Tight Budgets Can Open New Sales

After years of downsizing, rightsizing and every other kind of sizing, Corporate America is still under enormous pressure to do more with less. Sure, the economy looks strong for the rest of 2007, but instead of replacing lost staff positions, companies are continuing to run lean. And that means an unprecedented opportunity for our industry.

Think about it. These corporate customers are facing jobless growth, rising labor costs, shrinking budgets and tougher performance demands from investors. They have fewer internal resources to work with, yet they're under tremendous pressure to grow their brands. They don't just need cheaper print from us, they need a better process. And, if they can outsource that process, so much the better.

Corporate America has already embraced the idea of automated solutions and business process outsourcing. Just look at all the sales and support solutions now used to manage customer life-cycles. Now, it's time to introduce similar automated and outsourced processes into new arenas, such as marketing, brand-related spending and associated supply chain management.

What would such solutions look like? At WorkflowOne, we're shifting from the old bid-and-buy model—where every print job was a one-off transaction for the lowest bidder—to new online solutions that give our customers instant access to a network of preferred vendors, as well as our own manufacturing centers. We're providing real-time reporting…collaboration tools…warehousing and distribution management…anything that will integrate functions, people and processes.

Through better inventory management and on-demand solutions, we're able to more efficiently and dramatically reduce obsolescence. This gives our customers much more control over their print-related supply chain, but it also gives us a mission-critical role in the entire process. Instead of just being a print vendor, we become an essential resource—the lynchpin, really, in the customer's supply chain. Needless to say, this enhances our customer retention and strengthens exit barriers.

Where do we see the greatest opportunities for technology-enabled solutions and business process outsourcing? Wherever brand-based marketing is you'll find Job No. 1. This means vertical markets such as hospitality, transportation, food and beverage, banking and retail.

These industries rely heavily on cross-promotion, retention and loyalty programs. They need flexible yet well integrated print solutions. Most have multiple locations and numerous sales offices or sell through dealer or franchise channels. At the corporate level, they must protect their brand, manage their brand-related spend and ensure compliance with regulations. At the local level, they want to give their people faster access to print and related materials, plus the ability to customize (within well-defined parameters) those materials. Clearly, the most efficient way to manage all these different interests is through an end-to-end supply chain solution.

Watch this space in 2007. You're going to see a growing trend by customers away from print providers offering commodity products at the lowest price to firms that can manage their processes and create more brand for the buck.