Does your document production workflow seem to be working against you? Do you spend time copying and pasting data from one piece of software into another? Well, you’re not alone! Lots of document operations are really a collection of unconnected pieces. It’s a frustrating way to run a business.
Let’s face it. A document production environment featuring equipment and software from multiple manufacturers is the norm in the customer communications business. We’ve never visited a facility that was completely homogenous. Companies often add document production components in response to requirements for new jobs. Individual modules may be the best solutions, but they aren’t designed to interact with all the other elements of your production workflow. Particularly challenging is integrating on-premise legacy print and mail solutions with modern digital distribution systems running in the cloud. Integration is the answer, but achieving this goal isn’t easy.
An efficient operation satisfies the needs of your customers and handles the complexities of today’s omni-channel communications landscape. Such an environment is essential for in-plant and outsource print and mail service providers. Compliance with regulations such as HIPAA, SOX, and GDPR is also a major concern for organizations working with collections of point solutions they cobbled together over the years. Developing ways to gather status information from all your production systems, automating processes, and presenting the information in meaningful ways is a formidable task.
Most companies don’t have internal resources available to handle this assignment, or they lack the system knowledge necessary to connect everything. They remedy this situation by purchasing expensive professional services from one or more of their software/hardware vendors. Maybe you’ve thought about that approach. At Racami we’ve found that vendor-supplied integration efforts like this often leave gaps. In the end, you’ll have spent a bunch of money and still haven’t solved your problem.
Customer Communications Management (CCM) workflow integration solutions, and the companies that offer them, have the features and experience necessary to bring all the components together. The best path to success is bringing in the experts that offer the integration solution and the expertise necessary to make it work in your environment
The need of working with a knowledgeable CCM integrator has several benefits:
Internal Resource Assignment
Obviously, your production, management, and IT employees will contribute in the planning stages of your integration projects. Your people know the systems infrastructure and understand the organization’s goals better than anyone, but they shouldn’t be burdened with implementing complex integration projects. You can make better use of your valuable staff resources by working with an experienced CCM integrator. Your internal staff can then spend more of their time on critical tasks while the integrator does the work of connecting all the document production and delivery components to their comprehensive command-and-control solution.
Outside Perspective
Organizations can’t implement best practices if they spend all their time working within their own production environments. It’s a classic “Can’t see the forest for the trees” situation. Outside integrators bring an abundance of experience with them. They are familiar with what has worked elsewhere and can adapt solutions to meet the specific mix of components you need to integrate. CCM integrators can spot difficulties up front and avoid delays.
Vendor Relationships
CCM integrators work with the vendors every day. They know how to connect equipment and software from multiple suppliers to their CCM solution. With strong ties to vendor representatives, CCM integrators can get help from the vendor resources necessary to solve a problem. Need to install sensors on a mail inserter, or get piece tracking software updated? The integrators probably know who to call to get those tasks completed and keep the integration project on schedule.
Integrator/vendor relationships also come in handy when companies must upgrade or replace existing hardware or software so it will connect to the CCM solution. CCM integrators understand which products will work best within your document operations workflow and can recommend replacement components.
Impartiality
Every large organization deals with politics in the workplace-it’s just a fact of corporate life. This can get in the way when strong personalities or hierarchies force decisions that may not be in the best interest of the project objectives. Outside CCM integrators can be apolitical. They are free to lobby for the best solutions.
Accountability
When you hire an independent CCM integrator to install their solution in your document production facilities, they are responsible for completing the project. If the job isn’t proceeding as expected, you have only “one neck to wring” to get everything back on track. This isn’t the case when relying on hardware or software vendors to install a solution requiring connections to modules manufactured by the vendor’s competitors. Many projects have stalled because of extended bouts of finger-pointing.
The Alchem-e™ platform from Racami supports the production and distribution of customer communications for print and mail operations. Alchem-e™ provides easy access to the entire operational environment by connecting technologies, systems, and processes from all CCM hardware and software vendors. As experts in document operations, we handle all the integration steps necessary to populate our graphically rich dashboard. After an Alchem-e™ TM integration, our customers enjoy increased automation, higher throughput, greater profitability, and lower risk of regulatory infraction.
Stop relying on those spreadsheets you construct by merging data from a half-dozen unconnected document production systems. With an integrated CCM solution you’ll get a more accurate picture of your document operation and have more time to think strategically, train employees, or handle the numerous issues that cross your desk on a regular basis.
To learn more about how Racami can integrate all the physical and digital processes in your document production and distribution workflow, contact us at sales@racami.com today or click here to schedule a demo!
