The Half-Day Workshop is Held in Conjunction with Xploration 17
Lutz, FL — January 23, 2017: Xplor International today announced the Industry Analyst Workshop as a part of the full-conference curriculum at Xploration 17 which takes place March 28-30, 2017. The half day event will close the event on Thursday, March 30th and is sponsored by GMC Software.
Tweet this: Industry Analysts Workshop to be a part of the #Xplor17 conference program; FREE to full-conference attendees! http://bit.ly/2jKgprS
The Industry Analyst Workshop will be a three-part adventure. The first part is moderated by Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends and will begin with the newest trends and data from their research, including the newest software investment surveys.
Following the trends will be two workshops designed to be interactive and educational, so audience participation and questions are highly encouraged! The first Genius Panel covers guidance on Customer Experience best practices. A few panel questions will start the conversation but the attendees will be driving the session with questions, experiences, and best practices.
The second workshop introduces a new group of Geniuses. With this group, the attendees are engaged on the document journey, talking about how customer communication is created and delivered in print and online. The discussion will be on the best practices in maintaining both legacy and new environments, print and online.
“We are very excited to offer this as a part of our 2017 program and I’d like to thank GMC Software for sponsoring the workshop.” says Skip Henk, EDP, President/CEO of Xplor International. “This workshop will be a great wrap up for Xploration 17 with attendees heading home with some new ideas that they can take back to their companies.”
About Xplor International Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.
Our members are decision makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.
Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.
Xplor International Media Contact: Chad Henk
Marketing Manager
+1-813-949-6171 Chad@xplor.org
https://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Workshop-Cropped-2.jpg2981005Skip Henkhttp://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/logo-300x215.jpgSkip Henk2017-01-23 14:49:342022-07-09 00:14:11Xplor International Announces Industry Analyst Workshop
Latest Trends and Best Practices in Customer Communication Management
Lutz, FL – January 18, 2017 – Xplor International, today announced the Xploration Tour will begin the 2017 year in Atlanta, Georgia on February 9, 2017.
The Xploration Tour is a joint-venture with Xplor USA that is designed to provide educational programming, information, and networking opportunities to members as well as industry professionals across North America.
The Atlanta Xploration Tour speakers will delve into the latest trends and best practices in Customer Communications, sharing trends in the industry as well as what they have learned dealing with their own CCM strategy.
This one-day event will each feature an industry analyst overview by Matt Swain of Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends, five educational sessions, and a speaker panel discussion. Registration includes a continental breakfast, all seven sessions, lunch, and facility tour of the city host, DATAMATX.
“CCM is no longer an option. Companies that are not looking at it are behind curve.” says Skip Henk, President/CEO of Xplor International. “Whether a company already has or is looking to implement and/or enhance their CCM strategy, these one-day sessions will provide insight and direction.”
The Atlanta Xploration Tour is co-sponsored by GMC Software and Racami. Additional cities and events will be announced when confirmed.
For more information about the Xploration Tour, visit www.xplor.org.
For information on becoming an Xploration Tour sponsor please contact Deborah Green, Director of Sales, at +1-770-444-3845 or email deborahgreen@xplor.org
*Final city selection may vary.
About Xplor International Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.
Our members are decision makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.
Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.
Xplor International Media Contact: Chad Henk
Marketing Manager
+1-813-949-6171 Chad@xplor.org
https://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ATL-Post-Banner.jpg301868Skip Henkhttp://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/logo-300x215.jpgSkip Henk2017-01-18 14:15:152023-12-12 15:19:32Xploration Tour to hit Atlanta on February 9th
An Interview with OpenText Exstream, Senior Manager of Product Strategy By: Skip Henk, EDP – CEO of Xplor International
Last year Open Text Corp. acquired certain customer-communications management assets from HP Inc., an acquisition that certainly expanded and complemented the OpenText portfolio of software offerings.
Now that the dust has settled a bit, I wanted to catch up with Avi Greenfield, EDP – Senior Manager of Product Strategy, to discuss his views about digital transformation and Customer Communications from an OpenText Exstream point of view.
Avi, a 20 year industry veteran, is focused on technology solutions that build business value, focusing on customer communications and content management strategy. As I mentioned he is a Senior Manager of Product Strategy for OpenText Exstream, responsible for understanding the needs of customers for managing business-critical communications in complex and demanding environments, and driving the direction of the Exstream portfolio to meet those needs.
Avi received his Electronic Document Professional (EDP) certification in 2012.
Skip: Avi, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts today.
Avi: You are welcome; we appreciate Xplor allowing us the opportunity.
Skip: For our readers who are not familiar with OpenText Exstream, can you give us your 15 second elevator pitch?
Avi: OpenText Exstream offers the fastest, most reliable communications production engine to enable
digital transformation for companies. Exstream helps companies in a range of industries and sizes optimize customer engagement through the design and delivery of personalized, consistent, compliant, anytime, anywhere communications for better customer experiences across all channels. The latest version includes capabilities that enable users to create responsive, mobile-ready content; generate robust, interactive charts; perform controlled in-context editing; and better handle PDFs.
Skip: There is a lot in the media now about “digital transformation” and “digital business/digital economy” – what does that mean to OpenText and why is it important?
Avi: With 50% of the workforce expected to be made up of those who were “born digital” by 2020, digital communications are becoming more and more important and many companies are looking to move to a digital business model. A recent Gartner report states that 89% of companies will compete on customer experience and 90% of CEOs place CX as one of their top three priorities, so companies will need to be able to provide exceptional customer experiences across multiple channels to stay competitive in the future.
The Millennial generation is now larger than the Baby Boomers and they have more than one trillion dollars in purchasing power. Companies need to adapt their customer communications to appeal to this highly digital and technologically advanced group. Digital transformation of your business will be critical and is much more than being able to send email or PDFs because these consumers want much more engaging experiences and access to their brands 24/7. They have the highest adoption and usage of mobile devices of any generation, and they navigate seamlessly between devices and channels, which means they expect relevant and consistent content, experiences and branding across all channels.
Skip: What is the impact of digital transformation on CCM?
Avi: We see it driving a lot of demand for modern CCM capabilities. Digital transformation means rethinking business processes to meet consumer demand for frictionless multichannel interactions. This frequently means updating or replacing core systems of record and systems and engagement like CRM, billing, customer care, and claims for example. Most organizations already have multiple systems that are used to produce and deliver traditional and digital communications. So when they update those core systems, it’s a great time to consider whether their current CCM tools and processes are able to serve all of their enterprise needs for engaging customers in a way puts them at the center and gives them the freedom to engage using the channels and devices of their choice. We see this leading to increased investment in enterprise-grade CCM tools and also increased focus and organizational resources dedicated to producing and delivering timely, relevant, compliant communications.
Skip: Given these changes, and a shift to digital documents and communications, what steps can people take right now to take advantage of this?
Avi: In the digital age, it is critical for your company to move from traditional paper-based documents to engaging conversations across all channels. By delivering communications in the channels preferred by your customers and designing with digital in mind, you can turn your communications into a differentiator.
Your communications should use clear and concise language and be compliant, accurate, and controlled. All this requires synchronizing the right data with CCM software and the business processes that intersect with customer touchpoints.
Communications—whether traditional or digital—are the primary customer touchpoint for most organizations. The quality, timeliness, and accuracy of those communications have a huge impact on the consumer’s perception of your company. And the quality of a customer’s experience is the single greatest predictor of whether they will return and promote your company or defect to a competitor and malign it.
The design of any communication is important and can either drive desired behaviors, additional revenue or loyalty if done well. If not, it can undermine customer experience and create expensive call center inquiries. As far as best practices, five key things to consider when designing any communication are:
Design for understanding – What do you want recipients to understand?
Design to drive action – What do you want recipients to do or not do?
Design for digital first, but don’t neglect traditional channels – Do recipients have a seamless cross-channel experience?
Design to align business user profile with the business process – How do you involve business users? Do they own content and messages? Can they help personalize communications for the front office?
Design customer-centric communications from the outside-in – What do you do to modernize your processes and systems of interaction to deliver on consumer expectations for seamless cross-channel interactions?
Skip: Those are five great points. Do you believe the investment in CCM worth it?
Avi: Not only is it worth it, but it is essential to positive business outcomes. Providing a better customer experience is shown to increase loyalty and lifetime customer value and can be a key source of competitive differentiation. Delivering interactions that are clear, timely, and easy to understand leads to higher customer satisfaction.
So there are many pressures and expectations on customer communications. Companies must respond quickly to changing markets and circumstances, while providing consistent, high-quality communications in the recipient’s language and preferred delivery channel.
There is also a critical need to maintain compliance and control over communications for legal and regulatory reasons. At the same time, business users are demanding more control over the content and faster time to market. And of course operational requirements demand timely, optimized output at the lowest possible cost. So having an enterprise CCM platform with the right organizational commitment and resources dedicated to it is essential to increasing profitability, improving customer experience, and mitigating risk.
Skip: Avi, I once again thank you for taking the time to speak with me today and sharing your insights. Anyone who would like more information can contact OpenText here.
About OpenText Exstream Exstream is a multichannel customer communication management (CCM) solution that is proven to improve the customer experience and make customer interactions more profitable. It allows business users to create the communications for connected customer journeys using the delivery formats and channels customers prefer – including email, web and mobile.
This software solution powers the transformation of all of your data—whatever file sources, formats, and systems you use—into relevant and insightful customer communications. With on-premise and cloud deployment options, Exstream is scalable to fit the needs of any department or complex enterprise environment. Design and deliver consistent, personalized, compliant, anytime, anywhere communications with Exstream.
Skip Henk, EDP President/CEO
Xplor International
https://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/OpenText-Exstream-Banner.jpg302853Skip Henkhttp://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/logo-300x215.jpgSkip Henk2017-01-17 10:54:372022-07-09 00:14:11OpenText Exstream, Digital Transformation and Customer Communications Management
Sponsored by RICOH USA, the 32-Year Team Veteran Will Tell You Winning Starts from the Top on Down
Lutz, FL — January 11, 2017—Xplor International, today announced their Xploration 17 keynote presentation will be delivered by Gary Vitti, Legendary L.A. Lakers Athletic Trainer. The presentation titled You Can Never Have Enough Talent…. But it is the Most Overrated Thing in Life will be on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM. The Xploration 17 conference is being held at the Caribe Royale Orlando from March 28-30th. For more information or to register: http://www.cvent.com/d/5vqky8
Tweet this: Gary Vitti, 32-Year Athletic Trainer for the @Lakers, to present keynote address at #Xplor17 http://bit.ly/2idH1nC
“We are excited to have Gary as part of our event and thank RICOH USA for their sponsorship and making it possible.” says Skip Henk, EDP, President/CEO of Xplor International. “Gary is a motivating force both on and off the court. His time as the Lakers Athletic Trainer, accomplishments as a lecturer, writer and TV personality, along with his extensive philanthropic work, makes Gary a great choice for our 2017 keynote speaker.”
Mr. Vitti has worked in the healthcare field for over 35 years, spending the last 32 years as the Head Athletic Trainer for the storied Los Angeles Lakers. During his tenure he has worked with basketball Hall of Fame greats Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy, and future Hall of Famer, Kobe Bryant.
In addition to his tenure with the Lakers, Vitti lectures internationally, has written a syndicated column for the L.A Times, created an exercise video, published articles in peer reviewed journals, and appeared in two Hollywood movies. He has been featured by Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Fox News Sports, The Doctor’s Show, Hoop Magazine, NBATV, CCTV China, Tencent China and Time Warner Cable Network as well as several international publications.
Gary is also known for his philanthropic work, creating the National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association Foundation. During his tenure as chairman, he was involved with organ and tissue donation, the Miami Project for paralysis, the National Kidney Foundation, and provided countless scholarships for young athletic training students. He served on the board of a Window Between Worlds, an organization that uses art as a healing tool for survivors of domestic violence and is currently is on the advisory board of Team Heal, an organization that provides health care and education as well as scholarships in underserved communities.
“I am looking forward to sharing my experiences with Xploration 17 attendees” says Gary Vitti. “I hope to offer many stories, both funny and sad, that will provide profound motivation for attendees to find their path and be the best!”
About Xploration 17: The the two-and-a-half day event is the perfect blend of educational sessions, panel discussions, general sessions, and networking events. Other features include:
60+ Educational Sessions
Panel Discussions
Keynote Speaker – Gary Vitti, Legendary L.A. Lakers Athletic Trainer
Vendor Forum
Evening Networking Events (Tue/Wed)
Networking Luncheons (Tue/Wed)
Thursday Breakfast
Analyst Workshop (Thursday)
Production Workflow Basics Course by acadami (included in the price of registration)
For more information regarding Xploration® 17, or to register, visit www.xplor.org/xplor17. Questions should be directed to Register@xplor.org or +1-813-949-6170 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (ET), Monday through Friday.
Vendors interested in being an exhibitor should contact Xplor’s Director of Sales, Deborah Green at +1-770-444-3845 or via email at deborahgreen@xplor.org.
About Xplor International Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.
Our members are decision makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.
Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.
All 60+ sessions posted with titles, descriptions, and presenters
Lutz, FL – December 19, 2016 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced that their full educational agenda for Xploration® 16 is now live at http://www.cvent.com/d/5vqky8/6X. Xploration® 17 is being held March 28-30, 2017 in Florida at the Caribe Royale Orlando.
Tweet this: @Xplor_Int #XPLOR17 agenda populated! All 60+ sessions complete with topics, descriptions and presenters! bit.ly/2i1SGW6
For 2017, Xplor has brought in more case studies, best practices, and industry trends to be presented by a diverse group of end users, industry analysts, consultants, and vendor subject matter experts.
“78% of our 2017 agenda is presented by end users which include seven industry analysts and nine industry consultants.” says Skip Henk, President and CEO of Xplor International. “The only session we have yet to announce is our celebrity sports keynote session, but be on the lookout for that announcement after the first of the year!”
About Xploration 17: Starting at $899 USD for a Full-Conference Platinum Passport, the two-and-a-half day event is the perfect blend of educational sessions, panel discussions, general sessions, and networking events. Other features include:
60+ Educational Sessions
Panel Discussions and General Sessions
Keynote Speaker
35+ Industry Partners in the Vendor Forum
Two Evening Networking Events (Tue/Wed)
Two Networking Luncheons (Tue/Wed)
Thursday Breakfast
Analyst Workshop (Thursday)
Production Workflow Basics Course by acadami as the Fundamentals track
For more information regarding Xploration® 17, or to register, visit www.xplor.org/xplor17. Questions should be directed to Register@xplor.org or +1-813-949-6170 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (ET), Monday through Friday.
Vendors interested in being an exhibitor should contact Xplor’s Director of Sales, Deborah Green at +1-770-444-3845 or via email at deborahgreen@xplor.org.
About Xplor International Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.
Our members are decision makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.
Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.
The Program Returns to Provide Complimentary Conference Passes to Qualified Applicants
Lutz, FL – December 14, 2016 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced the return of the First Timer Recognition Program for their annual conference, Xploration® 17, that is being held March 28-30, 2017 in Orlando, Florida at the Caribe Royale Orlando.
Tweet this: @Xplor_Int announces return of First Timer Recognition Program and is giving away FREE passes! bit.ly/2g2Nmw5 #XPLOR17
Building on the success of last year’s program, Xplor is once again recognizing qualified first time attendees by providing them with a complimentary full-conference pass as an open invitation to come and see what the Xploration conference is all about. The conference pass entitles the recipient to attend all Xplor educational sessions, general sessions, keynotes and networking events, at no cost.
“Since last year’s First Timer Recognition was such a success, we decided to not only bring it back, but double down by offering even more opportunities for people to experience an Xploration event.” says Skip Henk, President and CEO of Xplor International. “With 60+ educational sessions presented by end users, industry analysts, and subject matter experts, it is a great opportunity to listen to the latest trends and best practices driving our industry.”
To qualify, applicants must not have attended an annual conference over the last 10 years, be employed by an enterprise or end user company, and agree to stay at the host hotel, the Caribe Royale Orlando ($179US which includes resort fee). Interested parties must apply by March 3, 2017.
The number of complimentary registrations are limited and will be awarded on a first come first served basis. You can apply here: www.cvent.com/d/1vqkhx.
The two-and-a-half day event is the perfect blend of educational sessions, panel discussions, general sessions, and networking events. It features 60+ educational sessions, panels, and general sessions, a keynote, two evening networking events, two networking luncheons, a breakfast and over 35 of the industry’s best solution providers.
For more information regarding Xploration® 17, or to register, visit www.xplor.org/xplor17. Questions should be directed to Register@xplor.org or +1-813-949-6170 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (EST), Monday through Friday.
Vendors interested in being an exhibitor should contact Xplor’s Director of Sales, Deborah Green at +1-770-444-3845 or via email at deborahgreen@xplor.org.
About Xplor International Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.
Our members are decision makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.
Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.
Xplor International Media Contact: Chad Henk
Marketing Manager
+1-813-949-6171 Chad@xplor.org
https://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/FTRP-Banner-Small-1.jpg188745Skip Henkhttp://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/logo-300x215.jpgSkip Henk2016-12-14 16:10:202023-12-13 15:43:38Xplor Announces First Timer Recognition Program for Xploration® 17
Recognitions to include Application, Technology as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards
Lutz, FL — December 12, 2016: Xplor International, The Electronic Document Systems Association®, today issued a call for nominations for their annual awards, to be presented at their 2017 Annual Conference, Xploration® 17, March 28-30 at the Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida. The deadline for nominations is January 13, 2017. For more information on the annual Xplor awards, or to nominate a company or individual, please visit www.cvent.com/d/lvq4l4.
Tweet this: @Xplor_Int Issues Annual Call for Award Nominations. Nominate an individual/company in one of 4 categories bit.ly/2gIfuJ2 #XPLOR17
Application of the Year Award The Application of the Year Award is presented to an individual, a company or an organization to recognize outstanding achievement in the imaginative application of current technology and/or unique implementation of existing document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members.
Technology of the Year Award The Technology of the Year Award honors an individual, company or organization that has conceived and developed an original concept leading to a significant advancement in the industry. This can be a new program, product or technology that notably enhances the capabilities of document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members.
Xplorer of the Year For over 20 years, Xplor International has honored an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the association. The Xplorer of the Year is Xplor International’s most prestigious award; it honors significant service to the association, dedication to the Xplor mission, and notable achievement promoting the interest of the electronic document systems industry. Only current members of Xplor International, who are not on the Association Board of Directors, are eligible.
The Brian Platte Lifetime Achievement Award Established in 2007, this award is given to an individual whose efforts and contributions have significantly changed the course and development of the digital document and customer communications industry. This award is open to members and non-members.
If you have any questions on the award nominations, please contact Xplor Headquarters at +1-813-949-6171 or via email at Lynn@xplor.org. For more information in regards to Xploration® 17, please visit www.cvent.com/d/5vqky8. Vendors interested in being a sponsor or exhibitor can contact Xplor’s Director of Sales, Deborah Green, at +1-770-444-3845 or via email at deborahgreen@xplor.org.
About Xplor International Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.
Our members are decision makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.
Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.
Submitted by Harry Stephens, President/CEO of DATAMATX
November 21, 2016
We held our annual INg meeting at Orlando in conjunction with this year’s Graph Expo in September. One of the speakers at our meeting was a labor attorney and among the many things he spoke to us about was the upcoming Overtime Rule. For those of you that may not know specific details on this new rule, starting on December 1 2016, the salary threshold to avoid paying overtime will move to $913 per week (an annual salary of $47,476) from the current $455 per week. Right now, hourly workers, lower-wage earners and non-managerial workers must be paid 1.5 times their hourly wage when they work more than 40 hours in a week. Under the new rule, an estimated 4.2 million workers, including those on salary, will be eligible for overtime.
On November 10th, at the Fall Board of Director’s meeting for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, where I am on the board, the issue came up again. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce represents the unified voice of Georgia’s business community with the motto “What’s good for business is good for Georgia” driving its policy and legislative direction to ensure the future of economic mobility for all Georgians. So it makes sense that business and job creation are always a focus. I brought up this impending Overtime Rule at the meeting, encouraging both the local and national Chamber of Commerce to vocally oppose this type of job creation loss initiative as it will certainly have unintended consequences, hurting the people it intended to help.
For example, in lower-paid jobs where the minimum wage is also increasing, employers are put in the difficult situation of having middle managers making considerably less per working hour than new hires. Think of the restaurant industry where wages may be lower, hours are long and profit margins very thin. While this rule is meant to increase take-home pay, these changes may limit employment and advancement opportunities in this industry and others like it. Another good example—college graduates looking for their first job. An employer will certainly have to think twice about hiring an inexperienced worker who needs time to “learn on the job” for an annual salary of $47,476.00 or unbudgeted overtime. Jobs are hard enough to get when you don’t have the right experience. This rule will make it even more difficult. Unintended consequences. Hurting the people it intended to help.
For every business, this rule causes a number of consequences as well, particularly when it comes to payroll. We essentially have two choices. If the increased salary threshold creates newly non-exempt employees to stay compliant, we need to either pay employees higher salaries, or pay overtime wages.
In preparation, classifying employees correctly as to whether they are exempt or non-exempt will be extremely important, particularly if you are in a business that has peaks in productivity at times that require employees to work longer hours, like month end or holidays. Because of this, I recommend checking out the Department of Labor or your state’s wage enforcement agency to get the exact requirements. The last thing a business needs is unexpected financial or legal consequences for not clearly stating an employee’s classification, entitlement to overtime and tracking of such.
It will also be important to have clear communication with employees about record keeping. For some who have been proud of being a “white collar worker” now required to keep track of time, this can be difficult. Explaining the rule and how it will affect them and your business will ease any misconceptions they may have about any changes in job description or pay.
Oh, and another piece of “good news.” The minimum salary threshold will automatically increase every three years based on wage growth. The first automatic increase will happen on Jan. 1, 2020, which means more employees will become exempt as the threshold rises. Now, if you think you are in the clear because you are a small business, I have more “good news.” The Department of Labor FAQ fact sheet does say that “the proposed rule [applies] to employees of enterprises that have an annual gross volume of sales made or business done of $500,000 or more, and certain other businesses.” Ok. If your business makes less than $500,000 of annual revenue, is it exempt? It appears the answer is still no. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), individual employees may still be “covered in any workweek when they are individually engaged in interstate commerce, the production of goods for interstate commerce, or an activity that is closely related and directly essential to the production of such goods.” Like I said earlier – research the information on the Department of Labor’s website or your state’s wage enforcement agency to get the exact requirements of the ruling.
There is no way around the fact that this ruling is bad for business—especially small to medium businesses that have a hard enough time growing their businesses as it is. We need dedicated employees who consider themselves professionals and want to work the long hours often needed to get ahead and grow in their profession. Employers will now have a hard time giving them that choice. Instead of benefiting workers, the rule takes away flexible schedules and maybe even certain career pursuits. For businesses, it places yet another financial burden to manage. Perfect examples of unintended consequences hurting the people it intended to help.
Until next time – Harry
Harry Stephens is President/CEO, and founder of DATAMATX, one of the nation’s largest privately held, full-service providers of printed and electronic billing solutions. He has been active in the Atlanta business community for over 40 years in various professional and trade organizations, most recently as a board member of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. As an advocate for business mailers across the country, Stephens is actively involved in several postal trade associations. He serves on the Executive Board of the Greater Atlanta Postal Customer Council, Board Member of the National Postal Policy Council (NPPC), Member of Major Mailers Association(MMA), and member of the Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service. He is also immediate past president of the Imaging Network Group (INg), an association for Print/Mail Service Bureaus. As an expert on high-volume print and mail, he has frequently been asked to speak to various USPS groups, including the Board of Governors, about postal reform and other issues affecting business mailers. Find DATAMATX at www.datamatx.com
Customer Communications Conference to be Held March 28-30, 2017 in Orlando, FL
Lutz, FL – November 17, 2016 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced that registration is now open for Xploration® 17 being held March 28-30, 2017 in Orlando, Florida at the Caribe Royale Orlando.
Tweet this: @Xplor_Int announced that registration is open for Xploration 17 in Orlando, FL at @The_Caribe! More info: http://bit.ly/2f4Mc2B #XPLOR17
Xploration® 17 will provide information, best practices and insight into the changing customer communications industry. The event will feature over 60 educational sessions presented by end users, industry analysts, industry consultants, and subject matter experts who will share real world examples and case studies.
The event will take place at the Caribe Royale Orlando which boasts more than 53 lush, tropical acres, over 1,300 spacious suites, and an expansive state-of-the-art meeting and event facility. The Xplor group rate has this tropical all-suite hotel is locked in at $179 per night for a standard room, including resort fees. It is truly a great value at a great venue.
If you are involved in the design, creation, production and distribution of customer bills, statements, direct mail or policies, no matter what channel(s) of distribution, the Xploration® 17 conference program is relevant to your organization.
“Xplor conferences are traditionally known for great educational content and the 2017 event will continue that tradition” says Skip Henk, President and CEO of Xplor International. “We are certainly pleased and grateful to the end users, industry analysts, industry consultants, and subject matter experts who are willing to share their experiences. I invite and encourage you to check out the conference web page.”
Conference Program: The two-and-a-half day event is the perfect blend of educational sessions, panel discussions, general sessions, and networking events. Features include:
60+ Educational Sessions
Panel Discussions and General Sessions
Keynote Speaker
35+ Industry Partners in the Vendor Forum
Two Evening Networking Events (Tue/Wed)
Two Networking Luncheons (Tue/Wed)
Thursday Breakfast
Analyst Workshop (Thursday)
Pre-Conference Program by Print Media Center (separate purchase)
For more information regarding Xploration® 17, or to access the registration site, please visit www.xplor.org/xplor17. Questions should be directed to Register@xplor.org or +1-813-949-6170 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (EST), Monday through Friday.
Vendors interested in being an exhibitor should contact Xplor’s Director of Sales, Deborah Green at +1-770-444-3845 or via email at deborahgreen@xplor.org.
About Xplor International Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.
Our members are decision makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.
Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.
Xplor International Media Contact: Chad Henk
Marketing Manager
+1-813-949-6171 Chad@xplor.org
https://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/SidebarBannerAd-For-Print.jpg10242048Skip Henkhttp://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/logo-300x215.jpgSkip Henk2016-11-17 13:39:262023-12-13 15:44:00Registration Now Open for Xploration® 17
Submitted by Alexandra Truchot, Content Creation Specialist for Objectif Lune.
October 12, 2016
Building your customer base involves a lot of money and effort. Once you’ve attracted new customers, it’s wise to do everything you can to keep them happy and committed over the long term so that your investment was worthwhile.
If you focus your efforts mainly on getting new customers and neglect to give your current ones a special experience, you’re actually working for your competitor, who is providing a more exclusive customer experience and doing everything possible to win their loyalty.
That said, you have a golden opportunity when delivering products to interact with your customers and make the experience positive for them. The goal is to make them want to continue buying your products, and even to recommend you to others in their network. In fact, this is one of the only chances you’ll get to meet them in person and interact directly. Why not take the opportunity to wow them?
Provide quality service to maintain customers By providing your delivery persons with a tablet to manage delivery notes, you can impress your customers by asking them not only to sign the delivery note directly on the mobile device (rather than signing a piece of paper), but by allowing them to change the quantities they received in real time. They can even add visual proof of a damaged package, and the delivery person can specify the location information to confirm that the product was delivered to the place the customer had indicated. Then it just takes a click to send the proof of delivery to the office and to email it to the customer.
Be proactive in earning customer loyalty Since the delivery note gets to the office faster, your staff can be proactive in addressing problems. If a parcel is damaged, the office clerk will immediately receive the proof of damage and can quickly contact the customer to apologize and offer an alternative. When paper is used, it can take 24 to 48 hours, or longer, before the customer gets any news about the damaged product. But in the former case, the customer hardly has any time to get upset. With an automated digital process, customers can’t help but notice how proactive you are in dealing with such incidents.
In addition, since data entry is no longer done by hand, the data is more reliable and the billing can be done seamlessly. Not only will your customers pay faster, since nothing needs to be changed on the invoice, but there’ll be less risk of receiving complaints.
Get closer to reaching your productivity, operational efficiency and customer experience objectives one step at a time!
Alexandra Truchot – Content creation specialist with Objectif Lune. Writer and compulsive reader. Eager for unknown destinations and exciting encounters. Anything is possible, you just have to believe it. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Objectif Lune has 20 years of experience developing Customer Communications Management solutions. Our solutions bridge the gap between systems and automate more personalized, relevant, multichannel customer communications. Learn more at: www.objectiflune.com.
https://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Alexandras-Corner-Banner.jpg291853Skip Henkhttp://xplor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/logo-300x215.jpgSkip Henk2016-10-12 09:47:012023-12-13 15:44:11The importance of the customer experience when it comes to your proof of delivery process
Alexandra Truchot – Content creation specialist with Objectif Lune. Writer and compulsive reader. Eager for unknown destinations and exciting encounters. Anything is possible, you just have to believe it. Connect with her on 
