VDP and Cross Media: A Perfect Storm of Opportunity

By Philip Rose

Tips for Printing VDP In-house

When it comes to VDP, every page is different in more ways than one. Whether each record prints a single page or several, it is important to be care-ful about the logistics of printing VDP. Something as simple as a paper jam, missed or duplicated records, or slight image quality issues can cause significant problems and expense if an overall logistical plan isn’t in place. These common occurrences can cause problems beyond making your organization appear inept to its targeted recipients, especially if you are producing something of monetary value such as checks or coupons.

Below is a list of tips to help your in-plant avoid common VDP pitfalls:

1) Create a marker—bright red is a good idea—for your print operators to place into the output stack wherever a jam occurs. Then, have someone other than the operator double-check five records before and five records after the marker before moving the printed stack to the next stage in operations.

2) Put a small, unobtrusive number on or near the address block, or somewhere on the page, giving each piece a unique, sequential number. The first record printed is #1, the next is #2, and so on. That way you can quickly determine if you have missing or duplicate pieces.

3) Make sure that an accurate record count is given to the print operator, and make sure he/she double checks the number of records after output. Ensure that at least two people, each from a different department, check the record counts. The best place to acquire the initial record count is from the data source, such as the database or CSV file, not from the output of the VDP program.

4) If you are printing on numbered stock, like check stock or other security stock, record the top number in the stack prior to printing and the top number at completion. Then do the math to confirm you printed the number of pieces you expected.

IN THESE tumultuous economic times, organizations are looking for innovative ways to cut costs, maintain customer loyalty and increase business. Unfortunately, in their zeal to save money, some organizations overlook the true value of their in-plant and instead try to outsource this valuable resource. To stay in business, in-plants must transform themselves into profit tools. By offering new services—such as variable data printing (VDP) and personalized cross-media communications—your in-plant can increase its value and become an even more integral part of your organization’s core business.

When contemplating offering VDP or cross-media services, there are many things to keep in mind, specifically, how to ensure a successful implementation with minimal startup costs and maximum return on the time invested. Before we get into the considerations and challenges, we should address the unique advantages of offering VDP and cross-media communication.

Guaranteeing Success with Your Data

The success of a variable data and cross-media offering rests within an organization’s data. In-plants are better positioned to deal with the sources, security and accuracy of that data than any external operation, since the in-plant will keep the organization’s client and prospect information entirely secure within the confines of the organization’s firewall. Also, since access to the data center is direct, the need to export data into a readable format for an external party is eliminated. Data is entirely accurate, up to date and accessible in mere minutes from your in-house location.

What’s more, while the in-plant will consider a VDP project a top priority, with a third party it becomes one of many jobs juggled on their schedule, potentially costing your organization precious time and additional expense. Also, as any in-plant manager knows, things always happen at the last minute. When updates or changes occur in the eleventh hour—and they always will—your operation is better suited than an outside provider to deliver maximum results and a significant cost advantage.

Selecting a VDP Solution

There are several considerations to keep in mind when acquiring a VDP or cross-media solution:

• Flexibility: Determine whether you plan to offer VDP or also provide personalized communications spanning several channels (e.g. print, Web, e-mail or mobile). Consider modular and scalable solutions that offer the flexibility to start with VDP, but expand to other channels and functionality when the time is right, without compromising the initial investment.

• Offering Robustness: The robustness of the solution you need depends on the volume and complexity of the communication. A desktop solution is ideal for producing lower volumes or basic personalized printed pieces; however, large volumes or graphic-intensive personalized printed communications require a server-based solution. Look for a solution that allows you to upgrade from a desktop- to a server-based configuration or from VDP to cross-media capabilities.

• One vendor or several? Cross-media publishing is about reaching targeted audiences across all media channels with consistent messages that are relevant to each recipient. It is also about maintaining a personalized dialogue with individuals, involving both inbound and outbound communications that use print, e-mail, Web and mobile media. One option is a point solution leveraging many different vendors. The inherent problem with this point-solution approach is it requires heavy coordination and project management, making it time consuming and expensive.
Implementing a complete integrated solution for one-to-one publishing, such as XMPie PersonalEffect, can mean the difference between a successful cross-media program and abandoning the practice due to frustration, inefficiency and expense. The ideal cross-media solution should be a media-focused hub that controls all outbound and inbound communications across all channels, providing event tracking, online reporting and analysis capabilities. It should allow you to write your business’s rules once, then apply them across all media channels. If you build a cross-media solution using multiple vendors, you run the risk of error when recreating and maintaining complex rules in multiple systems.

• Additional costs: Beyond the technology enabling VDP and cross-media, it is important to look at the associated expenses beyond the initial investment. Conducting a five-year cost outline that includes training, maintenance, support plans and other ongoing costs will provide an accurate representation of the total investment needed. Also keep in mind the training that comes along with personnel hires and departures, as well as the additional costs that non-standard systems require for specialized training.

In-plant decisions on investments and new services are never easy, especially as budgets get smaller; however, with proper research and a sound strategy, investments can be made that position you as a partner in helping your organization achieve its goals. Offering VDP and cross-media is just one of many ways to creatively secure your in-plant’s place within the organization. IPG

Philip Rose is product marketing manager for XMPie. He has extensive in-plant experience, working in production management and directorship roles for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and the Army Times Publishing Co. Rose also worked in Xerox’s Innovation Group and has five published patent applications in the field. He can be reached at philip.rose@us.xmpie.com

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