go a long way and still remain cost effective. Use these tips on your next digital printing campaign and save yourself time and money in your marketing strategy. There isn't a more opportune time to do more with less.
Have you read Rachel's article, “The Power of Paper”? This is absolutely true! I hope you are looking at the possibilities of a marketing plan that includes a digital color press produced component as time and time again it has been proven that this is the way to get the most return on your marketing dollar.
You may wonder, why use a digital color press produced component? Below are the economies of a digitally produced color piece:
· Relatively endless personalization possibilities with variable data print (VDP).
· Quick turn around.
· Economical short to medium runs.
· Near linear cost per piece produced.
· Real proofs produced by the exact workflow that generates the final product.
· Print-on-Demand. (POD)
· In-line finishing. (Trim, score, stitch, fold, etc.)
All of this sounds great, but there are even considerations one must make when planning a digital color print component. Attention to a few details at the creative design phase can go a long way to maximize the benefits of digital print. Here are a few key areas that we have found to be critical:
· Get your printer involved early in the design phase. If your ideas involve a mail piece, coordinate with your printer to ensure your design complies with postal standards and regulations.
· Proof early and often. Proofing on a digital press is significantly more economical, quicker, and allows for an interactive creative process.
· Determine the most appropriate color space to use (RGB vs CMYK) during the design phase and when to convert to CMYK.
· ICC profiles used and why.
· Image formats, resolutions, compression. (JPEG, TIFF, EPS, etc)
· Optimizing large areas of solid and gradient tints to avoid mottling and banding.
All things considered, digital printing (especially color printing) can go a long way and still remain cost effective. Use these tips on your next digital printing campaign and save yourself time and money in your marketing strategy. There isn't a more opportune time to do more with less.
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Point of No Returns
By Bryan Robison, Senior Data Specialist
So you’ve just wrapped up your direct marketing campaign and are confident that new & existing leads will be beating down your door. Think again…
The United States Postal Service estimates that 10% of all mail is undelivered because of incorrect or outdated addresses. Moreover, approximately 40 million Americans change their address every year. So how do you hit these “moving” targets?
FCi has helped numerous clients significantly increase their ROI on direct mail campaigns. We employ leading Move Update technology, NCOAlink , to ensure that our clients’ lists are current. Our clients’ address data is matched to the USPS’s National Change Of Address (NCOA) database that contains 160 million permanent change-of-address (COA) records filed over the last 4 years. With this broad access to recent move update information, we’re confident that your DM mailpieces won’t be branded “Return To Sender”.
By reducing returned mail or UAA’s (Undelivered As Addressed), you will get more bang for your postage buck & realize the following gains:
· the postage wasted on these UAA’s is eliminated
· printing costs are reduced since we’re mailing to only known addresses
· The campaign will be delivered faster and with greater accuracy which, in turn, translates into an increase in response rates
FCi can perform an ROI analysis to estimate how much you’ll gain by transforming your outdated lists into ones that contain current & relevant address information. Let FCi get you to the point of No Returns!
So you’ve just wrapped up your direct marketing campaign and are confident that new & existing leads will be beating down your door. Think again…
The United States Postal Service estimates that 10% of all mail is undelivered because of incorrect or outdated addresses. Moreover, approximately 40 million Americans change their address every year. So how do you hit these “moving” targets?
FCi has helped numerous clients significantly increase their ROI on direct mail campaigns. We employ leading Move Update technology, NCOAlink , to ensure that our clients’ lists are current. Our clients’ address data is matched to the USPS’s National Change Of Address (NCOA) database that contains 160 million permanent change-of-address (COA) records filed over the last 4 years. With this broad access to recent move update information, we’re confident that your DM mailpieces won’t be branded “Return To Sender”.
By reducing returned mail or UAA’s (Undelivered As Addressed), you will get more bang for your postage buck & realize the following gains:
· the postage wasted on these UAA’s is eliminated
· printing costs are reduced since we’re mailing to only known addresses
· The campaign will be delivered faster and with greater accuracy which, in turn, translates into an increase in response rates
FCi can perform an ROI analysis to estimate how much you’ll gain by transforming your outdated lists into ones that contain current & relevant address information. Let FCi get you to the point of No Returns!
Monday, July 26, 2010
So, you think you want a new website?
By Jeff Komlos, Information Technology Project Manager
Often times, this can be where the knowledge train ends. Quite frequently, a client will profess their desire or need for a website, but have no idea where to take it from there. Rest assured, you are not alone. With the presence of the Internet growing at an incredible rate, this trend is only going to continue. It becomes increasingly cheaper to run your business virtually. To help you along this course, I have put together two groups of questions that should help you answer two things: 1) Do I need a website? 2) What do I need to provide and what needs to happen to move forward?
1) Do I need a website?
This one is pretty easy to answer. Read through the questions below:
--Am I sharing a message?
--Am I sharing information?
--Am I selling something or is this for a business?
If you have answered "yes" to any of these questions, you are probably in a good spot to explore having a website developed. At this point, several options are available to you. You can go with a templated approach or you could go with a completely custom-built website. Using our company as an example, we provide solutions for both the templated sites and for the custom-built sites. With a templated site, there is a lot more structure to the look and feel, as well as what functionality is available. One advantage to a templated design is that it is usually more geared for the budget-conscious consumer. If you are on a tight budget, this is the direction I would suggest looking first. You get a quality site, with a smaller price tag.
A custom-built website tends to be more expensive since we are not able to reuse work we have done in the past. The benefit of a site like this is that it can be built to meet your every single need, no matter how complex or unique. It can also have a completely unique and custom look and feel that no other site has. These types of sites can involve integration to a back-end database or set of information that you may already have in place. The options are limitless.
Now that you know you need a website.........
2) What do I need to provide and what needs to happen to move forward?
Here is a list of questions that you might consider or be prepared to answer when moving forward with a development firm. This will help you minimize the amount of time required in the "Analysis and Discovery" phase of the project.
--Do you have an existing website we can explore?
--Roughly, how many pages do you anticipate this site having?
--Do you currently have hosting for this site arranged?
--Do you have any logos, pictures, etc. or will we need to provide all artwork/images?
--Will this require a shopping cart or the ability to accept credit cards?
--Will this require secure access or any type of account access?
--Will you be storing/passing any sensitive information?
--Does the client expect to create and modify their own website content?
--Do you currently own a domain you wish to use for this site?
--Do you have a timeline for this project?
This list is ever-evolving based on current practices and capabilities of the Internet. However, this will help you and your new development firm get the project off on the right foot.
Often times, this can be where the knowledge train ends. Quite frequently, a client will profess their desire or need for a website, but have no idea where to take it from there. Rest assured, you are not alone. With the presence of the Internet growing at an incredible rate, this trend is only going to continue. It becomes increasingly cheaper to run your business virtually. To help you along this course, I have put together two groups of questions that should help you answer two things: 1) Do I need a website? 2) What do I need to provide and what needs to happen to move forward?
1) Do I need a website?
This one is pretty easy to answer. Read through the questions below:
--Am I sharing a message?
--Am I sharing information?
--Am I selling something or is this for a business?
If you have answered "yes" to any of these questions, you are probably in a good spot to explore having a website developed. At this point, several options are available to you. You can go with a templated approach or you could go with a completely custom-built website. Using our company as an example, we provide solutions for both the templated sites and for the custom-built sites. With a templated site, there is a lot more structure to the look and feel, as well as what functionality is available. One advantage to a templated design is that it is usually more geared for the budget-conscious consumer. If you are on a tight budget, this is the direction I would suggest looking first. You get a quality site, with a smaller price tag.
A custom-built website tends to be more expensive since we are not able to reuse work we have done in the past. The benefit of a site like this is that it can be built to meet your every single need, no matter how complex or unique. It can also have a completely unique and custom look and feel that no other site has. These types of sites can involve integration to a back-end database or set of information that you may already have in place. The options are limitless.
Now that you know you need a website.........
2) What do I need to provide and what needs to happen to move forward?
Here is a list of questions that you might consider or be prepared to answer when moving forward with a development firm. This will help you minimize the amount of time required in the "Analysis and Discovery" phase of the project.
--Do you have an existing website we can explore?
--Roughly, how many pages do you anticipate this site having?
--Do you currently have hosting for this site arranged?
--Do you have any logos, pictures, etc. or will we need to provide all artwork/images?
--Will this require a shopping cart or the ability to accept credit cards?
--Will this require secure access or any type of account access?
--Will you be storing/passing any sensitive information?
--Does the client expect to create and modify their own website content?
--Do you currently own a domain you wish to use for this site?
--Do you have a timeline for this project?
This list is ever-evolving based on current practices and capabilities of the Internet. However, this will help you and your new development firm get the project off on the right foot.
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Power of the Paper
By Rachel Hardin, Sales and Marketing Assistant
Marketers are constantly under the microscope to come up with the latest and most innovative ways to attract more customers. From the traditional direct mail postcard to whacky out-of-the-box expensive innovations, just about every possibility seems to have been tested at one point or another. So, what is it that actually WORKS?
The answer is simple; go back to the basics. Time and time again, it is direct mail (postcards in particular) that has proven to be effective in both cost and return on investment. There are particular ways to get the most out of your company’s dollar when it comes to direct mail postcards. The most important of the “musts” include:
Marketers are constantly under the microscope to come up with the latest and most innovative ways to attract more customers. From the traditional direct mail postcard to whacky out-of-the-box expensive innovations, just about every possibility seems to have been tested at one point or another. So, what is it that actually WORKS?
The answer is simple; go back to the basics. Time and time again, it is direct mail (postcards in particular) that has proven to be effective in both cost and return on investment. There are particular ways to get the most out of your company’s dollar when it comes to direct mail postcards. The most important of the “musts” include:
- You must invest in your mailing list.
- You must be creative with your postcard headline.
- You must encourage the reader to do something with a call-to-action.
- You must choose postcard images carefully.
- You must narrow your point of focus and be specific.
Monday, July 12, 2010
To automate... Or not to automate? You must first start with the three T's. (Continued)
By Ed Sweeney, Information Technology Manager
If you can reduce the three T’s, you will make your process more efficient. This is exactly what our IT staff did with our POD process. First, we eliminated all paper manifest for the POD portion. So, once the customer service representative processed orders that contain POD material, no paper manifests are generated and no delivery of manifests to the print department is needed. We used our internal development staff to create a software service to run that automatically watches for new POD orders to arrive, then pulls the appropriate print ready file from a repository, appends a job header and drops the file in the print queue. One added benefit that we took from an end user complaint is the job header seamlessly integrates with our Xerox iGen4 and other Xerox printers by containing all print spec information that gets pulled in by the printer, such as what tray to pull from, number of copies and finishing specs.
In addition to the above paper and process elimination, the print operator (end user) now has a 26” touch screen monitor to use that tracks all POD orders and where they are in the process at all times. The touch screen monitor also contains an interface for the print operators to use a new dynamic inventory on-the-fly filing system that is used to store print jobs as they are completed, which now eliminates manual sorting and searching. Once a print job is completed, another dynamic status screen is used in the picking area for the picking personnel to see what POD orders are complete and ready to be pulled, and what orders are still in process. This eliminates unnecessary steps and keeps the order process seamless.
This summarized version gives you an example of an automation project that when executed by involving the end user and eliminating the three T’s, most any system or business process can be improved. For all you IT staffers out there, be sure to listen and watch before you build.
If you can reduce the three T’s, you will make your process more efficient. This is exactly what our IT staff did with our POD process. First, we eliminated all paper manifest for the POD portion. So, once the customer service representative processed orders that contain POD material, no paper manifests are generated and no delivery of manifests to the print department is needed. We used our internal development staff to create a software service to run that automatically watches for new POD orders to arrive, then pulls the appropriate print ready file from a repository, appends a job header and drops the file in the print queue. One added benefit that we took from an end user complaint is the job header seamlessly integrates with our Xerox iGen4 and other Xerox printers by containing all print spec information that gets pulled in by the printer, such as what tray to pull from, number of copies and finishing specs.
In addition to the above paper and process elimination, the print operator (end user) now has a 26” touch screen monitor to use that tracks all POD orders and where they are in the process at all times. The touch screen monitor also contains an interface for the print operators to use a new dynamic inventory on-the-fly filing system that is used to store print jobs as they are completed, which now eliminates manual sorting and searching. Once a print job is completed, another dynamic status screen is used in the picking area for the picking personnel to see what POD orders are complete and ready to be pulled, and what orders are still in process. This eliminates unnecessary steps and keeps the order process seamless.
This summarized version gives you an example of an automation project that when executed by involving the end user and eliminating the three T’s, most any system or business process can be improved. For all you IT staffers out there, be sure to listen and watch before you build.
Monday, July 5, 2010
To automate... Or not to automate? You must start with the three T's.
By Ed Sweeney, Information Technology Manager
We all know the saying, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” and this holds true in the information technology environment as much as any other department in any business. As internal IT departments are constantly buried in work, it is usually the case that if something isn’t broken or no one is complaining about a process, it most likely won’t make it to the list of projects for a system or process upgrade. This should be a lesson to all of us in the technology industry; you must listen to the end user. Whether the end user of a system or process is the “squeaky wheel” or not, the end user is performing the work, so the end user is the person(s) that need to be involved when revamping a system or process. You can’t rely solely on management or the IT staff to fully design a system or process to make it more efficient.
We recently completed a system and process improvement project here at FCi (Fulfillment Concepts, Inc.) to make our Print-On Demand (POD) process more efficient so we could handle greater volumes. Where did we start? We started by shadowing the end users that perform the manual tasks from start to finish, from processing a POD order, to the time the order left the building. By doing this, you not only see first-hand the pain points, manual processes, and turnaround time, but you also lend an ear to the end user to hear their suggestions and experience what their pain points are.
So, what to automate? Well, you start with the three T’s. You find areas to eliminate Time, Travel and Touches.
Please stay tuned for our next post to find out how FCi eliminated Time, Travel and Touches with our new Print-On-Demand process. We will also include what we found to be the "pain points" in our shadowing of the end user.
We all know the saying, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” and this holds true in the information technology environment as much as any other department in any business. As internal IT departments are constantly buried in work, it is usually the case that if something isn’t broken or no one is complaining about a process, it most likely won’t make it to the list of projects for a system or process upgrade. This should be a lesson to all of us in the technology industry; you must listen to the end user. Whether the end user of a system or process is the “squeaky wheel” or not, the end user is performing the work, so the end user is the person(s) that need to be involved when revamping a system or process. You can’t rely solely on management or the IT staff to fully design a system or process to make it more efficient.
We recently completed a system and process improvement project here at FCi (Fulfillment Concepts, Inc.) to make our Print-On Demand (POD) process more efficient so we could handle greater volumes. Where did we start? We started by shadowing the end users that perform the manual tasks from start to finish, from processing a POD order, to the time the order left the building. By doing this, you not only see first-hand the pain points, manual processes, and turnaround time, but you also lend an ear to the end user to hear their suggestions and experience what their pain points are.
So, what to automate? Well, you start with the three T’s. You find areas to eliminate Time, Travel and Touches.
Please stay tuned for our next post to find out how FCi eliminated Time, Travel and Touches with our new Print-On-Demand process. We will also include what we found to be the "pain points" in our shadowing of the end user.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Teamwork and Client Focus
By Jack Mullins, President
This is my first shot at writing a blog about one of my favorite subjects, my company FCi. I don’t mean that to sound arrogant by using the term, “my company”, as I’m a BIG believer in teamwork. One person doesn’t make a company and that’s especially true here at FCi. We have proven time and again that collaborating in sales presentations, project management or just having fun, working as a team always results in success.
Since we opened our doors in 1988, we’ve found that our clients appreciate the fact that they have a lead account manager to contact for their day-to-day needs. Also, they always know that there is a whole team of folks behind the scenes that make things happen. Our clients have said that we have one of the best-trained teams in the industry. It’s comforting for them to know that when their account manager is out, for whatever reason, there is backup that can take over without missing a beat.
I think client support is an essential key to the success of any company, but particularly to a service provider like FCi. Keeping our clients informed on all aspects of their business is what our clients have come to depend on and expect.
I think that one of the most comforting feelings for a company owner is to know that the team of people he/she works with cares as much about their company and clients as he/she does!!
Fulfillment Concepts, Inc. is a full service fulfillment, digital print, & web development company that specializes in pick/pack/ship, high quality color digital printing, and one-to-one marketing services. FCi stays ahead of the competition by using the latest technology and internal teams to make every process as efficient as possible, providing nothing but the best service for our clients.
This is my first shot at writing a blog about one of my favorite subjects, my company FCi. I don’t mean that to sound arrogant by using the term, “my company”, as I’m a BIG believer in teamwork. One person doesn’t make a company and that’s especially true here at FCi. We have proven time and again that collaborating in sales presentations, project management or just having fun, working as a team always results in success.
Since we opened our doors in 1988, we’ve found that our clients appreciate the fact that they have a lead account manager to contact for their day-to-day needs. Also, they always know that there is a whole team of folks behind the scenes that make things happen. Our clients have said that we have one of the best-trained teams in the industry. It’s comforting for them to know that when their account manager is out, for whatever reason, there is backup that can take over without missing a beat.
I think client support is an essential key to the success of any company, but particularly to a service provider like FCi. Keeping our clients informed on all aspects of their business is what our clients have come to depend on and expect.
I think that one of the most comforting feelings for a company owner is to know that the team of people he/she works with cares as much about their company and clients as he/she does!!
Fulfillment Concepts, Inc. is a full service fulfillment, digital print, & web development company that specializes in pick/pack/ship, high quality color digital printing, and one-to-one marketing services. FCi stays ahead of the competition by using the latest technology and internal teams to make every process as efficient as possible, providing nothing but the best service for our clients.
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