On Demand Bits and Bytes

by Cary Sherburne, Senior WTT Editor

May 26, 2006 -- There were some things I ran across at On Demand that didn’t fit specifically into the workflow coverage I was primarily tasked with, but I wanted to make sure our readers didn’t miss out. Hope you enjoy this small collection of interesting new stuff!

One interesting company I ran into on the AIIM side of the show floor was Algorithmic Research (ARX). As communications become increasingly digital, ensuring the validity of those digital documents is always a concern, from both a security and a compliance perspective. The concept of digital signatures has been around for some time and has been implemented in a number of different ways. ARX has chosen to implement its offering using a network appliance—a small network connected device that sells for $15,000, plus $30 for each active signer on the network. While this sounds like a lot, the breakeven point, as compared to acquiring—for example—Adobe Acrobat Exchange to apply these signatures is around 50 users. For smaller networks, there is a version that comes with capacity for 25 signers and sells for $6,000. It is a simple interface that doesn’t require users to know anything about digital signatures, and it can apply both graphical and digital signatures, locking the document so it cannot be modified. In a network enabled with this solution, a button marked “Sign” is added to a PDF document. When the user clicks on that button, the document is sent to the network appliance, called CoSign, returns a signed PDF. This is an integrated electronic signature system that guarantees both data integrity and signer authenticity. You can expect that these types of affordable solutions will accelerate the move to digital-only documents for increasingly secure and compliance driven activities—all the more reason print service providers should be focusing on migrating their businesses to encompass multichannel business communications strategies.

In a new twist on business cards, long a business essential, Capture Business Cards, headed up by Gary Zumberge, CEO, introduced what the company positions as the first new thing in business cards in years, and I have to say, it was pretty cool. The company’s patented high performance business card blends labels with business cards to increase the value of business cards as a networking and promotional tool. The stock for these cards is 12x18 pre die cut, gloss coat on card stock with flat matte (for writeability) label stock, either a regular or repositionable, on the back. Labels can be in two, three or four segments. One example, Zumberge’s own business card, featured three repositionable labels. Two were small labels, one with full contact information that could be pasted into an address book and one that could be used as a mailing label. The third label used up the bottom half of the back side of the card and was headlined “A note from Gary,” with his picture and lots of space to write. Another example was a card for a restaurant that had two equal sized repositionable labels, one suitable for posting on your fridge to remind you to look at their online menu and the other a coupon for two free toppings on any large pizza order. As Zumberge points out, once you peel off the stickers, you are left with what you always had before, a quality business card. Meanwhile, the addition of the labels adds new value to an old business tool. Zumberge is working with Rochester NY’s Color Centric to produce cards on an outsourced basis for resellers, and he informed me that Color Centric was looking for a West Coast partner. If you produce or sell business cards, CaptureCard is worth a look as a unique value-added offering for your business card customers!

FedEx Kinko’s had a large booth on the floor, targeting buyers of print and other corporate attendees at the show. It was a good opportunity to get updated on their latest news. I met with Sally Mainprize, Director of Commercial Marketing & Strategy, who focuses on FedEx Kinko’s information logistics offerings, managing the life cycle of the document from creation through distribution by combining the two networks, FedEx and FedEx Kinko’s, for printing and distribution. The company has between 400 and 500 sales reps in the commercial business unit driving work to its 35 production centers, including its new Memphis facility. These centers are using all digital technology—no offset, although there may be a couple of legacy presses left. In retail, about 25% of FedEx Kinko’s business arrives digitally. And the commercial operation now accounts for 30% of the company’s business. Mainprize indicates that FedEx Kinko’s is also experiencing good success with its FM offering, which she describes as a virtual offering that allows companies to rightsize their copier/printer installation by leveraging nearby FedEx Kinko’s retail and production facilities combined with courier services. She also indicated that the company’s DocStore online store offering will be re-launched in 2007 with a new name and new functionality. Internal product development is currently underway. FedEx Kinko’s is also beginning to offer kitting and fulfillment services, starting with its Hayward CA production center. FedEx Kinko’s now has more than 1,500 locations globally, with a plan to add 200 more U.S. locations through 2007.

This report was written by Cary Sherburne. She can be reached via email at cary@sherburneassociates.com, online at www.sherburneassociates.com and by telephone at 603-430-5463.

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