Aug 1, 2006
The Broadhurst Report
Best in Class?
By Guy Broadhurst
Every company --no matter what they sell-- has to believe their products are the best. But what does that really mean? In our industry it used to be that Company A was good at one thing, Company B was good at another and you naturally went to Company C for what they offered because there was really no other choice. As a result, companies began to claim ownership of a particular type or range of technology, trumpeting their now self-designated stature of Best in Class. And yes, sometimes this judgment was, shall we say, arbitrary or maybe a bit self-serving. The problem was that each company that would be king was successful largely because there wasn't significant competition in a given category. Best in Class sounded impressive, but was often more marketing hype than substance. Customers naturally realized this and simply bought whatever equipment best met their needs, which, because the selection was relatively limited, reinforced the Best in Class concept. Call it the "everyone buys our technology so it must be the best" line of thinking.
Some of this has changed, but old habits die hard. For example, a customer recently told me his firm would be putting out an RFP for their whole shop to see who can bid on what pieces. There's nothing wrong with an RFP, but maybe what companies should really start with is an RFI--a Request for Information--so they can better understand the capabilities of companies under consideration. Many equipment and software providers in our industry have expanded the scope of what they offer, making older perceptions of "best in class" outdated. This is especially important in light of the mergers of various equipment vendors and assorted software firms. Each of these alliances and mergers gives the impression of a single company but on a day-to-day basis customers are often finding miscommunications, uneven support, and hints of chaos within. This makes it important to include due diligence of prospective suppliers part of assessing and addressing your document needs.
But the changing landscape means you also have more to think about.
Look Beyond Your Primary Needs
Because some equipment vendors can offer more than they did in the past their technologies may extend beyond traditional transactional, direct mail or commercial print applications. They may include document creation and design, web submission tools, proofing, storage and archiving, production workflow, finishing and binding, and mailing. Within Océ, for example, print engines range from small workgroup copiers and printers to high-speed monochrome, highlight color, and full color digital presses, most of which can share key components of our PRISMA workflow software.
The choices enabled by such capabilities make it important to look beyond your primary area of responsibility and consider how the full range of document needs in your company --now and in the next few years-- may be met with a more holistic approach to document production. For example, you may be charged with the operation of a CRD, a data center, running high volume transactional jobs or managing direct mail production. The workflows and equipment you choose are vital to the company but technology convergence may mean that some of the same equipment and software that meets your needs will also fit elsewhere in your organization. For example, architected and intelligent workflow software, such as Océ PRISMA can support creation, proofing and production of jobs in workgroups but also automatically route them to local networked printers, a CRD, or in-plant printshop based on factors such as volume, use of color and finishing requirements. The same software can also drive a wide range of printers and digital presses from other vendors, simplifying and streamlining overall operations. This broader approach requires coordinating the purchase and installation of equipment and software in different parts of an enterprise, but the operational efficiency gained due through widely compatible hardware and software can translate into lower operating costs and a bottom-line advantage. In addition, you are able to leverage the entire investment from a single vendor and take advantage of a wide range of business services to support local and remote production.
In a time when all equipment has similar capabilities, the old "best in class" moniker becomes less and less meaningful. The right solution for your company is the one that is "best for your business." It should take a holistic view of all elements of document production, anticipate how they may change over the next few years, and provide a complete architecture from local copying to workgroup printing to ensuring bills and statements go out on time. Carefully building such as solution will provide the versatility and scalability to grow with your needs and provide an enduring solution set for document production.