Document Services
Maximising ROI via integrated services
Steven Hall, November 2009
This article highlights the important benefits associated with fully integrating creative, print and distribution services with the objective of increasing the return on investment.
Many organisations utilise a combination of in-house, outsourced and external companies to support their communication process. However, more could benefit from using a single controlling function to manage their supply chain.
To put the importance of this concept into context, if your organisation is using numerous creative resources to produce its communications, it is also likely to be utilising a multitude of commercial printers and distributers, which is expensive and potentially damaging to brand integrity.
It is also highly likely that the organisation is:
- Not utilising its internal resources effectively.
- Unable to effectively repurpose content via conventional and digital channels.
- Failing to reduce its impact on the environment.
The purpose here is not to suggest that an organisation should only use one design agency or one commercial printer. It is to make the point that there should be a control hub for the whole supply chain that has the visibility and control to leverage spend and maximise return on investment.
The subject of integration within document related services isn’t new and a visit to the Xerox Document Advisor website is highly recommended, as it contains lots of excellent information on this topic.
However, whilst asking Xerox to manage the supply chain is one potential option, a more practical solution for many organisations is to introduce a centralised control hub that coordinates a multitude of resources and vendors within its existing supply chain.
Ultimately, by communicating more efficiently, the organisations shareholders would benefit from an enhanced return on investment. In addition, the environment would benefit from a reduction in paper consumption and transportation.
In the next article, entitled ‘The Importance of in-house Creative Services’, we will consider utilising the creative services function as the control hub, along with the structure and working philosophy required to make this approach successful.
Email this page to a friend.
Subscribe to free RSS updates.
