I won’t repeat what has been written many times and is at the core of many InkJet Vendors’ whitepapers, extolling the benefits of transitioning to inkjet equipment. Instead, I will touch on the workflows required to leverage ROI from day one through the entire life of your investment.
When chatting with one of our partners, one thing I heard over and over again was the need to prepare for the big day. Workflow is the key to enhancing and improving the profits you expect to gain with your new purchase.
While the term “workflow” can be used in place of “Automated Document Factory”, they are not necessarily interchangeable. In the case of Inkjet there are many workflow solutions you can implement before the first image comes off your new press. Some will impact your ADF, others are simply enhancements that take advantage of the capabilities of an inkjet press.
A starting point is to take a look at the types and sizes of jobs you want to migrate. First off, are they composed in the correct print format? If not, going back and changing legacy applications can be costly and time consuming.
Are your jobs segmented to optimize both print and post processing equipment? If not, lost productivity will cut into your profits
Have you identified which pre-printed stationery you can eliminate now that you can print the shells? Again, two choices exist, going back to the legacy application or enhancing the document post composition.
Look at how many manual touch points you have now, and consider what can be automated. Remove multiple touch points. As I like to point out, there is gold in your workflow. The trick of course is figuring out how to mine it. Try this exercise and see what the multiple touch points your existing workflow creates cost in your day-to-day CCM. First you need a stack of one dollar bills or some dimes. Think about all the times there is human intervention in your workflow, and place your money on the table. In most complex workflows for CCM you will find there are many places these multiple touch points can be streamlined and, in many cases, automated. That saves time and money, giving you a better ROI.
These are just a few of the things you should consider as you consider how you can take full advantage of your inkjet press. We’ll discuss more best practices at this year’s Inkjet Summit. We hope we will see you there!
