Complementary strengths accelerate business transformation through analysis, training and strategic campaigns

GARDEN CITY, NY – March 22, 2011 – The need to transform is well understood within the commercial printing market. Print executives know that by adopting better customer relationship management, workflow automation, web-to-print processes, and multichannel marketing services, they can boost their relevance and competitiveness. But it’s one thing to recognize the need and another to know how to address it.

A new partnership, announced by Gimbel & Associates and Avanti Computer Systems Limited, uses a proven, consultative approach to close this gap and helps small to medium-sized graphic arts and commercial print operations upgrade and transition their capabilities. Print operations gain not just one experienced partner, but two, both well prepared to help companies make important transformations.

Re-inventing Sales and Marketing Teams

As Avanti clients move from print-centric models to more profitable, integrated marketing services, sales strategy and service execution are key success factors in this business transformation. Print providers must engage their sales, e-service, prepress, estimate and quoting departments, and other teams in the new business model, but re-inventing these groups often presents a challenge.

“Companies need a combination of technology, training and coaching to transform as quickly as possible and get it right the first time,” said Patrick Bolan, President and CEO of Avanti. “This partnership is designed to help Avanti customers accomplish that.”

“Commercial printers invest in Avanti CRM tools to streamline their digital workflows and automate MIS operations. That’s a straightforward decision, but it’s only part of the journey. Deployment is the hard part: changing workflow and employee behavior in any organization is difficult. This partnership guides companies past that obstacle to a more productive point where they can maximize their CRM investment and launch new, effective marketing services,” said Roger P. Gimbel, EDP, President of Gimbel & Associates.

The partnership gives companies access to Gimbel expertise and consulting to leverage their Avanti investment more quickly and successfully. “We connect the dots between the initial business strategy behind the software investment and getting it launched as a productive part of the business,” said Gimbel.

Complementary Strengths

The partnership combines the strengths of two complementary organizations. Both offer solutions and services for the commercial print/graphic arts market. Award-winning Avanti is a leading provider of print MIS and Web-to-Print solutions, including Business Intelligence and CRM. This enables clients to more efficiently create, track, and manage their marketing campaigns, sales processes and business operations

Gimbel & Associates consulting helps clients improve performance and make the highest utilization of digital technologies. Gimbel complements Avanti’s solutions with service offerings to drive increased sales and top line revenue. Gimbel brings strategic resources, knowledge and experience to help Avanti customers achieve their business goals. Support includes sales training, business development consulting, and solution selling.

Helping Printers Walk the Talk with Digital Campaigns

Digital campaigns and variable data are often new territory for printers making the transition to marketing services provider, but these can be profitable new directions for a business and critical to its ongoing success. Avanti‘s CRM software helps clients manage their customer contact, sales and marketing campaigns, making all customer information available immediately.

Gimbel & Associates then conducts a strategic assessment that focuses printers on what they can accomplish with Avanti tools and identifies what changes will be needed within their organizations. Specialized training teaches companies how to create and execute high-value digital campaigns and master the sales model needed to market these services. “We help implement the deployment strategy, so customers can be effective with the software,” said Gimbel. “We get them to the point where they can walk the talk and build their own success stories.”