Business as usual?

Office World News, Jul 2001 by McKee, Roberta S

Xplor International Looks at Document Technology Trends Affecting Business Communications

Business as usual is no longer the norm. The traditional business world has been transformed from an industrial-based to an information-- based economy. Technological advances in the document industry have forced enterprises to transform business processes and move into a world dominated by the Internet and other document-related technologies.

Documents in an organization represent communications, printed and electronic bills and statements, corporate websites and portals, 1:1 marketing collateral, and much more. Corporations depend on document communications with their customers, suppliers, manufacturers, and financial institutions to transact business. Documents in any format-from creation to delivery-are the lifeblood of any enterprise. They signify the business transactions required to support corporate goals and objectives. Documents are also significant corporate assets, since much of an organization's knowledge is contained in documents, whether printed or virtual.

The ubiquity of the Internet has transformed the way information is presented. Corporations are not just looking at the messages contained in their documents; they are investigating and utilizing multiple output media. They are investing resources to structure information for the most effective delivery because their customers recognize and require multiple format options-print, screen, CD-ROM, PDA, wireless, etc. The delivery medium is now secondary to the message being conveyed. The focus on information flow and presentation of information in documents of any format has risen to the forefront of corporate strategies.

Because of advances in document technology, it is definitely not business as usual anymore.

NOW WHAT?

For most business executives and technologists, careful scrutiny of budget items is required to initiate advancements in the enterprise, and to maintain a competitive edge. Management must address these issues and be prepared to commit the necessary investments and capitalization required to build the company into a sustainable, profitable enterprise. Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, is committed to understanding investment trends and future technology requirements when it comes to documents.

Xplor annually queries its members-representing technology users and business executives in such industries as banking and finance, insurance, utilities, education, government, telecommunications, and technology manufacturers and suppliers-to benchmark document technology trends and investments now and in the future. This year's report, the 2000-2001 Technology Directions Survey, provides information to corporations and the business community to plan programs and gain insight into future technological directions from data benchmarked by their peers.

E-COMMERCE GROWS

The overwhelming trend confirmed in the Technology Directions Survey was the importance of e-commerce and the influence of the Internet in the business environment. The Internet has driven the demand for enterprise-wide solutions for document management and distribution. Companies must provide value-added services for their customers because competition is driving many investments in the e-business world. A quick return on investment is not the motivator for companies to establish e-commerce initiatives, electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) systems, or electronic data interchange (EDI) applications for their clients.

The Technology Directions Survey confirms the prevalence of the Internet and its influence in the corporate enterprise. Hailed as the publishing medium of the new millennium, the Internet continues to exert its power over the corporate direction and buying decisions of companies worldwide and garnered the attention of executives, managers, and ultimately all levels of staff within the enterprise.

THE INTERNET IS THE COMMUNICATOR

The Internet now serves as a primary communications vehicle for companies to contact customers. Other forms of communication are still viable, but there is a trend to use web-based communications for efficiency and productivity reasons. Benefits of Internet/Intranet usage reinforce the strength of building customer relationships. Twenty-three percent of Xplor users and 17 percent of service providers/consultants cite facilitating connections with customers as the number one benefit of the Internet. Within three years, users and service providers/consultants believe e-commerce transactions will be the top benefit in a web-based environment (27 percent and 35 percent, respectively).

Companies are now taking steps to update or upgrade their LANs/ WANs/office systems or telecommunications infrastructure to remain competitive. The ability to deliver corporate services via the web is an attractive opportunity for everyone. However, the degree of risk involved and the amount of investment capital must be weighed very carefully in this decision process.