White Papers
White Paper Xerox® FreeFlow® Print Server with Adobe® PDF Print Engine
Submitted by Webmaster on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 21:04
Executive Summary
The print industry is changing rapidly. Customers are developing increasingly complex documents and are consistently demanding shorter turnaround times and greater output consistency. Personalized marketing communications and higher volumes of shorter print runs increase the need for files to come into the print shop ready to print with minimal operator intervention. Both Xerox and Adobe are evolving our solutions to help our customers stay ahead of the crowd and address their emerging production requirements.
Xerox and Adobe have partnered to integrate the Adobe PDF Print Engine into the FreeFlow Digital Workflow Collection including the FreeFlow Print Server. This addresses the needs of today’s print professional by enabling a true end-to-end native Adobe PDF workflow. The FreeFlow Print Server with the new Adobe PDF Print Engine and JDF support drives workflow consistency and flexibility in a number of ways. First, it processes native PDF files without conversion to PostScript, maintaining design integrity without any compromise. It also ensures reliable, consistent printing while keeping the PDF documents themselves device-independent. Because the Adobe PDF Print Engine uses a common renderer for previewing and final output, printers and designers alike can count on reliable oft proofs.
Current Workflow Challenges
There are a number of challenges facing designers and printers today. At the top of the list is ensuring that the designer’s creative intent is easily and reliably produced on a printer. Jobs can include design elements such as transparencies, mixed color spaces and layers, Customer demands for fast turnaround times and an increased number of short run jobs add further complexity to managing the print production process. There is a need for designers as well as printers to have flexibility in their workflow, allowing jobs to be sent to any number of printers as well as make last minute changes to a print file without having to go back to the source application. continue reading...
PCI and Data Security The Prioritized Approach and a Look Ahead
Submitted by Webmaster on Mon, 10/31/2011 - 21:50
Introduction
The Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council™ guides the efforts of Chief Information Security Officers, Compliance Officers, and others who protect cardholder information for payment card issuers, merchants, banks, processors, and service providers. The Council's PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) is a comprehensive set of requirements for security infrastructure, policies, and practices, intended to improve the security of cardholder and account data throughout the industry.
As the PCI Council completes its fifth year of operation, this paper reviews:
• successes and setbacks of the PCI Data Security Standard
• implications of the Council's new Prioritized Approach to DSS
• practical steps professionals can take to improve data security and maintain PCI DSS compliance
• effects of emerging technologies and legislation
This paper is an update and guide, not a tutorial on PCI DSS. Readers new to the standard should consult the excellent materials1 available from the PCI Security Standards Council itself, or one of the many introductory guides available from solution providers.
Compliance and Security
Few doubt that PCI DSS has helped standardize industry security practices and improve data protection. Often cited as a model for industry self-regulation, DSS helps card brands, issuing banks, merchants, and others reduce direct losses from fraud, and risks of reputation loss and litigation from data security breaches. Industry members comply with the standard out of direct financial self-interest, or indirectly to support the interests of powerful partners. DSS has been especially effective at improving security practices on the industry's front lines. In the words of Ellen Richey, Chief Risk Officer for VISA, "More than 90% of the largest card accepting merchants and about 97% of processors in the United States have validated compliance with PCI. The companies that fully embrace it are protecting themselves every day by maintaining their defenses, scanning systems, detecting anomalies and addressing threats."3 continue reading...
How to Increase the Life Expectancy of CMOs: Tapping the Transformative Potential of Marketing Automation.
Submitted by Webmaster on Tue, 09/06/2011 - 17:40
Taking Marketing to the Next Level Through Automation
Foreword by Laura Ramos
Vice President, Industry Marketing for Services, Xerox Corporation-North America, and former Forrester Research B2B marketing analyst
During the past four years, I had the privilege of studying and writing about business-to-business (B2B) marketing best practices at Forrester Research. I surveyed and spoke with thousands of B2B marketers about their processes and best practices. Through this work, it became clear to me that marketing’s influence is declining as business buyers go online to research purchase decisions using peer insights and independent experts. Years of being the department with hard-to-quantify outcomes make it difficult for marketing to specifically and concisely demonstrate its true impact on the business. New campaigns, clever advertising, and delving into social media mask over problems and won’t spur the profound changes required to avoid what may seem like an inevitable slide toward obsolescence.
To remain viable, marketers must invest in technical capability that lets them work smarter and run leaner. Specifically, top marketers I know set up marketing-specific data management systems to improve insight, automate lead development and cultivation, integrate digital and traditional channels, embrace social media, and continuously measure and quantify the results.
However, technology investment without the proper skills, planning, change management and execution rarely succeeds. Most marketers must also rely on key marketing services partners to advise – and outsource – the needed process change. I hope, as you read the following white paper, you will come to share my view that marketing stands on the verge of a major transformation. But that needed change comes through rigorous, data-driven assessments, expertise in new process design, workflow optimization inside and outside the firm, modern marketing automation capabilities, marketing logistical management and customized tracking tools that validate marketing’s forward progress. continue reading...
Xerox Document Management Services Consolidate Operations to Save Time, Money, and Resources
Submitted by Webmaster on Thu, 08/04/2011 - 22:37
Client Profile
The McGraw-Hill Construction Information Group consists of industry-leading F.W. Dodge, Sweet’s, and trade publications such as Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record, and Design-Build Magazine.
F.W. Dodge maintains a database of 60,000 architectural plans, specifications, and addenda of active commercial construction projects on CD-ROM, microfilm, and via hard-copy at one of its 120 plan rooms nationwide. As the industry leader, Dodge is always looking for ways to improve its operations in an effort to better serve its customers.
The Challenge
To scan all of these documents in a timely fashion, Dodge operated several facilities throughout the country. In addition, in-house technology required imaging each document twice—once to produce microfilm and a second time to create the digital files. Dodge began to look for operational improvements.
“Our goal has always been to image all
of the time-sensitive project documents within 24 hours and deliver the information into the hands of our subscribers within 48-72 hours,” explained Mark Kent, Vice President of Production and Publishing Operations for McGraw-Hill’s Construction Information Group.
In addition, almost 90 percent of the hardcopy materials needed to be returned to their originators, so tracking these documents throughout the entire process was also critical.
“We knew that if we could consolidate our operations into a single location and use a single-pass process, we would save significant time and money. However, this project became more complicated when we realized that we weren’t willing to compromise on image quality, ease-of-access, or service levels, and we couldn’t stop our operations for a single day,” he said. “It all added up to the biggest project we’ve ever undertaken in our segment.” continue reading...
Leveraging Customer Information to Drive Measurable Results in Revenue Growth and Loyalty: The Power of Personalization and Relevance
Submitted by Webmaster on Mon, 06/13/2011 - 22:40
Introduction
Sustaining brand loyalty and consumer demand has become increasingly difficult for marketing practitioners. Millions of dollars are invested annually in marketing and merchandising programs only to see declining consumer response rates and lower campaign returns on investment.
The traditional one-size-fits-all approach to Direct Marketing has lost its effectiveness. Industry results have shown that traditional direct marketing response rates have plummeted from their historical 2% factor to less than 0.6% for many of today’s mailings. And the National Do Not Call Registry is driving an increase in direct mail campaigns, thus making it more difficult for marketers to break through the consumer’s crowded mailbox to get desired levels of attention and consideration.
Even e-mail marketing, which has also exploded in volume, has been met with an equally significant decrease in response rates.
In spite of these challenges, marketers have alternatives available to leverage the data they have about their customers to create highly targeted direct marketing communications that drive significant increases in response rates, revenue and loyalty. This white paper provides you with an introduction to a new way to think about how you communicate with your customers.
What’s the Problem?
The problem with traditional direct marketing campaigns is that they are typically product-centric and not customer-centric. Clearly not all consumers are alike. They have different demographic profiles, income levels, and lifestyle and travel choices. These factors drive buying behavior. Yet most marketers ignore these differences by not tailoring direct-to-consumer communications to individual customer preferences or characteristics.
These issues point to the importance of personalization and relevance in leading marketers’ direct marketing efforts. The ability to create individualized and relevant communication will have a significant bearing on the results of your direct marketing (DM) campaign. continue reading...
