THIS IS PROMOTIONAL ARTICLE PAID FOR BY RICOH

As technological innovation is constantly changing the game in the production print industry it is an ever increasing challenge to stay current, and to know when to move into new production platforms. Innovative manufacturers like Ricoh are at the forefront of these changes in production, with products that offer business-changing revenue opportunities.

According to Ricoh whilst many print business owners dream of marketing through multiple channels in the hope of staying ahead of today’s competitive marketplace, many more graphic designed-based companies are already doing it – by simply combining the value of print with well-established and emerging digital channels.

However one man’s dream may be another man’s disaster, so Ricoh says before any printers rush headlong into any dynamic plan of action there are a number of requirements the business will need to not only consider, but follow carefully – before you can capitalise on this trend, which may drive profound and transformative change in your business.

Ricoh says it is clear the demand for products and services such as colour digital presses, web-to-print and targeted marketing solutions will continue to grow, so print business owners will need to ensure that their business has a suite of intuitive and seamless solutions on call to help them stay ahead of the pack.

Secondly, they will need cutting-edge marketing materials to stand out from the crowd.

And last, but not least, Ricoh says if you want your business to win the war for customers, you will need to allow users to get the most out of your print operations, with fluid, non-restrictive modes of operation.

Innovation

Beginning at Ricoh’s Product, Services and Critical Communications Suite at the company’s Printing Innovation Centre print business owners will start the conversation and initiate a relationship that the company says will bear fruit for years to come.

Ricoh’s success with its innovative products, coupled with its Services and Critical Communications Suite has recently been bolstered by the acquisition of PTI Marketing Solutions. These elements all come together to form a launch pad for any production print business that needs to stay ahead of the technological curve or to break into multi-channel marketing.

Ricoh’s national sales manager, Raj Chandiok, speaks about innovation, Ricoh’s recent acquisition of PTI Marketing Solutions and the company’s approach to consumer partnerships.

He explains, “PTI Marketing Solutions is a premier software-as-a-service marketing asset management and marketing solutions provider, that has been helping enterprises and commercial printers improve control of their marketing assets and workflow for more than a decade, with impressive results.

“Ricoh’s acquisition of PTI has augmented its global engineering presence and support systems, while further improving its ability to provide print businesses with unmatched end-to-end production print solutions.

“These solutions fit increasingly varied market demands in ways that Ricoh and PTI previously could not effectively pursue separately. Starting with straightforward, face-to-face conversations print businesses will be able to expand their portfolio from just one print channel – enabling direct mail to a full spectrum of multichannel communications, thereby driving value and growth for the business, as well as for their customers.

“For instance, if you are a print shop owner finding that the advent of so many digital technologies is creating a demand from your customers for services beyond traditional print offerings – services like web-to-print or targeted marketing – Ricoh and PTI Marketing Technologies can help expand your offerings into these areas whilst you remain competitive and potentially grow your business.

“No problem is too great or too small, they can also help printers create their own marketing materials – like postcards, Purls, email blasts, and brochures. All you do is plug your ideas into ready-made templates. You will not get bogged down with costly, time-consuming processes, the way your campaigns usually do.”

Interestingly, Ricoh report that one of their customers, after only a short relationship, secured a ten per cent spike in business after engaging the new Ricoh and PTI services. Chandiok says, “They promptly implemented the suggestions of the team and are now well ahead of the curve. The same can be done for you.”

The Ricoh way

Long committed to helping customers leverage leading marketing and business development tools to help them quickly evolve and activate more productive and profitable business strategies, Ricoh says its strategy is to put its customers at the centre of all it does.

Chandiok says, ‘’At Ricoh, we pride ourselves in working closely with our customers. We treat our customers as business partners and realise that each customer is different, with no two organisations exactly alike. As part of a global network of facilities, our Printing Innovation Centre exists to explore our vast portfolio to find a connection between our customers’ specific needs and Ricoh’s capabilities. Our goal is to work with the customer – employing a number of collaborative efforts, two-way conversations and hands-on demonstrations.”