Print Solutions Magazine, January 2002 -- The E-Files

ADVANCING WITH TECHNOLOGY

Advance Business Graphics' slick ordering and inventory management system has sparked the firm's success.

BY DARIN PAINTER

At Mira Loma, Calif.-based printing firm Advance Business Graphics, the strategy is simple but highly effective: Think accounts, not products. Attain long-term relationships, not one-time jobs.

Instead of touting various items the company sells, ABG's 37 salespeople promote the firm's seven trademarked programs, including ones for corporate business cards and stationery (abgLetterNet™), personalized card-on-letter documents (abgOnCard™) and distribution and fulfillment of marketing materials (abgLitKit™). ABG aims to show customers that the firm works best when its programs are used in concert with each other.

"We urge customers to get back to their core business, to let us handle all of their printing needs," says Craig Clark, ABG's marketing director. "Every client has different challenges and goals. To help them meet those goals, it's our job to bend over backward."

An Advanced System

ABG bends over backward so clients can sit and click. Last month, the company's comprehensive, internet-based ordering and inventory management system—abg AdvanceNet(TM)—received its 250,000th transaction. The system, which ABG created in house in 1995, is used by more than 300 firms in the financial, health care, insurance, government, education and manufacturing markets.

AdvanceNet streamlines companies' information-management processes, enabling users to facilitate production, warehousing and distribution from their desktops. With unique usernames and passwords, AdvanceNet users can create and view product libraries, manage real-time inventory, order and track products, and distribute items using various fulfillment and delivery methods. Companies can set up AdvanceNet on their intranets or enter the system via ABG's web site at www.abgraphics.com.

"Our technology, combined with an excellent sales force that understands and conveys ABG's mission, has helped us attain major clients," says Glenn Leonard, the company's vice president of sales and marketing. ABG's customers include the third largest commercial bank in California and a nationwide health care consortium. "When companies decide on which technology provider to use," Leonard says, "product quality and pricing matter, but they're not always determining factors. On-time delivery and custom solutions are critical. Our ability to provide these advantages has helped us tremendously."

AdvanceNet is customizable—for example, users can add products and change ordering parameters—and the system is updated frequently based on client requests. "Most importantly, it saves people time," Clark says. "Customers no longer have to waste half the day searching for an order status. They can view it themselves, plus order more items, in minutes." (See screen shot on the next page.)

An Advanced Focus

Originally named Advance Business Forms, ABG was renamed in 1991 as it developed solutions-based document management programs. "Our previous name had a connotation that pigeonholed us into one product offering," Clark says. "As we saw the emergence of new technologies and as customers' needs changed, we broke out into other areas."

Today, ABG is a $50 million firm specializing in digital fulfillment, print management, commercial printing and direct mail. It also offers labels, tags and business forms. "Folks are tired of having 5, 10, 15 vendors on their list," Leonard says. "Many companies are consolidating those lists, so it's important for print management providers to go after accounts, not just orders."

Last year, ABG segmented its operations into three business units, all located in Mira Loma. One of them is Advance Print Solutions. It comprises rotary, sheet-fed and prepress work completed at the company's 200,000-square-foot facility, as well as short run, 4-color printing work completed at The Great American Printing Company (a subsidiary ABG acquired in 1999). Another business unit is Advance Technology Services, which offers digital printing, direct mail, fulfillment and internet services. The unit increased its sales significantly last year, sparked mainly by ABG's acquisition of a 75,000-square-foot facility (now the ABG Digital Imaging and Fulfillment Center) one block from its corporate offices. The third unit is Advance Healthcare Services, which provides document design, production, warehousing and supply-chain management to medical clients.

"As the forms business began to slow and margins for traditional products began to change, one thing became apparent," Leonard says. "Our ability to understand and offer database technology, FTP sites, download procedures, on-demand printing—all from one facility—is a phenomenal capability. We're always looking for the next solution."

WISE BUSINESS FORMS INC., a manufacturer headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga., introduced its Distributor eBusiness Solutions, offering distributors numerous modular upgrade paths, including Web Site Basic, eCatalog Basic, eCatalog Plus, eCommerce Pro and eBusiness Complete. For more information, call (888) 815-9473 or visit www.wbf.com.

SKYLINE BUSINESS FORMS & COMMERCIAL PRINTING, a manufacturer in Denver, updated, expanded and relaunched its web site at www.Skyline2000.com. For more information, call (800) 825-3676.

PEREGRINE SYSTEMS INC., a San Diego-based software company, announced support for the RosettaNet Read(TM) Program. RosettaNet is an independent, non-profit group representing more than 400 companies dedicated to the development and rapid deployment of open internet-based standards. For a list of member companies and more information about RosettaNet, visit www.rosettanet.org. For more information about Peregrine, visit www.peregrine.com.

PRINTWHOLESALE.COM (PW), an Atascadero, Calif.-based internet service, was launched for the quotation and production of industry-related products. Participating wholesale print manufacturers can introduce their distributors to PW's manufacturer network, the PrintWholesale.com Service Bureau. This online digital production facility provides instant quotations, customer service, preflighting, proofing and imposition services, according to the company. Distributors can place browser-based interfaces to PW on their own web sites, or the PW Service Bureau can create basic web sites for distributors. For more information, call (805) 591-6090 or visit www.printwholesale.com.

INX INTERNATIONAL INK CO., an ink supplier headquartered in Elk Grove, Ill., launched its redesigned corporate web site at www.inxinternational.com. For more information, call Renee Etiopio at (716) 366-6010, ext. 329, or send email to etiopior@corp.inxintl.com.

ZDI, a San Diego-based data management and electronic document service provider, added DVD-ROM archiving to its data management services. Using its image-on-the-fly software, the company expects to place between 4 million and 4.5 million page images on a single DVD. For more information, call (800) 700-1796 or visit www.zdis.com.

INSYSTEMS, a Toronto-based provider of e-business solutions for financial service organizations, announced the availability of InSystems Calligo E-Delivery and InSystems Group Service. InSystems Calligo E-Delivery generates XML documents that can be rendered in Microsoft Word, PDF, HTML, TIFF and PCL formats and delivered to multiple recipients through multiple channels. InSystems Group Service is an e-service portal that enables group insurance providers to offer self-service capabilities to their plan sponsors, plan members and others. For more information, visit www.insystems.com.

QUALITY INDEXING LLC, a manufacturer in Union, N.J., launched its newly enhanced online quote and order generator. After entering passwords and logon information, users can attain instant quotes for index tab jobs. After answering common questions needed to prepare quotes, users can convert the quotes into orders that include calculated shipping charges. For more information, call (888) 242-8227 or visit www.qualityindexing.com.

Four51 Achieves XML Interoperability with TopForm, CFC

Minneapolis-based e-commerce provider Four51 Inc. and Norcross, Ga.-based operations software provider TopForm Software Inc. have successfully passed XML data from Four51's online e-procurement system into TopForm's operations management system. Distributors can use the XML-enabled solution to receive customer orders online via Four51, then automatically pass the orders directly into TopForm's back office system. The companies tested their XML-based solution with Burnsville, Minn.-based distributorship MHC Companies.

Peachtree City, Ga.-based manufacturer CFC Print Solutions and Four51 have developed a link from CFC's Customer Service Online(TM) solution to Four51 via Four51's WildFire(SM) XML transport module. Four51 distributors can send inbound orders and order attachments directly into CFC's manufacturing information system (known as CFC-OMS) in real time. Upon order notification, CFC's Customer Service Online will return job status information through the XML middleware to Four51 for distributors.

Paperloop Wins Web Award

Paperloop, a multimedia information and e-business network for the paper, forestry and converting industries, San Francisco, was selected as one of Forbes magazine's "Best of the Web" business-to-business winners in the enabler/marketplace category for forest and paper products.

httprint Receives Hotties Award, Launches printanet

E-service provider httprint, San Francisco, received a Hotties Award at the second annual San Francisco Business Times 2001 HotTech Awards ceremony. More than 200 companies from various industries were nominated for Hotties Awards. According to the company, winners demonstrated outstanding internet practices and excellence in technology, and were chosen for their revenue growth and estimates, products and services, major clients, management profiles and funding sources.

In addition, httprint and KBA Group, a network of sheet-fed sales, service and support organizations in Radebeul, Germany, launched printanet. The internet-based, front-end solution, developed by httprint specifically for the KBA 74 Karat press, enables print buyers and KBA press owners and operators to incorporate e-commerce, color management, preflight proofing and remote proofing in formats tailored to clients' needs.

Prepare to Revise

When designing your web site, think of the site as a book and each page as a chapter. Keep in mind that a site (like a story) can be revised, updated and expanded. Don't expect to get it right the first time--frequent updates are the norm.

Design for Impatient Eyes

Bold or highlight words that will attract visitors' eyes. Instead of underlining plain text (which often indicates a link), use bullets or different-colored text. Also, keep paragraphs to one idea each and avoid using animated graphics that have no bearing on content.

Add Printer-Friendly Links

Although your web site navigation should be clear and consistent, consider adding links that generate text-only pages for printer-friendly documents. Some of the most ardent technology users still prefer hard copies.

Collect Email Addresses

If you're thinking about launching an e-newsletter to notify clients and prospects about web site enhancements, special promotions and new capabilities, the first step is to generate a list of email addresses. Begin with your existing customer database. (If you haven't been collecting email addresses of your clients and prospects, now's the time to start.) It's usually not necessary to purchase a list for this project--those are typically more suitable for one-time mailings.

Make Marketing a Priority

Marketing can be a forgotten element of web site development, but don't make it an afterthought. Prior to your site's launch (or redesign), answer these two questions: 1) What do your customers want to see online? 2) Is your goal to gain more business from current customers, attract potential new ones or both?