News & Events
News Articles
News, Hot Topics, and More Information that Matters in the World of Customer Communications
Ernie Crawford, President & CEO, Crawford Technologies details Eight Pillars of Risk Assessment for Data
Firewalls and passwords are no longer enough to protect modern business data. Discover why leading organizations are adopting a data-centric approach to security—and how it helps safeguard information at every stage of its lifecycle.
Future-Proofing Transactional Communications
A variety of solutions providers targeting transactional print and omni-channel delivery are poised to future-proof operations in a shifting cultural environment.
We tackle top trends in transactional communications in the November/December issue of DPS Magazine. Here we look at how specific technologies push boundaries on what is possible in terms of cost savings, increased productivity, and customer choice.
Optimizing Transactional Communications – Hybrid Strategies for an Omni-Channel Approach
Transactional print and in-plant operations are under increasing pressure to do more with less—shorter service level agreements (SLAs), higher personalization demands, and stricter compliance.
How IDP is Reshaping CCM: Transactional and Accessible Communications
For decades, customer communications management (CCM) has focused on outbound engagement, such as statements, explanations of benefits (EOBs) and annual notifications of changes (ANOCs), delivered in print and, increasingly, in digital-first formats. Intelligent document processing (IDP), on the other hand, was developed to manage the opposite — inbound documents, forms and images — extracting vital data and routing it into enterprise systems.
Today, those lines are blurring, becoming less clear. Organizations no longer view CCM and IDP as separate tools, but, rather, as components of a unified document and communications management ecosystem. The merging of these technologies is transforming how corporations and service providers handle customer communications and document accessibility.
The Case for Consolidated Workflows in Government Agencies
Many government agencies operate with multiple critical, disconnected workflows. These systems often rely on software that was customized decades ago, designed for past processes rather than current operational needs. This reliance on legacy technology has led to a fragmented environment with discrete, siloed software operations and workflows. The result is a dependency on “tribal knowledge” held by specific staff members who were involved as the fragmented environment took shape and evolved into what it is today. This creates an operational risk, such as a hardware failure, software crash or the departure of key personnel, which could disrupt critical operations.
Simplify Operations, Reduce Costs and Scale Faster With Intelligent Workflow Consolidation
Most organizations still run dozens—sometimes hundreds—of fragmented document workflows. The cost? Inefficiency, errors, and limited growth. But what if you could replace them all with a single, intelligent “superhighway”? Read more to see how leading companies are making the shift.
Member Spotlight: Crawford Technologies
PRINTING United Alliance is grateful to serve its members who make such significant impacts on the printing industry. Through our Member Spotlights, we continue to recognize our members, and help our community get to know their peers better, both professionally and personally. The following is a Q&A and video interview with Ernie Crawford, president and CEO, Crawford Technologies.
When Less is More: The Smart Way to Fix Your Workflow Problems
Running an in-plant mail operation can feel like managing controlled chaos—juggling legacy systems, outdated processes and job-specific workflows. Operations are complex, margins are tight and your teams are stretched thin. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone.
How IDP Transforms Document Accessibility Remediation
Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) is transforming document accessibility remediation by making it easier, faster and more accurate to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, European Accessibility Act (EAA), Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and other non-discrimination legislation. Traditional remediation methods rely on slow, labor-intensive manual processes and accessibility tagging that can take weeks or months, leading to errors or only making portions of documents accessible.
Small Scale Automation Benefits for Small-to Medium-Sized Print Environments
Part two of two
Large print providers are well-versed in the benefits of automation. However, optimizing workflows is beneficial to even the smallest print provider.
Paving a Path to Automation Tackling Automation from Prepress to Finishing
The digital transformation of print offers many benefits for those who embrace it. However, these advantages are only met when the environment is optimized. Automation drives higher profit margins and helps reduce turnaround time, waste, makeready, and the need for skilled labor. It also improves the quality assurance of complex documents that include personalization and custom finishing.
Marketing and Retail Customer Communications Management
Marketing and retail providers rely on print as part of an integrated communications strategy that often involves personalized and consistent content across several touchpoint. Customer communication management (CCM) systems support these omni-channel campaigns.
“CCM is about more than just sending messages—it’s a strategic tool for driving tangible results,” shares Ernie Crawford, president/CEO, Crawford Technologies.
Better Communications: CCM Retail and Marketing
Customer communications management (CCM) delivers value to retail and marketing sectors by enabling personalized, engaging, and efficient customer experiences.
With a pointed CCM strategy, benefits include enhanced customer engagement, improved brand consistency, data-driven personalization, increased efficiency and cost savings, faster time to market, preference management, and better regulatory compliance.
Dealing with Industry Concerns
New trends and technologies are driven by industry and consumer demand. For example artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are needed to reduce or eliminate human labor, which access to is increasingly limited.
Print providers are also contending with higher costs across the board, investing in digital printing and finishing equipment and workflow solutions to cost-effectively produce shorter, higher value print runs.
Implementing High-Volume Accessible Medicare Document Automation
The groundbreaking Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule for Calendar Year 2024, published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in April 2023 significantly expanded the requirements for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans. The ruling, which went into effect on October 1, 2023, just six months after it was published, required health plans to ensure that customer communications related to Medicare and Medicaid plan enrollment and maintenance are made available in accessible formats to individuals with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency.
Using Intelligent Document Processing to Integrate and Standardize Production Workflows
Curious about what keeps experts, CEOs and other decision-makers in the Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) space on their toes? Get food for thought on IDP-related topics from the industry’s leading minds.
In this opinion piece, Ernie Crawford President/CEO and Founder of software solutions and services provider Crawford Technologies, explains how companies can consolidate fragmented systems, standardize operations and reduce manual effort with Intelligent Document Processing.
Wow Your Customers with On-demand Omnichannel Communications
With the rise of real-time data, the relationship between insurers and their policyholders has fundamentally changed. Today’s consumers expect immediate access to information, services and support. For both P&C and life & health insurance companies, this means rethinking their communication strategies, moving from traditional print and mail to real-time, on-demand, omnichannel methods. Effective customer communication must be:
Selecting an Intelligent Document Processing Solution
Intelligent document processing (IDP) solutions are emerging that combine AI with IDP to revolutionize client and document onboarding and processing. Particularly useful in the printing, financial services, banking, insurance and healthcare industries, these solutions automate traditionally manual and time-consuming document tasks, drastically reducing onboarding times and errors.
In this post, I’ll share the key features you should look for when selecting an AI-driven IDP solution. I’ll also cover use cases for IDP so you can determine if IDP would advance your organization and begin to build a better business case for investing in an IDP solution.
Future-proof Customer Communications by Leveraging Enterprise Communications Processing
Customer expectations are undergoing a significant transformation because of advancing technologies, changing behaviors and evolving business practices. Today, customers want personalized communications tailored specifically to their needs. If those communications contain any marketing, then the product or service being marketed needs to match their preferences, too.
Important customer communications, like invoices, statements and confirmations, play a key role in maintaining strong customer relationships. To keep up with the demands of current customers, businesses need to adopt innovative strategies.
Unlock the Future of Document Management: How AI is Revolutionizing Intelligent Document Processing
In this blog post, I want to share how AI is having a dramatic impact on intelligent document processing (IDP). I will share three use cases that demonstrate the impact AI is having.
AI is the driving force behind the powerful capabilities of IDP, enabling systems not only to automate, but also continuously improve document onboarding and processing.
How Intelligent Document Processing is Revolutionizing Document Management
Forward-thinking organizations seek technologies that streamline operations, reduce errors and improve productivity. One such technology is intelligent document processing (IDP), powered by artificial intelligence (AI). In this blog post, I’ll define intelligent document processing (IDP) and outline some key benefits of IDP. We will also explore how AI-driven IDP enhances efficiency, accuracy and operational effectiveness while reducing errors and costs.
Normalizing the Spaghetti Bowl of Document Processing Tools for Modern Workflows
In today’s fast-paced business environment, the future of efficiency and productivity is automation.
As we move toward more automated workflows, the management of documents and data becomes increasingly crucial. However, the complexity of document processing tools often resembles a tangled spaghetti bowl of disparate systems and processes.
The CMS Final Rule’s Impact on Healthcare Communication
As healthcare continues its digital transformation, ensuring clear, accessible communication with patients remains crucial. This is especially important for a diverse population with varying language needs and accessibility requirements. The recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Final Rule reflects this commitment to inclusivity by establishing stricter guidelines for Medicare Advantage and Part D payers regarding patient communication accessibility and language requirements.
Communications that are static for a period, such as a year, and do not have personal health information (PHI) in them are now required to be provided in all of the formats and online versions needed to be compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 508 specifies compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which is a set of guidelines created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to help make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. While requiring additional work and time to create the different formats, they should not be problematic for the plans. Where the challenges arise are in the documents that are transactional in nature, such as Explanations of Benefits (EOB), which contain PHI and need to be sent to members in a timely manner.
Aspire Leaderboard Market Update for Q1 2024
Enterprise Communications Processing (ECP) revolutionizes customer communications by integrating advanced technologies like AI, machine learning, and cloud services to streamline the creation, transformation, and delivery of documents across multiple channels. ECP enhances efficiency, reduces operational costs, and personalizes customer interactions, making it a vital component in modern customer communications strategies.
Normalizing the Spaghetti Bowl of Document Processing Tools
The article discusses the evolution of document management systems, highlighting advancements in artificial intelligence and automation that enhance efficiency and accuracy. It emphasizes the importance of adapting to new technologies to stay competitive in the document management industry.
Who’s using what in P&C insurance: June 17, 2024
Insurance technology updates include The Insurance Store selecting Indio to automate its application process, and Crawford Technologies partnering with Docuvela for enhanced cloud-based document management.
How to Eliminate the Expense and Aggravation of Retrieving and Reprinting Customer Documents
Obtaining past bills, statements, and records can be difficult and costly due to the time, labor, and manual processes involved, with reprint costs ranging from $5 to $20 per piece. Modernizing workflows with automation and no-code platforms can reduce these costs, improve efficiency, and enhance customer experiences by simplifying the reprint request process and ensuring accessibility for all customers.
BCC Software Highlights Do Something! Mailer Initiative in Action at the National Postal Forum
BCC Software will showcase their Do Something! mailer initiative at the National Postal Forum from June 2-5, 2024, demonstrating how it can benefit direct mailers and Mail Service Providers.
Getting a Grasp on Document Accessibility
See how to foster a seamless experience based on each individual’s preference for information consumption.
Accessibility Challenges: Q&A
Today’s communications must offer accessibility across all channels. Here is a provided a look at customer communications management (CCM) solutions that address increased accessibility demands. We share commentary from Ernie Crawford, president/CEO, Crawford Technologies, providing a deep dive into the accessibility challenges of today.
CCM Solutions Challenges with Accessibility
Customer Communication Management (CCM) involves managing the creation, delivery, and storage of regulated documents like bank statements and healthcare information, ensuring they reach the correct recipients to avoid legal issues. Solutions like those from Azuba, Crawford Technologies, Papyrus Software, and Solimar Systems offer tools for efficient, accessible communication across multiple channels, with a focus on compliance and automation to handle the growing demands of document accessibility.
Digital Checkup: Health equity is now a key component in payer content for members
The 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule pertaining to materials and content motivates payers to not only be compliant, but to go the extra mile, because it affects star ratings, says Ernie Crawford, president & CEO of Crawford Technologies.
Unlocking Healthcare for All: Bridging the Gap in Language Translation and Accessible Communication
The recent Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule for Calendar Year 2024 by CMS mandates expanded translation and accessibility requirements for Medicare materials, aiming to enhance language equity and accessibility in healthcare. To comply, healthcare organizations must adopt advanced digital communication tools and automation to meet these new standards efficiently, addressing communication gaps and improving patient engagement and outcomes.
Congratulations Are In Order
Congratulations to Crawford Technologies is a global leader in providing extensive solutions for organizations seeking more effective communication with their clients, particularly in the realm of billing invoices and customer communications management.
Tammy Golden Appointed IPMA Board of Directors Vendor Representative
Document Solutions was also recognized in 2022 with an Honorable Mention from Xplor International for their Print Site Consolidation and Hyperautomation Workflow project submitted in conjunction with Crawford Technologies for the Application of the Year Award.
How Enterprise Communications Processing (ECP) is Transforming Customer Interactions
Enterprise Communications Processing (ECP) is revolutionizing customer interactions by leveraging AI, machine learning, and cloud technology to streamline communication processes, reduce costs, and personalize experiences. By integrating seamlessly with Customer Communications Management (CCM) and Enterprise Content Management (ECM), ECP enables organizations to deliver communications through multiple channels and formats, enhancing customer engagement and operational efficiency.
Coffee Briefing Jan. 9 – NuEnergy and Communitech team up; New CEO at telMAX; Toronto company launches accessible AI-powered translation solution; and more
Crawford Technologies has launched Instant Language Assistant (ILA), an AI-driven device that supports communication via text, speech, ASL, and braille in over 120 languages, aiming to eliminate communication barriers across diverse sectors. This tool, part of Crawford’s AccessibilityNow platform, offers customizable security settings and on-demand access to live interpreters, ensuring secure, real-time, and accessible communication.
Crawford Technologies launches AI-driven translation solution
Crawford Technologies has launched the Instant Language Assistant (ILA), an AI-driven translation solution within its AccessibilityNow® platform. The ILA device facilitates real-time translation across text, speech, American Sign Language (ASL), and braille, supporting over 120 languages and aiming to enhance accessibility and communication for diverse user needs in various industries like healthcare and hospitality.
A Quantum Leap
Despite the digital transformation, many businesses still require efficient and cost-effective print communications, which is where the transition from automated document factories (ADF) to AI-focused communication management factories (CMF) is crucial. CMFs automate the creation, delivery, and tracking of various communications, leveraging AI to enhance customization and integration across multiple channels, thereby improving efficiency and reducing costs. This evolution represents a significant leap in communication management, offering advanced print suppression, rapid onboarding, and personalized communications while ensuring compliance and security.
Year of the Dragon
As the print industry evolves, trends such as automation and sustainability are gaining prominence, driven by the adoption of digital printing to address labor shortages and meet demands for faster turnaround times and personalization. Industry leaders predict a continued focus on innovative products and improved processes to maximize profits, with automation and AI playing pivotal roles in enhancing efficiency and reducing costs. The expansion of digital inkjet technology and the integration of AI in print workflows are expected to reshape the industry, ensuring adaptability and responsiveness to market changes.
News n Beat
Crawford Technologies Launches AI-Driven Language Translation Solution
Would AI Take Us Back to the Future?
This year’s DOCUMENT Strategy Forum (DSF ’23) was held from May 22 to 24 in Charlotte, NC. Many CCM professionals meet annually at DSF to discuss evolving trends and best practices. Artificial intelligence was the most discussed topic at this installment, its popularity driven by the emergence of large language models (LLM) like ChatGPT that are quickly finding their way into CCM and CXM solutions. I’d like to offer a few projections on where I see AI impacting the space now that we’ve had an industry-wide update on the latest developments.
