IPEX Q&A:
Bill Parker
Chief Marketing Officer
GMC Software Technology
Bill Parker joined GMC in 1997 to develop the sales and support operation for the UK and Scandinavian markets, becoming managing director of the UK Office in 1999, vice president of marketing in 2008 and then chief marketing officer in 2009. OutputLinks chats with Parker to learn more about his experiences and thoughts on last month's IPEX.
Q: At Ipex, what was the overall message for the print industry?
A: It was evident that a large number of companies had joined forces to innovate and deliver complete solutions to their customers. We believe the key reason for the increase in collaboration is due to businesses realizing the need to be able to support their clients in developing end-to-end communication strategies, which was the underlying message throughout Ipex. This means really being able to follow their clients from the boardroom discussion right through to the measurement on the ROI for specific projects. In addition, there was an emphasis on multiple-channel communications and the adoption of digital color technologies to deliver maximum value and help customers fully exploit this trend.
Q: What were the key themes that stood out for those in the high volume transaction output (HVTO) industry?
A: The key themes here were operational efficiency, customer acquisition and retention, which were not surprising, as the market grows more competitive. In light of this, the key solutions highlighted at Ipex were postal optimization, process automation, web-to-print, TransPromo, use of full digital color and multi-channel communications. More so, the large presence of these types of applications at Ipex indicates that a number of vendors are on track while other need to shift focus towards developing more tailored solutions that enable companies to further refine and personalize their customer communications.
Q: What was the buzz about TransPromo at Ipex?
A: The buzz has progressed from simply having a TransPromo solution in place to now being able to closely measure the ROI on the resulting campaigns. Measurement and analysis is key and providers that can offer a complete TransPromo solution are sure to be ahead of the pack. In view of this, there were some great success stories on Transpromo solutions at Ipex but not enough. Although the buzzword is at the forefront for many businesses in the industry, it is still slow to materialize with others. Businesses that are hesitant to dip their toes in the water should reach out to providers who can help them develop a clear TransPromo strategy with measurable objectives and develop programs to put the solution in place.
Q: Were there any surprises at Ipex?
A: For GMC, we saw record-breaking booth traffic and took away 300 leads, closed four major deals as well as the European Digital Press award for Best Web-to-Print Solution of the Year for PortalBuilder. Overall, optimism was very high and both attendees and exhibitors were very upbeat.
Q: At Ipex, were there any signs of the economy shifting for the print industry?
A: Yes, there were signs that business spend was leveling out between traditional print and online communications. I think alarm bells rang for a lot of businesses in the print industry that had not fully embraced multi channel output, as online and mobile communication had a clear place at Ipex. TransPromo solutions also showed signs of progressing from traditional print based solutions to online. Print companies who do not jump on the multi channel bandwagon now, are sure to miss an opportunity.
Q: Based on your experiences at Ipex, what’s your best advice for today’s HVTO printer?
A: We would have to say the importance in leveraging different capabilities with solution providers to enable their customers to achieve real business goals. Also, while print still plays an important part in customer communications, the industry needs to continue to be efficient and cost effective within all communications channels.