Our lives are increasingly taking place online. That has completely changed the path potential customers take before making a purchase. It is difficult to reach consumers via one channel. The appropriate omnichannel strategy in customer communication demands a lot from retailers, supermarkets and wholesalers. Graphit relieves them of the burden by organizing content creation efficiently using a software platform.
A practical example: a multichannel campaign is often started on one specific channel, for example the website. The messages are not yet suitable for print. They need to be adapted – if at all shared with the team in charge of print. In the worst case, the team has to start from scratch.
Call it compartmentalization. Or in the words of Ronald Leusink, partner at Graphit, silos: separate teams within companies that work in parallel on content creation for web, social and print. It is widely recognized that content is essential for companies to engage with their target audience, he says. “But for many it is looking for a way to do this efficiently.”
This is not easy with an organizational structure consisting of so-called silos: central sources and created content are not used. The use of external parties – freelancers or agencies – further delays the process. Different versions of files come from all sides – from mail to WeTransfer – and are stored locally. Time and money are lost.
Critical outsider
But what if you take a step back? If you don’t pour content directly into the web mold, but if you have one central platform where everyone works on media-neutral content, which you can send to every communication channel in no time? Such unconventional solutions require awareness. A team that works the same way for years is not easy to come by. That is why Graphit works closely with the customer in the role of critical outsider. “This is how we take content creation to the next level. We streamline and automate processes and centralize brand assets .”
In practice, not in the ivory tower
Companies need a conductor who can manage the entire content creation process, says Leusink. In essence, it boils down to this: “Orchestrating the storage, the people and the channels on which you share content.” Graphit on the job identified this need at various parties. It characterizes the pragmatic approach of the company, which has been building bridges between marketing and technology for almost four decades. The best solutions arise in practice, not in an ivory tower.
“Our consultants are always looking for bottlenecks in publication processes. There is nothing better than working with the customer on a solution that lays a new foundation for brands .” For 35 years this working method has been the driving force behind Graphit, which not only saw desktop publishing (dtp) evolve with its own eyes “from the moment the first Apples came to the Netherlands”, but also changed in the footsteps of parties for whom rich content has become increasingly important. Initially it was the printers, then the advertising agencies and now the brands: the companies themselves. The only constant factor in these developments: Graphit’s expertise in the field of content creation.
Automation at the service of the employees
The company shifted its focus from workplace automation to process automation, with the Publication Organizer platform the recent fruit of years of maturation. That platform acts as a conductor: in response to the trends described. It’s the “step back” just described. Companies such as Yamaha Motor Europe, Hoogvliet Supermarkets, NCOI Training, Detailresult Groep, G-Star and Bavaria are using it. It helps them organize the communication process efficiently. To illustrate: the layout of print at Yamaha – published in 26 different languages – will be fully automated. This automation is in the service of the employees. The relevant programs, from Photoshop to InDesign, are linked to the platform.
The efficient process lays a solid foundation for effective communication. An important distinction, Leusink emphasizes: “You can use an agency for effective communication. But that doesn’t make the processes efficient. This last point is precisely our strength. Harmony in the process.”
