Print and Mail Outsourcing - Level of Effort

Level of Effort

This largely depends on whether the business is starting with raw data or self composed print files.

1. Raw data - While the printing hardware and inserting technology to support faster, more high quality print to mail processes in the manufacturing environment has helped to drive the justification of ongoing print to mail project outsourcing, it can be a painful experience for companies to contract and integrate with a chosen provider. Large upfront expenditures on design, programming, project management and setup can be common. Processes and manufacturing processes and standards often are the driving force behind providers' programmers approach to development. At times this can conflict with design and composition considerations. Providers often provide these services for programming fees while positioning themselves as keeper of their clients' document composition rules, formatting and content. This has its pros and cons. Outsourcing the full responsibility, starting with the receipt and formatting of raw data allows companies to eliminate the responsibility for software and design tools used in this process and allows them to focus on their core competencies. This can be very desirable, especially if there are no internal designers available.

2. Print files - The sophistication and ease of use of today's document composition software has led to many businesses maintaining their own document composition. The main advantages of this are control, speed of change management, and cost control. Online services compliment this software with ready-to-use print to mail drivers and options. Online print to mail picks up where document composition leaves off, and can be implemented quickly and inexpensively. This new generation of online print to mail services is enabling business to maintain control of their document content while still eliminating the in house print to mail activities and costs. Some examples are MailXstream, and MooreWallaceVPO. These services are standardized on Adobe PDF file format making their services compatible with virtually any windows generated print files.