Is Your Data Center in a Color Lock Down?

By Kurt Konow
Data Center Segment
Marketing Manager
Ricoh Americas' Production Printing Business Group (PPBG)

Now that full color printing is becoming more cost effective and print speeds are within acceptable production ranges, the pressure to transition to full color is on. In fact, never has the rush to convert to full color documents been more rampant – except in the Data Center. Why is the Data Center being excluded from the color explosion? There are several reasons why the CMYK flood gates have been “Locked Down” leaving Data Center documents in the dark. But this is 2009 – it’s time for the Data Center color “Lock Down” to be released – and let the color transition take place.

What about you? What color is your Data Center? Maybe you’re still deciding if you’re ready or capable of transitioning to full color printing? Consider the following fundamentals as you shift to full color communications:

• Discuss and create with document owners an appropriate color strategy
• Target one or two initial applications for full color integration
• Estimate costs and timelines for the projects
• Talk with your Ricoh PPBG production print specialist about selecting appropriate color production printing solutions

An Effective Color Strategy
There are a multitude of color research studies available in the marketplace that will quickly convince any marketer that infusing color into monochrome documents can be a winning proposition. Based on the objectives of the project, color may in fact be the way to go, but let’s get some facts on the table so you can decide for yourself.

Color can:

• Improve payment response rates by up to 30% by using color to emphasize amount and date due.
• Influence the customer decision making process by up to 80% when colorizing cross-sell offers or promotions.
• Improve repeat orders by up to 40% when focusing the reader’s eye to the simple reorder process.
• Dramatically reduce calls to customer service by colorizing critical data such as payment information or mailing instructions.

Clearly, the benefits of color are worth considering. However, before spinning the color wheel consider doing the following first:

Create a spreadsheet of your customer facing documents.

• Research each application to compile critical information from departments such as Customer Service, Finance, and Marketing to determine the problems and successes associated with each document.
• Interview the internal team responsible for creating, producing, and distributing documents to access the potential impact of integrating color into the document lifecycle.
• Evaluate with your production department the color capabilities that currently exist, and the metrics required to either migrate to color or bring color in for the first time.
• Select a simple project and jointly prepare with internal document stakeholders a draft investment pro-forma and timeline.
• Evaluate the market and competitors to evaluate the importance and leadership position of preparing and communicating in color.
• ssess all the input from your color research activities to formulate a fact-based, color strategy jointly developed by your company document stakeholders.

Target One or Two Applications
An outcome of developing your color strategy should be a clear prioritization of the applications you want to colorize first, second, and third. It would be a mistake, if not a disaster, to colorize more than one or two applications at a time. You will want to carefully test and measure each color change in order to prepare a meticulous cost-benefit analysis, which should guide your color strategy.

Estimate Costs and Timelines
Now its time to number crunch and turn your draft documents into a pro forma. Carefully review your financial statements with the production team and finance department to ensure you have covered all elements required for the color transition. Additionally, prepare the project timeline with the key players that will actually be doing the work.

Talk with your Ricoh PPBG Production Print Specialist
The marketplace is riddled with color production solutions. However, selecting the right color solution is just as important as deciding to embrace a color strategy. Let your Ricoh PPBG Production Print Specialist review your color strategy and determine what color system(s) will meet your goals for today and beyond.

Is Your Data Center Still in a Color Lock Down?
The demand for full color communications is growing exponentially. The demand is dictated by customers, competitors, and savvy companies. The benefits of full color are dramatic, but don’t jump into color production blind. Remember to establish an effective color strategy, target one or two applications, estimate costs and timelines, and call in an experienced color production partner – Ricoh PPBG – and start releasing the color “Lock Down” that is strangling your Data Center.

A veteran to the high-volume transactional print market, Kurt Konow is responsible for Data Center marketing for Ricoh Americas' Production Printing Business Group. Kurt brings many years of hardware and software solution experience to his appointment as Data Center Segment Marketing Manager for PPBG. Kurt can be reached at kurt.konow@ricoh-usa.com or at 630-335-4453.

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