Issue No. 8

June 2009

Color is hot!

The recent growth rate in digital color is causing quite a stir in the market. Print on Demand and TransPromo are clear areas of opportunity, but the road to color may not be as clear. You may be asking these or other questions:

• What is the best way for my business to capitalize on this trend?
• Is color really affordable?
• What’s the best way to implement color?
• How do I compare cutsheet and continuous form color?
• How can I combine color and variable data printing?
• What can I do to minimize waste and do my part for the environment?
• If I have color capabilities in house, can I reduce outsourcing?

The InfoPrint color experts can help you assess your readiness for color and provide implementation recommendations. You can also attend our webinar at www.candocolor.com to learn what’s driving the growth and to see how your business can capitalize on color:

• Create competitive differentiation through new offerings and advanced capabilities.
• Use integrated solutions to provide high-quality, affordable digital color, with flexibility and production-class speed.
• Print all types of documents efficiently including statements, policies, personalized marketing collateral and more.
• Get to know the InfoPrint Pro C900 color cutsheet printer.

InfoPrint’s history with color began nearly two decades ago, and our solutions have evolved with lots of customer participation. The InfoPrint 5000 (continuous form) and the InfoPrint Pro C900 offer production-class capabilities that can contribute to top line growth, bottom line health and customer satisfaction. We can simplify your transition to color – just like we’ve done for many other companies – with a consistent focus on reducing complexity, risk and cost. With InfoPrint, you never swim alone!

Take our color quiz! >

In This Issue:

Cadena: a service bureau centralizes its multi-site print operations

Cadena, one of the largest service bureaus in Colombia, prints utility company bills and bank statements in several locations using InfoPrint 4100 and InfoPrint 4000 engines and 20+ Xerox cutsheet printers. The sites comprise varying architectures, servers, datastreams and operational processes. Statements are composed using different tools. This diverse print and mail environment posed increasing difficulties for Cadena to maintain control and recovery agility.

To achieve centralized control, Cadena implemented InfoPrint ProcessDirector (IPPD) software as a front-end solution that provides job reception, process automation and workflow control. IPPD directs jobs to the InfoPrint continuous form printers or to InfoPrint Manager software, which transforms datastreams and manages jobs run on non-InfoPrint printers.

Now Cadena can send or receive any job and use practically any device because the InfoPrint solution analyzes the types of file, required transformations and the appropriate printer. In addition, a Cadena operator can use a device located in another city by dragging and dropping a job between the queues. With centralized control, Cadena has achieved impressive results:

• Reduced operational costs by using a standard platform in all cities
• Reduced the training time of new employees thanks to an easy-to-use GUI
• Improved the business contingency process

To learn more about centralizing control of multiple production sites, contact your InfoPrint representative.

TransPromo – not only real but also really effective

InfoPrint Solutions is partnering with the CMO Council to create awareness of TransPromo and to prove its effectiveness. As part of the CMO Council’s Routes to Revenue research initiative, InfoPrint Solutions worked with Best Western – the world’s largest hotel chain – and CSG International, a customer interaction management company. Both companies participated in TransPromo pilots in which InfoPrint Consultancy Practice team members leveraged their skills in project management, data analytics and statement redesign using GMC software as well as the InfoPrint 5000 color printing system.

Best Western’s impressive results included:

• TransPromo messaging replaced three inserts per statement
• Applications for the Best Western credit card among the guests receiving the TransPromo statement were boosted by 500 percent
• 15 percent more of the guests who received a TransPromo statement registered for the “More Rewards, Faster” promotion than those in the control group.
• More than one third (39 percent) of that group then went on to stay in a Best Western location after signing up for the promotion, stayed a longer duration than the control group, and generated 30 percent more in incremental revenue during their stay.

CSG International’s objective was to increase sign ups for the provider’s digital phone service. The pilot, built for this leading cable company, consisted of two similar groups of customers. The call to action encouraged subscribers to sign up for digital phone service by leveraging color-rich, personalized and relevant statements. The sample group consisted of 100,000 customers – 50,000 received the color TransPromo statement and the remainder received the standard black and white statement. With an aggressive timeline in a very challenging economy, the TransPromo methodologies were put to the test. The dramatic outcomes clearly demonstrate a new route to revenue:

• 27% lift over the black and white TransPromo control segment in an application where the call to action was to sign up for complimentary digital services
• 30% reduction of paper

Read more about the Best Western pilot, review the CSG case study, or ask your InfoPrint representative for details. The Best Western pilot earned the Xplor Technology of the Year award.

InfoPrint printers – better and faster

As part of our ongoing effort to improve output speed, functionality, quality and value, InfoPrint Solutions recently announced several enhancements to its continuous form printers:

InfoPrint 4100 monochrome continuous form printer

• New InfoPrint Version 7 toner is available for the HS3 and HD5/HD6 models. The toner provides better fusing at lower temperatures, blacker blacks and improved control over solid fills and halftones.
• New support for pinless operation, including pinless MICR, Forms ID and universal top-of-form sensor – to give service bureaus and direct mailers more flexibility.
• Sensors that pre-detect jams, avoid toner dust contamination and eliminate verification marks on the paper. The sensors can help you improve machine uptime and productivity.
• Enhanced InfoPrint Productivity Tracker Version 2.1 software provides real-time operational stats that provide insights and guidance to improve productivity.

InfoPrint 5000 color continuous form printer

• Higher speed models print twice as fast (420 feet per minute or 128 meters per minute¹) as current models, giving users the flexibility to support full-color applications such as TransPromo, books on demand and direct mail at a lower total cost of print.

InfoPrint 75 and InfoPrint 100 entry-level monochrome continuous form printers

• Optional IPDS support, in addition to PCL and PostScript support.
• Language support for operator panel and Web page in Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Italian and Spanish, in addition to English and Japanese.

New color printers and MFPs can lower cost while they boost productivity

In this economic climate, you may be looking for ways to lower cost and increase workgroup productivity. InfoPrint printers and MFPs can help you achieve both objectives. Our newest color devices are powerful enough to help you with device consolidation. One device can do the job of many so you can reduce operating costs and related management time. Energy efficiency and duplex capability can accelerate your sustainability program. Our easy-to-use devices also offer superb color or mono quality, advanced security features, color controls and options that allow you to tailor output capabilities to specific requirements. This lineup includes a workgroup output solution for workgroup of all sizes:

InfoPrint Color 1834

Powerful color printing performance at the right price for small and medium workgroups. Print mono or color up to 30 pages per minute (ppm)¹ with 4800 color quality resolution². Includes color controls, security features and optional wireless support.

InfoPrint Color 1854

Superb color quality for workgroups in medium and large businesses. Print mono and color up to 35 ppm¹ with 1200x1200² DPI quality. Create a ‘convenience center’ that includes enterprise security features, color controls, simplified navigation and Web-enabled printer monitoring and management.

InfoPrint Color 1846 MFP, InfoPrint Color 1856 MFP and InfoPrint Color 1866 MFP

The ultimate small business output solution with color scanning, color faxing capability and professional color quality. Replace standalone fax machines, inkjet printers and desktop printers with one of these powerful MFPs.

New software offerings boost productivity and business capabilities

Recent partnerships allow us to offer industry-leading software that is designed to streamline document processes, workflows and communications.

GMC Printnet

Simplify personalized communications with an integrated platform that maintains continuity across document design and production functions. No infrastructure changes necessary! Support collaboration within a common document process. Create and produce any type of document on any platform and send it to any output channel.

Learn more >
Crawford PRO Transforms

Integrate high performing, object-based transforms into print and communications workflows. Preserve document fidelity, accelerate workflow processes and reengineer processes with no application changes.

Learn more >
DocPath Document Solutions

Utilize a suite of solutions to design, define, generate, print, distribute, store and retrieve documents – on nearly any platform. The Rapid Development Environment with built-in scripting engine expedites improvements with no application changes. Solutions are sized for SMBs, large enterprises, Citrix environments and more.

Learn more >

New MFPs are sustainable work centers for small and medium workgroups

The InfoPrint 1930 MFP and InfoPrint 1940 MFP are designed to boost small to medium workgroup productivity, lower total cost of print and support sustainability initiatives. The wireless-ready MFPs operate at up to 40 ppm letter and 38 ppm A4¹. They include a 500 MHz processor, a user-friendly color touch screen and an optional hard drive. Users can enhance document confidentiality with PIN-based printing and encrypted pdf scanning. Features that support sustainability include power-saving eco-mode, high yield toner cartridges and standard duplex. If you’re ready to replace single-function devices, these powerful MFPs can help lower total cost of print.

Mailroom Integrity Solution – so that every envelope is mailed to the right customer

The Mailroom Integrity bundle for InfoPrint ProcessDirector is a plugin that adds automated inserter/reprint control and tracking to mail processes, reducing error rate and increasing productivity.

Mailroom Integrity works with existing inserters with a camera-system attached or new file-based inserters.

Ten ways to contribute to a sustainable society

Many businesses are developing environmental policies and educating employees about actions that contribute to a sustainable society. Some choices, such as recycling, are easy. Other choices may not be as obvious, yet they can be pro environment and pro business. Customers often ask us what they can do in the Workgroup area, so we identified 10 ways to contribute.

If you have questions or want to discuss the tips in more detail, please contact your InfoPrint representative.

InfoPrint Solutions Company on hand at Hunkeler Innovationdays

From February 16-19, 2009, Hunkeler, one of the market leading companies in pre- and post-finishing equipment, played host to an event in Lucerne, Switzerland, that showcased the newest trends and developments of the printing industry.

InfoPrint Solutions Company was among more than 40 companies that attended and had several printing solutions on display, including:

• TransPromo Solution
• Automated Document Factory (ADF) Solution
• InfoPrint 5000 color printing system
• InfoPrint 4100 advanced function printing system
• InfoPrint Pro C900
• InfoPrint 75 and InfoPrint 100 laser continuous form printers

TransPromo wins Xplor International award

On March 5, Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, awarded InfoPrint with its Technology Application Award for our TransPromo pilot with Best Western, the world’s largest hotel chain.

InfoPrint worked with Best Western and partner GMC Software to identify a target group of 100,000 Best Western customers, splitting the group in half, with one serving as the “control group” and the other as the TransPromo group. Over an eight week period, Best Western saw impressive results from the TransPromo group over the original control group, including 15% more registrations and a 500% increase in applications for the Best Western branded MasterCard.

In addition, 39% of the TransPromo group stayed at a Best Western location after having signed up for the promotion, with 34% staying longer and in turn generating 30% more in incremental revenue during their stay. All in all, the pilot was an immense success, demonstrating a key strategic move for marketing professionals to leverage existing data with new and innovative technology to deliver results in very short periods of time.

On Demand – focus on differentiation

The InfoPrint exhibit at the On Demand Expo, which was held March 30-April 2, 2009, attracted hundreds of attendees and customers. The booth and demos focused on three core InfoPrint solutions – TransPromo, Automated Document Factory and Print On-Demand – and InfoPrint experts were on hand to discuss the Intelligent Mail® Barcode, color implementation and entry-level continuous form printing.

The InfoPrint Pro C900 color cutsheet printer impressed many with its bold, high resolution color, multiple post-processor features and inline finishing options. Although the Pro C900 is ideal for Print on Demand, TransPromo, direct mail, books and more, some attendees viewed it as a companion to the InfoPrint 5000 in a development and reprint role.

TransPromo was another hot topic in the booth, especially since the Best Western loyalty statement pilot won the Xplor Technology of the Year award. Our ongoing collaboration with the CMO Council is demonstrating that TransPromo is achieving results, and the benefits are tangible in the form of double- and triple-digit results.

High volume mailers were particularly interested in the Intelligent Mail barcode as the deadline for implementing it is May 2011. InfoPrint can provide standalone or Automated Document Factory-integrated solutions that require no change to upstream applications.

Conference sessions provided another opportunity for InfoPrint specialists to educate attendees. In one session called “Personalized Marketing + Advanced Printing Services = Increased ROI,” panelists debated TransPromo-related topics with the audience, including the evolving role of the CMO in the modern enterprise and how to gain marketing value from existing communications with customers. In another panel, Understanding Business Process Automation for POD Workflows, the audience heard a panel of experts discuss topics such as the shift from large orders to small on-demand orders, personalization and automated, unified workflows.

The InfoPrint partner event at On Demand allowed partners to meet with our product managers, engineers and subject matter experts. Some partners took a test drive of the InfoPrint Pro C900 – running jobs, refining color and seeing the EFI Fiery controller at work.

Our emphasis on solutions resonated with many visitors who recognized how InfoPrint can help them attract and retain customers and compete more effectively in a challenging economy. InfoPrint solutions can be customized and integrated to achieve specific output objectives, unlike out-of-the-box alternatives. Your InfoPrint team and InfoPrint Solution Partners look forward to the next conversation and the opportunity to help you reduce cost, improve productivity and increase ROI.

Join us at other upcoming events:

• Print ’09 , September 11-16, 2009, Chicago, Illinois

Automated Document Factory (ADF)

Solve three common challenges – postal optimization, mailroom integrity and output management.

Learn more >
Direct Mail

Get the hardware, software and management tools to help you maintain a competitive edge – through exceptional print quality on varied media at a low cost.

Learn more >
Optimization

Lower total cost of print, simplify your output infrastructure, and improve operational efficiency – all more important than ever in a tough economy.

Learn more >
Print On Demand

Manage print-on-demand jobs without compromising quality, speed or cost. Transform the way you work.

Learn more >
Productivity Solutions Suite

Collect, compose and distribute critical documents faster with electronic forms, routing, distribution and archiving.

Learn more >
TransPromo

TransPromo combines personalized marketing messages with must-read statements, invoices, and other documents to help you accomplish two important, measurable results: increased revenue and retained customers.

Learn more >

10 Minutes With ... Dr. Joan Mitchell, InfoPrint Fellow and Master Inventor

Q: How long have you been with InfoPrint Solutions Company and what is your current job and its responsibilities?

Joan: I was part of the IBM divestiture so I retired from IBM and was hired the next day by InfoPrint Solutions Company. That day was June 1, 2007. I was a Fellow in IBM and continue to be a Fellow in InfoPrint.

Q: What does it mean to be a Fellow and a Master Inventor and what are the qualifications to become each?

Joan:The Fellow position is at the top of the technical ladder. It is an executive position and gives you extra freedom to work on future important things for InfoPrint.

I helped Jeff Paterra, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Technology and Solutions Development, start the Master Inventor program. It is both an honor and a responsibility to help the next generation of inventors. Today, the qualification is to have reached the fourth Invention Plateau and be willing to share your expertise by mentoring others when asked.

Q: What did you do before?

Joan: IBM made me a Fellow in 2001. I was already working with Printing Systems Division since 1999. I joined IBM at the T. J. Watson Research Center as a Research Staff Member. My first useful invention (with my manager) was the technology used in the ribbons for the QuietWriter typewriter. Because of my doctoral thesis, I could handle the theory in the ribbons. I helped set the Facsimile Digital Data Compression Standard in 1978 and 1979. I am still editor of the original Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG). I was on that committee from 1987 to 1994.

Q: You have more than 100 patents in your name. Which do you think are the two most significant and why, especially in relation to your work at InfoPrint and the future of printing technologies?

Joan: U.S. Patent No. 6603573 describes a method of avoiding placing two colored dots in the same place – a half toning breakthrough that enabled the company’s first production color printing. U.S. Patent No. 6714318, Dithering Method and Apparatus for Multitone Printers, covers the unique hardware and software half toning of the InfoColor 130 printer.

Q: What do you like best about your current job and why?

Joan: Helping people grow and helping to invent ways around performance roadblocks.

Q: Among your many accomplishments, you have co-authored or edited seven books, the latest being Dr. Joan’s Mentoring Book: Straight Talk About Taking Charge of Your Career. What is the secret to your success and what did you do to take charge of your own career?

Joan:Hard work is essential, but not sufficient for success. I believe that I finally took charge of my career about 1996, 22 years after I was hired.

Q: What other advice do you offer in this latest book?

Joan: Everything from the basics like the importance of mentors, softer skills such as writing, listening, presentation, etc. and organization and clutter control to more advanced concepts – for example, career management, empowering others and creativity and inventing. In the book’s third and last part, I discuss “putting it all together” which covers changing mindset, building a support network, community service and the importance of vacations.

Q: What inspired you to write this book?

Joan:I was convinced I was leaving IBM Printing Systems Division to try out Global Services. I wanted to leave the mentoring stories behind.

Q: Who should read this book and why?

Joan:Last month, I gave it to a principal at a Tanzanian elementary school (through grade 10). After reading it, he said "Every school child in Tanzania should read this book." He wanted one or two more copies to give his two children. I gladly gave him my last two copies. I really didn't want to carry the weight home.

I believe that high school and college students should read this book and think early about taking charge of their careers.

Q: What do you do in your spare time – any special interests or hobbies?

Joan: I am active in my church. Every June, I take a longer vacation and visit my family. It usually includes a week of camping in Yosemite. Most years, some of my relatives join me in late September at a timeshare at Cliff Lodge in Snowbird, Utah. This year, we traveled to Tanzania for three weeks instead.

Q: What fascinated you about Tanzania to plan the trip?

Joan: My older sister and her husband went six years ago. They were visiting my best friend from age 4 to 10th grade. Then she moved away and we have seen each other only occasionally. She has worked the last nine years as a lawyer with the United Nations for the Rwanda trials which are taking place in Tanzania. They started planning a return trip 18 months ago. I said, "I’m in" and sent them checks periodically as they confirmed safari and hotel reservations.

Q: From the snow-capped summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to the sun-kissed beaches of Zanzibar to the vast herds of game grazing on the Serengeti plains and the slow volcanic eruption of Ol Donyo Lengai, Tanzania is a land of contrasts and majesty. Tell us about your adventures there.

Joan: We landed in a three-seat-wide plane from Amsterdam at the Kilimanjaro Airport, but I didn’t actually see the mountain until we were on a bus headed back to that airport at the end of our trip. We stayed in Arusha three times for three days, on arrival, after the first safari and at the end. The rest of the time we were on safaris visiting the local towns, or just relaxing for a few days at the end of the trip at a resort overlooking the Indian Ocean on Zanzibar (also part of Tanzania). For the first safari, we headed for the Serengeti. The group of eight was split into two jeeps. The first day we saw Lake Manyara and stayed then in the Lake Manyara Hotel. Along the way we saw zebras, lions, ostriches, giraffes, elephants, etc. Then we continued to the Serengeti and stopped at the Seronera Wildife Lodge. The third day we explored the area and ended at the Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge. The next day we saw the Ngorongoro Crater and then headed back to Arusha.

The second safari was at Rufiji River Camp in the Selous Reserve. It took several hours by a small plane to reach the nearby airport. This time, we stayed in tent cabins and took at least two half-day boat safaris, a morning walking safari (with a ranger who carried a high-powered rifle), a half-day jeep ride, and then relaxed at the pool. The monkeys were entertaining. From there, we flew to Zanzibar and stayed in Stone Town at the Hotel Tempo. We walked all over the town where the slave traders thrived years ago. Then back to Arusha and in a few days, home.

Q: If you could narrow it down to one, what was your most memorable moment on this trip and why?

Joan: Watching a herd of 15 elephants eat the shrubbery around our tent cabin for about 45 minutes through the high windows at one end of the cinder box bath/shower room. The matriarch could hear my sister-in-law’s camera auto-focus and then of course see the flash. She would stare at us from about six feet away. We would duck down until she went back to eating.

1. Exact speed varies depending on document complexity, system configuration, software application, driver and printer state.
2. The Image Quality (IQ) enhancement, whether 1200 or 2400, is a special print mode designed to vary the intensity of each individual printed dot by manipulating its size to produce the appearance of greater print resolution within the limitation of a set number of dots per inch (dpi).