Print Solutions Magazine, March 2005 -- Cover Story: Tehcnology At Work, Case Study 1

Technology Wins Confidence

Remcom wanted to keep control over the printing and Delta L Printing had a way to streamline its process. The print provider offers its customers Printer Diamond, a proprietary, web-based document management and ordering system that allows users to order online printed materials, CD and DVD sets and kits assembly. Printer Diamond is free to users and allows them to track their orders. Delta L Printing can create a customized web interface for each customer. Heiphetz presented the software to Remcom.

Now, Carpenter logs on to www.deltalprinting.com and inputs his user name and password, and clicks on “login.” A drop-down menu allows him to complete these tasks:

• Review and manage documents. Carpenter can create a new document, search and review existing documents and manage document categories (marketing materials, binders, folders, CDs, etc.)

• Manage users by adding new users, modifying existing user information, or deleting users

• View reports by date, order number or price

• Order documents or track existing orders. To order documents, Carpenter scrolls through “Document titles” and clicks on “Add to Cart,” adjacent to the document he wants to order. A pop-up window asks him the number of documents he needs. After he inputs the number, the window displays the number and the document title he selected. After repeating this process for all of the documents he wants to order, Carpenter clicks on “View Cart/Check Out.” After viewing a screen summarizing his order, he can continue shopping or finalize it. When he clicks on “Finalize the Order,” a screen prompts him to update the address or click on “Finalize the Order.” He then receives an email with an order confirmation number and an order summary, including the delivery address. At Delta L Printing, Heiphetz or any of four other employees access the order and start processing it.

“Remcom has a tight control over CDs and printing material through the software,” Heiphetz says. “They can order online anytime, check the status, and order as few as five CDs or manuals. We can have them ready the next day.” The software provides complete control and tracking of document versions, orders and shipments, which reduces the possibility of mistakes such as printing an older version of the document, shipping materials to the wrong address or mixing up orders.

Delta L Printing uses the Canon CLC 1180 for color printing of manuals and the Canon imageRUNNER 2800 for black-and-white printing. Each manual has a size of 6.8 x 8.8 inches and is printed on 70# or 80# glossy text. Each manual is bound by Twin Loop™ Wire and has a color cover, 3 mil to 5 mil thick, that’s printed on textured 80# paper. The print provider uses a Primera Bravo Disc Publisher and a Rimage Liberty CD Printer to produce CDs. The company prints full-color graphics describing the software and its features on the CDs, which are water- and scratch-resistant. Once the order is complete, Heiphetz calls Carpenter if it’s a rush order or sends him an email. “They get much higher-quality work, and the staff can perform their own duties,” Heiphetz says.

Preeti Vasishtha is assistant editor of Print Solutions. Email her your comments at bholt@printsolutionsmag.com.

Great Strategies: Marketing

1. Target the right industries. Before you market your company’s products, consider the industries that are most likely to yield customers. Alex Heiphetz, owner of Delta L Printing, State College, Pa., says his marketing efforts are specifically targeted to software companies that need manuals, CD production, kit assembly and fulfillment; educational institutions that require instructional materials for distance learning courses; training companies and departments that need kits for specific classes; and consultants who require production and fulfillment of manuals, guides and CD/DVD sets.

2. Use direct mail effectively. Sending direct mail to thousands of potential customers every three months is too expensive and doesn’t achieve desired results, Heiphetz says. Instead, he selects a small number of potential customers (approximately 100). “I try and put myself in their shoes, and figure out what they need most,” Heiphetz says. He then writes the text of the direct mail, telling potential customers how his company can help them with their printing needs.

3. Leverage online presence. Add a link of your company’s web site to sites that potential customers visit. SoftwareCEO.com, a site (www.softwareceo.com) that lists weekly tips and tactics from best-practices software firms, as well as discussion forums, news, links and online seminars, placed a link to Delta L Printing’s web site (www.deltalprinting.com). “We got several interesting queries,” Heiphetz says.