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DCM helps clients navigate supply chain volatility through strategic paper procurement & digital enablement

December 9, 2022

“It’s about helping clients maintain relationships with their customers, regardless of which communication channel they utilize.” — Jim Ferreira, senior vice-president of enterprise solutions at DCM

Peter Kenter – Postmedia Content Works3 minute read Sponsored story

Image above – DCM uses extensive data collection and reporting to forecast clients’ future paper demand. GETTY IMAGES

 

Many companies today are facing at least one of two ongoing communication challenges: digitizing their print, and actually printing their print. As supply chain issues continue to ripple across the economy, shortages in certain grades of paper are making it more difficult to conduct business as usual.

As a long-time communications provider in financial services, health care, retail and other major sectors, DCM has taken steps to shield clients from these shortages. Part of that involves more strategic procurement, and part of it comes down to a continued focus on helping clients with their digital transformation.

 

 

 “While there are certain elements that will always be printed, generally speaking, the more you can digitize, the more you lower your supply chain risk,” says Jim Ferreira, senior vice-president of enterprise solutions at DCM.

 

Every client comes to the company from a different place, says Ferreira. For some, the nature of their business is such that their marketing and communications remain largely invested in print. Others, meanwhile, are looking for thought leadership on how to strategically integrate their print and digital, as they continue to adopt an omni-channel approach.

 

DCM makes it possible...

“We look at a client’s entire communications ecosystem,” says Ferreira. “We then assess how all content is being used and develop a strategy to transition the appropriate pieces from print to digital.”

 

Regardless of the communication channel, DCM strives to help clients maintain relationships with their customers. GETTY IMAGES

 

That transition doesn’t happen all at once — and in some instances, it doesn’t happen at all. Retail signage, for example, continues to include a sizeable component of print. And Ferreira notes that some organizations, such as financial institutions and energy companies, are legally required to provide certain mandatory documents to their clients in printed format.

For these organizations, effective supply chain management is critical.

“Ultimately, it’s about helping clients maintain relationships with their customers, regardless of which communication channel they utilize,” he says.

Ferreira points out that while paper demand has declined across North America at roughly 4 per cent yearly, more recently, the capacity of mills to produce paper has dropped by 25 per cent. As a result, companies are facing shortages in products ranging from envelopes and ATM receipts to lottery tickets. Combining long-term relationships with more strategic, proactive supply chain management, DCM is able to mitigate the impact of these shortages.

That involves using extensive data collection and reporting to forecast clients’ future demand, and adjust raw material requirements accordingly. “We can begin to procure the various products our clients will need months before they need them,” says Ferreira. As a specialist in business process outsourcing, DCM’s service model has for decades revolved around robust reporting and forecasting.

 

DCM looks for opportunities to accelerate clients’ transition to digital. GETTY IMAGES

 

“Our business process outsourcing program is specifically designed to limit supply chain volatility,” he says.

In the meantime, the company looks for opportunities to accelerate the transition to digital — paving the way for benefits such as increased personalization, deeper client engagement, streamlined operations and enhanced insights.

Through workflow automation, for instance, clients can produce versioned, personalized communications for different regions, groups of users or lines of business. They can create and deploy email campaigns. They can automate event communications, from producing banners to sending digital invitations.

 

 

“Whatever the end goal — print or digital, increasing automation or reducing risk — DCM does the heavy lifting to simplify communication complexity and ensure clients’ needs are met,” Ferreira says.

For more information on how DCM can help you overcome challenges around digital transitioning and supply chain shortages, visit www.datacm.com.

This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of DCM.

 

Want to learn more about how DCM supports Canada’s largest financial institutions?

Explore our Financial Services

 

 

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