At last month's IPMA 2019 conference, Jason Fonner, director of Print Operations at HM Document Solutions, talked about his in-plant's digital transformation journey and the new hardware and software technologies the operation has added. In a new blog, Susan Cotter, senior analyst and program manager at Madison Advisors, talks about the role Madison Advisors played in assisting HM Document Solutions with its transformation, which resulted in the in-plant earning back 20% of the printing that had previously been outsourced.

Enterprise Output Management Systems (EOMS) were historically used to manage the production of printed communications; however, today, these solutions offer enhanced workflow and additional output capabilities to meet consumer expectations for digital delivery. Over the last decade, the print industry witnessed an increase in service provider mergers and acquisitions, and stricter privacy and security requirements necessary to comply with the Affordable Care Act and other regulations such as HIPAA, GLBA, and FISMA.

Madison Advisors today announced the availability of its new research report, “Enterprise Output Management Systems, 4th Edition: Moving Beyond Print Management.” Building on the previous edition of the Madison Advisors study published in 2010, the 2019 study explores the technology solutions available in the market today.

Colleyville, Tex. – Madison Advisors—Madison Advisors today announced that Susan Cotter, senior analyst at Madison Advisors, and Jason Fonner, director, business development print operations at HM Document Solutions, will be speaking at the In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA) 2019 Conference. The event will be held June 2-6 at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, KY. Cotter and Fonner will present a breakout session, “Digital Transformation Using Customer Communications Delivery Hub With Inkjet Technologies,” on Monday, June 3 from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m.

Digital printing technology and variable data publishing (VDP) software help print providers cost-effectively produce fully personalized materials and communications. Market trends like digital transformation, increasing amounts of data, and the need for enhanced customer experiences shape VDP software improvements.

Before selecting a VDP software provider, print and marketing service providers should consider whether the solution is designed for ease of use and fast turnaround. It’s also important to determine if a standalone solution or an integrated option works best for the shop’s particular needs.

By Gina Ferrara

Developing an optimized customer communications management (CCM) strategy is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle—to complete the picture, all the pieces need to be interlocked together. When implementing a customer communication strategy, all of the necessary components need to be part of an integrated technology solution to successfully manage the communications lifecycle and enhance the customer experience. However, while technology is important, other factors are required for a successful CCM strategy.

The introduction of color inkjet technology more than a decade ago has changed the world of print, and with it came numerous opportunities for the transactional printing industry. Transactional communications are business-to-consumer (B2C) communications, such as statements, bills, and customer letters, and span a variety of highly regulated verticals such as financial, insurance, healthcare, and utilities. These communications, historically regarded as documents that were required to satisfy regulatory requirements, are now being revitalized as part of an omnichannel communications strategy to enhance the customer experience (CX) with eye-catching and colorful document designs, personalized content, and targeted marketing messages to cross sell or upsell to existing customers.

Colleyville, Tex. – Madison Advisors—Madison Advisors today announced that COO, Warren Lederer, will be speaking at DOCUMENT Strategy Forum (DSF) ’19, being held May 7-9 at the Hilton Anaheim in Anaheim, CA.

Lederer will present “Adopting a Digital-first Mindset to Improve Automation and Efficiency” on Wednesday, May 8, 4:30 to 5:20 p.m. Lederer will discuss how automation technology improves workflows and back-end processes to ensure successful digital transformation and more seamless and efficient operations.

Colleyville, Tex. – Madison Advisors today announced that senior analyst, Gina Ferrara, will be presenting at the National Postal Forum (NPF), being held May 5-8 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. NPF is the premier mailing and shipping conference that works directly with the United States Postal Service to provide the most comprehensive educational and networking platform for meeting the needs of the industry.

Colleyville, Tex. – Madison Advisors—Madison Advisors today announced that senior analyst, Gina Ferrara, will be participating as a speaker and panelist at customer communications conference, XPLOR19, April 23-25 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The conference brings together end users, analysts, consultants, industry experts and vendors, who share the latest best practices and trends in the customer communications industry.

Over the past two decades, Madison Advisors' industry-neutral expertise enables enterprise organizations, service providers and technology providers to achieve their strategic objectives around today’s evolving customer communications management (CCM) requirements.