Xploration 2016

Meeting Accessible Document Delivery with High Speed Accessible Transforms

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Title: Meeting Accessible Document Delivery with High Speed Accessible Transforms
Track: All Things Data
Date/Time: Tuesday, April 5th – 8:30am-9:20am
Room: Bonaire 2
Presenters: Greg Orton & Dennis Quon

What happens when the National Federation of the Blind, the nation’s leading advocate for equal access by the blind to information and technology, and the U.S. Department of Education reach an agreement that requires Student Loan organizations to make student loan information accessible to blind Americans? Loan documents are system generated as a Print Description Language and documents must be set up in accessible PDF to alternate formats such as Braille or Large Print. We’ll take you on a journey from PCL to Accessible PDF and why post composition accessible remediation was the right answer to meet regulatory and turnaround requirements.

  1. How automated, high speed Print Transforms can transform large volumes of documents into Accessible Documents, accessible PDFs to meet regulatory requirements.
  2. How accessibility laws and regulations are pushing accessible disclosure of personal and private information to students that are blind, partially sighted or have a cognitive disability.

About the Presenters: 
Greg Orton is the IT Development Manager at Iowa Student Loan. The development team at Iowa Student Loan has been using Agile software development methodologies for nearly a decade. As a Developer then Technical Lead for several years, Greg has worked to build strong relationships with a foundation of trust between Product Owners and all members of the product development team. With a focus on Extreme Programing practices he has worked to improve the development and maintenance phases of the software lifecycle reducing development time and defect rate through Pair Programming, Test Driven Development and Continuous Integration.

Dennis Quon, EDP, leads the Document Accessibility Services business at Crawford Technologies, providing automated software and service bureau accessible document solutions to the visually and cognitively challenged. Dennis is also the past President of Xplor Canada (the electronic document association) and sits on Xplor International’s Association Board of Directors as Secretary. He has over 25 years of experience in the electronic document industry. He was previously with Gilmore Doculink, a transactional document provider as VP Sales for 21 years. Prior to that, Dennis was with Xerox Canada and the Canadian Federal Government.

Xploration 2016

Inkjet Printing is Costing You $. Want to Fix That?

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Title: Inkjet Printing is Costing You $. Want to Fix That?
Track: Distribution
Date/Time: Tuesday, April 5 – 8:30am-9:20am
Room: Bonaire 3
Presenter: Pat McGrew, M-EDP

Inkjet printing has become the standard for transaction print production, though not everyone is on board. Many companies are just now making the transition, while others made the transition over the last 10 years are are feeling vaguely dissatisfied. Promises of cheaper printing don’t seem to be coming true, and constituents are grumpy about image quality. What can you do? This session opens the kimono on what your print vendor never told you about file preparation and some simple tricks for making sure that you print using the least amount of ink while getting spectacular print quality.

Attendee Takeaways: 

  1. Moving to an inkjet print strategy is designed to save costs in print output, but for many companies it ends up with secret costs no vendor told you about.
  2. Moving to inkjet print production should be a win-win for everyone in the print process, but too often everyone ends up unhappy with the print quality and ink usage.

 

About the Presenter: Pat McGrew, M-EDP, CMP is the Inkjet Evangelist for the HP PageWide Web Press. As an industry educator in data-driven communication, Pat works with customers and their clients to promote communication effectiveness. She has worked for three decades to help customers grow their communication capabilities.

Co-author of eight industry books, editor of A Guide to the Electronic Document Body of Knowledge, and regular writer in the industry trade press, Pat won the 2014 #GirlsWhoPrint Girlie Award for dedication to education and communication in the industry. Find Pat on Twitter as @PatMcGrew and on LinkedIn.

Xploration 2016

Electronic Document (BOK): What is a Transaction Document?

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Title: Electronic Document (BOK): What is a Transaction Document?
Track: Fundamentals
Date/Time: Tuesday, April 5th – 8:30am-9:20am
Room: Bonaire 5
Presenters: Bill Broddy, M-EDP

Front and center in the delivery of transaction documents is compliance. For over 50 years, our industry has converted data into formal documents that must be legally presented to external parties. The information must be correct, understandable and delivered on time. Any misstep in the process can jeopardize the evidentiary weight of the issued document; potentially leading to customer dissatisfaction, regulatory intervention, fines, and sanctions. The process to create these legally relevant documents is very complex, as outlined in A Guide to the Electronic Document Body of Knowledge™. The Electronic Document BOK: Production Workflow Basics track explains, and expands upon, the EDBOK Guide. Each session will cover one of the steps in the workflow, from data to delivery. This session will highlight the purpose of these documents in commerce, some of the current and emerging regulation governing their issuance, and their future growth and metamorphosis. It will also look at how to exploit more effective customer communications without jeopardy.

Attendees will expect to learn how to improve your knowledge with experienced views on best
practices, pitfalls and successes of the delivery of legally relevant correspondence.

 

About the Presenter: Bill Broddy is president and co-founder of Acadami Group, Inc. (aka acadami), the leading provider of professional education in the electronic document space. acadami’s educational offerings are certified by Xplor International, and have produced 85% of the Electronic Document Associate designations awarded by Xplor. Bill also assists major organizations across North America with regulatory best practices, market planning, and implementation of electronic document delivery applications. Bill brings over 30 years’ experience with electronic document enabling and delivery. He is an EDP Commissioner and Course Instructor for the Canadian EDP Certification Program. Xplor International, the Electronic Document Systems Association, recognized his leadership and expertise in 2004 with their most prestigious award “Xplorer of the Year”. Bill earned his Master Electronic Document Professional (m-edp) designation in 2011.

Xploration 2016

Organizing Self-Organizing Teams

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Title: Organizing Self-Organizing Teams
Track: For Executive Eyes Only
Date/Time: Tuesday, April 5th – 8:30am-9:20am
Room: Bonaire 4
Presenters: John Lynch

Kids know it instinctively: think of how they build a fort in the backyard. They don’t need to elect leaders because leaders emerge. They don’t need to assign tasks because everyone knows what they are good at. The task becomes all-consuming because that is part ofthe fun. Cooperation is a given. As adults we need to relearn this. Empowering a group is the job of the “scrummaster” the person that clears the roadblocks and encourages participation. Roleplaying, conflict resolution and guarding against “game show host” personalities are all part of the gig. John Lynch has led some impressive teams and he brings decades of learning to Xplor.

This session on leadership in the agile software world is designed to help teams:

  1. Tackle a specific mission with 100% buyin.
  2. Overcome any roadblocks that derive from group dynamics.

 

About the Presenter:  John P. Lynch first spoke at Xplor in 1993 and has presented many times. He was on the team that developed Flex Server that printed off the mainframe. Later, he was knows as “the Streamweaver Guy” and later built a workflow monitor called Siteview with a team that was contentious, productive and proud. He became an Agile consultant and is now the VP Technology and Regional Manager of Compart North America, where he has used the techniques he discusses here to form a new crack squad.

Full Xploration® 16 Agenda Goes Live

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All 55+ sessions posted with titles, descriptions, and presenters

Lutz, FL – December 16, 2015 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced that their full educational agenda for Xploration® 16 is now live at www.cvent.com/d/drqy2z/6X. Xploration® 16 is being held April 5-7, 2016 in Florida at the Caribe Royale Orlando.

Tweet this: @Xplor_Int #XPLOR16 agenda populated! All 55+ sessions complete with topics, descriptions and presenters! http://bit.ly/1m24OE7 #CX

Xplor’s annual conference will once again focus on real world examples and case studies presented by end users, industry analysts, industry consultants, and subject matter experts.

“Our new educational matrix and tracks attracted a record number of great submissions covering the technology, processes, and best practices that support digital documents and the customer experience” says Skip Henk, President and CEO of Xplor International. “Attendees can expect to experience the best of the best.”

About Xploration 16: The two-and-a-half day event is the perfect blend of educational sessions, panel discussions, general sessions, and networking events in a relaxed Florida environment. The event features:

  • 55+ Educational Sessions
  • Panel Discussions and General Sessions
  • THREE Keynote Sessions – Look out for teasers in January!
  • 35+ Industry Partners in the Vendor Forum
  • Two Evening Networking Events (Tue/Wed)
  • Two Networking Luncheons (Tue/Wed)
  • Pre-Conference Option (Separate Purchase)

For more information regarding Xploration® 16, or to register, visit xplor.org/events/. 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 worldwide, not-for-profit professional association that consists of thousands of users and suppliers of the products and services that create, modify and deliver customized information using a wide variety of document technologies. The association provides educational products and programs for its members and the industry at large through conferences, meetings and annual events. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk, EDA
Marketing Coordinator
+1-813-949-6171
Chad@xplor.org

The Anti-Customer Experience

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By Skip Henk, EDP, President/CEO of Xplor International

A great deal of focus for Xploration 16 is on the Tracks & Topics 1Customer Experience as well as the technologies and processes that surround it. I must admit in helping put together our 2016 Education Matrix, I learned a great deal in trying define both the concept of Customer Experience and the complex world surrounding it.

However, after a recent experience with my health insurance company I may have been negligent in leaving out one category: The Anti-Customer Experience.

The Start of the Anti-Customer Experience
I recently received an email from my insurance provider who notified me via email that I should have received my enrollment package and I was enrolled for 2016. The problem was that I had not in fact received my enrollment package and had no idea what my premium would be or if there was a change in my coverage. So I decided to call their hotline.

Could it Get Worse? (Hint: Yes)
Once I got past the oh-so simple just let me talk to a person menu prompts and through the awful hold music, my conversation started when I spoke to Walter in Customer Service. He asked standard questions to verify my identity so I provided my policy number, name, social security, etc. Walter then informed me that since I had a current policy, I needed to speak with a different department. So he forwarded me to Lisa in Member Services. I provided the same information to Lisa, explained the same reason for calling, and then was told I needed to talk to the sales department since it was for a renewal. After Lisa forwarded me to Sierra in Sales, I (again) gave the same information, repeated the same process and guess what!? Do you see where this is going yet? Yep. I was forwarded once again, but this time to Ida (who told me I needed member services again!), then Dora and finally a manager Nigel. Dora was the most helpful as she stayed on the phone with me WHILE contacting her manager (Nigel) and promised not to forward me again. Only took five people for good service…

Total process to get a quote for 2016 and my pamphlet? 32 minutes.

Adding Insult to Injury – (and a bit of venting)
After I voiced my frustration to Nigel about the whole process, he apologized but then informed me that my 2016 premium was 36% higher (no further comment here).  He did offer me a policy that had fewer benefits and in his words was ”only $182.15 higher per month”. This was still about a 10% increase in my policy. Somehow I did not feel good paying more for less while spending 30 minutes and getting aggravated. I did not feel the love.

The results of the Anti-Customer Experience Campaign
As a result of my “pleasant” experience, I am now spending my time looking for alternative healthcare plans which to me only surpasses my disdain in buying a new car.

It really was not the 10% increase, which I am still not happy with, or the reduction in benefits, even though with a family is hard to swallow. How they treated me as a customer paying a lot of money for coverage is what drove me to look elsewhere. It is just about the principal.

The CommercialXplor16_300x150
Xploration 16 has a great deal of content on the importance of the Customer Experience. If you have never attended the annual Xplor event and are an end user, I invite you to apply for our “First Timer Recognition Program”. Here, you will have the chance of receiveing a FREE full conference pass to enjoy the event. Are you an Xplor Veteran? Than we have a package that will cover your conference pass AND hotel stay. Just get to Orlando and you’ll be taken care of.  Hope to see you there!

skip_Henk_Photo_2011

 

Skip Henk, EDP
President/CEO
Xplor International

New Registration Option Available for Xploration® 16

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A Full Conference Pass & Hotel Room Starting at Only $999 USD

Lutz, FL – November 17, 2015 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced a new registration option for their annual conference, Xploration® 16, being held April 5-7, 2016 in Orlando, Florida at the Caribe Royale Orlando.

Tweet this: @Xplor_Int announced a hotel and conference package starting at $999!  #XPLOR16

The Platinum Passport Package includes a full-conference pass and a three night’s stay at the host hotel, the Caribe Royale Orlando. Included with the Platinum Passport Package is:

  • 3 nights at the host hotel, the Caribe Royale Orlando. (Standard King or Queen Double)
  • Admission to all of the Xplor Educational/General Sessions, Tuesday through Thursday
    • THREE Keynotes
    • Nine Panel Discussions
    • Forty-four Breakout Sessions
  • A Vendor Forum Pass, Tuesday through Thursday
  • Sponsored Lunches, Tuesday and Wednesday
  • Sponsored Networking Events, Tuesday and Wednesday

“We have tried to make it as easy as possible for attendees to join us in Orlando by offering a great conference/hotel package.” says Skip Henk, President and CEO of Xplor International. “This package provides a great conference experience at a great venue for a great price.”

The cost for the package is $999 USD for Xplor members, $1299 USD for non-member Business Users, and $2199 USD for non-member vendors. Membership can be added during the registration process to ensure the lowest possible price!

For more information regarding Xploration® 16, or to register, visit xplor.org/events/. 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.   

The fine Print: Xplor will request your need for a standard king or standard queen double, however, it is based on availability. The check in date is Monday, April 4 and check out date is Thursday, April 7, 2016. With the purchase of the Platinum Passport Package, the maximum value Xplor will provide to the Caribe Royale for your hotel room is $536.63 (Xplor rate for 3 nights plus tax). If you decide to upgrade your room or lengthen your stay, you must contact the Caribe Royale directly after receiving your reservation confirmation from the Caribe Royale. Sorry, no refunds.

About Xplor International

Xplor International is a worldwide, not-for-profit professional association that consists of thousands of users and suppliers of the products and services that create, modify and deliver customized information using a wide variety of document technologies. The association provides educational products and programs for its members and the industry at large through conferences, meetings and annual events. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk, EDA
Marketing Coordinator
+1-813-949-6171
Chad@xplor.org

What is Behind GMC Software’s New Look? An Interview with Tamir Sigal, CMO of GMC Software

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Xplor President/CEO Skip Henk Interviews Tamir Sigal, CMO of GMC Software

GMC Software has been a longtime supporter of Xplor International and a leading provider of Customer Communications Management (CCM) software for many years.

Headquartered in Switzerland and with offices throughout Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia, GMC Software serves thousands of users worldwide in a wide range of industries including financial services, banking, insurance, health care and the service providers that serve those industries.  In 2012 GMC Software was purchased by Neopost.

Recently GMC launched a new logo. The familiar “GMC Software” is still part of the moniker but some interesting graphics have been introduced.

So as one who is always curious about the meaning behind logos, I, Skip Henk, decided to contact GMC Software’s Chief Marketing Officer, Tamir Sigal, to see what I could find out.

Skip: Tamir, thank you for taking the time to speak with me. For our readers who are not familiar with GMC Software could you give us your 15 second elevator pitch?

Tamir SigalTamir:  It’s good to talk to you, Skip. GMC Software helps companies communicate with their customers and employees. We empower organizations to create stronger engagements with timely and relevant communications. We are the only company that provides the means for business users to develop contextual, highly individualized communications across all channels that span the entire customer journey. As a leader in customer communications, GMC supports thousands of clients and partners in banking, insurance, healthcare and service providers around the world.

Skip: I like the new logo. What drove the introduction of a new logo?

Tamir: GMC has served our market well since the company’s inception over 20 years ago. We have long-standing relationships with many of the leading companies and biggest brands in the world. And during that time there have been a lot of changes in the way people interact. Today, our customers rely on us to help them deliver digital engagements across multiple channels with one design. It was time to give GMC Software a new look and voice. Obviously a logo is a big part of a company’s brand.

Skip: Can you share the story behind its development? What do the graphics represent?

GMC Logo 062215Tamir: With the new logo, we wanted to reiterate our focus on delivering outstanding products, using the latest technologies and overachieving on customer needs. So first and foremost, the logo represents a focus on customers – GMC’s customers and our clients’ customers. The second theme of the logo is around technology. Today’s technology devices are responsive and utilize pinching to zoom in and out of visual elements. The frame represents the need for all solutions today to be responsive. Finally, today’s journey is not just about onboarding and delivering monthly communications. Every interaction
a leading brand has with their customers is important – and the symbol allows companies to focus on specific steps of the entire journey.

Skip: What do the graphics and colors represent?

Tamir: The idea was to use gradient colors to make a connection between the 20 years of experience and the future of GMC Software. We wanted to incorporate the previous logo’s colors and themes. The best way to do this is by using gradient shading.

Skip: You also changed your tagline from “The smartest way to engage customers” to “Your Customers. Engaged.” Why make this change?

Tamir: The tagline we used was specifically related to the GMC Inspire product line. The new tagline is more relevant at the corporate level. At GMC, we wanted to move the focus away from our product to what our customers want to achieve with their customers – better engagement.   

Skip: I thank you for taking the time to share with our readers more about GMC and your new branding. Any closing thoughts?

Tamir: For your readers, I invite them to visit our new website at www.gmc.net. There is a great deal of information and resources available that may be of interest to them.

Skip: Once again Mr. Sigal, thank you for your time and for your ongoing support of Xplor over the last 20 years. I look forward to seeing the GMC team at Xploration 16 in Orlando.

I highly encourage our readers to take a look at GMC’s new website because it does look great! I always enjoy the great blog postings GMC has and recently read a good one by Scott Draeger that you should take a look at. It’s titled: A glimpse into the future of Customer Communications Management (CCM).

Until next interview! Take care.

skip_Henk_Photo_2011

Skip Henk, EDP
President/CEO
Xplor International

Xplor Announces First Timer Recognition Program for Xploration® 16

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New Program is Giving Conference Passes to Qualified Applicants

Lutz, FL – November 4, 2015 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced the First-Timer Recognition Program for their annual conference, Xploration® 16, that is being held April 5-7, 2016 in Orlando, Florida at the Caribe Royale Orlando.

Tweet this: @Xplor_Int announces First-Timer Recognition Program and is giving away FREE passes! http://bit.ly/1Pn4Cu6 #XPLOR16

New this year, Xplor is recognizing qualifying 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.

“For 2016 we are pulling out all the stops to introduce new people from our industry to the great education and networking opportunities at our annual Xploration event.” says Skip Henk, President and CEO of Xplor International. “This is a great opportunity for anyone in the Digital Document or Customer Communication industry to expand their knowledge and professional network and to see why people return year after year.”

To qualify, applicants must be a first-time attendee to an Xplor Annual Conference, be employed by an enterprise or end-user company, and agree to stay at the host hotel, the Caribe Royale Orlando. ($159US which includes resort fee) Interested parties must apply by December 11, 2015. You can apply here: bit.ly/1WgRiYk. 

The two-and-a-half day event is the perfect blend of educational sessions, panel discussions, general sessions, and networking events. It features 55+ educations sessions, panels, and general session, three keynotes, two evening networking events, two networking luncheons, and over 35 of the industry’s best solution providers.

Not a first-timer? Xplor has you covered too. A new conference package that pairs your hotel with your conference pass is now available and starts at only $999 USD. For more information, visit www.xplor.org/.

For more information regarding Xploration® 16, or to register, visit xplor.org/events/. 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 worldwide, not-for-profit professional association that consists of thousands of users and suppliers of the products and services that create, modify and deliver customized information using a wide variety of document technologies. The association provides educational products and programs for its members and the industry at large through conferences, meetings and annual events. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk, EDA
Marketing Coordinator
+1-813-949-6171
Chad@xplor.org

Registration Now Open for Xploration® 16

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Lutz, FL – October 29, 2015 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced that registration is now open for Xploration® 16 being held April 5-7, 2016 in Orlando, Florida at the Caribe Royale Orlando.

Tweet this: @Xplor_Int announced that registration is open for Xploration 16 in Orlando, FL at @The_Caribe! More info: http://bit.ly/1jUxlLf #XPLOR16

One of the big changes to this year’s event is the venue. Xploration® 16 will take place at the Caribe Royale Orlando which boasts over 150,000 square feet of meeting space with 54 spacious meeting rooms and three elegant ballrooms. The Xplor group rate has this tropical all-suite hotel locked in at $159 per night for a standard room, including resort fees. It truly is both a great value and venue.

Xplor’s annual conference will feature 55+ educational sessions with a focus on “real world examples and case studies” presented by end users, industry analysts, industry consultants, and subject matter experts from the vendor community. All presentations will follow pre-determined tracks & topics as outlined on the event website.

“There is a great deal to be excited about with Xploration 16. Not only will we be at a beautiful new venue but the Education Committee has made dramatic changes to our content matrix expanding both the scope and depth of the conference program.” says Skip Henk, President and CEO of Xplor International. “We also have an exciting new registration option that includes a full conference registration plus three nights stay at the host hotel for under a $1000*.”

Conference Program: The two-and-a-half day event is the perfect blend of educational sessions, panel discussions, general sessions, and networking events. The Vendor Forum will feature over 35 of the industry’s best solution providers. Other features include:

  • 55+ Educational Sessions
  • Panel Discussions and General Sessions
  • THREE Keynote Sessions 
  • 35+ Industry Partners in the Vendor Forum
  • Two Evening Networking Events (Tue/Wed)
  • Two Networking Luncheons (Tue/Wed)
  • Pre-Conference Options (Separate Purchase)

For more information regarding Xploration® 16, or to register, visit xplor.org/events/. 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 worldwide, not-for-profit professional association that consists of thousands of users and suppliers of the products and services that create, modify and deliver customized information using a wide variety of document technologies. The association provides educational products and programs for its members and the industry at large through conferences, meetings and annual events. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk, EDA
Marketing Coordinator
+1-813-949-6171
Chad@xplor.org

*$999 USD for Xplor members, $1299 USD for non-member Business Users, $2199 USD for non-member vendors.